Stourbridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stourbridge |
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| Market town | |
 Foster Street, Stourbridge; leading towards the railway station |
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 Stourbridge
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| Population | 63,298 |
| OS grid reference | SO899844 |
| • London | 125.8 miles/202 km |
| Metropolitan borough |
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| Shire county | |
| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | STOURBRIDGE |
| Postcode district | DY7-DY9 |
| Dialling code | 01384 01562 |
| Police | West Midlands |
| Fire | West Midlands |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| EU Parliament | West Midlands |
| UK Parliament |
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Stourbridge is a busy market town in the West Midlands, England. It's located on the River Stour, about 10 miles (16 km) west of Birmingham. Long ago, Stourbridge was part of Worcestershire. It became famous for making glass during the Industrial Revolution. In 2011, about 63,298 people lived in the town.
Contents
Exploring Stourbridge's Location
Stourbridge is about 10 miles (16 km) west of Birmingham. It sits on the edge of the Black Country and the wider West Midlands conurbation. Stourbridge includes several smaller areas like Amblecote, Lye, Norton, Oldswinford, Pedmore, Stambermill, Stourton, Wollaston, Wollescote, and Wordsley.
Much of Stourbridge has homes mixed with green spaces. Mary Stevens Park, which opened in 1931, has a lake, a bandstand, and a cafe. The Stevens family also gave two other large parks to the people of Stourbridge. These parks are in Lye/Wollescote and Quarry Bank, and both have cafes.
Stourbridge is surrounded by green areas. It's close to the countryside, with the Clent Hills to the south and Kinver Edge to the west.
Nearby Places to Stourbridge
Stourbridge is well-connected to many other towns and cities. Here's a look at some of the places around it:
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Claverley, Coalport, Bridgnorth, Ironbridge, Telford, Much Wenlock, Cressage, Wellington, Cross Houses, Craven Arms, Shrewsbury, Oswestry, England–Wales Border | Amblecote, Wordsley, Kingswinford, Himley, Wombourne, Sedgley, Wolverhampton, Cannock, Hednesford, Rugeley, Penkridge, Stafford | Withymoor, Brierley Hill, Quarry Bank, Netherton, Dudley, Tipton, Oldbury, West Bromwich, Coseley, Wednesbury, Great Barr, Darlaston, Walsall, Sutton Coldfield, Erdington, Tamworth, Burntwood, Lichfield, Burton-upon-Trent | |
| Wollaston, Stourton, Kinver, Enville, Alveley, Highley, Cleehill, Church Stretton, Ludlow |  |
Lye, Cradley, Tanhouse, Halesowen, Blackheath, Harborne, Edgbaston, Smethwick, Birmingham, Tyseley, Stechford, Birmingham Airport, Coventry | ||
 Stourbridge  |
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| Norton, Iverley, Kidderminster, Bewdley, Stourport, Cleobury Mortimer, Tenbury Wells, Bromyard, Leominster, Hereford | West Hagley, Blakedown, Chaddesley Corbett, Droitwich Spa, Worcester, Pershore, Malvern, Tewkesbury, Cheltenham, Gloucester | Oldswinford, Pedmore, Wollescote, Hagley, Clent, Romsley, Belbroughton, Catshill, Bromsgrove, Redditch, Alcester, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick |
Stourbridge's Past: A Brief History
Stourbridge was first mentioned in records in 1255. It was called Sturbrug or Sturesbridge. The town got its name from a bridge over the River Stour. The area was originally known as Bedcote and likely started in Anglo-Saxon times. It was part of the manor of Swynford (now Oldswinford), which was in the William the Conqueror's Domesday Book of 1086.
In 1828-9, a directory described Stourbridge as a "populous, wealthy, and flourishing market town." Its population was 5,090 in 1821.
In 1966, the border between Worcestershire and Staffordshire moved north. This brought Amblecote into Stourbridge. Later, in 1974, Stourbridge became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley. It also became part of the larger West Midlands county.
