THE ANCIENT ROADS OF YARDLEY

The first road in this unattractive region of forest, swamp, and stony heath, were not important routes for human movement but purely local tracks going only as far as their makers needed them. The first to tread the ridgeways and terrace tracks were animals, and men followed them - first to hunt and later to settle. These ways were not 'made' in any modern sense : after the Romans there were no road-builders but only road-menders in Britain until the Turnpike Trusts. Trodden routes became fixed if they served a purpose, but were never planned. They took the easiest way, which meant avoiding woods, bogs, streams, and steep slopes wherever possible. Their linking-up to form a system of communication with other manors was a slow process related solely to need : the concept of regional or national highways did not emerge until medieval times.

The old roads of Yardley were clearly influenced by geology and drainage. It is notable that there are few ancient riverside roads, because the clay and alluvium made too hard and heavy going except in driest weather. The exceptions are Priory Road in Yardley Wood, the bottom stretch of Wake Green Road, and the two Stoney Lanes, all of which are on gravel. Beyond Titterford the main route through Yardley climbs to Highfield on boulder clay, and stays thereon, following the dorsal ridge-top between the Tyseley and Broomhall Brooks (Fox Hollies Road). It is possible that the original track continued via Broad Road, Flint Green Road, and Dalston Road, which occupy the crest, rather than along Stockfield Road : this crosses Stockfield Brook and descends to the Redhill Brook valley, probably originating as a perimeter track of Stockstile Field as Yardley Road was of Acocks Green Field.

It is not clear why Church Road continues the main route north of Coventry Road. The ridge, with a last northward extension of boulder clay upon it (Oaklands Recreation Ground) is approached by Graham Road (Mad Cat Lane), and this would seem a drier higher route than Church Road, which not only lies on clay but cuts across the head of the Smarts Hill Brook. In later times the impassability of this lane necessitated its raising above the surrounding level on the 'Long Causeway'. At the 'Yew Tree', Stoney Lane diverges to take the gravely east side of the ridge between the Cole and Stitck Brook, while Church Road ploughs on over the clay ridge between the Stitch and Yardley Brooks. Probably the first tracks therefrom were the field-bounding paths by Hillhouse and Flaxleys (Flaxley Road) and the way to Lea, whence tracks to Lea Ford and Kingshurst diverged on the boulder clay patch.

Of the cross-Yardley roads, the first to be recorded are Dagardingweg and Leomanningweg in 972. The former was Pool Lane (Meadway, Pool Way, path in Kents Moat Park), which was the Sheldon-Yardley boundary. The latter was Stratford Road, but its termini must have been quite local. It occupies the boulder-clay ridge between the valley heads of the Shirley, Primrose and Robin Hood Brooks on the south side, and the Broomhall and Tyseley Brooks on the north. Beyond Greet ford it crosses largely sand and gravel, but a drift-free patch with two brooks at the foot of Sparkhill must have caused trouble to travellers.

Warwick, Coventry, and Stratford Roads appear on John Smith's map of 1603, providing first evidence of Warwick Road's existence. It uses the same ford on Spark Brook as does Stratford Road, notably joining the latter just at the north edge of the Sparkhill gravely patch.

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