Mr Beardsmore's Burslem Birthday Bash

Chip Foundation birthdays roll around roughly every couple of months between April and October so now it is Stephen's turn to have a special trip convened in his honour. Last year's equivalent outing had seen us happily hanging around in Hanley, and more Potteries platters are on the menu for this trip too...

- Tunstall Market -

It's Saturday 28th October 2023 (just two days before Stephen's big day) as we congregate aboard the 10:26 train from Wolverhampton bound for Stoke-on-Trent. A quick interchange in and out of Hanley involves the number 23 and 3A buses, the latter heading for the curiously-named Talke Pits wherever that may be. Our opening destination is Tunstall, the only one of the six amalgamated Potteries towns that I'd never previously had the pleasure of visiting. It's an interesting if somewhat deprived place, comprising a rudimentary rundown High Street with Tower Square as a more appealing focal point. Getting some initial bearings, we note Tunstall Market (which operates on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays) while The Boulevard hosts the remnants of the former Public Library and Swimming Pool facilities, both sadly disused.

- Spooky Stephen in the Oddfellows Arms -

The northernmost of the six towns, Tunstall is served by the A50 trunk road and has the A500 relatively close at hand too. The aforementioned Tower Square is where we find more prime landmarks including a clock tower (erected through public subscription and unveiled in 1893) which faces the Renaissance-styled municipal edifice of the Town Hall. There are a clutch of pubs in the vicinity, such as the Barrel, the Sneyd Arms and the Tavern but our choice is the Oddfellows Arms because of its connections to the Beartown Brewery. They're clearly getting into the Halloween spirit here, hence ghouls, spiders and pumpkins aplenty, while Stephen gamely grapples with some cobweb-covered grandfather clocks. Nick isn't quite convinced about the Beartown Bitter but we all appreciate the warm welcome from the regulars.

- October's offering from the Wedgwood Institute -

Backtracking along the 3/3A bus route, we take a short hop into Burslem which is recognised as being Stoke-on-Trent's 'Mother Town' due to its proud pottery production heritage. Josiah Wedgwood was born here in 1730 and the local Institute bears his name - we marvel at its fascinating terracotta frontage complete with various panels representing zodiac signs and the different months of the year. Directly across Queen Street is the Burslem School of Art, itself a fine building dating from 1905, while the architectural ensemble is further augmented by the George Hotel and Swan Square (location of the town's war memorial).

- Wedgwood Printing Works -

Evidence of Burslem's industrial pedigree is seemingly all around us, from factory facades to bottle kilns. Edward Challinor's Overhouse Manufactory catches my eye, as indeed does the 'Ceramic Transfers' lettering on what used to be the Wedgwood Printing Works. The Town Hall is topped by a golden angel that was referenced in the novels of Arnold Bennett, whereas the Royal Stafford company continues to produce pottery in the heart of Burslem today. Our visit has coincided with the Port Vale versus Cheltenham football fixture which means several of the pubs are operating a 'home fans only' admittance policy - can we get a drink somewhere?

- Tackling Titanic Tipples in the Bulls Head -

Two classic taverns on St John's Square will thankfully come to our aid, the first of which is the Duke William (looking out towards a vintage Ideal Homes shopfront). Vocation's Bread and Butter beer drinks very nicely as we enjoy more spooktacular accoutrements, Stephen nervously sitting below a giant hairy mock black spider. A diminutive barmaid makes us feel very much at home and the pub interior has a selection of nice rooms to explore. Further along the street is the Bull's Head, flagship outlet of the Titanic Brewery which is absolutely rammed at first glance but empties out closer to kick-off time. Plum Porter Grand Reserve at source is a rare treat and very powerful as befits its 6.5% abv; Ken takes his mind off the Blues score by reading Daily Mirror articles about the Titanic's fateful voyage.

- Wellers 'Skull-duggery'? -

Timing our exit so as to intercept the number 98 bus, we proceed to Newcastle-under-Lyme via Longport, Porthill Bank and Wolstanton. A late lunch is required, necessitating a pit stop in the Arnold Machin Wetherspoons (named after the chap who designed the Queen's portrait for use on British coins and postage stamps) - Stephen and I gobble down our 10oz gammons whereas Nick predictably comes over all fishy and Ken has a brunch. Suitably nourished, we check out Wellers on Pepper Street as a round-fronted microbar with a neat selection of cask ales. Yorkshire Blonde, Salopian Lemon Dream and Oakham's 3 Witches are all confirmed to be on good form while Mr B Junior has more skulls and spiders for company. 

