Students who live in the University of Birmingham accommodation blocks in Edgbaston have their very own parkland to walk around at The Vale Village. Located near Edgbaston Park Road. The Vale is a Registered Park of Special Historic Interest. There is 8 residences here.

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The Vale Village at the University of Birmingham off Edgbaston Park Road





Students who live in the University of Birmingham accommodation blocks in Edgbaston have their very own parkland to walk around at The Vale Village. Located near Edgbaston Park Road. The Vale is a Registered Park of Special Historic Interest. There is 8 residences here.


The Vale Village

This area was originally called Strawberry Vale (according to Bill Dargue's A History of Birmingham & Place Names from A to & Y). It lay along the valley of the Chad Brook in Edgbaston, flowing from Harborne then north west to south east through the Chad Valley and the Vale, where it was dammed in a lake. These days the University of Birmingham student accommodation is at the modern Vale. It lies east of the Worcester & Birmingham Canal. All of the land here is part of Calthorpe Estates. Edgbaston Hall was nearby (now Edgbaston Golf Club). Was only a few properties on the land in the 19th century.

The University of Birmingham negotiated with Calthorpe Estates after World War 2 as they were short of land for student accommodation (during 1947). The idea was for high rise towers. But the University appointed new architects in 1957. The plan was for a new open landscape similar to parks of the 18th century. The landscape was designed by Mary Mitchell. It involved the excavation of a new lake. 

The first hall opened in 1964. Three more open shortly after that. More halls were built in the late 20th century. New blocks were opened in 2008. More recently, some of the dated 1960s accommodation was demolished in 2014 and new blocks opened in 2016 at Chamberlain, close to Church Road.

I've been up and down Edgbaston Park Road many times in the past, but only went around it for a walk once in August 2019 (while the students were at home away from University and while it was quiet). I have got off the Worcester & Birmingham Canal a few times at The Vale, but usually walked up Mason Way to get the no 1 bus from Church Road to go home.

2012

In August 2012, the Sky Ride was on around Birmingham, and it passed The Vale Village on Edgbaston Park Road.

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Families rode together, past all of the student accommodation. Some of which was being rebuilt at the time.

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They were passing the student accommodation blocks called the Tennis Court. Although the parkland was to the left of here (I didn't enter it at the time as was following the Sky Ride).

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2013

My earliest actual park photos of The Vale from Edgbaston Park Road was taken back in February 2013. But on my then mobile phone camera. Was probably during one of my many walks around the University of Birmingham's Edgbaston Campus, but I did not go into the parkland at the time.

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To the left was Mason Halls.

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Trees bare of leaves as it was still winter. Apart from the evergreen trees. The old Chamberlain Tower seen in the background (before it was demolished and rebuilt).

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2019

My first proper visit around The Vale Village parkland was back in August 2019. Getting in from Edgbaston Park Road near Mason Halls.

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One of the traditional black University of Birmingham signs with the Vale Village on it.

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The path leading into The Vale parkland.

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First look at the wonderful lake at The Vale. In the distance you can see the new Chamberlain Tower. The old one was demolished in 2014. And the new tower opened in 2016.

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Saw this swan behind the Willowherbs.

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The footbridge that links the Chad Brook into The Vale lake.

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The Vale lake from the footbridge.

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Saw this squirrel going around the parkland.

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These paths leads to: Shackleton, Maple Bank, Elgar Court and Chamberlain.

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The trees were looking lovely in the middle of August last year.

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Another view of the lake.

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A rare sight, a Barnacle goose.

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The lake keeps getting better as I see a view towards Mason.

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Mason Halls on the other side of the lake.

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A view of the lake towards the footbridge I'd earlier crossed.

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From this wall you have a good view of the lake towards Shackleton and Chamberlain.

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Saw this map of the parkland and student accommodation. There is history and information about the wildlife on it. But in this photo it is a bit hard to read what it says (otherwise I would have extracted the historical information from it).

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A lake view towards Shackleton. Seems like at the time the building was having work done to it.

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Some outdoor gym equipment. Some kind of bars to lift yourself up.

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Heading back to Edgbaston Park Road, one last proper look at this wonderful parkland. Aren't the students lucky!

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Heading on the path to get out of the parkland. Was at least one bench around here.

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Next time on The Vale I could cover the area around the Worcester & Birmingham Canal and the exit up Mason Way towards Church Road.

 

Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

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