Bickley Barnt Green 1889
Lickey Hills between Rednal and Barnt Green
The 'proposed new road' and the number of building lots for sale suggest that this area was becoming another popular destination for Birmingham businessmen looking for a home in the countryside. The 'Midland Railway' meant that they could easily travel in to work. In the past 'Cofton' - Cofton Hill, Cofton Hall, Cofton Hackett, Cofton plantation - was spelled 'Coston', from the Anglo-Saxon cosa tun (cosy farm). However at some point in the last century it was assumed that this should ne an 'f', probably because this was the old style of writing 's' - ƒ - in the middle of a word. The road running between Rednal Hill and Bilberry Hill is now called Rose Hill.
This area is in Worcestershire, since 1911 the Birmingham/Bromsgrove boundary has run across Rednal Hill just to the north of this map. It is recorded that many Birmingham residents would travel to Barnt Green and later Rednal - by tram or bus - to pick bilberries and enjoy a day out on the hills. The Cadbury family later gave some of the land shown here to the City of Birmingham for the recreation of the people of Birmingham.
Bickley maps, 383266