- The Holy Inadequate -

There's one essential final watering hole we wish to sample before this particular Potteries sojourn is over. The Holy Inadequate in Etruria is the establishment in question, and is highly regarded in CAMRA circles for regularly being in award contention as well as brewing its own on-site beers. With a helping hand from the 4A bus, we troop into the lovely L-shaped bar and gleefully partake of the Inadequate Citra Pale Ale, fresh and lively and full of hoppy goodness. Ken has a read of the Towpath Talk canal newspaper while Nick has never been so pleased to be inadequate in his entire life - there's superb quality out there if you know where to look! All that remains is a very tight Hanley connection but we catch the 25 with the aid of a sprint, and the 18:26 train home to Wolverhampton behaves itself. Cheers!

WME Flickr Focus - October 2023

Whisper it quietly, but I'm approaching my 1,000th posting here on the West Midlands Exploration blog and I'm wondering whether the milestone will be reached with a grand day out report or a more mundane monthly photostream summary. It's the latter type of entry that edges us one post closer so let's see what has landed on Flickr over the course of October 2023...

We don't often start with WME Sandwell (mainly because it's had a very quiet year) but some Ocker Hill and Oldbury occurrences mean it gets first mention this time around. Credenda Road, the Railway Inn and the Weatherite air conditioning works take pride of place alongside Ocker Hill Road while the Village Inn on Wednesbury's Mesty Croft estate brings us a Banks's badge for good measure.

WME Wolverhampton is never backward in coming forward, and if it were hosting a Sesame Street episode the letters of the month would have been M and N. M in this instance stands for Merry Hill (Orchard Crescent, the Overdrive Garage, S.C. Edwards's Butchers) and the Mermaid canal moorings base in Wightwick, whereas N is represented by Newbridge (railway bridge street art) and Northwood Park (the local school acting as a polling station). 

N for Newtown is the main focus over on WME Staffordshire, where the likes of Hobble End Lane and the Masons pub now furnish my album covering the small A34 hamlet just north of Bloxwich. There is a Moatbrook Lane moment from Codsall too, and then we come to WME Telford which trades Newtown for Newport. Moorfield Lane hedgerow blossoms and Keller Drive offerings are the new arrivals here. 

Among October's also-rans are WME Walsall, with a trio of Moxley morsels covering curry pubs and pukka pies; WME Birmingham, with the One Trick Pony Club mural in Moseley getting another airing; WME Dudley, with a surprisingly scenic view of Moden Hill (between Sedgley and Upper Gornal); WME Warwickshire, with Nuneaton's art deco former Co-op frontage; and finally WME Solihull, with a no parking sign from Meriden Green. Enjoy the photos and see you in November for more photostream progress!

A D9 Double Header

The Hub Marketing Board always aims to meet up with a degree of regularity but two trips within a few days of each other is unusual even for us. The first of these was a Priestfield soiree whereas the second involved braving the elements over in Brum...

- Ward Street Drinks Hub -

A Monday evening spent in the back end of Bilston doesn't sound like the most enticing of prospects but Chairman D9 and Secretary WME are made of stern stuff. Our original plan had been to meet in Coseley but Mr D9's intended 229 connection went AWOL, meaning a Bilston Bus Station rendezvous was hastily arranged instead. Priestfield is but a short tram ride away and on Ward Street we confirmed that the former Old Bush pub has been turned into a Drinks Hub off licence store. Two doors further down, the Orange Tree is still going as a local boozer and has recently been renovated in high-end Desi style - the owners are presumably trying to cash in on the surrounding new estates of Northolt Drive and Tangmere Road. 

