Newton

The Newton Road Area stretches from West Bromwich to the Scott Arms junction.

The Newton Road forms the main link between West Bromwich (All Saints Church) and Great Barr through what was the village of Newton. Originally called West Bromwich Road. 

It is thought the route may have Roman origins and has been suggested it was called part of the Roman Road - Blake Street, linking Icknield Street north of Sutton Coldfield.



Map image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.

Starting from All Saints Parish Church the road is about one mile to the Great Barr boundary crossing the M5, the railway (near where Newton Road Station existed) and the River Tame before rising up through Newton to the the Scott Arms junction.

This picture painted in the 1920's gives a good indication of the rural nature of the area

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The Old Newton Road still partially exists in parallel to the modern duel carriageway which was built around 1964 soon after the picture above was taken.

. A feature of the Old Newton Road was the 'Jacobs Ladder' as shown in this Sandwell Libraries postcard.

The area is still rural and part of the Sandwell Valley.

Entering Great Barr the Newton Road rises towards Scott Arms.

After the Asbury Tavern and Malt Shovel public houses there is Bishop Asbury's birthplace.

In 1964 the Newton Road was being made into a duel carriageway. On the right the end of Bishop Asbury's house can be seen while on the left past the Fina garage construction of the new Asbury Tavern public house is being undertaken to replace the old Newton public house behind it.

The Junction with Hamstead Road is by the Church. In 1971 it was much quieter.Traffic lights were installed around 2010.

This Postcard shows another early view of the area

Before being made into a duel carriageway the Newton Road was still an impressive wide road. The cyclist is Harry Watkins who was the Head Gardener at the Red House for many years.

This postcard shows an early view of the road before widening

This was an old shop on the Newton Road (exact location unknown)

32 Newton Road

The Post Office opened on 24th August 2009 with services being moved from 28 Newton Road and closed on 20th March 2023 with services moving at a later date to 2 Cross Lane.

In the spring of 2009 work had recommenced on the development of the new post office at Scott Arms. Planning approval has been agreed for an new detached shop to be built.

The original plan was to convert the original No32 (a semi-detatched house) into a shop but during development the house was demolished leading to a long battle with planners and the neighbours at 34.

On Jan 24 2006 Neil Elkes reporting for the Birmingham Mail reported - "MOST people dream of owning a detached house, but a retired Birmingham couple would much rather have their old semi back. Fritz and Anna Blech were stunned to discover that instead of building an extension, their neighbour in Newton Road, Great Barr, had pulled down his house. The couple, aged 68 and 59, have lived happily for 17 years in their house next-door-but one to the Scott Arms shopping parade. But all that changed when local sub-postmaster Jeet Sahota decided to turn the connected home into the new Great Barr Post Office. Instead of building an extension as planned he has had number 32 demolished - leaving the Blech's home all alone for the first time since it was built".

Being built in a similar style as a detached shop. It opened as a Post Office on  24th August 2009.

Red House Park consists of a Victorian house with playing fields, woods, parkland and lakes in the Great Barr area of Sandwell. The park is an important amenity for the local residents and much work is currently being undertaken to improve many aspects of the park and the Red House itself. This is being co-ordinated by the Friends of Red House park. This web site will support their activities and provide a focal point for documenting the history of the area.

Full information about the Red House and Park are provided on our sister site:

www.redhousepark.org.uk