Dorridge

Coordinates: 52°22′19″N 1°45′19″W / 52.37196°N 1.75541157°W / 52.37196; -1.75541157

Dorridge is a large village in the West Midlands borough of Solihull, England, with a population of approximately 7,800, the electoral ward of 'Dorridge and Hockley Heath' being measured at 11,140 at the 2011 census.

Location

Dorridge is to the East of the M40 and the South of the M42 which, along with a small but important green belt area, separates Dorridge and its neighbours of Knowle and Bentley Heath from the greater urban area of Birmingham, with the town of Solihull encompassing the green-belt area. It falls in the Meriden Gap and historically was part of Warwickshire. Indeed, there are no major towns between Dorridge and Warwick. It is 125 metres (400 ft) above sea-level, located in the Midlands Plateau. The sub-village of Bentley Heath is contiguous with Dorridge to the northwest and shares its B93 postcode.

History

Earliest existence

The village of Dorridge did not exist as a community until the mid-19th century, though it is mentioned as far back as the 15th century in the Westminster Muniments which recorded a place called 'Derrech'. It was just the name given to the ridge of land running westwards from Knowle (also then called 'Dorege'). The earliest evidence of settlement dates to the Bronze Age – an axe dated to 1300 BC was found in Norton Green. Cottages dating back to the 16th century exist in Mill Pool Lane. However, the lack of any significant road system until the arrival of the railway showed that there was no community there.