Named after the "Broom" bush and Wic meaning heath, "Broom Wic" was a Saxon settlement to which West was later added in about 650 AD to distinguish it from other Bromwiches. Saxon and Mediaeval farmland was gradually replaced in the 1500s and 1600s as industries like nailmaking and gunlock filing flourished. Small iron works sprang up and mines were dug to exploit iron and coal.
The opening of a canal in 1769 and the first railway station in 1837 together with new and improved roads made the transport of raw materials and finished goods easier and increased the importance of West Bromwich as a prosperous and wealthy industrial town.
Oak House
Oak House is a large and picturesque half-timbered farmhouse dating back to the sixteenth century. It is one of the finest timber framed buildings in the Midlands and was given to the people of West Bromwich by Alderman Reuben Farley.
Farley Clock Tower
The Farley Clock Tower is a memorial to Alderman Reuben Farley, completed in his own lifetime. It is an imposing monument which closes the view of the High Street. The rich terracotta detailing, including panels depicting the Oak House, the Town Hall and a roundel of Farley himself, were the work of Albert Hopkins, student and later art master of Ryland Art School.
Sandwell Valley Country Park
The Sandwell Valley provides a real taste of the countryside within one mile of West Bromwich Town Centre and has over 2000 acres of woodland and parkland with wildfowl lakes and the remains of an old Benedictine Priory.
Bishop Asbury’s Cottage
Bishop Asbury Cottage is the boyhood home of Francis Asbury who became the first Bishop of the American Methodist Church. The Cottage is believed to date from the mid 17th century. It is a simple artisan’s dwelling consisting of brick, tile and timber.
Sandwell Priory & Holy Well
Near the spring or sand well, which gives its name to the present Borough, are the remains of a Benedictine Priory founded by William Fitz-Ansculf in the 1100s. Sandwell Priory was closed down in 1525.
West Bromwich Library
Next to the Town Hall stands West Bromwich Library. The library celebrates its 100th birthday in 2007 and is one of several Carnegie Libraries in the Black Country. It was designed by local architect Stephen J. Holliday.
Sandwell Park Farm
In Sandwell Valley is Sandwell Park Farm, a fully restored 18th century farm which was constructed to supply food throughout the year to the Earls of Dartmouth’s estate and Sandwell Hall.
West Bromwich Town Hall
The Town Hall is a Grade II listed building built in brick and stone in an Italian Gothic style. The massive corner tower rises to 40m and the upper stage is a mixture of detached columns and trefoil arches.
All Saints Church
The present church of All Saints, often known as the “old” church, dates from 1871-2. The church was originally dedicated to St Clement and was given to the Convent of Worcester by Henry I, who later granted it to the Priory of Sandwell.
The Public
The Public Building is the first new major cultural facility in West Bromwich since Andrew Carnegie gave a grant to the town in 1907 for a new Central Library and is designed by Architect Will Alsop, who won the coveted Stirling Prize for architecture in 2000.
Dartmouth Park & War Memorial
Reuben Farley, whilst Mayor of West Bromwich, sought to improve the conditions of the “man in the street” by providing a park. He contacted a local landowner, the Earl of Dartmouth, owner of Sandwell Park and the Dartmouth Estates who gave the land.
West Bromwich Manor House
Built by the de Marnham family in the late 1200s as the centre of their agricultural estate in West Bromwich only the Great Hall survives of the original complex of living quarters, agricultural barns, sheds and ponds.
