Etymology The
etymology of the name Sutton appears to be from "South Town". The name "Sutton Coldfield" appears to come from this time, being the "south town" (i.e. south of Tamworth and/or Lichfield) on the edge of the "col field". "Col" is usually derived from "charcoal", charcoal burners presumably being active in the area.
Prehistory The earliest known signs of human presence in Sutton Coldfield were discovered in 2002–2003 on the boundaries of the town. Archaeological surveys undertaken in preparation for the construction of the
M6 Toll road revealed evidence of
Bronze Age burnt mounds near Langley Mill Farm, at Langley Brook. Additionally, evidence for a Bronze Age burial mound was discovered, one of only two in Birmingham with the other being located in
Kingstanding. Excavations also uncovered the presence of an
Iron Age settlement, dating to around 400 and 100 BC, Closer to Langley Brook (a tributary of the
River Tame), excavations uncovered the remains of a single circular house surrounded by ditches, dating from the same period. Near to Langley Mill Farm is Fox Hollies, where archaeological surveys have uncovered flints dating from the
New Stone Age. Amongst the finds in the area were
flint cores and a flint scraper, which had been retouched with a knife. The presence of flint cores suggest that the site was used for tool manufacture and that a settlement was nearby. Additionally, a Bronze Age burnt mound was also discovered in the area. In his
History of Birmingham, published in 1782,
William Hutton describes the presence of three mounds adjacent to Chester Road on the extremities of Sutton Coldfield (although now outside the modern boundaries of the town). The site, southwest of Bourne Pool (named "Bowen Pool" by Hutton Further evidence of pre-Roman human habitation are preserved in
Sutton Park. A major fire in the park in 1926 revealed six more mounds near Streetly Lane, excavations of which uncovered charred and cracked stones within them and pits below the two largest mounds. The mounds are now covered in rough heathland. The area around Rowton's Well has been the source of many archaeological discoveries such as flint tools, and in the 18th century, worked timbers were discovered near the well, suggesting a possible Iron Age timber
trackway built across wet land, similar to others discovered elsewhere in the country. A burnt mound was also discovered in
New Hall Valley.
Roman period The presence of
Romans in the area is most visible in Sutton Park, where a long preserved section of
Icknield Street passes through. Whilst the road ultimately connects Gloucestershire to South Yorkshire, locally, the road was important for connecting
Metchley Fort in
Edgbaston with
Letocetum, now
Wall, in
Staffordshire. The road is most visible from near to the pedestrian gate on Thornhill Road (OS Grid Reference ), where the wide bank that formed the road surface is most prominent. Excavations at the road have showed that it was made from compacted gravel, never having a paved surface. Along each side are intermittent ditches, marked by Roman engineers, and beyond these are hollows where gravel was excavated to make the road surface. as well as a Roman pottery kiln elsewhere in the town. Next to the Iron Age property at Langley Brook, the remains of a timber building and field system were discovered. Pottery recovered from this site was dated to the second and third century, indicating the presence of a Roman farmstead. The outline of the deer park that it served is still visible within Sutton Park, with the ditch and bank boundary forming the western boundary of Holly Hurst, then crossing Keepers Valley, through the Lower Nuthurst and continuing on south of Blackroot Pool. Due to the marshy ground at Blackroot Valley, a fence was probably constructed to contain the deer, and the ditch and bank boundary commence again on the eastern side, on towards Holly Knoll. The manor of Sutone was mentioned in the
Domesday Book of 1086, where it was rated at eight
hides, making it larger than all surrounding villages in terms of cultivated land.
Early development, c. 1135–1499 Possession of the manor The manor remained in the possession of the Crown until 1135, Throughout the 15th century, Sutton Coldfield developed a military connection, due in part to Sir
Ralph Bracebridge who obtained a lease for his lifetime from the Earl of Warwick for the Manor and Chase of Sutton Coldfield. In return, Bracebridge was required to assist the Earl with nine
lances fournies and seventeen archers in strengthening
Calais from French attack. As a result, Sutton Coldfield became an important training location for English soldiers during the wars between England and France.
