Bennetts Hill

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Bennetts Hill is a street in the Core area of Birmingham City Centre, United Kingdom.

[edit] History

Bennetts Hill was created as part of the 19th century Inge estate development.^[1] No. 11 Bennetts Hill is notable for being the birthplace of artist Edward Burne-Jones in 1855. There is a blue plaque commemorating his birth. David Barnett and Samuel Neustadt shared the neighbouring house, No. 10 Bennetts Hill. They were both Jewish jewellery merchants.

As a child young Edward Burne-Jones played with the children next door. Young Edward shared entertainments with the neighbouring family and even took part in Jewish festivals. For the Purim festival, Edward arrived early and wore disguises as the other children did.

Another person who lived on Bennetts Hill was John Pemberton, the developer of the Priory Estate which included Old Square in Birmingham. He lived on Bennetts Hill prior to its development in the 19th century. His house was the place of death of his father-in-law, Charles Lloyd, one of the founders of the Society of Friends, although this is usually accredited to his friend George Fox.^[2]

[edit] Architecture

Bennetts Hill has a mix of architecture, many of which were constructed in the 20th century, although some 19th century structures do remain. Nos. 6 and 7-10 feature windows in recessed panels, typical of Charles Edge, although it is unknown if he was the architect. The shop frontages survived the Waterloo Court development in 1976, although the structures behind them were demolished. Bennetts Hill House on the east side of Bennetts Hill was demolished to make way for two office buildings of around 1860. No. 37 is believed to be the work of Edward Holmes. No. 13 Bennetts Hill is a stucco-fronted building constructed in 1823 and believed to have been designed by Charles Edge. No. 11 was demolished along with no. 12 to make way for the Scottish Widows Building, which was constructed between 1930 and 1931. It was designed by E.C. Bewlay. Next to this is the Sun Building, designed by S.N. Cooke and constructed between 1927 and 1928. No. 21 was constructed by Horton's Estate between 1933 and 1934 and was designed by W.S. Clements. E. Bower Norris designed Nos. 23-24 in 1961 in the Neo-Georgian style. No. 25 is a Riley & Smith design, built in 1926 and 1927 for the Commercial Union Assurance.^[1]

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b Foster, Andy [2005] (2007). "The Commercial Centre", Birmingham, Pevsner Architectural Guides. Yale University Press, 84-5. ISBN 978-0-300-10731-9.
^ Bernard Burke (1847). Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry. H. Colburn, 752.