- Boddingtons in the Gate -

Our Orange Tree sojourn was notable for Carling, The Chase tv quiz show and bright floral wallpaper backed with neon tube lighting. A family party arrived to take over one half of the place so we left them to their celebrations and headed to the other end of Ward Street, calling into the Angel on Stowheath traffic lights. More Carling there helped us to digest our silly song offerings ('Who Stole The Keeshka' - a Frankie Yankovic polka tune - and 'Monster Gonzales', Tommy Bruce's spooky take on a Pat Boone classic) before the Gate on Bilston Road yielded a very smooth Boddingtons by way of a nightcap. A few pints and a good chat, who could ask for anything more? But our tale isn't over yet...

- A Cafe Neo Cuppa -

Indeed, we'll skip merrily forward into Friday 20th October 2023 when Storm Babet is lashing the entire country with very unpleasant weather conditions. The ensuing railway disruption at Birmingham New Street is no surprise in the circumstances, leaving our hopes of Redditch reconnaissance thwarted by widespread cancellations on the Cross City line. Worcestershire in the wet would not have been much fun anyway so a Birmingham contingency makes better sense. A breakfast interlude will give us time to plot out another plan so we convene at Cafe Neo down in the Bull Ring's market halls; an £8 Full English is suitable fuel for taking on the downpours, and the cafe patrons are a motley cast of characters complete with Stavros Flatley and Chris de Burgh lookalikes (albeit minus any sign of a 'Lady in Red'). 

- D9 drives the 16 to Hamstead Hill -

The number 16 bus terminates nearby on Upper Dean Street alongside the outdoor market pitches, hence we hop aboard that for a damp ride towards Great Barr. Always happy to show off his expert steering skills whatever the weather, Chairman D9 takes a front seat perch when powering along Hockley Hill and Hamstead Road. Landmarks spotted along the way include Handsworth Park and St Mary's Parish Church, as well as the leafy environs of Hamstead Hill. We alight by the swollen River Tame just where the metropolitan boundary would have us about to cross into Sandwell, and it's time to pick up where Monday night left off pub-wise.

- Curry Clock in the Hen & Chickens -

First up for our attention is the New Garden Gate, a gabled roadhouse on the junction with Cherry Orchard Road. Part of the premises is in use as a hand car wash - there isn't much call for their services in these conditions - while the remainder is a bar and restaurant with Desi leanings. It looks like they're still clearing up after the night before but we swerve broomstick obstacles to obtain the necessary glasses of Sharp's Atlantic and position ourselves watching Hip Hop Evolution on MTV. One quick drink later, we take the return 16 back towards town and get soaked trying for a no avail at the Observatory in Lozells. Thankfully we can dry out again at the Hen & Chickens, a fine purveyor of cask ale and curry on Constitution Hill. All of the tables here seem reserved, so either its extremely popular or they strategically keep them free for walk-in foodies. The Purity UBU is on good form regardless.

- 'Spotted' at the Yew Tree -

With no sign of the rain relenting, we intercept a Perry Common-bound number 7 bus on Summer Lane for our onward link into Witton. The route burrows its way through Newtown and Aston although we can't see too much along Witton Road because the windows are all misted up. Our prompt to alight is the Yew Tree on Brookvale Road, an establishment that would also qualify for any Outer Circle pubcrawl itineraries. A certain bald spot ponders the building's charms in anticipation of sampling Carling and World Cup cricket once we're safely inside. This place seems popular with the Caribbean community as well as Aston Villa fans, and there are plenty of screens for watching the Pakistan vs Australia match.

- Wolf Whereabouts -

From the Yew Tree, we dodge some seriously large puddles in progressing back past Witton railway station to the Witton Arms, a large tavern just off the local square (diagonally opposite the former Aston Hotel). Another warm welcome awaits here as a Desmond Dekker playlist accompanies respective pints of Carling and John Smiths. The main bar is nicely furnished with chevronned brown fabric and there's a pool table room to the left; outside, the Friday afternoon traffic is really starting to snarl up with motorists looking exceedingly miserable. Windy wild Witton has served us well but now it's time to harvest more of Hockley, hence a visit to the Wolf craft bar is required. They pride themselves on an eclectic range of 16 beers and ciders here so we're somewhat spoiled for choice, even if the Secretary predictably eyes up the Anspach & Hobday London Black nitro stout (and very nice it is too!)

