Northfield, Selly, Weoley (Worcs.)

Northfield and SeIly were shown separately in Domesday Book, but Selly was later no more than one of three Tithings of N. 6011 acres, 21½ miles perimeter, including Rea, Bourn Brook, River Bourn (Griffin Brook), Selly Oak Road, Northfield Road, Pope's Lane. Weoley Castle on a Saxon moated site was fortified in 1264: it had a chapel, deer park of 40 acres, and a home farm. With 300 acres of plough land against N.'s 170, Weoley became the seat of power and the manor was sometimes known by its name: but when St. Lawrence's Church was built, it was in the south, beside the moated manor house of N. A fourth settlement was Middleton, a C12th 'hay' (enclosure).

Weoley Castle has building traces from 1150. Largely of wood, it was twice burnt. In 1270-80 Roger de Somery, lord of Dudley, built 5 towers and a curtain wall round the site. The dwelling and service accommodation was rebuilt and enlarged by Lady Joan de Bottetourt in 1330, and there were more additions in 1390 and 1480. In 1432 the castle was said to have 'a great hall with a great chamber in the upper end, a chapel set by itself….and a vestry adjoining…. six turrets of stone, the gate is one with six chambers and chimneys in the same'. Sold to the Jervoise family in early Tudor times, the castle was never again lived in: the stone was sold and stolen, leaving only the lowest courses. The Stone House nearby is built of it. Excavations have revealed most of the castle's history. Selly Manor House or Bournbrook Hall stands in Bournville, whither it was removed and restored in 1916: it has C15-16th timbering and brick, external chimneys and staircase. Behind it is a 3-bayed cruck hall, Minworth Greaves, also displaced. (Another transferred building is the Golden Lion from Deritend, now in Cannon Hill Park, later C16th) Middleton Hall (Newent Road) has gone, like N. manor house, and the appearance of both is not recorded. The overgrown moat and altered Tithe Barn in N. village were demolished recently. Nothing is yet known about the fields of the manor: there were still open fields and common in the C18th, but these had all gone before the final enclosures elsewhere. A quarter of the manor was parkland in 1851, owned by five persons. Northfield had never been more than a small village - Great Stone Inn C17th, church school 1849, cottage rows - a few clusters along the Bromsgrove Turnpike, mansions and farms, until C20th.