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For other uses, see Dudley (disambiguation).
Dudley
Dudley (West Midlands)
Dudley

Dudley shown within the West Midlands
Population 194,919 (2001 Census)
OS grid reference SO9390
 - London 130. The West Midlands is a Metropolitan county in western central England with a population of 2591300 In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology A nationwide Census, commonly known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday 29 April 2001 The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using Latitude and Longitude London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. 5 m
Metropolitan borough Dudley
Metropolitan county West Midlands
Region West Midlands
Constituent country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town DUDLEY
Postcode district DY1, DY2
Dialling code 01384
Police West Midlands
Fire West Midlands
Ambulance West Midlands
European Parliament West Midlands
UK Parliament Dudley North
Dudley South
List of places: UK • England • West Midlands

Coordinates: 52°30′43″N 2°05′45″W / 52.5119, -2.0957

Dudley (pronunciation (help·info)) is a large town in the West Midlands, England, with a population of 194,919. The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government Localities Localities within the borough include Amblecote Brierley Hill Bromley Coseley Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are one of the four levels of Subdivisions of England used for the purposes of Local government outside Greater London The West Midlands is a Metropolitan county in western central England with a population of 2591300 The region, also known as the government office region, is currently the highest tier of local government sub-national entity of England, with only one The West Midlands is an official Region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. Constituent country is a phrase used often by official institutions in contexts in which a country makes up a part of a larger entity or grouping England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland This list of sovereign states, alphabetically arranged gives an overview of States around the world with information on the extent of their Sovereignty. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A post town is a required part of all postal addresses in the United Kingdom, and a basic unit of the postal delivery system UK Postal codes are known as postcodes. UK postcodes are Alphanumeric. The, also known as the Dudley postcode area, is a group of postal districts around Bewdley, Brierley Hill, Dudley, Kidderminster, The UK Telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Telephone Numbering Plan, is the system used for assigning Telephone numbers in the United There are a number of law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom. West Midlands Police is the Home Office Police force responsible for policing the Metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. The fire service in the United Kingdom operates under separate legislative and administrative arrangements in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and The West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS is the Statutory fire and rescue service responsible for fire protection prevention intervention and emergency rescue The West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust (WMAS is the second-largest ambulance service in the UK West Midlands is a Constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 7 MEPs using the D'Hondt method of Party-list proportional This is a list of the 646 constituencies currently represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, as at the 2005 general election Dudley North is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Dudley South is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. A Gazetteer of place names in the United Kingdom showing each place's County, Unitary authority or council area and its geographical coordinates List of places --> List of cities in the United Kingdom List of towns in England Lists of places This is a list of cities, Towns Villages and other settlements in the ceremonial county &ndash not the region &ndash A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. The West Midlands is a Metropolitan county in western central England with a population of 2591300 England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland This is a list of the largest cities and towns of England ordered by population. Since 1974 it has been the administrative centre of the wider Metropolitan Borough of Dudley; the original County Borough had undergone a lesser expansion in 1966. Localities Localities within the borough include Amblecote Brierley Hill Bromley Coseley County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (excluding Scotland) to refer to a Borough or a City It is the 19th largest settlement in England, measured by Urban Sub-Area, the second largest town in the United Kingdom, behind Reading[1] and the largest settlement in the UK without its own university. This is a list of the largest cities and towns of England ordered by population. A town is a type of settlement ranging from a few to several thousand (occasionally hundreds of thousands inhabitants although it may be applied loosely even to huge metropolitan The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Reading (ˈrɛdɪŋ as Redding) is a town in England, located at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, midway between

Dudley, part of the West Midlands conurbation, is located south of Wolverhampton and is the largest town in the Black Country. The West Midlands conurbation is the name given to the large Conurbation that includes the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton and the large towns of The Black Country is a loosely defined area of the English West Midlands conurbation, to the north and west of Birmingham, and to the south and east of Wolverhampton The town centre, for many years, formed part of an exclave of Worcestershire entirely surrounded by Staffordshire - which has determined the fact that, in ecclesiastical terms, it has remained part of the Anglican Diocese of Worcester. Worcestershire (ˈwʊstəʃə abbreviated Worcs) is a county located in the West Midlands region of central England. Staffordshire (abbreviated Staffs) is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. The Diocese of Worcester forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England.

Contents

History

Dudley has a history dating back to medieval times. Dudley Castle has stood in the town since the 11th century,[2] and is mentioned in the Domesday Book. Dudley Castle is a ruined Castle in the town of Dudley, West Midlands, England. The Domesday Book (ˈduːmzdeɪ bʊk also known as Domesday, or Book of Winchester) was the record of the great survey [3] The present castle dates from the 13th century, and provided the centre around which the town grew. A castle is a defensive structure seen as one of the main symbols of the Middle Ages. The oldest condoms found (rather than just pictures or descriptions) were discovered in Dudley Castle and date from 1640. [4] Dating from the 12th century are the ruins of St James Priory, set within the Priory Park. [5]

Dudley Castle
Dudley Castle

The town industrialised rapidly in the 18th and 19th centuries, and its population grew dramatically. For other uses of this term see Industry (disambiguation An industry (from Latin industrius, "diligent industrious" Due to its heavy and highly polluting industries it became a central part of the Black Country. The main industries in Dudley included coal and limestone mining. Limestone is a Sedimentary rock composed largely of the Mineral Calcite ( Calcium carbonate: CaCO3 [6] Other industries included iron, steel, engineering, metallurgy, glass cutting, textiles and leatherworking. Most of these industries have declined in recent decades.

