History in Structure

Old Blue Ball Public House

A Grade II Listed Building in Wednesbury, Sandwell

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Coordinates

Latitude: 52.557 / 52°33'25"N

Longitude: -2.0221 / 2°1'19"W

OS Eastings: 398598

OS Northings: 295462

OS Grid: SO985954

Mapcode National: GBR 24D.H8

Mapcode Global: WHBG0.XZ8M

Plus Code: 9C4VHX4H+Q5

Entry Name: Old Blue Ball Public House

Listing Date: 29 October 1979

Last Amended: 29 September 1987

Grade: II

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1077110

English Heritage Legacy ID: 219299

ID on this website: 101077110

Location: Church Hill, Sandwell, West Midlands, WS10

County: Sandwell

Electoral Ward/Division: Wednesbury North

Parish: Non Civil Parish

Built-Up Area: Wednesbury

Traditional County: Staffordshire

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): West Midlands

Church of England Parish: Wednesbury St Bartholomew

Church of England Diocese: Lichfield

Tagged with: Pub

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Description


SANDWELL MB HALL END
SO 9895 SE
Wednesbury
11/87 No 19 (Old Blue Ball
Public House)

II

Public house. Early to mid-C19. Rendered brick with slate roof. Two storeys.
Two bays. On the ground floor are timber canted bay windows linked by a timber
fascia. The first floor windows are sashed with glazing bars. Door between
bays. Chimneys on gables in front of ridge. The pub is known locally as
"Spittle's" because of its former landlord Jonah Spittle (1765 - 1844) who
organised cock fights on adjacent land and was one of the subjects of the
well-known broadside ballad "Wedgebury Cocking":

"At Wedgebury there was a cocking,
A match between Newton and Scroggins,
The colliers and nailors left work
And to Old Spittle's went jogging.
To see this noble sport,
Many noble men resorted,
And though they'd little money,
With that they freely sported ....."

"The cock pit was near to the church,
an ornament unto the town.
On one side was an old coal pit,
The other well gors'd around ....."

(Raven, J: The Urban and Industrial Songs of the Black Country and Birmingham,
1977, pp 110 - 115).


Listing NGR: SO9859895462

External Links

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