Codsall and Bilbrook

Codsall and Bilbrook are bustling neighbouring villages, each steeped in history and character.

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An aerial view of Jubilee Wood, Bilbrook. Pic: Friends of Bilbrook

Codsall

A location with medieval origins, Codsall was recorded in the Domesday Book having a population of just six people in 1086 – this settlement is said to have likely clustered around the church on Church Hill.

To this day, the village is home to a number of historic and listed buildings – with Church Lane and Drury Lane thought to have originated as back lanes during the medieval era.

Fast-forward to the 21^st century, and Codsall prides itself on being a warm, inclusive ward, with a bustling village centre which maintains its historic roots while also boasting restaurants, pubs, takeaways, an award-winning butchers, a bakery and more.

A sought-after location, Codsall hosts annual summer shows and Christmas fairs, which bring in thousands of people and pounds to the village.

Both events pull the community together, with many local businesses and clubs contributing.

Money raised at the winter and summer shows is used to help those who are struggling with the cost of living and to provide the dazzling display of Christmas lights in Codsall.

The Christmas events are particularly unique, boasting live music, street performers, stalls, fairground rides, a Santa's grotto and carols around the Christmas tree with local schools, councillors, St Nicholas Church and the Salvation Army Band. The Codsall Christmas Fair Group started in December 2015 and won Support Staffordshire’s Volunteer Award 2021/22.

The annual Codsall Summer Show is organised by Codsall Community Group at the beginning of July, with a dog show, music, stalls, games, fairground rides and competitions. The event is run by Codsall Community Group, which started in 2014 with the aim of improving the open spaces within Codsall, Oaken and Codsall Wood, as well as providing help to other similar groups.

Codsall is home to Codsall Community Hub, a bustling centre which hosts a number of facilities including a café, library, GP surgery, children’s nursery, Citizen’s Advice Bureau and more.

One of the district’s four modern leisure centres is situated in Elliot’s Lane, offering a large 25m pool, a gym, and a range of classes – held both in-person and virtually. Its indoor and outdoor facilities are used by a range of clubs, with much being available for private hire. Find out more about South Staffordshire Council’s leisure centre at Codsall via this link.

Bilbrook

Bilbrook affords a gentle welcome. It gets its name from the ancient ‘Billers’, meaning watercress, which grows in its Moat Brook.

The historic village has a busy centre with a range of food outlets, shops, a pub and more.

Residents are particularly proud of their open spaces and are forward-thinking in conserving them.

A partnership with Jaguar Land Rover and Vinci Construction and from the new i54 business park saw wheelchair access, benches and information boards provided for Jubilee Wood.

Friends of Bilbrook planted 1,200 new trees and the wood is now brimming with wildlife including voles, owls, kingfishers, and bats.

Bilbrook is also home to Pendeford Mill Nature Reserve, a unique 60-acre habitat where academics from all over world over come to study and members of the public visit to enjoy its tranquillity.

A stunning 2,000-year-old yew tree is located at centre of the wood, plus a canopy of oaks – thought to be around 400 years of age - which provide shelter for rare bats, birds and marvellous minibeasts.

Bilbrook is listed in the Domesday book and in 1086 was known as Bilrebroch.

The small village green is where a leader of the Methodist movement John Wesley visited at least nine times to preach in the 1700s.

The Boulton and Paul Aircraft factory was built in Bilbrook in the 1930s and had a great impact on the village, with some 600 skilled workers moving from Norwich to Bilbrook.

The Defiant plane was built in Bilbrook and can be seen on the parish logo, the war memorial, and various heritage signs throughout the parish.

Boulton and Paul Aircraft later underwent a number of name changes and in 2009 was sold to Moog Inc., which has moved to new premises at the i54 South Staffordshire business park - which remains in the parish of Bilbrook. 

The original factory also had a museum dedicated to Boulton Paul aircraft and the traditional methods used to manufacture aircraft. The museum closed when Moog took over and the aircraft moved to the Royal Air Force Museum in Cosford.

I54 South Staffordshire, meanwhile, is home to a number of internationally recognised advanced manufacturing companies, including Jaguar Land Rover, and spans 360 acres.