Of historical significance, the first Newcomen steam engine was installed at the Conygree coalworks a mile east of Dudley Castle in 1712. The atmospheric engine invented by Thomas Newcomen in 1712 today referred to as a Newcomen steam engine (or simply Newcomen engine was the first practical [7]

Dudley was mostly made up of farms and factories surrounded by the occasional cottage until the 19th century, when many rows of terraced houses with terrible sanitation were built. These in turn were cleared between the 1920s and 1960s to make way for council owned houses and flats. The Dudley area also consists of many privately owned houses including some late 19th/early 20th century homes which are still standing but have been modernised to keep up with modern sanitation standards.

The first major council housing development was the Priory Estate, near the border of Sedgley, where more than 2,000 houses were built between 1929 and 1939. The Priory Estate is a Housing estate in Dudley, West Midlands, England. [8] The Wrens Nest Estate followed soon afterwards. Wren's Nest is an area of Dudley, West Midlands, England. Located to the north west of Dudley town centre it comprises the Wren's Nest NNR ( National It stands in the shadow of Wrens Nest Hill, where many Silurian fossils can be found including crinoids, corals and trilobites. Wren's Nest is an area of Dudley, West Midlands, England. Located to the north west of Dudley town centre it comprises the Wren's Nest NNR ( National

The village of Lower Gornal, just outside Dudley, was the epicentre for the Dudley earthquake of 2002, the largest earthquake to hit the United Kingdom in nearly 10 years. Sedgley is a town in the West Midlands of England, but historically in Staffordshire. The epicenter or epicentre is the point on the Earth 's surface that is directly above the Hypocenter or focus the point where an Earthquake The 2002 Dudley earthquake was an Earthquake registering 47 on the Richter scale that struck the Midlands of England, on 22 September 2002 [9]

Civic history

Dudley became a municipal borough in 1865. Municipal boroughs were a type of Local government which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974 in Northern Ireland from 1840 to In 1889, it became a County Borough. County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (excluding Scotland) to refer to a Borough or a City The County Borough of Dudley included the town of Dudley and the villages of Woodside and Netherton. The County Borough of Dudley was a County borough covering the town of Dudley and later incorporating surrounding settlements Netherton is a town in the West Midlands within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley. In the 1961 census, the County Borough had a population of 62,965. [10]

In 1966, the county borough was expanded to include the majority of the urban district councils of Brierley Hill and Sedgley, about half of Coseley along with small areas of Amblecote and Rowley Regis, as well as a fragment of rural Seisdon. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, an urban district was a type of Local government district that covered an Urbanised area Brierley Hill is a Town and electoral ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, West Midlands, England. Sedgley is a town in the West Midlands of England, but historically in Staffordshire. Coseley is a town located mostly within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley in the English West Midlands. Amblecote is a suburbanised village in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley in the West Midlands, England, which now forms part of and is situated one and Rowley Regis is a town in the Sandwell metropolitan borough of the West Midlands county, and a part of the Black Country in the United Kingdom Seisdon is a rural Village in the county of Staffordshire approximately six miles west of Wolverhampton. [11]. As the majority of these areas were part of Staffordshire, Dudley was transferred from Worcestershire to the county of Staffordshire. Staffordshire (abbreviated Staffs) is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. Worcestershire (ˈwʊstəʃə abbreviated Worcs) is a county located in the West Midlands region of central England. The part of Tividale which existed within Dudley was at this time transferred into Warley County Borough. Tividale is a village in Tipton, Sandwell, West Midlands. It was in the parish of St Michael named after the church built there was Warley was from 1966 to 1974 a County borough and Civil parish formed by the combination of the existing county borough of Smethwick with the non-county These changes meant that the population of Dudley County Borough at the time of the 1971 census increased to 185,592;[12] an increase of almost 300% from the 1961 figure.

Dudley's borough boundaries were further expanded in 1974 to become a Metropolitan Borough, having taken in the boroughs of Halesowen and Stourbridge (both formerly in Worcestershire). A metropolitan borough is a type of local government district in England covering urban areas within metropolitan counties. Halesowen is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands, England. Stourbridge is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands of England. This meant a further increase in population, which by the time of the 1981 census was 298,511[13] - an increase of five times the population of only twenty years before.

