AP Morgan’s Stourbridge branch is ran by local members of staff who are passionate about the area where they live and work. We’ve asked them what their favourite things area about living in Stourbridge, and this is what they said.

Access to green spaces and countryside

Stourbridge benefits from proximity to many green spaces. Mary Stevens Park and Stevens Park to name a few. There are also some great parks and playing fields all within the boundaries of Stourbridge. Stourbridge also directly borders one of the UK’s largest continuous sections of green belt land, extending all the way from Stourbridge to the Welsh Coast. Just south of Stourbridge are the Clent Hills, whilst Kinver Edge is positioned to the west – both are highly popular areas for walkers, drawing regular visitors from all across the West Midlands and beyond.

Transport links into major cities

As part of the Black Country and The West Midlands metropolitan county, Stourbridge benefits from excellent transport links by both road and rail. The main connecting train station is Stourbridge Junction, which is positioned on the Birmingham to Worcester via Kidderminster line. Stourbridge is also home to the shortest railway branch train line in Europe, running from Stourbridge Junction to Stourbridge Town, measuring only 0.8 miles. Travel via road is also straightforward, with nearly direct routes to Halesowen, Dudley, and Wolverhampton.

Highly regarded schools

Stourbridge is a popular location for families, partly due to the well-regarded schools. Sought-after schools for all age ranges are located throughout Stourbridge, including the following: Greenfield Primary School (rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted) Gig Mill Primary School (rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted) Redhill School (rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted), Oldswinford Hospital (rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted), King Edward IV College (rated ‘Good’ By Ofsted) and more.

Merry Hill

Merry Hill is located in Brierley Hill, just north of Stourbridge. A highly convenient location for shoppers in Stourbridge. The centre has been expanded several times since its initial development in the 80’s. Presently, the Merry Hill has over 250 shops, over 100 more than The Bullring in central Birmingham. In addition to the shops, Merry Hill also benefits from a cinema, food hall, and a large retail park adjacent to the shopping centre. Also located next to the main shopping centre is ‘The Waterfront – a marina development where several bars and restaurants are located.

History

Stourbridge is one of the oldest places in the West Midlands, with a recorded history dating back to William the Conqueror’s Domesday Book of 1086, originally named due to the bridge that crosses over the River Stour. This lengthy history is something many residents of Stourbridge are proud of. With relation to property, this means that a variety of properties, some dating back over 100 years are positioned throughout Stourbridge. Stourbridge is perhaps most well known for being a centre of glass blowing, from the early 1600’s to the late 1800’s, which is what Stourbridge owes its many canals and other local landmarks to, such as The Red House cone, the only complete remaining glass cone of this type. In the present day it is the location of the Red House Glass Museum, which aims to preserve some of the history of Stourbridge.

If you want to find out more about living in Stourbridge, contact one of our Stourbridge team on 01384 319 400.