About Cannock & Heath Hayes
A Little History about Heath Hayes
Heath Hayes (formerly known as Fiveways) is 1.5 miles approx from Hednesford town centre. It was originally a small farming and coal mining village centred on a junction of five roads. These were Cannock (the main town of the area) to Lichfield, Hednesford to Lichfield, and the Watling Street (old roman road now the A5) to possibly the Beaudesert Estate. Its size increased when in the late 1800s the Black Country coal industry and also the Nail making industry went into decline. Families moved to the area to work in the pits. In it's prime there where two collieries one on the north eastern edge (Cannock Chase No.8) of the village the other on the south western (Coppice Colliery nicknamed by the men the Fairlady after the owners wife) side of the village. These were closed in 1962 and 1964 from then the village has declined into a residential area having no industry of its own. The old part of the village that is left dates from around 1890s it's bounded by country side on the South, West and North Eastern side but is being urbanised on the North side in the direction of Hednesford.
|
|
|
|
|
Fiveways Island, late 1800's
|
Fiveways Island in 2002
|
Satellite image of Heath Hayes
|
CANNOCK is located in the south of Staffordshire approximately 10 miles north of Walsall, and a similar distance south of Stafford, with Lichfield to the east. There is evidence that Cannock was a thriving village as far back as the 12th century, and was mentioned in the Doomsday Book, Cannock meaning "small hill" in old English. These days Cannock is a busy town that now incoropates several nearby villages.
Close by is
Cannock Chase, a 26 mile area that has been designated as an area of outstanding natural beauty.
Here are a few pictures of Cannock Chase.
