The map of street names
Every road is coloured by where its name comes from. Tap a road to read its story, or tap a colour to show just that group.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Old map: Ordnance Survey six-inch, 1888–1913 — pull the tab on the right-hand edge of the map to compare.
Looking for one road? Search the A to Z — or read on for the stories behind the names.
Before the houses
The lanes that were here first
Before the council estates of the 1920s and 30s, this was farmland on the edge of Perry Barr parish, in Staffordshire. The Ordnance Survey maps of the 1880s–1900s already show several of today’s roads as country lanes, and they kept their names: Kings Road, Shady Lane, Rough Road (across the rough grazing of Perry Barr Common), Turfpits Lane (a place-name recorded by 1817) and Jerry’s Lane, running past Turfpit Farm.
Others changed. Kingstanding Road only carried that name north of Kings Road; the southern stretch was Holly Lane. Hawthorn Road follows the old Short Heath Lane, and Crossway Lane the old Cross Lane, past Crossway Cottages. College Road — the ancient boundary between Staffordshire and Warwickshire — takes its name from St Mary’s College, which moved to New Oscott beside it in 1838. That move is also why the original hamlet became Old Oscott, with its Old Oscott Hill and Old Oscott Lane.
11 roads
Farms, woods and a paper mill
When the Corporation bought the land, it named the new estates after the farms it bought — the Warren Farm estate, the Kettlehouse estate, the Witton Lodge estate — and the farms live on in the streets. Kettlehouse Road is built on Kettle House Farm, which stood near the Kings Road crossroads; Warren Farm Road passes the site of Warren Farm; Witton Lodge Road recalls the farm the council bought for Perry Common. Bandywood Road is named after Bandy Wood, a small copse on the old farmland, and Blakeland Road after Blakelands Farm by the canal.
At the other end of Kingstanding, Paper Mill End recalls the paper mills of the Perry Barr valley: in 1648 a mill “lately made by Humphrey Wyrley” is on record there — the earliest known papermaking in Birmingham. In 1987 the new streets beside Paper Mill End were given old local names too: Wiremill Close, Brick Kiln Lane, Halfway Close (after Halfway Farm) and Lodgepool Close.
64 roads
A corner of London in Birmingham
Walk the main Kingstanding estate and you are walking through London: Hurlingham, Dulwich, Peckham, Twickenham, Sidcup, Balham, Anerley, Beckenham, Finchley, Chingford — even London streets like Lisson Grove and Brompton Road. The names were already in use by 1929, when the new schools on Dulwich Road, Cranbourne Road, Peckham Road and Twickenham Road appear in government records.
Residents have long said the roads “were named after London boroughs”, and the pattern is unmistakable. No council record explaining the choice has yet come to light — the answer probably lies in the Public Works Committee minute books of 1927–37 at the Library of Birmingham — and the story of a “London builder” doing the naming is only hearsay. Not every name fits, either: the same streets include Kent villages like Hever and Pembury, and Firbeck, which is in South Yorkshire.
20 roads
The Peak District, by way of Sheffield
Towards Perry Beeches and Queslett the names change to the Derbyshire hills: Hathersage, Hassop, Grindleford, Castleton, Calver, Ashover, Chelmorton, Ringinglow. The Beeches estate was built in the 1930s by Henry Boot & Sons of Sheffield for its First National Housing Trust, and residents have long said its roads are “all named after towns near Sheffield”. Elsewhere, smaller groups borrow from the Cotswolds (Burford, Fairford, Idbury, Epwell), Northamptonshire (Oundle) and Shropshire (Wrekin, Melverley, Nesscliffe).
Oscott College
Streets named after a seminary
The newer homes built on Oscott College’s old farmland — around College Farm Drive — honour the people of the college next door. Potter Close is named after Joseph Potter, the Lichfield architect who designed the college’s great building of 1836–38, and Pugin Gardens after A. W. N. Pugin, who completed it and its chapel; Wiseman Grove after Nicholas Wiseman, president of the college from 1840 to 1847 and later the first Archbishop of Westminster; Walsh Grove after Bishop Thomas Walsh; Talbot Close after the Earl of Shrewsbury, the college’s great benefactor; and Roddis Close after Thomas Roddis, the Sutton Coldfield stone carver who worked for Pugin at Oscott.
45 roads
The birds and flowers of the new Perry Common
The concrete “Boot houses” of Perry Common were found to be defective, and from the mid-1990s around 900 of them were demolished and replaced. The new streets were given the names of birds and wild flowers — Kingfisher, Kittiwake, Sandpiper, Jackdaw, Foxglove — and the very first, in 1995, was Phoenix Rise: the bird that rises again. Jubilee Gardens and Queens Gardens followed in 2002–03, the years of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee.
