Minworth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Minworth |
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| Village | |
 Minworth
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| Demonym | Minworthian |
| OS grid reference | SP 15850 92138 |
| Civil parish | |
| Metropolitan borough | |
| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | SUTTON COLDFIELD |
| Postcode district | B76 |
| Dialling code | 0121 |
| Police | West Midlands |
| Fire | West Midlands |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| EU Parliament | West Midlands |
| UK Parliament |
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Minworth is a small village located in the West Midlands region of England. It's part of Sutton Coldfield and sits on the edge of the City of Birmingham. Minworth is close to other places like Walmley, Wiggins Hill, and Curdworth. The River Tame flows through the southern part of the village.
Minworth has great connections to major roads. These include the M6, M6 Toll, and M42 motorways. The nearest train station is Water Orton railway station in Water Orton, Warwickshire.
Contents
Minworth's History
The name Minworth likely comes from "Mynna's Estate." Minworth and nearby Curdworth were settled by Angle people around the 6th or 7th centuries. These early settlers were part of the Anglo-Saxon tribes. The area has historical links to the Arden family. This family was related to the famous writer William Shakespeare.
Ancient Discoveries in Minworth
When workers were digging for the Minworth sewage plant, they found amazing things. They discovered evidence from the Pleistocene period. This included the fossilized bones of a mammoth. This giant animal walked here about one million years ago!
Minworth in the Domesday Book
Minworth was recorded in the Domesday Book in 1086. This was a huge survey ordered by William the Conqueror. It listed all the land and property in England. Minworth was called "Meneworde" back then. This name means "Mynna's farmstead" in Old English. Mynna was likely a person from the Tomsaete tribe. The Tomsaete were an Anglo-Saxon tribe. They lived in the valley of the River Tame.
In 1086, Minworth was a small and not very rich manor. A manor was a large estate with a village. It had enough land for one ploughteam. But only half of that land was being farmed. A single villein worked the land. A villein was a type of peasant who worked for the lord of the manor. The manor also had some meadowland by the River Tame. It also had a small amount of woodland. Before the Normans arrived, an Anglo-Saxon named Godric owned the manor. Its value for tax was very small, only five shillings.
Minworth Mill and Local Plans
Minworth Mill used to grind corn on the River Tame. It operated from at least the 1300s until 1872. Later, in the 1700s, the mill also helped Birmingham's weapons industry. It was used for boring gun barrels. Today, the mill is gone. An industrial estate now stands where it once was.
In the past, there were plans to update Minworth. One idea was to build new homes and shops. But local people did not want these changes. They preferred Minworth to stay as it was. Another plan was to build a marina by the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal. Residents also said no to this. They did not want the canal area to become too busy.
Old Spellings of Minworth
Over time, the name Minworth has been spelled in many ways. Some old spellings include Meneworde (1086), Munnewrth (around 1194), Monewurth (1230), and Mynworth (1372).
Businesses in Minworth
Since the 1980s, the area around Minworth has become a hub for businesses. Many light industries and distribution companies are located here. This is because it's very close to the M42, M6, and M6 Toll motorways. These roads make it easy to transport goods.
Major Stores and Shops
A very large Asda Supercentre is located near Minworth. It first opened in 1977 as a Carrefour hypermarket. It became an Asda store in 1989. Even though it's an older building, the inside has been completely updated.
You can also find other stores here. These include a Wickes DIY store and a B&M Bargains. A Screwfix store is also nearby.
Local Pubs and Services
Minworth has four pubs where people can relax. These are The Hare and Hounds, The Boat, and the Cuttle Bridge. The Minworth Social Club also offers places to stay. For local needs, there's Minworth Convenience, a small shop. Mansells offers repair services for motorcycles, bicycles, and lawnmowers. You can also find motorcycle training and other repair services. For food, there's the Chili Spice Indian takeaway.
Industrial Units
On Forge Lane and Maybrook Road, there are many industrial buildings. These include companies like Selecta (vending machines) and steelworks. Other businesses include Cooke & Son (furniture) and Speedy (equipment hire). You can also find Safestyle UK and Selco (building supplies). At Midpoint Park, there are large offices for The Works (books) and Cadbury. Hozelock (hoses) and All Metal Services also have premises here. There's even an American Auto Center for US vehicles.
Minworth Water Treatment Works
Minworth is home to Severn Trent’s largest sewage treatment plant. This plant cleans water for about 1.75 million people. It also treats sludge from even more people, about 2.3 million. This sludge comes from Minworth and other nearby areas.
The Minworth plant is also a big source of green energy for Severn Trent. It uses a process called CHP (Combined Heat and Power). It also turns biogas into energy for the power grid. This produces 30% of their green energy.
Education in Minworth
Minworth got its first school quite late. A small school for very young children opened in 1897. A local woman named Emma Hughes became the teacher. Older children had to walk to schools in other villages.
The first infant school was small and quickly became too crowded. The education board said they would stop funding the school. So, a new and permanent school building became very important. On December 29, 1900, a new school opened. It was a big improvement for the younger children. However, Minworth still didn't have a school for children over 7 years old. These older kids still had to travel to other villages for their education. As Emma Hughes's infant school became more successful, the need for a school for older children grew even more.
Public Transport
Minworth has several bus routes. Most of these routes connect to Sutton Coldfield. You can take the 71 bus to Chelmsley Wood. The X4 bus goes to Wylde Green, Erdington, and Birmingham. Routes 77/77A also go to Erdington and Walsall. The Diamond Bus service 76 offers occasional trips to Kingsbury and Tamworth.