Since 1974, Dudley has been part of the West Midlands county. The West Midlands is a Metropolitan county in western central England with a population of 2591300

Places of interest

The ruins of Dudley Priory.
The ruins of Dudley Priory. Dudley Priory is a dissolved Priory in Dudley, West Midlands, England.

The town is home to Dudley Zoo, and the Black Country Living Museum. Dudley Zoological Gardens is a Zoo located within the grounds of Dudley Castle in the town of Dudley which is part of the Black Country in the The Black Country Living Museum (formerly The Black Country Museum) is an open-air Museum of rebuilt historic buildings located in Dudley in the West Visitors to the museum may also take a narrowboat trip from the adjacent canal, through the Dudley Tunnel. A narrowboat or narrow boat is a Boat of a distinctive design made to fit the narrow Canals of England and Wales. Dudley Tunnel is a Canal Tunnel on the Dudley Canal Line No 1, England. The ruined Dudley Castle is within the grounds of the zoo, and there is an extensive wooded ridge that runs north from the castle. Dudley Castle is a ruined Castle in the town of Dudley, West Midlands, England. Ecologically a woodland is an area covered in trees differentiated from a Forest. Dudley Zoo is to be regenerated under proposals by Dudley Zoo in partnership with Dudley Council, St Modwen and Advantage West Midlands, which will see a former freightliner site redeveloped with a tropical dome, Asiatic forest, two aquatic facilities and walkthrough aviaries. It is expected to cost £38. 7 million. [14]

Dudley is home to a former Odeon Cinema and a former music hall, the Dudley Hippodrome, both from the Art Deco period in the 1930s. Odeon Cinemas is the largest chain of cinemas in Europe It is owned by Terra Firma Capital Partners. The Dudley Hippodrome was built on to the side of the now-demolished Opera House (built in 1900 and burnt down in 1936) and is now a bingo hall. There is a Showcase Cinema in a retail park between the zoo and museum. In the United Kingdom, a retail park is a grouping of many retail warehouses and superstores with associated Car parking Its North American

The Odeon Cinema became a Kingdom Hall for Jehovah's Witnesses in 1976. Kingdom Hall is the term for the meeting place for Jehovah's Witnesses. Jehovah's Witnesses is a restorationist, millenialist Christian denomination

The Plaza Cinema was built on Castle Hill in 1938 next to the Hippodrome, and remained open until October 1990. The building was then taken over by Laser Quest, who used it until it was demolished in 1997. Laser Quest is the name of a Canadian -based Indoor Lasertag game based around Infrared (IR hand held units and vests as well as the name The site of the cinema remains undeveloped.

Since the 1970s, there has been a nightclub on Castle Hill situated on the corner of Station Drive; this has changed ownership several times since first opening.

Dudley Art Deco Cinema
Dudley Art Deco Cinema

There are many canals in and around Dudley, the main one being the Dudley Canal. The Dudley Canal is a Canal passing though Dudley in the West Midlands of England. These are popular with walkers, cyclists, fishermen, and narrowboat users. A narrowboat or narrow boat is a Boat of a distinctive design made to fit the narrow Canals of England and Wales. [15] Many of the canalside towpaths have been upgraded for cycling, and some sections are part of the National Cycle Network. The National Cycle Network is a network of cycle routes in the United Kingdom.

The Wren's Nest National Nature Reserve is a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) considered to be one of the most notable geological locations in the British Isles. Wren's Nest is an area of Dudley, West Midlands, England. Located to the north west of Dudley town centre it comprises the Wren's Nest NNR ( National A Site of Special Scientific Interest or SSSI is a Conservation designation denoting a Protected area in the United Kingdom. Dudley Museum and Art Gallery has a large collection of its well-preserved Silurian coral reef fossils, plus numerous displays relating to the history of the town. Dudley Museum and Art Gallery is a public museum and art gallery located in the town centre of Dudley in the West Midlands of England. The Silurian is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Ordovician period about 443 Coral reefs are Aragonite structures produced by living organisms found in marine waters with little to no nutrients in the water FOSSIL is a standard protocol for allowing serial communication for Telecommunications programs under the DOS Operating system. [16]

Established in 1260, Dudley Market in Dudley town centre is a major shopping area for the town. It has undergone numerous developments in its history. One major development was in the 1980s when the area was pedestrianised and the 12th century cobblestones were removed. Other developments have included the addition of a new roof and new toilet facilities. [17]

Dudley is also the location of several churches. These include the Church of St. Edmund, Church of St. James the Great, and Church of St. The Church of Saint Edmund is a Parish church on Castle Street in Dudley, West Midlands, England. The Church of St James the Great is an Anglican church in the Lower Gornal area of Sedgley in Dudley, in the West Midlands Thomas.

