Billesley is a ward within Selly Oak located 4 miles (7 km) south of Birmingham city centre. The suburb of Billesley is the area bordered by Billesley Common, Swanshurst Park, The Dingles and Chinn Brook Meadows. It covers an area of 6.4 square kilometres (566.2 hectares) and in the 2001 census had a population of 25,874.
The History of Billesley
It is thought that the name comes from one of the area’s first and most prominent residents during Anglo-Saxon times, who went by the name of Bill. “Ley” means wood clearing.
Major development for the area didn’t start in earnest until after the First World War with the building of the Billesley Estates. These developments took the form of two distinct districts, one to the north of Trittiford Road, and the other to the south, on what was formerly Billesley Farm. By the middle of the 1920’s up to 20 families were moving into these developments each week, and they became some of the first council estates in Birmingham.
Transport Links
The nearest train station is Yardley Wood Station, which is also the location for a bus and coach station. The A4040 which leads to the A34, runs across the northern border of Billesley.
Billesley is served by the 2, 3, 11A, 11C, 18, 27, 27S, 69and 76 bus routes.
Schools
Billesley has a number of schools:
Billesley Ark Pre-school
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School
Billesley Primary School
Amenities
Billesley has a number of pharmacies, as well as a handful of local supermarkets and grocery stores. The area is not known for its pubs and restaurants, but there are a few cafes and restaurants/take aways with a good variety of cuisines.
Things to do in and around Billesley
Billesley is surrounded by parks and green spaces, including Billesley Common, Chinn Brook Recreation Ground, Trittiford Mill Park and Swanshurst Park.