The name Hammerwich comes from the Old English hamor (by a hill) and wic (place). This high place overlooking the Roman Road of Watling Street has had an eventful past for such a small village.
It lies on the edge of the Royal Forest known as Cannock Chase and its early history probably revolved around small groups of charcoal burners on the edge of the forest. It may well have been these who became the 'Vandals of Hammerwich' after being denied a living from the timber in the forest. Agriculture took over through the middle ages and several large estates had interests in the area.
In 1851 there were 270 people in the parish, almost all employed in agriculture. The only other industry seems to have been nail making. In the 1840s and 50s there were a number of nail makers in the village. The tradition seems to go back to the early 17th. Century. By 1861, however, the population had risen to 991. The Industrial Revolution had arrived in Hammerwich.
In the far western corner of parish, in 1846, test borings for coal were made near Norton Pool and in 1849 Hammerwich No.1 Colliery, was sunk. Norton Pool (renamed Chasewater) was dammed to serve as a feed for the Anglesey Branch Canal which was cut to link the colliery to the Wyrley and Essington Canal . The South Staffs Railway was also opened in 1849, with a station at Neatherton, and further mines were sunk in Chasetown.
Hammerwich No.1 was closed in 1856 and settlement moved to Burntwood. The Industrial Revolution moved west!
Our tour will take us along Stockhay Lane past Apple Tree Farm. From here we will walk along Burntwood Rd through the heart of the village past the W I Hall, Hammerwich Hall, the village school and Post Office and up the hill to the parish church, St John's. Returning from the church we will take Mearash Lane past the Institute and the Old Farm before turning off along Overton Lane. At the edge of 'the Plateau', the local name given to the area enclosed by the 500 contour line we will turn off the road and follow a public footpath along the edge of the plateau and across the fields down the hill to 'the Triangle'. Returning to the road we will move back up hill to Hammerwich Hospital and then turn into Coppy Nook Lane to return to Overton Lane at Overton Farm. After a short detour to look at Overton Manor we will cross the fields via the footpath opposite Overton Farm to take advantage of the views up to 'the Plateau' before rejoining Burntwood Rd. near the W I Hall and returning along Stockhay Lane.
We enter the village via Stockhay Lane, which was officially brought within the parish boundaries in 1989. This lane has itself an interesting history. The fields on which it was built were bought by a local family of builders named Atkins in the early years of this century. The first house, number 15, was built in 1910 and was lived in by members of the Atkins family intil 1993. The other houses in the lane were built gradually through the years and show an intersting mixture of styles and sizes.Behind the houses is an orchard and two fields which still belong to various houses in the lane.
Apple Tree Farm stands at the junction of Stockhay Lane, Hammerwich Road, Burntwood Road and Overton Lane. The farm has a long history as evidenced by the medieval timbers which are incorporated into the rear wing of the house. The farm is home to the Applecote Herd of pedegree Hereford cattle
Hammerwich Cricket Club was formed in 1948 and acquired the present ground in 1978. As can be seen from the recently extended pavilion, the village cricket club is a thriving organisation. It plays in local leagues and has a strong junior team.
The parish church dominates the village. It stands removed from the present centre of the village overlooking the area. Its position is actually quite central to the original occupation of the area. The map shows the agricultural heart of the area revolving around the larger farms such as Hammerwich Place farm, Hammerwich Hall farm, Hammerwich House farm, Old Farm, Apple Tree Farm and Overton Farm.
A WI group was first formed in 1920. The WI Hall is a timber frame building erected in 1936. Still well maintained and well used. The WI have events every Monday afternoon with a monthly full meeting on a Wednesday evening.
There have been several small housing developments in the village in recent years. This is the largest. The grounds of Hammerwich House were sold off to housing development when the house became a nursing home.