The old St Edmund's Church School, a 19th century building near the town centre, was closed in 1970 on a merger with St John's Church School on Kates Hill, and later converted into a mosque for the town's Islamic community, which is mostly concentrated around Kates Hill, Queen's Cross, Eve Hill and The Buffery. Kates Hill is a residential area in Dudley, West Midlands, England. A "mosque" in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller privately owned mosque and the larger For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. During the mid 2000s, plans were unveiled for the construction of a new mosque on the site of a derelict factory near the Dudley Southern By-Pass. These were shelved in early 2007, but were revived a year later.

St James's Church at Eve Hill also had a church school from the mid 19th century, but this was closed during the 1970s and was used as a community centre for several years before being transferred to the Black Country Museum in 1989. The Black Country Living Museum (formerly The Black Country Museum) is an open-air Museum of rebuilt historic buildings located in Dudley in the West [1]

Politics

National government

Dudley is covered by two parliamentary constituencies, Dudley South and Dudley North, which also represent some other towns within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley. A constituency is any cohesive corporate unit or body bound by shared structures goals or loyalty Dudley South is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Dudley North is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The current MPs elected from these seats and to the House of Commons are Ian Pearson and Ian Austin respectively. A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords Ian Phares Pearson (born 5 April 1959, West Midlands) is a politician in the United Kingdom. Ian Christopher Austin (born 6 March, 1965) is a British Labour Party politician Both represent the Labour party. The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the

Other

Law enforcement in Dudley is carried out by the West Midlands Police and fire and rescue by the West Midlands Fire Service. West Midlands Police is the Home Office Police force responsible for policing the Metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. The West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS is the Statutory fire and rescue service responsible for fire protection prevention intervention and emergency rescue

Transport

Rail

The nearest railway stations are all a mile or more from Dudley town centre; Tipton railway station and Dudley Port railway station are served by local services operated by London Midland, and Sandwell and Dudley railway station which is served by both local London Midland services and Virgin Trains West Coast services from London Euston to Wolverhampton. Tipton railway station is located in the town of Tipton in the borough of Sandwell, West Midlands, England. Dudley Port railway station is located in the Tipton area of the borough of Sandwell, West Midlands, England. Sandwell and Dudley is a railway station on the West Coast Main Line, situated between Oldbury and West Bromwich, West Midlands, England Virgin Trains is a Train operating company in the United Kingdom, which currently provides services from London Euston to the North West Euston station (official name London Euston) is a major Railway station to the north of central London in the London Borough of Camden

Dudley railway station, in the town of Dudley itself, opened in 1850, and closed under the Beeching Axe in 1964. Dudley Railway Station was a passenger railway station located at Dudley, England, built where the Oxford-Worcester-Wolverhampton Line and the South The Beeching Axe is an informal name for the British Government 's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system In its heyday it was a hub of services east to Birmingham (via a junction at Great Bridge), Walsall and Lichfield; north to Wolverhampton, Tipton and Coseley; and south-west to Stourbridge, as well as a line that served the small communities on the way to Old Hill and Halesowen. Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um Walsall ( is a large industrial town in the West Midlands of England. Lichfield is a city and Civil parish in Staffordshire, England. Tipton is a town in the Sandwell borough of the West Midlands, England, with a population of around 47000 Coseley is a town located mostly within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley in the English West Midlands. Stourbridge is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands of England. Old Hill is a locality in the Metropolitan borough of Sandwell in West Midlands, England. Halesowen is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands, England. This site was then used as a Freightliner terminal by Freightliner UK until an unpopular closure on the 26 September 1989. Freightliner Group Limited are a rail Freight and logistics company founded in 1995 and now operating in the United Kingdom and Poland. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar dedicates a Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) [18]

Dudley is currently England's largest town that is not served by passenger trains. Both of the town's railway stations (Dudley and Blowers Green) were closed in 1962 under the Beeching Axe, although the line through Dudley remained open to goods trains until 1993. Blowers Green railway station was a station on the Oxford-Worcester-Wolverhampton Line. The Beeching Axe is an informal name for the British Government 's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system In the early 2010s the town is set to regain a rail link for the first time in almost half a century when an extension to the Midland Metro opens between Brierley Hill and Wednesbury, although the Midland Metro is a Light Rail system, and does not feature through ticketing to the national rail network. Jewellry Quarter railway station train and tram - Birmingham - 2005-10-14 Brierley Hill is a Town and electoral ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, West Midlands, England. Wednesbury is a Market town in England 's Black Country, part of the Sandwell metropolitan borough in West Midlands, near the [19]

Road

There is a large bus station on the outskirts of the town centre which has a plethora of connections to surrounding towns and communities, including:

From the end of April 2008, the new Dudley Bus Network is coming into effect. Bilston is a town in England 's West Midlands region ( Wolverhampton) Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um Brierley Hill is a Town and electoral ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, West Midlands, England. Coseley is a town located mostly within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley in the English West Midlands. Cradley Heath is a town in the Black Country, located in Sandwell Metropolitan borough, England. Halesowen is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands, England. Kingswinford is a suburban area (formerly a large village in the West Midlands county but previously in Staffordshire. The Merry Hill Shopping Centre is a Shopping centre in Brierley Hill, West Midlands, England. Pensnett is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, West Midlands, England. Rowley Regis is a town in the Sandwell metropolitan borough of the West Midlands county, and a part of the Black Country in the United Kingdom Sedgley is a town in the West Midlands of England, but historically in Staffordshire. Smethwick (pronounced 'Smethick' is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell, in the West Midlands of England. Stourbridge is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands of England. Tipton is a town in the Sandwell borough of the West Midlands, England, with a population of around 47000 Wall Heath is a small village on the western fringe of the Black Country and the West Midlands conurbation in the United Kingdom. Walsall ( is a large industrial town in the West Midlands of England. West Bromwich ( is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell, in the West Midlands, England Wordsley with Buckpool is a village now forming the south suburbs of Kingswinford in the West Midlands, England. This is seeing the withdrawal of several bus routes as well the introduction of several others. Those which are not changing are seeing several timetable changes.

The bus station also sees limited service from National Express, whose services call at the bus station mostly for London or Wolverhampton. National Express Group plc ( is a UK -based Transport group with headquarters in London that operates Bus, coach, rail London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Other places served include holiday destination Blackpool and London Heathrow and London Gatwick Airports. Blackpool (/ˈblækˌpul is a seaside town in Lancashire, England. Gatwick Airport is London 's second largest Airport and the second busiest airport in the United Kingdom after Heathrow. There is also a bus station at Russells Hall Hospital. Russells Hall Hospital is an NHS-owned hospital located in Dudley, West Midlands, England.

Dudley itself is well-served by main roads which give a direct route to neighbouring towns. The longest of these roads are the B4176 (which runs to Wombourne, Bridgnorth and Telford) and the A461 (which passes through Wednesbury and Walsall, finally reaching Lichfield). Bridgnorth is a Town in Shropshire, England, along the Severn Valley. Telford ( ˈtɛlfɚd is a large new town in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England, Lichfield is a city and Civil parish in Staffordshire, England.

Air

The nearest international airport is Birmingham International Airport, around 25 miles to the east. Birmingham International Airport may refer to Birmingham International Airport (United Kingdom, serving Birmingham England United Kingdom The nearest local airport is Wolverhampton Airport, which is about 10 miles to the west of the town.

Education

Primary schools

Dudley is served by a range of primary schools. See also Primary education A primary school (from French école primaire) is an institution where children receive the first stage of Compulsory Several of these are Church of England primary schools. The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican For example, Jessons Church of England Primary School, St Chads Roman Catholic School, St Edmund's and St John's Church of England Primary School and Netherton Church of England Primary School are all Church of England primary schools. The Jesson's Church of England Primary School is a Church of England Primary school located in Dudley, West Midlands. St Edmund's and St John's Church of England Primary School is a primary school located in Dudley, West Midlands, England. Netherton Church of England Primary School is a primary school located in Netherton, West Midlands, England.

Other primary schools in the town include Priory Primary School, Kates Hill Primary School, Sledmere Primary School, Russells Hall Primary School, Milking Bank Primary School, Highgate Primary School, Northfield Road Primary School, Dudley Wood Primary School, Foxyards Primary School, Netherbrook Primary School and Blowers Green Primary School. Priory Primary School is a primary school located on the Priory Estate in Dudley, West Midlands, England. Kates Hill Primary School is a primary school located in the Kates Hill area of Dudley in the West Midlands of England. Sledmere Primary School is a primary school located in Dudley, West Midlands, England. Russells Hall Primary School is a primary school located in Dudley, West Midlands, England. Milking Bank is a state Primary school in the West Midlands of England. Highgate Primary School is a primary school located in Woodside, Dudley, West Midlands, England. Northfield Road Primary School is a primary school located in Netherton, West Midlands, England. Dudley Wood Primary School is a primary school located in Dudley, West Midlands, England. Coseley is a town located mostly within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley in the English West Midlands. Netherbrook Primary School is a primary school located in Netherton, West Midlands, England. Blowers Green Primary School is a primary school located in Dudley, West Midlands, England. Many of these schools are named after the housing estates they are located within.

Primary schools throughout the Dudley borough currently all provide education for pupils aged 5 to 11 years. Some schools also have nursery units for pupils aged 3 and 4 years. From 1975 to 1990 (1989 in the southern part of the borough), schoolchildren in the borough stayed at primary school until the age of 12.

Wrens Nest Primary School

Wrens Nest Primary School is a primary school that was built during the late 1930s to serve the new council housing estate which was being built at the time. The school expanded in September 2006 to accommodate pupils transferred from the nearby Sycamore Green Primary School, which had closed due to falling numbers on the school roll. Sycamore Green Primary School was a primary school located in Dudley, West Midlands, England. The school's headteacher is Mrs R. Wylie.

