In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Edgbaston like this:
EDGBASTON, a suburb, a parish, and a sub-district, in the district of Kings Norton and county of Warwick. The suburb adjoins Birmingham; forms the west end of that town; lies on the Birmingham canal, adjacent to the Stour Valley railway; and has a station on the railway and two post offices, ‡ of the names of Bristol-Road and Hagley-Road, under Birmingham. ...
It comprises fine streets, elegant terraces, numerous villas, and ornamental walks; presents aspects of beauty and picturesqueness in striking contrast to the old parts of Birmingham; and contains a manorial hall, three churches, botanic gardens, and institutions for the deaf and blind. The hall stands in a small but ornate park, formerly open to the public; was once the seat of the lords of the manor; was garrisoned by the parliamentarians during the civil war; was burned by a mob at the Revolution; and was re-erected by Sir Richard Gough. The parish church stands close to the park; dates from very ancient times; suffered demolition in the time of the Commonwealth; has a pinnacled square tower, the lower part of which belonged to the ancient edifice; was rebuilt after the Restoration, and again in 1810; and was repaired in 1843, and again repaired and enlarged in 1856. St. George's church stands in Calthorpe-street; is in the early English style; and was built in 1838, and enlarged in 1856. St. James' church stands near Elvetham-road; is cruciform, with a tower; and was built in 1852, at a cost of about £6, 000. The parish comprises 2, 545 acres. Real property, £95, 328. Pop. in 1851, 9, 269; in 1861, 12, 907. Houses, 2, 292. The property is not much divided. The manor belonged formerly to the Middlemores, and belongs now to Lord Calthorpe. The parochial living is a vicarage, and the livings of St. George, St. Augustine, and St. James are p. curacies in the diocese of Worcester. Value of the first, £542; * of the second, £350; of the other two, not reported. Patron of the first three, Lord Calthorpe; of St. A., the Bishop. Charities, £11.—The sub-district includes also Northfield.
Edgbaston through time
Edgbaston is now part of Birmingham district. Click here for graphs and data of how Birmingham has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Edgbaston itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Edgbaston, in Birmingham and Warwickshire | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/8973
Date accessed: 26th April 2024
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