Streets with a story
Five roads worth knowing
- Greenwood Place — Birmingham’s 30,000th council house was opened here on 25 July 1930 by the Minister of Health, Arthur Greenwood; the street very probably takes his name. See it in the archive.
- Roedean Close and Dean Close — bungalows built in 1968 on the site of the Witton smallpox hospital, burned down the year before.
- King Charles Court — flats on the site of the King Charles pub, which itself recalled the story of King Charles I at the King’s Standing.
- Mayfair Close — probably after the Mayfair Super Cinema on College Road (1931–64), still remembered by residents.
- Queslett Road — an old road named after the hamlet of Queslett, first Quieslade: “wood-pigeon valley”. Its old sand pits, on the forger William Booth’s farm, are now Queslett Nature Reserve.
The oldest names
Kingstanding, Oscott and Perry
The oldest names of all belong to the places themselves. Kingstanding is named after the King’s Standing, the mound beside Kingstanding Road — a prehistoric burial mound, perhaps used as a royal “standing” for watching the hunt. The famous story that Charles I reviewed his troops from it in October 1642 is a tradition; the name is older. Oscott is Old English for “Osa’s cottage”, recorded as Oscote in the 1200s. Perry comes from the Old English for pear trees — it appears as Pirio in the Domesday Book of 1086.
Walk from Holly Lane to Phoenix Rise and you walk the whole story: a Staffordshire lane, a London estate, a Peak District village, a college of scholars and a neighbourhood rebuilt — written on the corner of every street.
Every road, A to Z
371 roads
A
Abbeyfield Road Perry Common Not yet known
Abingdon Road Perry Common Probably
Acton Grove Kingstanding Probably
Aldridge Road Kingstanding Probably
Amblecote Avenue Oscott Probably
Anerley Grove Oscott Probably
Anerley Road Oscott Probably
Anstey Road Kingstanding Not yet known
Archers Close Perry Common Not yet known
Ash Way Perry Common Probably
Ashover Road Oscott Probably
Atlantic Road Oscott Not yet known
Aylesbury Crescent Kingstanding Probably
B
Bagshawe Croft Perry Common Probably
Balham Grove Kingstanding Probably
Bandywood Crescent Oscott Probably
Bandywood Road Oscott Probably
Banners Walk Kingstanding Probably
Banton Close Perry Common Not yet known
Beckenham Avenue Kingstanding Probably
Becton Grove Oscott Not yet known
Beechdale Avenue Oscott Not yet known
Bendall Road Kingstanding Not yet known
Betsham Close Kingstanding Probably
Bevis Grove Oscott Not yet known
Bexley Road Kingstanding Probably
Binstead Road Kingstanding Probably
Birdbrook Road Oscott Probably
Birkenshaw Road Oscott Not yet known
Blakeland Road Kingstanding Probably
Blenheim Way Kingstanding Not yet known
Bluebell Croft Perry Common Probably
Blythe Grove Oscott Not yet known
Boston Grove Kingstanding Not yet known
Boswell Road Kingstanding Not yet known
Boundary Road Kingstanding Not yet known
Boyton Grove Oscott Not yet known
Brackenbury Road Kingstanding Probably
Brackenfield Road Oscott Probably
Bradfield Road Oscott Probably
Brentwood Grove Oscott Probably
Brick Kiln Lane Kingstanding Probably
Brockwell Grove Oscott Probably
Brockwell Road Oscott Probably
Brompton Road Oscott Probably
Brookside Close Perry Common Probably
Broomhill Road Perry Common Not yet known
Brushfield Road Oscott Probably
Brylan Croft Kingstanding Not yet known
Bryony Croft Perry Common Probably
Burford Road Kingstanding Probably
Burnham Road Oscott Not yet known
Butlers Close Perry Common Not yet known
Buxton Road Perry Common Probably
C
Calver Grove Oscott Probably
Camberley Grove Perry Common Probably
Capilano Road Perry Common Not yet known
Carshalton Road Kingstanding Probably
Casey Avenue Perry Common Not yet known
Castleton Road Oscott Probably
Cavandale Avenue Oscott Not yet known
Caversham Road Kingstanding Probably
Caxton Grove Kingstanding Not yet known
Chaceley Grove Perry Common Probably
Chalford Road Perry Common Probably