Secondary schools

There are four secondary schools in Dudley. Castle High School is a visual arts college and secondary school. For schools of the same name see Castle High School. Castle High School is a secondary school located in Dudley, West Midlands, England It was formed as a result of a merger between The Dudley School, Sir Gilbert Claughton School and The Blue Coat School. The Dudley School was a mixed comprehensive school in Dudley, West Midlands, England. Sir Gilbert Claughton School was a secondary school located in Dudley, England, in the Queen's Cross are of the town It also occupies the buildings which once consisted of Dudley Boys Grammar School and land that was once used for Dudley Girls High School. Dudley Grammar School was a selective higher education school for boys aged from 11 to 18 years Dudley Girls High School was a selective higher education school which provided education for girls aged 11 to 18 years It is one of the newest schools in the town.

Holly Hall School is comprehensive school in Dudley and has computing and mathematics college status. Holly Hall School is a foundation comprehensive secondary school located in Dudley, West Midlands, England. A comprehensive school is a Secondary school and State school for children from the age of 11 to at least 16 that does not select children on the basis of academic Bishop Milner Roman Catholic School is a Roman Catholic secondary school in Dudley. Bishop Milner Roman Catholic School is a secondary school located in Dudley, West Midlands, England. Constructed in 1958, it became one of the first Roman Catholic secondary schools in the region and is the oldest existing school in Dudley. Hillcrest School is another secondary school in Dudley.

A major shake-up of secondary education took place across the Dudley borough in 1989/1990. Several schools, including two in Dudley town itself, were closed due to falling numbers. The secondary school starting age, which had been 12 since 1975, was lowered to 11 for the 1989-1990 academic year in Stourbridge, Halesowen and Kingswinford, and for the 1990-1991 academic year in Dudley, Sedgley, Coseley and Brierley Hill. Stourbridge is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands of England. Halesowen is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands, England. Kingswinford is a suburban area (formerly a large village in the West Midlands county but previously in Staffordshire. Sedgley is a town in the West Midlands of England, but historically in Staffordshire. Coseley is a town located mostly within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley in the English West Midlands. Brierley Hill is a Town and electoral ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, West Midlands, England. Several secondary schools also closed their sixth form centres at this time, as the local authority encouraged pupils to attend further education colleges such as Halesowen College, Dudley College, Stourbridge College and King Edward VI College. Halesowen College of Further Education is a College for students of above school leaving age in Whittingham Road Halesowen, West Midlands. Dudley College is a College of Further education in Dudley, West Midlands, England. Stourbridge College is a Further education College situated in Stourbridge, West Midlands, England. King Edward VI College can refer to King Edward VI College Nuneaton King Edward VI College Stourbridge

Special schools

There are three special schools within Dudley. A special school is a school catering to students who have Special educational needs e Old Park School serves pupils from the age of 3 to 19. Old Park School is a special educational school located in Dudley, West Midlands, England. [20] Rosewood School also caters for children within the age range.

The Sutton School, built 1962, caters only for pupils from 11-16. The Sutton School is a special educational needs school in the Russells Hall Estate in Dudley, West Midlands, England. [21]

Defunct schools

As well as The Dudley School, Sir Gilbert Claughton School and The Blue Coat School which merged to form Castle High School which also occupies the land and buildings of Dudley Boys Grammar School and Dudley Girls High School, other defunct schools in the town include Rosland Secondary School, which became part of The Blue Coat School in 1970, and Park Secondary School. The Dudley School was a mixed comprehensive school in Dudley, West Midlands, England. Sir Gilbert Claughton School was a secondary school located in Dudley, England, in the Queen's Cross are of the town Dudley Grammar School was a selective higher education school for boys aged from 11 to 18 years Dudley Girls High School was a selective higher education school which provided education for girls aged 11 to 18 years Rosland Secondary School was a secondary school located in Dudley, England. Park Secondary School was a secondary school located in Dudley, West Midlands (formerly Worcestershire and later Staffordshire) England Mons Hill School also shut down as a result of falling pupil numbers. Mons Hill School was a secondary school located on the Wrens Nest Estate in Dudley, England.

Primary schools that no longer exist include St John's Primary School and St Edmund's Primary School which both merged together to form St Edmund's and St John's Church of England Primary School in the 1970s. St John's Primary School was a Church of England primary school situated in Dudley, West Midlands, England. St Edmund's Primary School was a primary school for pupils aged from 5 to 11 years St Edmund's and St John's Church of England Primary School is a primary school located in Dudley, West Midlands, England. The St Edmund's Primary School building still exists and is currently used as Dudley Central Mosque.