Butts were assembled within the town for archery training, and marks can still be seen in the sandstone wall on 3 Coleshill Street where archers sharpened their arrows. It is believed that 3 Coleshill Street is of medieval origin despite having a Georgian façade. Bracebridge is remembered as having dammed
Ebrook to form Bracebridge Pool, now in Sutton Park, which he used for fishing.
Tudor Sutton Coldfield, c. 1500–1598 Influence of Bishop Vesey By the beginning of the 16th century, the town of Sutton Coldfield had started to decay as a result of the
War of the Roses. The markets had been abandoned and the manor house itself was becoming dilapidated. Around 1510, the manor house was demolished by an officer to the Crown, who sold the timbers for a profit to
Thomas Grey, 2nd Marquess of Dorset, who used them in the construction of
Bradgate House in
Leicestershire. It was during the period of decay that John Harman grew up, working at Moor Hall Farm in Sutton and then studying at
Magdalen College, Oxford. He formed a friendship with
Thomas Wolsey and started a career in the church, beginning with his appointment as chaplain at the free chapel of St. Blaize in his hometown in 1495. Harman continued to be promoted and became Chaplain to
King Henry VIII, with whom he became friends. In 1519, Harman was appointed
Bishop of Exeter and changed his surname to Vesey, thus becoming
John Vesey. It was Vesey's respected position within the church and his friendship with the king that set about the start of a revival for Sutton Coldfield, spearheaded by Vesey. He had returned to the town in 1524 for the funeral of his mother to discover the town had further deteriorated. He decided to set up residence in the town again and in 1527 obtained two enclosures of land named Moor Yards and Heath Crofts, as well as of land for him to construct his own home named Moor Hall. In the same year, he established a grammar school in the southwest corner of the parish churchyard, where 21 people were appointed Trustees to maintain the building and employ a teacher. On 16 December 1528, through the interests of Vesey, Henry VIII granted Sutton Coldfield a
charter of incorporation, creating a new form of government for the town which was named the Warden and Society of the Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield. The charter had also given the inhabitants permission to hunt and fish freely in the manor grounds, as well as build a house, enclosing up to , within the manor grounds. Nearby 68 Birmingham Road dates to the end of the 1500s.
Emergence of industry During the 16th century, the waters and pools within Sutton were exploited for industrial purposes and, following the death of Vesey, the town continued to prosper and expand. In 1510, two watermills under the ownership of William Weston were recorded, and upon the establishment of the park, he was forced to pay rent on them. Three other mills were recorded in 1576 after they were sold to two unnamed local men. In 1585, John Bull sold a water-fulling mill and two blade-mills, which would have been powered by water, to Edward Sprott. Four additional mills were recorded in 1588, and another two in 1595. It is said that during his escape from England in 1646,
Charles II stayed for a night at
New Hall Manor. On 26 July 1664, King Charles II renewed the royal charter for Sutton Coldfield, with the additional provision being made for the appointment of two members of the Society as capital
burgesses and also as
justices of the peace alongside the Warden. Following his trial and three-year suspension from preaching, the violently
anti-Presbyterian Henry Sacheverell retired to New Hall, the home of his once-removed first cousin, George Sacheverell. The town became a temporary refuge in 1791, following the "
Priestley Riots" in Birmingham.
William Hutton, for example, whose house was attacked by protesters, decided to spend the summer in Sutton. However, local residents' fears of further rioting forced him to move permanently to
Tamworth.