The present building was constructed around 1870 but an estate centred on Hammerwich House can be traced back to 1565. The house has not been a family home since the 1940s. It was used as a hospital during the second world war and was bought by Walsall council in 1945. It was initially used as a girl's remand home but later became a children's home. In 1986 it was bought by the present owners and opened as a private nursing home for the elderly. The name of the building was changed to Hammerwich Hall in 1988. The original Hammerwich Hall was the centre of Hammerwich Hall Farm in Hall lane but this was pulled down and replaced with a house in 1960. Some interesting medieval architectural features can still be seen in the outbuildings of Hammerwich Hall farm.
The first church day school opened in the mid 1850's in a room behind what is now the village Post Office. The present building was opened as a Church day school in 1871 with the help of the parish church and local subscription. It closed in 1982, became a Community Centre in 1983 and a registered charity in 1997.
The Post Office is the only shop in the village. Its position, opposite the Community Centre, makes it a focal point.
The present church overlooks the whole of the parish from its hilltop. A Saxon church, probably on this site, is mentioned in the Domesday Book but a much altered 12th century building stood here until it was demolished in 1872 to be replaced with the existing one.
The hedgerow across the middle of the picture marks the road up to the church from the village. Lichfield lies about 2 miles across the fields.
This view due west of the church looks across Hammerwich House farm to the old windmill. There is evidence of there being 3 windmills at various times in the parish. The first record is in 1300 and this represents the earliest record of a windmill in Staffordshire.
In the 12th. century there were 3 centres of population in Hammerwich, totalling probably less than 50. These were Netherton, Middleton and Overton ( translated as the lower, middle and upper townships perhaps!).There was still a green marking these sites in the early 19th. century. Netherton Green lay around the junction of Coppice Lane, Hall Lane and Lion's Den, where a village pond remains. Overton Green lay between Pringle Lane and Coppy Nook Lane. Middleton Green is shown here. The small area shown is called locally the 'village green'. The building in the background is the Community Centre.
The 'Elias Ashmole Ashmall Institute' was built in 1911 in memory of a local farmer and churchwarden with money donated by his son-in-law, on land donated for the purpose. The Ashmole Club and Bowling Green, with the Cricket club, Community Centre and WI Hall represents the 'extensive' night life of the village.
The 'Speedwell' Mill was built in 1779. It was converted to steam at the end of the last century and is thought to have been the last windmill to grind corn in Staffordshire, giving the village the honour of having the first recorded and the last recorded working windmill in the county. The mill was bought in 1909 by the village post master who took the mechanism out and put a castellated top on it. Fortunately the castellations were taken down and a glass fibre domed roof was added during a refurbishment in 1977.
A view across the countryside looking towards Birmingham. It is a view which will change in the near future as the Birmingham Northern Relief Road (the countries first toll motorway) will cut through the middle of it.
Looking down on the Triangle from the Plateau footpath. The triangle marks a boundary between the traditional part of the parish and the industrial development brought about by coal. Lamb’s Lodge lies to the south west of the triangle and has a fascinating history of its own. It was built as the lodge for the warden of commercial rabbit warren which was spread across that part of the Chase and contained 411 burrows with nearly 4000 rabbits.
Hammerwich Hospital was opened in 1882. It was built largely to serve the mining industry with money coming partly from Hammerwich Church, mine owners and miners, paying 1d each per week from their wages. It is still in use and has facilities for minor operations and outpatient accommodation.
Looking up towards the plateau from the corner of the old Overton Green at the start of a footpath across the plateau to join Burntwood Rd. near Hammerwich House.
Overton Manor was built in the mid 18th century but the cellars are much earlier,at least medieval. It has been suggested that the original Manor House was built for a medieval nobleman empowered to act as 'watchman' for the king's interests in the area.
From the other end of the footpath the view of the buildings on the top of the plateau which include a small number of council houses started in the 1930s.
From the same point looking down towards Pingle Lane and Burntwood Rd. From here it is a short walk through the houses to rejoin Burntwood Rd.