- Sheltering in the Barrel -

Hockley is a curious mix of the old and the new, part gentrified (especially when you get closer to the Jewellery Quarter) and part industrial wasteland that feels stuck in 1975. Our closing circuit aims to keep us relatively dry while ticking off more places from our combined wishlists; cue the Barrel with its rounded frontage, a one-time Banks's house which nowadays acts as yet another curry-led emporium. Bundesliga highlights supplement our Carling supping here, then we splash our way over to Burning Soul's microbrewery outlet in a rollershuttered lockup unit on Mott Street. The Dark Necessities Stout is utterly delectable - made even better when we're told one of the regulars has already paid for our beer as part of his birthday celebrations - and we finish off memorably at the Hockley Social Club making sense of their gourmet food concessions and DJ decks. This is a very modern take on the notion of a social club so you don't get musty dusty furniture or stewards called Stan, at least not to our knowledge. Cheers!

Wightwick Manor

It's one of life's strange little oddities that you can ignore attractions on your own doorstep and yet happily go to places that are miles and miles away. Wightwick Manor comes firmly under that category for me - I'd never visited despite it being one of Wolverhampton's finest historic houses, so with a National Trust day pass at my disposal it was time to put that right...

- The Big Mend Underway -

Set within 17 acres of woodland and gardens, Wightwick Manor is a magnificent Victorian property built by the Mander family of prominent Wolverhampton industrialists. The house is noted for its Arts and Crafts sensibilities and 'Old English' style of architecture, having been designed by Edward Ould and constructed between 1887 and 1893. Owned by the National Trust since 1937, the building is currently undergoing careful external conservation (The Big Mend Project) hence the presence of lots of scaffolding across the main elevation. 

- Autumnal Aspects -

Despite the exterior being partially hidden from view, some fine details can still be detected in the form of barley-twist chimneystacks, oriel windows and decorative bays, not to mention examples of stained glass, elaborate stonework and bargeboards. The distinctive timber frame is cosmetic rather than structural but nevertheless needs repair to ensure it survives intact for future generations to enjoy. 

- Ripening Pumpkins -

Again aspiring to Arts and Crafts ideals, Wightwick's gardens were designed by Thomas Mawson and feature formal landscaping aspects along with ornamental pools, orchards and an intriguing mathematical footbridge; said to be a replica of a similar structure in Cambridge, it crosses Wightwick Bank in connecting the main grounds with a patch of woodland. The kitchen garden is used to grow seasonal produce, hence there being pumpkins aplenty.

- Security Scarecrow by the Peach House -

Also part of the kitchen garden are rhubarb and cabbage beds, all presided over by a friendly-looking scarecrow with a pair of binoculars. Dating from 1891, the Peach House is a heated glass conservatory used for growing stone fruits although the prime specimens in there at the moment seem to be of the knitted variety, part of a trail for excitable youngsters to investigate.

- Reflections on Wightwick's Interior -

As for the manor house itself, it is rightly renowned for its displays of William Morris wallpaper, oriental ceramics and refined furnishings. Of particular note is the Pre-Raphaelite collection of paintings and artworks by the likes of Dante Gabriel Rosetti, Edward Burne-Jones, Elizabeth Siddal and Evelyn de Morgan. The paintings weren't originally part of the Mander family home but have been amassed under National Trust stewardship from the 1930s onwards.

- The Billiard Room -

The living quarters importantly capture a sense of domesticity rather than just acting as a museum piece or an art gallery, and I like the homely nature with which things presented. From the drawing room to the grand parlour to the bedrooms upstairs, you really get a feel for late Victorian high class society, and I rather fancy the idea of being an Edwardian gentleman socialising in the Billiard Room! 

- Pegging out the Laundry -

For all the opulence on show, the other side of the coin isn't forgotten and there is insight into the lives of Wightwick's servants too. A series of kitchens and pantries feature maid costumes and mock food dishes (plastic fruit, pretend pies and even a prize-winning handstitched leek) while the laundry room has heavy duty mangles and pegged-up washing to peruse. 

- A Final Look -

Also part of the wider site are a shop (with plants for sale), a stable yard tea room and the Malthouse Gallery (showcasing further works from the De Morgan Foundation). My own explorations conclude with a woodland stroll, discovering the adventure play area, and a closing glance at the main elevation again. With the weather as good as it ever gets for October, Wightwick was a wonderful way to pass a sleepy Sunday morning. Cheers!