Rowley Regis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rowley Regis |
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 St Giles' Church, parish church of Rowley Regis |
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 Rowley Regis
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| Population | 50,257 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | SO9687 |
| Metropolitan borough |
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| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | CRADLEY HEATH |
| Postcode district | B64 |
| Post town | ROWLEY REGIS |
| Postcode district | B65 |
| Dialling code | 0121 01384 |
| Police | West Midlands |
| Fire | West Midlands |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| EU Parliament | West Midlands |
| UK Parliament |
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Rowley Regis (pronounced ROW-lee REE-jis) is a town in the West Midlands, England. It's part of an area west of Birmingham called the Black Country. This town includes the areas of Blackheath, Cradley Heath, Old Hill, and Rowley. In 2011, about 50,257 people lived here.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
The story of Rowley Regis began in the 1100s. A small village grew around the church of St Giles, which was about 2 miles (3.2 km) southeast of Dudley. The name "Regis" was added around 1140. It means "of the King," showing that this part of Rowley belonged to the King's hunting grounds.
Growing with Industry
Like other parts of the Black Country, Rowley Regis grew a lot in the early to mid-1800s. People started mining coal here. Mines like Ramrod Colliery (from 1855) and Rowley Hall Colliery (from 1865) were important. These mines were connected by special railways to canals, helping to move the coal. However, by 1920, all these coal mines had closed.
In 1933, Rowley Regis became a borough. This meant it had its own local government. It included the communities of Blackheath, Old Hill, and Cradley Heath. Around this time, many new houses were built for people moving to the area.
Churches and Schools
The current St Giles Church on Church Road is not the first church built in Rowley Regis. The church built in 1840 was found to be unsafe and was taken down in 1900. Another church built in 1904 burned down in 1913. Some people thought it was set on fire by Suffragettes (women fighting for the right to vote) or striking steelworkers. However, it was probably just an accident, possibly caused by the paraffin used for lighting. The church you see today was built in 1923.
The Rowley Regis railway station opened in 1867 and is still used today.
A new grammar school for Rowley Regis opened in September 1962. Famous people who went there include Pete Williams, a musician from the band Dexys Midnight Runners, and actress Josie Lawrence. In 1975, the grammar school became Rowley Regis Sixth Form College. Later, in 2003, it became part of Dudley College for a short time.
The old school buildings were eventually taken down. In their place, a new learning campus was built. This campus opened in 2011 and includes St Michael's Church of England High School, Westminster Special School, and Whiteheath Education Centre.
| Rowley Regis
Borough of Rowley Regis
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| Municipal borough | |
Former Rowley Regis Council House (1937–2012)
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| Population | |
| • 1911 | 37,000 |
| • 1961 | 48,146 |
| History | |
| • Preceded by | Sanitary district |
| • Created | 1894 |
| • Abolished | 1966 |
| • Succeeded by | County Borough of Warley |
| Status | Urban district (1894-1933) Municipal borough (1933-1966) |
| Government | Rowley Regis Borough Council |
| • HQ | Council House, Old Hill |
| • Motto | "Loyal and Industrious" |
 Arms of Rowley Regis Borough Council |
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Changes in Local Government
Rowley Regis was originally part of Staffordshire. In 1894, the Rowley Regis Urban District was created. This covered the villages of Rowley, Blackheath, Cradley Heath, and Old Hill. In 1933, it became a municipal borough.
After becoming a borough, new council offices were built. These offices were opened in December 1938. They were described as "spacious, imposing and distinctly modern."
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On April 1, 1966, the borough of Rowley Regis joined with Oldbury and Smethwick to form the Warley County Borough. Parts of Rowley Regis also went to other nearby areas like West Bromwich and Dudley. Many local people were not happy about this change.
Eight years later, in 1974, the West Midlands Metropolitan county was formed. Warley then joined with West Bromwich to create the Sandwell Metropolitan Borough. Rowley Regis is now a key part of the West Midlands area.
The old council offices in Barrs Road were used by the new councils for a while. However, in 2012, there were plans to take them down. This was to make space for expanding the nearby Haden Hill Leisure Centre and building a new fire station.
Geography of Rowley Regis
Rowley Regis is known for the Rowley Hills. These hills are famous for a type of stone called Rowley Rag Stone, which is quarried there. The hills are also important because they form a natural dividing line for rivers. Rainwater falling on one side flows towards the River Trent, and on the other side, it flows towards the River Severn.
The highest point in the entire West Midlands region is Turner's Hill, which is in Rowley Regis. It stands 269 meters (883 feet) above sea level.
In 1952, a newspaper article described Rowley Regis as a "Town in Tiers." This means it's built on different levels. Cradley Heath and Old Hill are in a valley. Blackheath is "the next step up," and then you climb even higher to Rowley parish church and over the Rowley Hills towards Tividale.
Areas within Rowley Regis
The former borough of Rowley Regis includes several smaller areas:
- Blackheath
- Cradley Heath
- Haden Hill
- Old Hill
- Rowley Village
- Whiteheath
Famous People from Rowley Regis
Many interesting people have connections to Rowley Regis:
- John Haden Badley (1865–1967) – He lived to be over 100 years old and started a famous school called Bedales.
- Josie Lawrence (born 1959) – A well-known actress who went to Rowley Regis Grammar School.
- Scott Liam Malone (born 1991) – A professional football player.
- Carlton Palmer (born 1965) – A former football player who played for the England team and clubs like West Bromwich Albion.
- Pete Williams – He was the bass player for the band Dexys Midnight Runners and also went to Rowley Regis Grammar School.
- James Woodhouse (1735–1820) – A poet born in Rowley Regis, sometimes called the "cobbler poet."
See also
In Spanish: Rowley Regis para niños
