Belbroughton

Belbroughton ( ) is a village and civil parish in the Bromsgrove District of Worcestershire, England. According to the 2021 census it had a population of 2,685. It is about six miles north of Bromsgrove, six miles east of Kidderminster and four miles south of Stourbridge. The villages of Clent, Dodford and Drayton, and the hamlet of Hackmans Gate border the village. Belbroughton is served by bus service 318 ( Bromsgrove-Stourbridge) operared by Kev's Cars and Coaches.

The village of Fairfield is within the parish, and one of two wards for Belbroughton and Fairfield Parish Council.

History

Development

The earliest mention of the village was in AD817. In 1086, there was already a priest and a Saxon church, which stood on the same site as the present Holy Trinity church. The church was later rebuilt by the Normans and some remnants of this structure still remain. The church has been altered over the years with large scale restorations in the 1890s. The tower clock was erected in celebration of Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria, and the lychgate was built in 1912 and dedicated to Henry Charles Goodyear, who was a missionary from the parish.

The Church is a Domesday Book Church. The present Churchyard is believed to have been the site of early Pagan religious ceremonies, The base of the existing Woodgate memorial is believed to be a Pagan preaching stone. After conversion to Christianity, it is thought a wooden Church was erected, to be replaced in Norman times with a substantial stone structure. Little of this remains but there is a Norman Chapel in the grounds of Bell Hall. The present Church was built at the beginning of the 14th century. However, the Black Death of 1348-9 had a decimated its activity and claimed the lives of three Priests. The Church at that time was highly decorated and traces of the original colours can still be seen.

Belbroughton was at the core of the North Worcestershire scythe-making district. Many of the mills of the area were formerly blade mills used for sharpening them, after a scythesmith had forged them from iron, with a thin strip of steel along the cutting edge. From the late 18th century until about 1870, the Waldron family of Field House Clent were the leading manufacturers. They were succeeded by Isaac Nash, whose business finally closed in 1967. Scythes were formerly not just made in Belbroughton, but also several adjacent parishes, including Chaddesley Corbett.

In Belbroughton in 1831, with a population of 1,476, 68 weekly payments for poor relief were made. Poor relief however was only due to residents of a parish, provable through a certificate of residence.

At the crossroads in the nearby hamlet of Bell Heath, there is a boulder that was brought by glacial process from Arenig Fawr, a mountain within Snowdonia, in Gwynedd. A plaque reads "Boulder from Arenig Mountain in N. Wales, Brought here by the Welsh Ice-Sheet in the Glacial Period".

2008 flooding

On 7 September 2008 heavy rain caused Belne Brook, which runs through the village, to swell. The rising water was held back by a seven-foot wall but the pressure of the water caused it to break. The surge of water tore through the village sweeping away cars and causing severe water damage (and in some cases structural damage) to many properties. The current was so strong, it made tarmac ripple.

Politics

Belbroughton is in the constituency of Bromsgrove, which is a traditionally Conservative safe seat. The Conservative party have held the seat since its modern establishment at the 1983 General Election. Sajid Javid, former Chancellor of the Exchequer, served as the constituency's MP from 2010 to 2024. The current MP is Bradley Thomas, who also serves as the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.

Belbroughton also composes the Belbroughton & Romsley ward of Bromsgrove District Council. In the latest election for the council, held in 2023, Karen May and Simon Nock of the Conservative party were elected as councillors. At county council level, the village also composes a part of the Clent Hills division. In the 2025 Worcestershire County Council election, Karen May of the Conservative party was elected.

Facilities

Facilities include a village shop, which includes the post office, a deli/coffee Shop, a hairdressers, and a recreational centre with tennis courts, children's playground and playing field. There is an active cricket club on the outskirts of the village. The area also has a number of public houses in Belbroughton itself and in neighbouring villages.

Education

Belbroughton Primary School is located in the village, after which students progress to Haybridge High School, in the nearby town of Hagley.

Local events

Belbroughton Scarecrow Festival

Since 1996, Belbroughton has hosted ''Scarecrow Weekend'' in the last weekend of each September. The festival was founded by Steve Haywood (The Crowman) - a children's author and artist. Villagers create scarecrows and display them outside their homes. It has proved very popular over recent years with thousands of visitors, raising tens of thousands of pounds for local organisations and amenities. "THOUSANDS of people are expected to flock to Belbroughton to see an ex-straw special scarecrow at this year's 13th annual event".

Photogallery

File:Church Lane, Belbroughton.jpg, Church Road
File:Belbroughton Church Hall, Church Road, Belbroughton - geograph.org.uk - 2416424.jpg, Church Hall
File:Belbroughton Club - geograph.org.uk - 1997144.jpg, Belbroughton Workmen's Club and High Street in 2010
File:Belbroughton_High_Street_-_2016.png, High Street in 2016
File:Belbroughton_High_Street_-_2018.png, High Street in March 2018
File:Belbroughton_High_Street_-_2021.png, High Street in 2021
File:Belbroughton High Street.jpg, High Street in 2022
File:Welcome to Belbroughton - geograph.org.uk - 2050218.jpg, Holy Cross Lane
File:Seat in Bradford Lane, Belbroughton - geograph.org.uk - 2416894.jpg, Belbroughton Church
File:Church of England Primary School ^ Nursery (1), Bradford Lane, Belbroughton - geograph.org.uk - 2416391.jpg, Belbroughton Church of England Primary School
File:Belbroughton_Working_Men's_Club.png, Belbroughton Workmen's Club in 2023
File:Belbroughton_-_Coronation_2023.png, Belbroughton during the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla in 2023
File:Belbroughton_Cricket_Ground.png, The village's cricket ground

References

Sources

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External links

Belbroughton Net
(This site utilises Flash 8 Player)
Belbroughton scarecrows come out to play
BBC 25 September 2003

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Villages in Worcestershire