Stourbridge's Glass Making History
Stourbridge is famous for its glass production, which began in the early 1600s. The local clay was perfect for making glass. Many French coal miners, called Huguenots, came to the area and helped the industry grow.
Most of the glass factories were in nearby areas like Wordsley, Amblecote, and Oldswinford. The area had lots of coal and fireclay, which were great for building furnaces. Glass making was at its peak in the 1800s, thanks to families like the Jeavons.
By 1861, over 1,000 people in Stourbridge worked in the glass trade. Most of these workers came from nearby English counties. Some glass cutters came from Ireland, as their industry there had declined. Glassworkers often lived in better homes compared to other workers in the area. However, few of them owned their own houses.
The Red House Cone is a special building. It's thought to be the only complete glass cone of its kind left. It stands by the Stourbridge Canal in Wordsley. Today, it's the Red House Glass Museum, where you can see how glass was traditionally blown.
Stourbridge Today: Modern Developments
The town centre has been updated a lot recently. In 2014, a new medical centre called Lion Health opened. It's in an old factory where the famous Stourbridge Lion train was made. The next part of this project will create a park next to the Stourbridge Canal. It will also have a "heritage and community hub" called Riverside House.
The Crown Centre Shopping Mall opened in 2013. It replaced an older shopping centre and car park. This new mall cost £50 million. It has a large Tesco store, an underground car park, and several other shops. The main bus station, Stourbridge Interchange, was also rebuilt and opened in 2012.
In 2010, Stourbridge became a Fairtrade Town. This means it supports fair trade products. The Stourbridge Farmers' and Craft Market happens twice a month in Clock Square. In the summer, Mary Stevens Park often hosts live music events.
In the 2011 Census, the average age of people in Stourbridge was 42.
Stourbridge has its own Member of Parliament (MP). From 2010 to 2019, Margot James was the MP. Then Suzanne Webb took over in 2019. After the 2024 General Election, Cat Eccles became the MP.
Getting Around Stourbridge: Transport Links
Three main roads meet in Stourbridge: the A451, the A458, and the A491. The A491 forms the one-way Stourbridge Ring Road around the town.
Stourbridge has two train stations. The main one is Stourbridge Junction. From here, you can get to Birmingham in about 30 minutes. Worcester is also about 30 minutes away, and London is two to two and a half hours away. The other station, Stourbridge Town, is only served by a short shuttle train to Stourbridge Junction. This Stourbridge Town Branch Line is just over half a mile (800 m) long. It's thought to be the shortest railway branch line in Europe!
The Stourbridge Interchange is the main bus station. It's in the town centre, next to Stourbridge Town train station. It opened in 2012 and cost £7 million. Buses connect Stourbridge to local areas like Wollaston and Pedmore. You can also travel to bigger cities like Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Kidderminster.
If you like cycling, National Cycle Network Route 54 connects Stourbridge to Dudley. You can cycle along the canal paths.
The Stourbridge Canal links the town to other canals, like the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal. This means Stourbridge is part of the Stourport Ring, a route popular with people on narrowboat holidays.
Learning in Stourbridge: Education
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Stourbridge has one college for older students. King Edward VI College was founded way back in 1552. It became a sixth form college in 1976, helping students prepare for university or work.
Old Swinford Hospital school also has a sixth form. It was started in 1667 by Thomas Foley, who was born in Stourbridge. This boarding school was named the best secondary school in Dudley. Redhill School, another academy in Stourbridge, was a close second.
Elmfield Rudolf Steiner School is an independent school. It follows the international Steiner Waldorf Education style.
Stourbridge's Culture and Fun
International Festival of Glass
Every two years, Stourbridge hosts the International Festival of Glass at Ruskin Mill. The main event is the British Glass Biennale. This exhibition shows amazing new glass art made by artists in the UK.
Music Scene
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, three indie bands from Stourbridge became very popular. These were The Wonder Stuff, Pop Will Eat Itself, and Ned's Atomic Dustbin. They sold millions of albums! Clint Mansell, who was in Pop Will Eat Itself, now writes music for movies like Black Swan.
