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History of the parish

Early History 

Brindley Pool was mentioned in historic publications as far back as 1708, however by the 1834 edition of the Ordnance Survey Map, Brindley Heath was clearly identified as a distinct area of Cannock Chase.

All civil parish councils were formed in England under the Local Government Act 1894. The Urban District Council of Rugeley was formed at this time, when Brereton, including Hazel Slade, Slitting Mill and Etching Hill, was made into a separate civil parish within the Lichfield Rural District.

Under the Staffordshire Review Order of 1934 parts of Brereton, including Slitting Mill and Etching Hill, Brindley Heath, and parts of Armitage with Handsacre and Longdon were also added to the Lichfield Urban District.

Things changed in April 1972 with the Local Government Act 1972. This wide ranging legislation made sweeping changes to Local Government across England and Wales. Due to these changes Brindley Heath moved from the Lichfield Unban District, and together with the Cannock and Rugeley Urban Districts, formed the newly created Cannock Chase District.

For much of the early 20th century most of Cannock Chase, including Brindley Heath was a coal mining area, but the open spaces and relatively poor heath land has been well used by the military. 

The War Years

The area has been used for many things including an RAF training camp which was set up in 1938 as home to the 6th Technical Training School. In 1957 the camp was used to house around 900 Hungarian refugees. The camp was then demolished in 1960. The area was also used as a tank training ground, leading to much soil disturbance.

A military hospital was built on the heath during World War I. After the hospital was closed in the 1920s, local miners moved onto the site and dubbed it Brindley Village. It was finally demolished around 1951, and the occupants moved to Hednesford. The parish electoral ward for the southern part of Brindley Heath parish is also named Brindley Village. 

brindleyheath1918
Army2018
HospitalStaff2018

There was also a POW camp at Flaxley Green near Rugeley where the foundations can still be seen to this day.

Prisoner of War Camp 1918

The following images have been very kindly supplied by Trevor Warburton, Secretary to Friends of Cannock Chase. They show a selection of aspects of Rugeley Camp and Military Hospital, and are from the estate of Mr Arthur R. Lloyd who was a local postcard & postage stamp enthusiast.

If after viewing the photographs you have any comments or would like to know more about the Camps or locations, please do email the Parish Council as Trevor will be very pleased to provide additional information where he can.

Military Hospital Being built
Military Hospital Being built
Brindley heath Military Hospital Entrance
Brindley heath Military Hospital Entrance
Postcard of the Military Hospital
Postcard of the Military Hospital
Church of England Men's Society Parade - Rugeley Camp
Church of England Men’s Society Parade – Rugeley Camp
World War 1 soldiers in a hut at Brindley camp

World War 1 soldiers in a hut at Brindley camp

Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

Rugeley Camp and Tackeroo

Rugeley Camp and Tackeroo

Rugeley Camp and Tackeroo The railway line runs alongside Penkridge Bank Road and turns down Brindley Valley. You can see some wagons to one side which are thought to be a short siding next to the main track.
Rugeley Camp

Rugeley Camp

Rugeley Camp from the Distance

Rugeley Camp from the Distance

Rugeley Camp Group Photo

Rugeley Camp Group Photo

Rugeley Camp Hut Scene

Rugeley Camp Hut Scene

Troops Hut Inside

Troops Hut Inside

Rugeley Camp unusual view

Rugeley Camp unusual view

View of Hospital being built

View of Hospital being built

View of Penkridge Bank Camp

View of Penkridge Bank Camp

Winter Scene Rugeley Camp

Winter Scene Rugeley Camp

Workers on the Tackeroo.

Workers on the Tackeroo.

This photograph was probably part of a publicity shoot when the line was opened because you can see a lady and two children at the front. Troops did not ride the carriages but the workers did, which meant a cut in pay as they used to get an allowance to walk to work. This caused a short ‘strike’ by the workers until they realised they were being paid more than the troops who were getting shot at!
YMCA Hut Number 1 - Rugeley Camp

YMCA Hut Number 1 - Rugeley Camp

Lidar image of Brindley Camp area

Lidar image of Brindley Camp area

Airborne laser sensors known as Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) have recently been used to get a unique view of the sub-surface archaeology in the Brindley Heath area. This is an image showing a scan of the junction of Marquis Drive with Penkridge Bank Road. The black ‘blob’ is the Whitehouse building.