Joseph Priestley is said to have stayed at the 'Three Tuns' following the destruction of his home in the
riots, and his initial flight to Heath-forge,
Wombourne. Blackroot Pool was also constructed in around 1757 by Edward Homer and Joseph Duncomb. In 1772, the Warden and Society of the town gave a lease of 30 years to Thomas Ingram at the pool. In 1733, a cotton-spinning machine was tested at the mill by
John Wyatt with the help of
Lewis Paul, helping to kickstart the creation of the UK's cotton industry in the 18th century. In total, Sutton Coldfield has had 15 watermills, 13 of which were powered by Plants Brook, and the remaining two using an independent water supply. There were also two windmills in the town, at Maney Hill and at Langley. which swept downstream and broke the banks of Mill Pool at Mill Street in July 1668, subsequently flooding and destroying many homes within Sutton Coldfield. Bracebridge Pool also broke its banks as a result of the storm on 24 July, causing lesser damage. Wyndley Pool was subsequently drained, although there is another pool within Sutton Park with the same name. A survey of the parish in 1630 reported that there were 298 houses, and this number had increased to 310 when another survey was conducted in 1698. Of these houses would have been 20 High Street, which was built around 1675. A survey of the parish in 1721 noted that the number of houses in Sutton Coldfield had increased to 360. In 1663, an Act was passed to order and collect "Hearth Duty", which led to a subsequent survey of all houses in the country and the noting of all properties with hearths and stoves. The survey of Sutton Coldfield found that there were 67 hearths and stoves, of which 30 were attributed to two houses owned by the Willoughby family. Some of Sutton Coldfield's most prominent buildings were constructed or underwent changes during this time. For example, the current
Peddimore Hall was constructed in 1659 by William Wood to a design by
William Wilson, who took up residence in the town and married the widowed landowner, Jane Pudsey, in 1681. Her daughters disapproved of the relationship and she was forced out of her home at Langley Hall, resulting in Wilson constructing
Moat House for the couple in 1680. Another of his works in the town was Four Oaks Hall, designed for
Henry Folliott, 1st Baron Folliott, who was the husband of Wilson's stepdaughter. Along with the hall, Lord Folliott enclosed of woodland. In 1610, New Hall Manor was purchased by Henry Sacheverell, the family of which were prominent landowners throughout the country. Upon his death in 1620, the hall was inherited first by Valence Sacheverell, and then by George Sacheverell, his eldest son. The 'Three Tuns' public house, also on High Street, dates to the late 18th century, although it retains the cellars and foundations of an earlier building.
Industrial revolution, 1800–1900 Municipal projects and change of government The 1800s would prove to be another century of major change for the town, built upon the wealth it had generated in years before and the power that the Sutton Coldfield Corporation had. Dealing with a growing town, they sought to improve the quality of life for residents. The corporation was forced to fell trees within the town and sell the timber as means to fund the construction of schools and almshouses. In 1826, timber worth £1,116 3s. was sold. By 1837, there were ten almshouses in the parish under the ownership of the corporation, with others operated by charities. The town hall at the top of Mill Street began to deteriorate throughout the 1800s and the decision was taken to demolish it in 1854. The adjacent workhouse and gaol were renovated to become the new municipal offices, and this was reconstructed in 1858 until 1859 to better suit its purpose. The new offices were designed by G. Bidlake. A fire station was also constructed further down Mill Street. Construction commenced in 1860 on the line which passed through Vauxhall station, although by this time it was being used only as a goods station. The line opened on 2 June 1862 with
Sutton Coldfield railway station being the terminus. An act of Parliament for the continuation of the railway to
Lichfield was passed on 23 June 1874, with construction starting in October 1881 The line was extended to
Lichfield Trent Valley railway station on 28 November 1888. A proposed second railway line by the Wolverhampton, Walsall and Midland Junction Railway Company through Sutton Coldfield was met with opposition from residents who were concerned about the route cutting through Sutton Park. A meeting objecting to the proposal was held on 15 April 1872, Services on the line began on 1 July 1879, with trains stopping at
