New Invention, Willenhall
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
New Invention is a suburban village three miles north of the town of Willenhall and four miles east of the city of Wolverhampton in the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall, West Midlands, although formerly South Staffordshire, England. It is situated half way between Bloxwich and Wednesfield on the main A4124 and A462 roads.
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[edit] History
It has rich coal deposits and a significant mining past, with many extensive mines being located in the area during the 19th and early 20th centuries, including primarily 'The Sneyd Colliery'. One present-day landmark running through the village, having extensive ties with the coal mining history of the area, is the Wyrley and Essington Canal. The 'Curly Wyrley' once used to transport coal via narrowboat to fuel industry in the neighbouring industrial havens of Walsall, Wednesbury and Dudley, seeing that New Invention and Black Country coal was playing a key part in the success of the British empire. The coal and industry have now disappeared and the canal serves as a scenic walk through woods and green belt land toward the factory lined towpaths of Walsall.
The village also has legacies of the area's lock and key making history, with two major factories formerley being located there, 'Yale' locks and 'Squires' locks, the latter has recently been demolished, due to the age of the building, and relocated in Essington; a new housing development is now being built on the land.
The development of New Invention mainly began during the 1950s; prior to this it was a largely rural settlement, dominated mainly by farmland and rural collieries. However, following a population increase in Willenhall and a need for new housing, New Invention was developed. The most recent major housing development to be completed was the Coppice Farm estate, developed mostly throughout the 1980s and early 1990s.
Methodist preacher John Wesley once stopped in the village after being stoned and forced out of Willenhall, New Invention being, in those days, considerably more isolated from Willenhall than it is today. According to Wesley "I proceeded thence to New Invention, where I met with civility and kindness." Perhaps in recognition of John Wesley part of the present day A462 road travelling south from New Invention towards Willenhall is in fact named Wesley Road.
[edit] Transport
The village is well served by transport links, being only 3 miles from the M6 motorway - linking it with the North, South and East of the country, and is also in close proximity to the M54 motorway - linking the area to the West and Wales.
Despite its relatively small size a large number of bus services serve New Invention due to its location on the main Lichfield Road. These are mostly operated by National Express West Midlands, but also by Choice Travel, Green Bus Service, Diamond Bus and Arriva Midlands:
- S3 New Invention - St Thomas More School (National Express West Midlands)
- 22 Mossley - New Invention - Featherstone (Green Bus Service)
- 316 Essington - New Invention - Walsall (National Express West Midlands)
- 326 Bilston - New Invention - Bloxwich (Diamond Bus)
- 341 Walsall - New Invention - Willenhall (National Express West Midlands)
- 342 Walsall - New Invention - Willenhall (Diamond Bus)
- 369 Walsall - New Invention - Willenhall (National Express West Midlands)
- 560 Wolverhampton - New Invention - Bloxwich (National Express West Midlands/Arriva Midlands/Diamond Bus)
- 568 Wolverhampton - New Invention - Bloxwich (National Express West Midlands)
- 570 Wolverhampton - New Invention - Bloxwich (National Express West Midlands)
These services also link New Invention to Wednesfield, Bentley, Walsall, Beechdale and Lodge Farm estates.
The nearest railway station is Bloxwich railway station and the nearest Midland Metro tram stop is in Wolverhampton.
[edit] Facilities
The main shopping area is based in The Square, a small parade with shops on three sides. There is also a Somerfield supermarket on the Coppice Farm estate and a very popular Esso/Tesco Express service station on the A4124 (Lichfield Road). New Invention Methodist Church serves the area as well as two other churches.
Several pubs in the locality include The Broadway and The Milestone. A former early 18th century inn - 'The Gate' has been redeveloped, after the building began to fail in its former purpose as a public house, and is now a thriving Chinese take-away and Indian restaurant/takeaway.
The area is served by New Invention Library[1] in The Square, which opened in 2007, replacing the old Forest Gate Library. Two doctors surgeries, New Invention Health Centre and Sina Health Centre, are located within the village, and there is also a small dentist's practice, the Key Dental Practice, situated within The Square.
[edit] Education
The area is also served well by schools, including New Invention Infant School, New Invention Junior School and Beacon Primary School. The nearest Secondary school is Sneyd Maths and Computing College, located on the border of New Invention and Bloxwich.
[edit] Geography
The area has many green spaces including the village green, Coppice Farm Open Space, the Wyrley & Essington canal, Sneyd Reservoir (developed to provide water to the locks of the former Wyrley branch of the canal), Sneyd Wharf and Rough Wood Nature Reserve. It's close proximity to surrounding countryside and greenbelt land on one side of the area, towards Essington and Shareshill, and the urban services of Wolverhampton and Walsall on the other makes it a popular commuter village.