Sycamore Green Primary School shut down in July 2006 following a consultation period which ended in the decision that it was no longer necessary to keep the school open as a result of falling pupil numbers. Sycamore Green Primary School was a primary school located in Dudley, West Midlands, England. Staff and pupils were transferred to the Wrens Nest Primary School and the school buildings are currently used as a Pupil Referral Unit for students studying at Key Stage 3. Key Stage 3 is the legal term for the three years of schooling in maintained schools in England and Wales normally known as Year 7 Year 8 and Year 9 when

Further education

Buildings owned by Dudley College
Buildings owned by Dudley College

Dudley College is a college of further education and lies mainly to the north of the town centre, with a further campus at Wren's Nest. Dudley College is a College of Further education in Dudley, West Midlands, England. Further education (often abbreviated "FE" is Post-secondary Education (in addition to that received at Secondary school) that is distinct from It is Dudley's only college of further education, having opened in 1936. Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Until the summer of 2002, there was a campus of the University of Wolverhampton within the town. The University of Wolverhampton is a British University, located on four campuses across the West Midlands and Shropshire. The newer part of the campus, built during the 1960s, was retained as part of Dudley College. Dudley College is a College of Further education in Dudley, West Midlands, England. The older buildings, which were originally a teacher training college built in 1905, were demolished soon afterwards and the site redeveloped for private housing. Dudley is now the largest town or city in the UK without university facilities.

Medical

In October 2006, Dudley Beacon and Castle Primary Care Trust and Dudley South Primary Care Trust merged to become Dudley Primary Care Trust. Dudley Primary Care Trust is a local health authority which has served the townships of Dudley, Coseley and Sedgley in the West Midlands [22] It is chaired by Mark Cooke.

Dudley is served by two major NHS health facilities. The National Health Service is the name commonly used to refer to the four Publicly-funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom collectively or individually (although Dudley Guest Hospital was the first to be constructed however began as a charity to accommodate blinded local miners in 1849. Dudley Guest Hospital is a hospital located in Dudley, West Midlands, England. The charity did not become popular and it was taken over by a local chainmaker who turned it into a hospital in 1871. As a result of the loss of the Emergency department, the hospital has become a less important facility compared with the Russells Hall Hospital, also in Dudley. Russells Hall Hospital is an NHS-owned hospital located in Dudley, West Midlands, England.

Russells Hall Hospital was constructed in 1976 but immediate problems meant that it could not open until 1983. A major expansion of the hospital was completed in 2004 following the downgrading of Wordsley Hospital, Dudley Guest Hospital and Corbett Hospital. Wordsley Hospital was a NHS-owned hospital located in Wordsley, Stourbridge, which is in the West Midlands of England. Another hospital serving Dudley is Bushey Fields Hospital. Bushey Fields Hospital is a Psychiatric hospital located in Dudley, West Midlands, England. [23]

Dudley Health Centre was opened in Cross Street in 1979. There are currently four GPs employed there, as well as numerous administration staff. There are also doctor's surgeries in Bean Road, and the clinic on the Priory Estate was demolished in the mid-2000s after serving the local community for some 70 years. Another surgery was built in the extreme west of the town (on the border with Sedgley) around 1990, to serve the new Milking Bank housing estate.

Media

Dudley is served by a number of local newspapers. A newspaper is a written Publication containing News, information and Advertising, usually printed on low-cost paper called Newsprint. The town has its own version of the Express & Star, published daily Monday to Saturday. The Express & Star is an evening Newspaper based in Wolverhampton, England, publishing 11 different editions covering the Black Country There are also Dudley News,[24] which is published weekly, and the Black Country Bugle, which looks at the history of Dudley and the rest of the Black Country. The Dudley News is a local free newspaper which has served the Dudley area of the West Midlands since February 1985 The Black Country Bugle is a nostalgic newspaper which serves the Black Country region of England and has been in circulation since April 1972 Dudley was also served by the Dudley Evening Mail until its absorption into the Birmingham Evening Mail in late 1986. The Dudley Evening Mail was an evening newspaper which served the area in and around Dudley (part of the West Midlands) from October 1980 until December 1986 The Birmingham Mail is a Tabloid Newspaper based in Birmingham, UK but distributed around Birmingham The Black Country Televised local news is provided through Midlands Today and Central Tonight, which also serve the wider area of the West Midlands. Midlands Today is the BBC 's regional Television News programme for the West Midlands region, which comprises the West Midlands Central Tonight is the main news programme on ITV Central, the ITV franchise for the Midlands. The West Midlands is an official Region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands.

BBC Radio WM, 100.7 Heart FM, Kerrang! 105.2 FM, and Saga 105.7 FM are some of the local radio stations that can be received in Dudley, also serving the wider West Midlands. BBC WM is the BBC Local Radio service for the West Midlands and South Staffordshire, operated by BBC Birmingham. Kerrang! Radio is a specialist Rock music radio station broadcasting to the West Midlands in England. Saga 1057fm was an Independent local radio station broadcasting to the West Midlands of the United Kingdom. This article is about radio broadcasting for other uses see Radio (disambiguation. MXR West Midlands also serves Dudley, as well as the rest of the West Midlands region. MXR West Midlands is a regional commercial digital radio multiplex in the United Kingdom which serves the West Midlands

