History

The history of Redditch dates back to the 12th Century when Cistercian Monks built an Abbey at Bordesley in the Valley of the River Arrow.

During the three centuries which followed an number of families settled near the Abbey and their hamlet became known as La Redditch.

The name - first mentioned in medieval documents in 1348 - comes from the little Arrow Brook which flows into the River Arrow and runs through a layer of clay which often turns the water red.

In 1538 Henry VIII ordered the dissolution of monasteries in England and the community living near the Abbey moved from the lowland near the River Arrow to the drier ground on the plateau where the Town Centre now stands.

As the population of Redditch grew it became famous for needle making and by the 19th Century it led the field in needle production and other metal based trades such as fish hook and spring manufacture.

The growth of these trades encouraged people to live and work in Redditch and the population grew steadily during the early 20th Century.

The then Urban District Council built new housing estates at Mayfield's, Batchley and Abbeydale to house the increasing numbers in the town.

In 1964, Redditch - with a population of 32,000 - was designated a New Town to reduce overcrowding in Birmingham's housing estates.

Housing estates were built at Church Hill, Matchborough, Winyates and Oakenshaw. Major industrial estates were built at Church Hill, Washford, Moons Moat and Park Farm.

Development included major landscaping works such as the 900 acre Arrow Valley Park - now home to the £1 million Countryside Centre - and the planting of more than two million trees.

In 1974 Redditch became a district within the new County of Hereford and Worcester and later gained Borough status when a Royal Charter was signed on 1st May 1980.

In 1976 the then Prime Minister James Callaghan opened the Kingfisher shopping Centre which for many years has been recognised as one of the largest and best covered in the West Midlands.

The Redditch population now stands at around 77,000 and industry varies from the old established crafts to expertise in modern technology.

Redditch Borough Council and its partners are embarking on a series of initiatives intended to transform the town and its facilities to meet the needs of the 21st century