Lickey

Lickey is a village in the north of Worcestershire, England approximately 10 miles (18 kilometers) south west from the centre of Birmingham. It lies in the district of Bromsgrove and is situated on the Lickey Ridge, amongst the Lickey Hills, its proximity to countryside and the city makes it a popular commuter area.

The name is thought to have derived from 'leac' (a clearing) and 'hey' (an enclosed space).Perhaps referring to a clearing in the forest. The Lickey Hills consist of two parallel ranges with a valley between. The higher range consists of Rose Hill, Beacon Hill and Stock Hill whilst the lower hills are Rednal Hill, Bilberry Hill and Cofton Hill. The area forms part of the Lickey Hills Country Park.

Beacon Hill

On Beacon Hill stood one of the country-wide network of beacons which, before the days of modern communication were used to alert the country to an imminent invasion. A tapestry map woven about the time of the Spanish Armada shows the huge iron basket on top of Beacon Hill where two men kept watch night and day. It is reasonable to assume that a signal fire was lit on the Lickeys in 1588 when the Spanish Armada was sighted in the channel.

During the Second World War the Army's Royal Engineers built a range of buildings on top of Beacon Hill that were used by Air Raid Wardens, who acted as fire watchers over the south of Birmingham and Royal Observer Corps aircraft spotters who activated the air raid sirens for Rednal, Rubery, Northfield, the Austin motors factory and the Austin Aero aircraft factory at Cofton Hackett. The range of buildings included a dormitory / rest room block and an open topped toilet range. The latter building, the toilet block still painted in army khaki, was located just under the cover of the tree line and remained in use by the public as late as the early 1970s.

During the extremely cold winters that affected the Birmingham area during the 1950s the northern slope of Beacon Hill was frequently covered by snow for several weeks each year and was used daily by hundreds of families for sledging. In recent years milder winters have not produced sufficient snow and the slope has been reduced in scope by housing development and expansion of the Municipal Golfcourse.

Standing on the apex of the hill, is the toposcope gifted in the early twentieth century by Cadbury's. A small castle like structure was built to house it in 1988 to celebrate the centenary of the country park. It is 297 metres above sea level and provides the best views of the city and stands adjacent to the Ordnance Survey triangulation point.

People

Lickey was populated rapidly from the 1870s onwards by professionals and industrialists such as Herbert Austin, who moved to Lickey Grange in 1910 and resided there until his death in 1941. He is buried in the graveyard of the local church of Holy Trinity .

Landmarks

Opposite the Church is a reminder that once we relied on horses for our transport as there is a Drinking Trough and Fountain for weary travellers whether two or four legged to refresh themselves after the long climb up.

Another landmark is The Monument, a huge obelisk 60-80ft high, situated behind the trees bordering the old Birmingham road directly opposite the petrol station in Lickey. The inscription reads "To commend to imitation the exemplary private virtues of Other Archer 6th Earl of Plymouth". The 6th Earl of Plymouth had land at Tardebigge, near Lickey.

Houses

Lickey has very many late Victorian houses, but today it is difficult to gain a sense of the well spaced layout and wide boulevards of Victorian Lickey. Newer developments lack the distinctive style of the older buildings and crowd the Victorian buildings.

There was a steady development of housing in Lickey in the 20th century; however, the area has maintained its mainly professional and entrepreneurial population. Since the 1990s, there have been huge amounts of 'infill' housing, not just in Lickey, but also in nearby Barnt Green. The best impression of Victorian Lickey can be felt nowadays in the nearby tiny hamlet of Shepley.

ee also

*Barnt Green
*Lickey Incline
*Lickey Hills Country Park
*Cofton Hackett

External links

*gbmapping|SO999750