Moor Pool Explained

Official Name:Moor Pool
Type:Garden Suburb
Static Image:File:Houses in Moor Pool Avenue backing onto Moorpool - geograph.org.uk - 972461.jpg
Country:England
Coordinates:52.4627°N -1.9542°W
Metropolitan Borough:Birmingham
Metropolitan County:West Midlands
Region:West Midlands
Constituency Westminster:Birmingham Edgbaston
Post Town:BIRMINGHAM
Postcode District:B17
Postcode Area:B
Dial Code:0121
Os Grid Reference:SP 032 850

Moor Pool (or Moorpool) is a 22.32ha garden suburb within the ward of Harborne, Birmingham, England.[1] It was designated a Conservation Area in July 1970,[2] which was raised by an Article 4(2) direction order in 2006.[3] A Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Plan was adopted in March 2012.[4]

History

The Moor Pool estate was established in 1907 by John Sutton Nettlefold,[5] who was part of the Guest Keen Nettlefold (GKN) family. It formed part of the Garden City concept, shared by George Cadbury in Bournville, to create low density housing with many interspersed green spaces, and community facilities. The estate was built with a community hall (complete with skittle alley and snooker tables), two tennis clubs, a bowling green, numerous allotments, and the Moor Pool (pond) itself; all of these facilities remain today for residents' use.[6]

The homes and buildings were designed by William Martin, an architect known for working with John Henry Chamberlain to build 41 of the Birmingham board schools (including the nearby Harborne Clock Tower / School Yard),[7] through their practice Martin & Chamberlain.

Moor Pool Heritage Trust

In 2014 the residential landlord of the estate, Grainger plc planned to sell off the local amenities, including the hall, the bowling green, tennis courts, skittle alley, fishing pond, some open space and shops. The Moor Pool Heritage Trust made a deal with Grainger to acquire the community facilities for £325,000.[8] After a fundraiser, which included a £98,900 Heritage Lottery Fund grant, the acquisition was completed on 14 December 2014.[9] [10]

Nettlefold Pocket Park

In 2016 it was announced that Moor Pool Heritage Trust had been awarded over £8,500 to create a pocket park[11] on an overgrown site on the corner of Margaret Grove and Moor Pool Avenue. The name Nettlefold Garden was chosen (after a naming competition), to reflect the heritage of the Moor Pool estate.[12] The park was officially opened to the public by Cllr Carl Rice, the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, on 21 May 2017.

Listed Buildings

Key

GradeCriteria
II*Particularly important buildings of more than special interest.
IIBuildings of national importance and special interest.

Buildings

List Entry NoName and LocationPhotographDateArchitectNotesGrade
1075626Harborne Tenants Estate Office
52.4628°N -1.957°W
c1907-10Martin and MartinBrick and roughcast; tile roof. Two storeys, 5 bays with the central bay advanced and gabled. Ground floor with a 3-light window, a 2-light window with associated single-light window, an asymmetrically placed 2-light window, a 2-light window with associated single-light window and another 3-light window. First floor with an apparently altered door approached up steps, a 4-light window and a 3-light window.
1076190124–134, Ravenhurst Road
52.4632°N -1.9536°W
1908Martin and MartinAn asymmetrical block of 6 flats. Red brick and roughcast: tiled roof. Two storeys; 3 flats wide, each with a projecting roughcast gabled bay with battered sides. In the projecting bays the recessed and arched entrances to the flats, those on the ground floor slightly below pavement level, those on the upper floor reached by bridges supported on exposed steel joists. All windows casements, those of the ground floor with segmental heads.
1290669Moor Pool Hall
52.4629°N -1.9566°W
c1907-10Martin and MartinAn asymmetrical composition closing the vista down North Gate. Brick and roughcast, tiled roof. One and a half storeys; 8 bays. Mostly 3-light windows, some horizontal, others almost square and divided one from another by brick buttresses, and a double- door partly surrounded by glazing. In the roof 2 altered or later dormer windows.
1343144108–122, Ravenhurst Road
52.4627°N -1.9535°W
1908Martin and MartinAn asymmetrical block of 8 flats. Red brick with some timber-cladding; tile roof. Two storeys; 4 flats wide, each with a projecting timber-clad bay, the 2 outer ones gabled, the 2 inner ones hipped roofed and with a timber-clad gabled dormer window in the roof between them. In the projecting bays, the entrances to the flats, those on the ground floor slightly below pavement level, those on the upper floor reached by steps. All windows casements, those of the ground floor flats with segmental heads.
1343390Post Office
52.4626°N -1.9564°W
c1907-10Martin and MartinA symmetrical composition terminating the vista down Moor Pool Avenue. Brick and roughcast; tile roof. Two storeys; 5 bays with the central gabled bay higher and wider than the gabled 2nd and 4th bays. Ground floor with a single-light window, a shop front, 2 shop fronts with their doors set at angles to each other at the centre, another shop front and then another single-light window. First floor with a segment-headed 3-light window either side of a 6-light canted bay window on brackets.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Birmingham garden suburb could lose facilities . BBC News. 15 February 2015.
  2. Web site: Moor Pool Conservation Area Designation Report . Birmingham City Council . 15 February 2015.
  3. Web site: Moor Pool Harborne Conservation Area . . 15 February 2015.
  4. Web site: Moor Pool Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Plan . . 15 February 2015.
  5. Web site: Moor Pool Estate saved after Heritage Lottery Fund grant . Birmingham Post . 15 February 2015.
  6. Web site: Moor Pool Clubs, Societies and Associations . Moorpool Residents' Association . 15 February 2015.
  7. Web site: The Clock Tower . . 7 April 2017.
  8. Web site: Historic Moor Pool Hall in funding race for survival . Birmingham Post . 22 May 2014 . 22 May 2017.
  9. Web site: Moor Pool Estate saved after Heritage Lottery Fund grant . Birmingham Post . 23 December 2014 . 22 May 2017.
  10. Web site: Moor Pool Heritage Trust Acquires Community Facilities . Moorpool Residents Association . 22 May 2017.
  11. Web site: See where the six new mini parks planned for Birmingham will be . . 22 February 2016 . 5 April 2017.
  12. Web site: Moor Pool Duck Issue 89 . Moor Pool Residents' Association . April 2017 . 5 April 2017.