Other bands from Stourbridge include the 80s metal bands Diamond Head and Witchfinder General. Even Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant once studied at King Edward VI College.
Local News
Stourbridge has local newspapers. These include the Stourbridge News and the Stourbridge Chronicle, both published weekly.
For many years, from the 1860s to the early 1980s, the County Express newspaper covered Stourbridge. You can find old copies of this newspaper at Stourbridge Library.
Sports Teams
Stourbridge Football Club, also known as "The Glassboys," was founded in 1876. They share the War Memorial Athletic Ground in Amblecote with Stourbridge Cricket Club. Stourbridge Rugby Club plays at Stourton Park. The Dudley and Stourbridge Harriers (athletics club) have trained at the Dell Stadium since 1964. Other teams include Redhill Volleyball Club, which plays at Redhill School. The Stourbridge Running Club also trains at the War Memorial.
Places to Visit
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Stourbridge and its surrounding areas offer many interesting places to visit:
- Black Country Living Museum
- Clent Hills
- Hagley Hall
- Kinver Edge Rock Houses
- Mary Stevens Park
- Red House Cone
- Stambermill Viaduct
- Stourbridge Canal
- Stourbridge Town Hall
- Wychbury Hill
- River Stour (Stambermill Woods)
Places of Worship
According to the 2011 Census, most people in Stourbridge are Christian (65%). About a quarter of people said they had no religion. A small number of people identified as Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist, or Hindu.
Some of the places of worship in Stourbridge include:
- Chawn Hill Church, Stourbridge
- Ghausia Jamia Mosque, Lye
- Holy Trinity Church, Amblecote
- Hope Baptist Church, Stourbridge
- Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Church, Stourbridge
- Presbyterian Unitarian Chapel, Stourbridge
- Quaker Meeting House, Stourbridge
- St James' Church, Wollaston
- St Mary's, Oldswinford
- St Thomas' Church, Stourbridge
- St Peter's, Pedmore
- Church of Latter Day Saints, Stourbridge
Famous People from Stourbridge
Many interesting people have connections to Stourbridge:
- Business Leaders
- James Foster: An important ironmaster who helped bring the first commercial steam train to the Midlands.
- Thomas Webb: The person who started the famous glass company, Thomas Webb & Sons.
- Entertainment and Arts
- Kenton Allen: A TV producer known for shows like The Royle Family.
- Peter Powell: A former DJ for BBC Radio 1.
- Johnny Briggs: An actor famous for his role in Coronation Street.
- Clint Mansell: A musician and composer, known for his film scores.
- Robert Plant: The lead singer of the legendary band Led Zeppelin.
- Esther Smith: An actress known for TV series like Uncle and Cuckoo.
- Anthony Bate: An actor known for his roles in BBC adaptations of spy novels.
- Trevor Harrison: An actor best known as Eddie Grundy in The Archers radio show.
- Science and Learning
- Kathleen Booth: She invented the first computer assembly language.
- Kay Davies: A well-known geneticist.
- Clement Lindley Wragge: A meteorologist who studied weather.
- Sports Stars
- Don Kenyon: A cricketer who captained Worcestershire.
- Matt Neal: A motor racing driver.
- Ronnie O'Sullivan: A famous snooker player, born in Wordsley Hospital.
- Jude Bellingham: A professional footballer who plays for Real Madrid CF.
- Jobe Bellingham: A professional footballer who plays for Sunderland AFC.
- Maria Catalano: A snooker player.
- Dean Headley: A cricketer who played for England.
- Hannah Payton: A professional road racing cyclist.
- Sam Field (footballer): A professional footballer.
- Writers
- Jerome K. Jerome: The author of Three Men in a Boat. He lived in Stourbridge as a child.
- Samuel Johnson: A famous writer who lived and worked in Stourbridge for a time.
- S. J. Watson: The author of Before I Go to Sleep.
- Other Notable People
- Frank Foley: A British hero who helped many people during World War II. There is a memorial to him in Mary Stevens Park.
- Rachel Trevor-Morgan: A milliner (hat maker) for the Queen.
See also
In Spanish: Stourbridge para niños