Business and industry

The town centre is home to numerous high street retailers including Woolworths, Beatties, Wilkinsons, Clinton Cards, WH Smith, Argos and New Look. Beatties is a British Department store group with 8 stores located primarily in the Midlands of England. Clinton Cards is a chain of stores in the UK founded in 1968 by Don Lewin This article is about the retail chain for people of that name see William Henry Smith. Argos ( Greek: Ἄργος, Árgos ˈaɾɣos is a city in Greece in the Peloponnese near Nafplio, which was its historic harbor There is also a Subway restaurant. Subway Restaurants, commonly known as Subway, is a Fast food restaurant franchise that primarily sells Sandwiches and Salads called McDonalds, British Home Stores, Marks and Spencer and Pizza Hut have all had branches in Dudley town centre in the past. Bhs or British Home Stores (formerly BHS and BhS) is a stalwart department store of the British High Street, selling clothing and household items Marks & Spencer Group plc (also M&S, Marks and Sparks, and Marks) is a British Retailer with 843 stores in more than 30

The Bean Cars factory was opened in the first years of the 20th century and remained in use until the 1930s, but survives to this day for other industrial use. Bean Cars were made in factories in Dudley, Worcestershire, and Coseley, Staffordshire, England, between 1919 and 1929

Localities

Notes 
† – Areas added to Dudley County Borough in 1966. Some of these areas were split between Dudley and other County Boroughs. Those parts within the present Metropolitan Borough of Dudley are considered by the ONS to be part of the Dudley Urban Sub-Area.

Notable people

Footballer Duncan Edwards was born in Dudley and is commemorated by a statue in the town.
Footballer Duncan Edwards was born in Dudley and is commemorated by a statue in the town. Duncan Edwards (1 October 1936 &ndash 21 February 1958 was an English footballer who played for Manchester United and the England national team

In popular culture

Sport

Dudley is the largest town in England never to have had a league football club. The Football League, also known as the Coca-Cola Football League for sponsorship reasons is a league competition featuring professional football clubs [27] The town's key football teams, Dudley Town F.C and Dudley Sports F.C. have never progressed beyond the Southern League. Dudley Town FC are a football club based in Dudley, West Midlands, England. Dudley Sports FC are a football club based in Dudley, West Midlands, England. History Professional football (and Professional sport in general developed more slowly in Southern England than in the north.

References

  1. ^ Love My Town: UK Towns with Populations over 100,000 (2001 Census)
  2. ^ Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council - Dudley Castle, accessed 4 March 2007
  3. ^ Encyclopaedia Britannica 1911, accessed 4 March 2007
  4. ^ Antique condoms' Dutch journey. Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. BBC News Website > England > West Midlands (30 October 2003). Retrieved on 2006-12-27. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 537 - The Hagia Sophia is completed 1512 - The Spanish Crown issues the Laws of Burgos, governing the
  5. ^ Priory Ruins. Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council (2007-09-10). Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul meet in the Council of Agde. Retrieved on 2007-11-30. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1700 - Battle of Narva — A Swedish army of 8500 men under Charles XII defeats
  6. ^ 1911 article about Dudley - From the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica
  7. ^ History.uk.com: Thomas Newcomen's steam engine
  8. ^ A Brief History of Dudley - Under 'Dudley in the 20th century'
  9. ^ Earthquake hits UK - BBC News, 23 September, 2002 (Accessed March 4 2007)
  10. ^ Vision of Britain: Dudley CB
  11. ^ Vision of Britain - Dudley CB Boundary Changes
  12. ^ Vision of Britain: Dudley CB
  13. ^ Vision of Britain: Dudley MBC
  14. ^ Agency’s multi-million pound funding boost for Dudley - Advantage West Midlands, 10th January 2007 (Accessed March 4 2007)
  15. ^ Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council: Dudley Canals introduction
  16. ^ Dudley area attractions - himleyhousehotel. The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911 is a 29-volume reference work that marked the beginning of the Encyclopædia Britannica com
  17. ^ Dudley Market
  18. ^ Rail Around Birmingham: Dudley Station
  19. ^ Midland Metro expansion plans to be submitted to Government - Centro News Online, 22-Apr-06 (Accessed March 4, 2007)
  20. ^ Old Park School website
  21. ^ Sutton School website
  22. ^ NHS in England: Dudley PCT Organisation Summary
  23. ^ Specialist Info: Bushey Fields Hospital
  24. ^ Dudley News
  25. ^ Emporis: Butterfield Court entry
  26. ^ Keith Slater. Gallery four: Black Country. BBC Black Country Website - Photo Galleries. Retrieved on 2006-12-27. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 537 - The Hagia Sophia is completed 1512 - The Spanish Crown issues the Laws of Burgos, governing the
  27. ^ The Guardian: Which is the smallest English town/city ever to have hosted a top-flight football team? And which is the largest never to have done so? (Accessed March 4, 2007)

External links

Dictionary

Dudley

-proper noun

  1. A town in the West Midlands.
  2. A habitational surname, notably of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester at the time of Elizabeth I.
  3. A male given name, transferred use of the surname since the nineteenth century.
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