The name Halesowen means simply “Owen’s Nooks” from the Old English word
halh, meaning a nook or corner of land. The Owen part of the town name
comes from the Welsh Prince Owen who resided here at the turn of the
thirteenth century. He had been given the land by Henry II at the end of the
12th century. The River Stour is probably the reason for the nooks which
formed part of the broken valleys by the river. Halesowen has been around for
some time, and the Saxons found its proximity to the River Stour to be an ideal
location from which to make a settlement.
Halesowen Abbey
The Abbey ruins can be visited at weekends during the summer months for those
keen on discovering the history of Halesowen. The Abbey dates back to 1215,
when land was given to French monks by King John. The monks, it would seem,
were not especially popular, and history records an uprising against the Abbot
due to the high level of taxes imposed upon the local people.
The monks were industrious, and as well as being a place of worship, the Abbey
also functioned as a fish farm and a mill. Pilgrims used the Abbey as a resting
point along their pilgrimage route. This all came to an abrupt end in the 16th
century when the Abbey was ransacked and the monks were disbanded during the
Dissolution of the Monasteries.
Churches
The distinctive Halesowen parish church was built in 1083 by Earl Roger de
Montgomery. Dating back to Norman times, it features Norman arches. Like most
churches with such a long history, it has seen many changes and additions to its
structure.
St Kenelm’s Church is famous for its well, thought to have healing properties,
and which was once a popular destination for pilgrims. Tradition states that
the church is built on the site where King Kenelm of Mercia died. After his
death, a mysterious spring appeared on the site of his burial, and those who
drank its water were said to have been cured of various ailments.
Industry
Halesowen was noted for its manufacture of nails, which for many years was its
main trade. This was a domestic industry, carried out in back yards throughout
the town, yet collectively on a large scale. Coal mining was a later industry,
and like much of the Black Country, Halesowen had its share of mines, with over
a hundred operating in and around the area.
In more recent years, Halesowen’s proximity to the expanding motorway network
has attracted several major national organisations to the town, including the
regional headquarters of the AA and Barnardo’s. Much of Halesowen’s historic
architecture, notably the ruins of St Mary’s Abbey and the Parish Church of St
John the Baptist, dates back to the early 13th century and the Norman period
respectively.
William Shenstone is buried in the parish churchyard, where the remains of an
ancient cross are also kept. This cross once stood in the Great Cornbow. Today,
Halesowen has a population of around 48,000 people.
Halesowen Today
Halesowen became a borough in its own right in 1936, a status it retained until
1974 when local government reorganisation placed it under the Metropolitan
Borough of Dudley. There is little that is unique about the town’s modern
infrastructure, much of which was heavily altered during the building frenzy
of the 1960s.
However, efforts have since been made to address this loss, and the shopping
arcade and surrounding streets are now almost pleasant on a busy day. With its
close proximity to Birmingham, Halesowen is easily accessible and serves as a
busy route to the motorways and the South West beyond.
Halesowen Town Football Club, locally known as the Yeltz, is one of
England’s oldest football clubs.
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