Charlton Road Kingstanding Probably
Cheadle Drive Perry Common Probably
Chelmorton Road Oscott Probably
Chingford Road Kingstanding Probably
Chinley Grove Kingstanding Probably
Chipstead Road Perry Common Probably
Churchacre Perry Common Not yet known
Churchdale Road Oscott Probably
Clapton Grove Kingstanding Probably
Colindale Road Kingstanding Probably
College Farm Drive Perry Common Probably
College Road Kingstanding Probably
College Road Bridge Kingstanding Probably
Cooksey Lane Oscott Not yet known
Copthorne Road Oscott Probably
Corbridge Avenue Oscott Not yet known
Cossington Road Perry Common Probably
Cotleigh Grove Oscott Not yet known
Court Farm Road Perry Common Probably
Courtenay Road Oscott Not yet known
Cranbourne Grove Kingstanding Not yet known
Cranbourne Road Kingstanding Not yet known
Cranehouse Road Kingstanding Not yet known
Cranleigh Place Kingstanding Not yet known
Crayford Road Kingstanding Probably
Crestwood Drive Oscott Not yet known
Crossway Lane Kingstanding Probably
Crossways Green Kingstanding Probably
Curlews Close Perry Common Probably
D
Danesbury Crescent Kingstanding Probably
Darleydale Avenue Oscott Probably
Dean Close Kingstanding Not yet known
Deerham Close Perry Common Not yet known
Delhurst Road Oscott Not yet known
Dollis Grove Oscott Probably
Dormington Road Oscott Probably
Dovedale Road Perry Common Probably
Dulwich Grove Kingstanding Probably
Dulwich Road Kingstanding Probably
Dunedin Road Oscott Not yet known
Dunslade Road Perry Common Not yet known
Dyas Road Oscott Not yet known
E
Ealing Grove Kingstanding Probably
East Mews Oscott Probably
Eastdean Close Perry Common Probably
Edmonton Avenue Kingstanding Probably
Ellerton Road Kingstanding Probably
Elliston Avenue Oscott Not yet known
Elmbridge Road Kingstanding Probably
Elswick Grove Kingstanding Probably
Elswick Road Kingstanding Probably
Eltham Grove Kingstanding Probably
Enderby Road Perry Common Probably
Endhill Road Kingstanding Not yet known
Endmoor Grove Perry Common Probably
Ensdon Grove Kingstanding Probably
Epping Grove Kingstanding Probably
Epsom Grove Kingstanding Probably
Epwell Grove Kingstanding Probably
Epwell Road Kingstanding Probably
Esher Road Oscott Probably
Etta Grove Oscott Not yet known
F
Fairbourne Avenue Oscott Not yet known
Fairford Road Kingstanding Probably
Fairyfield Croft Oscott Not yet known
Farndon Way Perry Common Not yet known
Felstone Road Oscott Not yet known
Fernhill Grove Oscott Not yet known
Finchley Road Kingstanding Probably
Finsbury Grove Perry Common Probably
Firbeck Grove Kingstanding Probably
Firbeck Road Kingstanding Probably
Firecrest Close Perry Common Probably
Firtree Close Oscott Probably
Flackwell Road Perry Common Probably
Flamingo Gardens Perry Common Probably
Foxglove Way Perry Common Probably
Frenshaw Grove Oscott Not yet known
Fulwell Grove Kingstanding Probably
G
Gailey Croft Oscott Probably
Gainford Road Kingstanding Probably
Glendon Road Perry Common Probably
Glenmead Road Oscott Not yet known
Gloriosa Gardens Perry Common Probably
Golden Eagle Gardens Perry Common Probably
Goodway Road Oscott Not yet known
Greenholm Road Oscott Not yet known
Greenwood Place Kingstanding Probably
Gretton Road Perry Common Probably
Grindleford Road Oscott Probably
Guillimot Grove Perry Common Probably
H
Hales Gardens Perry Common Not yet known
Halfway Close Kingstanding Probably
Hallot Close Perry Common Not yet known
Halsbury Grove Kingstanding Not yet known
Harbeck Avenue Oscott Not yet known
Harcourt Road Perry Common Not yet known
Harleston Road Oscott Probably
Harringay Road Kingstanding Probably
Hartley Grove Kingstanding Not yet known
Hartley Road Kingstanding Not yet known
Hassop Road Oscott Probably
Hastings Road Perry Common Probably
Hatcham Road Kingstanding Probably
Hatfield Close Perry Common Not yet known
Hathersage Road Oscott Probably
Hawthorn Brook Way Perry Common Probably
Hawthorn Road Kingstanding Not yet known
