Kinver
Kinver maps (2 available)
Map of West Midlands
Beautifully hand-drawn and coloured, dating from around 1840
See this old map of West Midlands
Personalised maps
Create an historic map centred directly on any postcode!
Kinver books (7 available)
- 7 photos on Kinver appear in 3 Frith books - View photos of Kinver
- Read extracts and see photos from these books on Kinver and West Midlands
Kinver memories
Read and share memories of Kinver and West Midlands inspired by Frith photos
Narrow boat 'Bellatrix'.
This is a photograph of me as a young man operating my passenger carrying narrow boat 'Bellatrix', trading as Midland Navigation Packet Boat Service. 'Bellatrix' is a traditional narrow boat built in 1935 at Yarwoods of Northwich.
Contributed by Mr C Sherwood
West Midlands memories
Narrow boat 'Bellatrix'.
This is a photograph of me as a young man operating my passenger carrying narrow boat 'Bellatrix', trading as Midland Navigation Packet Boat Service. 'Bellatrix' is a traditional narrow boat built in 1935 at Yarwoods of Northwich.
A memory of Kinver contributed by Mr C Sherwood
Lower Penn Church
I used to love visiting this beautiful little church. It was so tiny and always so cold. If I remember rightly, on the opposite side of the road was a tiny little post office (almost like it was in someone's house).
A memory of Lower Penn contributed by Lisa Gilbert
Dean Road, Lower Penn
My grandmother (Edith Craig/Peach) used to live in Dean Road (number 2). My mum, Pat also grew up there with her brother, Graham.
I lived with my nan for a couple of years (around 1982) when I was 9 years old. The house was in a block of 4 and they were painted white with blue doors. I remember my nan used to scrub the front door steps until they gleamed. The gardens were huge. It was like having 4 back gardens in one. Her neighbours were all so close and I remember my nan chatting with Maggie over the back fence.
The lane was very narrow and I remember cycling ...read more here
A memory of Lower Penn contributed by Lisa Gilbert
Extracts From Kinver & West Midlands books
In 1627 Richard Foley opened a slitting mill at Hyde in Kinver for the purpose of cutting iron rods into suitable lengths for nailers. At this time nailmaking was an important industry in southern Staffordshire. Within seven years Foley had established something of an industrial empire, operating a number of forges and furnaces, and claiming that he provided work for 800 people.
An extract from from"Staffordshire Photographic Memories".
In 1627 Richard Foley opened a slitting mill at Hyde in Kinver for
the purpose of cutting iron rods into suitable lengths for nailers.At this
time nailmaking was an important industry in southern Staffordshire.
Within seven years Foley had established something of an industrial
empire, operating a number of forges and furnaces, and claiming that he
provided work for 800 people.
An extract from from"Staffordshire Pocket Album".
In the 1660s Kinver was the scene of an unsuccessful attempt by Andrew Yarranton to make the Warwickshire Stour navigable from Stourbridge to Stourport-on-Severn. A cut was made across the outskirts of Kinver parish, which can still be seen to this day. The river between Kidderminster and Stourbridge did open for traffic, and proved useful for the transportation of coals.
An extract from from"Staffordshire Photographic Memories".
Opened throughout in 1772, the Staffs & Worcestershire Canal
was designed by James Brindley as part of a scheme to allow traffic
to operate between the Thames,Trent, Severn and Mersey. At ten
miles from Stourport, Kinver lies just to the west of Kinver Lock.
The total length of the canal was just over 46 miles with 43 locks:
it ran from the River Severn, at Stourport, to a junction with the
Trent & Mersey, at Great Haywood.
An extract from from"Staffordshire Pocket Album".
Kinver Forest once extended into Worcestershire. In Norman England forests were areas reserved for hunting. They had their own laws and courts and were policed by foresters. At Kinver a royal hunting lodge was in existence before 1100, though one was later built at Stourton. Around 1223 Stourton Lodge was fortified and later became known as Stourton Castle.
An extract from from"Staffordshire Photographic Memories".