Hamstead, West Midlands

Hamstead is an area straddling the border of Birmingham and Sandwell, England, between Handsworth Wood and Great Barr, and adjacent to the Sandwell Valley area of West Bromwich. The Hamstead Colliery was worked from the early to mid-20th century, with much housing built for the miners. Today it is still referred to as Hamstead Village.

Hamstead
Hamstead
Location within the West Midlands
OS grid referenceSP047928
Metropolitan county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townBIRMINGHAM,
Postcode districtB42,B43
Dialling code0121
PoliceWest Midlands
FireWest Midlands
AmbulanceWest Midlands
UK Parliament
  • various

The River Tame enters Hamstead after passing through Sandwell Valley, and runs through the village before exiting into Perry Hall Park. It is the largest tributary of the River Trent but is not navigable. After heavy rains it can overspill its banks, flooding the village. As of 2020, flood alleviation works are being undertaken at Sandwell Valley, to protect Hamstead. Two brick bridges over the Tame in Hamstead are Grade II listed.[1][2]

A Lane at Hamstead, Staffordshire by William Ellis (1747-1810); now in the Garman Ryan Collection at The New Art Gallery Walsall

St Paul's Church, Hamstead was consecrated in 1892.[3] Its grounds include Hamstead War Memorial, commemorating local men who died in World War I.[4] Both church and memorial are Grade II listed.

There is also a secondary School, Hamstead Hall Academy.

Transport

The Tame Valley Canal runs through Hamstead Village near to the old colliery site. Coal used to be transported from Hamstead Wharf near Spouthouse Lane along the canal to the Grand Union Canal and onwards.

The area is served by Hamstead railway station on the Birmingham-Walsall Line, part of the former Grand Junction Railway, opened in 1837. Trains run half-hourly in both directions, from 0530 until 0000 seven days a week. Trains are Operated by West Midlands Trains.

Notable people

References
  1. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1076356)". National Heritage List for England.
  2. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1343115)". National Heritage List for England.
  3. "Consecration of St Paul's Church Hamstead". Birmingham Daily Post. Birmingham. 30 September 1892. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  4. "Hamstead War Memorial, Non Civil Parish - 1442623". Historic England. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  5. "Updated: Tributes paid after SAS legend dies". Hereford Times. 12 January 2016. Retrieved 12 January 2016.


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