Hayland Road Perry Common Not yet known
Heather Croft Oscott Not yet known
Hever Avenue Kingstanding Probably
Hill Top Close Kingstanding Not yet known
Hillcrest Grove Kingstanding Not yet known
Homerton Road Kingstanding Probably
Hornsey Grove Kingstanding Probably
Hornsey Road Kingstanding Probably
Hotspur Road Kingstanding Not yet known
Howley Avenue Oscott Not yet known
Hurlingham Road Kingstanding Probably
Hurstwood Road Perry Common Not yet known
I
Idbury Road Kingstanding Probably
Ilford Road Perry Common Probably
J
Jackdaw Road Perry Common Probably
Jasmine Walk Perry Common Probably
Jerry's Lane Perry Common Probably
Jonquil Close Perry Common Probably
Jubilee Gardens Perry Common Probably
K
Keston Road Oscott Probably
Kestrel Close Perry Common Probably
Kettlehouse Road Oscott Documented
Kilburn Grove Oscott Probably
Kilburn Road Oscott Probably
King Charles Court Kingstanding Probably
Kingfisher Road Perry Common Probably
Kings Road Kingstanding Probably
Kingsland Road Oscott Probably
Kingstanding Road Oscott Probably
Kittiwake Drive Perry Common Probably
Knebworth Close Oscott Probably
L
Lambeth Road Oscott Probably
Landswood Close Kingstanding Not yet known
Langholm Drive Kingstanding Not yet known
Lapwing Croft Perry Common Probably
Lavender Gardens Perry Common Probably
Lawnsfield Grove Perry Common Not yet known
Leyton Grove Kingstanding Probably
Lilac Avenue Oscott Probably
Lingfield Avenue Oscott Probably
Linnet Grove Perry Common Probably
Lisson Grove Oscott Probably
Little Owl Close Perry Common Probably
Lodgepool Close Kingstanding Probably
Longford Grove Kingstanding Probably
Longford Road Kingstanding Probably
Lydget Grove Perry Common Not yet known
M
Madehurst Road Perry Common Probably
Mallow Rise Perry Common Probably
Malthouse Lane Oscott Probably
Maple Drive Kingstanding Probably
Marine Drive Kingstanding Not yet known
Marshall Grove Kingstanding Not yet known
Marshmont Way Perry Common Not yet known
Martins Way Perry Common Not yet known
Maryvale Rise Oscott Probably
Maxted Road Perry Common Not yet known
Maybank Place Kingstanding Not yet known
Mayfair Close Kingstanding Probably
Meadthorpe Road Oscott Not yet known
Mears Close Perry Common Not yet known
Medwin Grove Perry Common Not yet known
Melcote Grove Oscott Not yet known
Melverley Grove Kingstanding Probably
Milburn Road Kingstanding Not yet known
Mitcham Grove Kingstanding Probably
Monkshood Mews Perry Common Probably
N
Neasden Grove Kingstanding Probably
Nesscliffe Grove Perry Common Probably
Netherhouse Close Oscott Not yet known
Newnham Grove Perry Common Probably
Newstead Road Kingstanding Not yet known
Nightingale Close Perry Common Probably
Nightjar Grove Perry Common Probably
Norbiton Road Kingstanding Probably
Norbury Road Oscott Probably
O
Oak Drive Perry Common Probably
Old Beeches Perry Common Not yet known
Old Oscott Hill Oscott Documented
Old Oscott Lane Oscott Documented
Orpington Road Oscott Probably
Oscott School Lane Oscott Probably
Osprey Road Perry Common Probably
Oundle Road Kingstanding Probably
P
Paper Mill End Kingstanding Documented
Parkeston Crescent Kingstanding Probably
Peckham Road Kingstanding Probably
Pedmore Grove Oscott Probably
Pembury Croft Kingstanding Probably
Penge Grove Oscott Probably
Perry Common Road Perry Common Probably
Petersham Road Kingstanding Probably
Phoenix Rise Perry Common Probably
Pinewood Close Oscott Probably
Plumstead Road Kingstanding Probably
Poppymead Perry Common Probably
Potter Close Perry Common Probably
Priestfield Close Oscott Not yet known
Primrose Croft Perry Common Probably
Priors Way Perry Common Not yet known
Privet Close Oscott Probably
Pugin Gardens Perry Common Probably
Q
Queens Gardens Perry Common Probably
Queslett Road Oscott Documented
R
Raford Road Perry Common Not yet known
Ralph Barlow Gardens Kingstanding Not yet known
Randwick Grove Oscott Probably
Rawdon Grove Kingstanding Probably
Redbridge Close Kingstanding Probably
Redstar Road Perry Common Probably