Penns (Walmley),
Sutton Coldfield Town, and
Sutton Park in the town, as well as at
Streetly,
Aldridge, and
Walsall. Ultimately, the line connected the Midland Railway's
Wolverhampton and Walsall Railway line to their
Birmingham to Derby line. The 1863 edition of ''
Bradshaw's Guide'' described Sutton Coldfield as "a place of no very particular note, beyond an occasional pic-nic excursion". In the
Whit week of 1882, 19,549 people visited Sutton Park, with numbers dropping to 11,378 in the same week the following year. In 1884, there were 17,486 visitors, of whom 14,000 went on the Monday. During the late 19th century, it was the wealthy manufacturers who moved to Sutton Coldfield, and it was not until the turn of the century that ordinary workers were able to move as well. and then to 3,684 in 1831. to 7,737. The increasing population of Sutton Coldfield parish was recognised in the mid-19th century and new
ecclesiastical parishes were created from it to better serve the residents of the communities that made up Sutton. The first ecclesiastical parish to be created was Walmley in 1846, with the recently completed St. John the Evangelist Church becoming the parish church. Hill became the next ecclesiastical parish in 1853, with its church being St. James' Church in Mere Green. Boldmere parish was created in 1857, with St. Michael's Church becoming its parish church. Holy Trinity Church was further extended with a north outer aisle and vestries in 1874–9. In 1870, W.T. Parsons began the publication of Sutton Coldfield's first newspaper
Sutton Coldfield News.
Ashford v Thornton Sutton Coldfield was the focus of national attention in 1817 when a young woman named Mary Ashford was found murdered in the town. She had been attending a party in Erdington on the evening of 26 May 1817, and had left with Abraham Thornton and her friend Hannah Cox, who left Mary and Abraham. The following morning, her body was recovered from a water-filled pit by Penns Lane, Erdington. Thornton was quickly traced and arrested for her murder. At the trial, Thornton provided evidence that it was not possible for him to have killed Mary at the suggested time. As a result, the jury found him not guilty of her murder and rape, allowing him to walk free from the court. Public response to the acquittal was that of outrage and a private appeal was brought against the verdict by Mary's brother, William Ashford. Thornton was taken to London where he was tried at the King's Bench. When Thornton was called upon for his plea, he responded, "Not guilty; and I am ready to defend the same with my body." He then put on one of a pair of leather gauntlets, which his barrister, William Reader, handed him. Thornton threw down the other for William Ashford to pick up and thus accept the challenge, which Ashford did not do. By Ashford not accepting the challenge under the
trial by combat laws, Thornton was freed, although by this time he gained a notorious reputation. In 1819, a bill was introduced and an Act passed to abolish private appeals after acquittals and also abolish trial by combat.
20th century In the 20th century, Sutton Coldfield continued to grow. The areas on the fringes of the district remained rural up until the end of
World War I. As witnessed nationally, there was a house construction boom in areas such as
Boldmere,
Walmley,
Erdington and
Four Oaks. Again, the population increased rapidly. During
World War II, Sutton Park and areas of Walmley were used as prisoner-of-war camps, housing German and Italian prisoners. After the war, Sutton witnessed a major redevelopment. The Borough Council commissioned
Max Lock and Partners to draw up plans for the redevelopment of the town centre in 1960, with a preliminary report being delivered in May 1961 and a detailed report in 1962. The Parade in the town centre was almost completely demolished for the construction of a large new shopping centre named Gracechurch. In addition, shopping centres in
Wylde Green and
Mere Green were constructed causing considerable objection as many local landmarks were lost to the developers.
Merging into Birmingham In 1974, Sutton Coldfield became part of Birmingham when the
metropolitan county of the West Midlands was formed. More recently, areas of the town centre have been pedestrianised. Plans for the proposed construction of five tower blocks for pensioners at Brassington Avenue in the town centre were abandoned in November 2015. On 1 March 2015, a new Sutton Coldfield parish council was formally incorporated. This handed over
parish council powers from Birmingham City Council. == Governance ==