OS grid reference SP179803 Region West Midlands Sovereign state United Kingdom Local time Monday 7:25 PM | Metropolitan borough Solihull Country England Post town SOLIHULL Metropolitan county West Midlands | |
 | ||
Weather 6°C, Wind W at 6 km/h, 77% Humidity | ||
Catherine-de-Barnes (known to locals as Catney) is a village within the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the English county of West Midlands. Population as taken in the 2011 census can be found under Bickenhill. It is split between the local government administration unparished area of Solihull and the Hampton-in-Arden civil parish and situated about 2 miles east of Solihull town centre.
Contents
- Map of Catherine de Barnes Solihull UK
- History
- Isolation Hospital
- Transportation
- Cricket Club Canal and Village Life
- References
Map of Catherine-de-Barnes, Solihull, UK
History
Its name originates from Ketelberne, the man who owned it after the Norman Conquest in 1066. However it is mainly a later settlement probably dating from the building of the Grand Union Canal there and the present St Catherine's church, now a village hall, was built by Joseph Gillott in 1879.
Isolation Hospital
In 1907, a "fever hospital" was built in Henwood Lane as a joint operation of the Solihull and Meriden Councils for isolating patients with infectious diseases such as diphtheria, typhoid fever and smallpox. In 1978, Janet Parker died here, and is the last known victim of smallpox in the world. The hospital closed in the mid 1980s and in 1987 was converted to residential use.
Transportation
The main road passing through the village is the east-west B4102 Hampton Lane/Solihull Road from Solihull to Hampton in Arden. The north-south B4438 Catherine de Barnes Lane starts 250m east of the village, leading past Bickenhill, over the A45 to the NEC, Birmingham International Airport and Birmingham International Station all of which are just 2 miles to the north.
Cricket Club, Canal and Village Life
Behind the village's only pub, The Boat Inn, lies the home of Catherine-de-Barnes (or, more commonly, Catney) Cricket Club which has been in existence since 1949. The ground abutting the Canal is accessed via the narrow passageway between the pub and the adjacent bungalows. The pub has a large car park which at the date of writing provides easy, free parking for a canal-side walk or picnic. Catney currently has Saturday first and second cricket XIs in the 'Cotswold Hills League' with its President Lord Tim Basnett and Chairman Eddie Hewitt and First Eleven Captain Jimmy Mason. There is also a Sunday team. Support from, both players old and new and from spectators,is always most welcome.
There is an active Residents' Association who run village events, monitor local planning applications and promote and protect village life.They produce a monthly newsletter and maintain a village website.
Catherine de Barnes Village Hall has been run by a group of local trustees since 2014 and it is available to hire for parties and events.