Redwing Grove Perry Common Probably
Regan Crescent Perry Common Not yet known
Regina Avenue Oscott Not yet known
Ridgewood Gardens Oscott Not yet known
Ringinglow Road Oscott Probably
Rivington Crescent Kingstanding Probably
Rockmead Avenue Oscott Not yet known
Roddis Close Perry Common Probably
Rodlington Avenue Oscott Not yet known
Rodwell Grove Kingstanding Probably
Roedean Close Kingstanding Probably
Rough Road Kingstanding Probably
Royal Grove Perry Common Probably
Rufford Close Perry Common Not yet known
Rushden Croft Kingstanding Probably
S
Sandpiper Way Perry Common Probably
Sandwood Drive Oscott Not yet known
Sandy Lane Oscott Probably
Scarsdale Road Oscott Probably
Shady Lane Oscott Probably
Shearwater Walk Perry Common Probably
Sheddington Road Perry Common Not yet known
Sheen Road Oscott Probably
Shepherds Way Perry Common Not yet known
Short Heath Road Perry Common Probably
Sidcup Road Kingstanding Probably
Skylark Close Perry Common Probably
Smalldale Road Oscott Probably
Somercotes Road Oscott Probably
Southgate Road Oscott Probably
St Annes Way Kingstanding Not yet known
St Mary's View Perry Common Probably
Stanway Grove Oscott Probably
Stanwell Grove Perry Common Probably
Stowell Road Kingstanding Probably
Streatham Grove Kingstanding Probably
Sudbury Grove Kingstanding Probably
Sundridge Road Oscott Probably
Sunnybank Avenue Kingstanding Not yet known
Surrey Road Oscott Probably
Swains Grove Oscott Not yet known
Swinbrook Grove Oscott Probably
Sycamore Court Perry Common Probably
T
Talbot Close Perry Common Probably
Tansley Grove Kingstanding Probably
Tansley Road Kingstanding Probably
Tedbury Crescent Perry Common Not yet known
Templeton Road Oscott Probably
The Briars Perry Common Probably
The Hurstway Perry Common Not yet known
The Mews Kingstanding Probably
Thornby Road Perry Common Probably
Thorncliffe Road Oscott Probably
Tottenham Crescent Kingstanding Probably
Tresham Road Oscott Probably
Tulip Close Perry Common Probably
Turfpits Lane Perry Common Documented
Twickenham Road Kingstanding Probably
Tysoe Road Kingstanding Probably
V
Vicarage Close Oscott Probably
W
Walsh Grove Perry Common Probably
Waltham Grove Kingstanding Probably
Wandsworth Road Oscott Probably
Wanstead Grove Kingstanding Probably
Wardour Grove Perry Common Probably
Wareing Drive Perry Common Probably
Warren Farm Road Kingstanding Documented
Warren Hill Road Kingstanding Probably
Warren Road Kingstanding Probably
Warrington Drive Perry Common Not yet known
Watney Grove Perry Common Not yet known
Wendover Road Perry Common Probably
West Mews Oscott Probably
Westward Close Kingstanding Not yet known
Weybourne Road Oscott Probably
Weycroft Road Perry Common Probably
Wideacre Drive Oscott Not yet known
Wigmore Grove Kingstanding Probably
Wimpole Grove Kingstanding Probably
Winster Grove Oscott Probably
Winterton Road Kingstanding Probably
Wiremill Close Kingstanding Probably
Wiseman Grove Perry Common Probably
Wisteria Grove Oscott Probably
Witton Lodge Road Perry Common Probably
Woodsome Grove Perry Common Probably
Wooton Grove Perry Common Not yet known
Wrekin Road Kingstanding Probably
Each road is marked Documented where a source says why it was named, Probably where the evidence points strongly one way, and Not yet known where we haven’t found it — if you know, tell us. Source links open in a new tab.
How we researched this. Ordnance Survey maps of the 1880s–1960s (National Library of Scotland); William Dargue, A History of Birmingham Place & Placenames from A to Y; W. H. Duignan, Notes on Staffordshire Place Names (1902); The National Archives catalogue (school files ED 21, 1929–35); the Library of Birmingham’s Birmingham Images; Wikipedia and its sources; the Birmingham History Forum and Voices of Kingstanding; Witton Lodge Community Association. The roads covered are those in the Kingstanding, Oscott and Perry Common council wards.
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