{{Short description|Village in Dudley, England}} {{Use British English|date=July 2016}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}} {{Infobox UK place | country = England | coordinates = {{coord|52.523|-2.124|display=inline,title}} | official_name = Gornal | population = 12,992 | population_ref = (ward)<ref name=ONS>{{cite web|title=Gornal (Ward) – Population Density|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=6502227&c=gornal&d=14&e=13&g=6365237&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1361465589566&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2491|work=Neighbourhood Statistics|publisher=ONS|access-date=21 February 2013|archive-date=3 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403201826/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=6502227&c=gornal&d=14&e=13&g=6365237&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1361465589566&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2491|url-status=dead}}</ref> {{refn|group=note|name=Pop.Note|Population figure of Gornal ward excludes the village of Upper Gornal; population of Upper Gornal and Woodsetton ward is 13,793.<ref>{{cite web|title=Upper Gornal and Woodsetton (Ward) – Population Density|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=6506877&c=gornal&d=14&e=13&g=6365129&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1361465559472&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2491|work=Neighbourhood Statistics|publisher=ONS|access-date=21 February 2013}}{{Dead link|date=February 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref>}} | metropolitan_borough = Dudley | metropolitan_county = West Midlands | region = West Midlands | constituency_westminster = Dudley North | post_town = Dudley | postcode_district = DY3 | postcode_area = DY | dial_code = 01902 01384 | os_grid_reference = SO915917 | static_image_name = Sunday Morning in Gornal Wood (geograph 27601).jpg | static_image_caption = The village of Gornal Wood | london_distance = }} '''Gornal''' is a village and electoral ward {{refn|group=note|The village of Upper Gornal is not located in the Gornal wood, rather it is located in the Upper Gornal and Woodsetton ward{{cn|date=June 2024}}}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Borough Wards|url=http://councillors.dudley.gov.uk/home/borough-wards/|publisher=Dudley Councillors Online|access-date=3 March 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204234256/http://councillors.dudley.gov.uk/home/borough-wards/|archive-date=4 February 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref> in Dudley Metropolitan Borough, in the West Midlands of England. It encompasses the three historical villages of Upper Gornal, Lower Gornal, and Gornal Wood. Gornal was historically part of Staffordshire until the creation of the West Midlands County in 1974. Gornal is {{cvt|11|mile}} from Birmingham.
The three Gornal villages<ref>The Gornals, Ned Williams, Uralia Press, 2014. {{ISBN|189852811X}}</ref> were originally a part of the ancient manor of Sedgley until 1894, when the area became part of Sedgley Urban District. In 1966, along with most of the rest of Sedgley, it was merged into the County Borough of Dudley.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sedgley UD through time|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10153748|work=visionofbritain.org.uk|access-date=6 December 2011}}</ref> Since 1974, it has been part of the larger Metropolitan Borough of Dudley.
Gornal stone, a variety of limestone, originates in Gornal.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sandstone Quarrying Lower Gornal Sedgley in the Black Country West Midlands |url=http://www.lowergornal.co.uk/i_quarrying.htm |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=www.lowergornal.co.uk}}</ref>
Himley Hall and Park and Baggeridge Country Park are notable nearby visitor attractions.
==Areas==
===Upper Gornal=== Situated south of Sedgley on the main A459 road, the area has undergone extensive private and council housing development since the 1920s. It was the target of three bombs by the German Luftwaffe during World War II, though no buildings were damaged and there were no civilian casualties.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gornalandsedgley.org.uk/photos.php?pgid=32 |title=Photos When Bombs Fell on Gornal |publisher=Gornal and Sedgley |access-date=28 November 2011}}</ref>
Upper Gornal formerly had a small cinema, the Jack Darby Picture House, from the early 20th century, but it closed in 1960 due to competition from other nearby theatres. The building now houses a small hardware store.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yampy.co.uk/gornal/news/history/jackdarbys.htm |title=Yampy Gornal Dudley Black Country History – Jack Darby's, Gornal cinema – The Picture House Dudley Road owned by Jack Darby |publisher=Yampy.co.uk |access-date=28 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929061500/http://www.yampy.co.uk/gornal/news/history/jackdarbys.htm |archive-date=29 September 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Also of note, the local landmark ''Pig on the Wall'' public house was controversially demolished in 2002 to make way for a McDonald's restaurant.<ref>{{cite web|title=Memories of the Pig are just off the wall|url=https://www.expressandstar.com/latest/2009/11/02/memories-of-the-pig-are-just-off-the-wall/|work=Express&Star|access-date=6 December 2011}}</ref> Another landmark was The Green Dragon public house which is now an Indian restaurant.
===Lower Gornal=== Lower Gornal is located southwest of Upper Gornal, and includes the three schools in the local area – Roberts Primary, Red Hall Primary, and Ellowes Hall Sports College. First built in 1894, the original building of Roberts Primary School was demolished in 2000 following the completion of a new £6{{nbsp}}million building. Red Hall was formed around 1900 as an infant, junior and secondary school; but the secondary school closed in 1964 when Ellowes Hall opened. Ellowes Hall itself was named after the Ellowes Hall House that previously stood on the site, prior to its demolition in 1964.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ellowes Memories |url=http://www.yampy.co.uk/gornal/news/history/ellowes.htm/ |work=Yampy.co.uk |access-date=6 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929061439/http://www.yampy.co.uk/gornal/news/history/ellowes.htm |archive-date=29 September 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
Gornal Athletic F.C., a football team currently in the Premier Division of the West Midlands (Regional) League, are based in Lower Gornal.
====The local legend – 'Pig on the wall'==== One, not entirely apocryphal, episode from Lower Gornal's past occurred when Enoch and Eli (Aynuk and Ayli in the local dialect – the two fictional characters to which local jokes are usually attributed) "put the pig on the wall to watch the band go by". Local legend has it, that once, a military band marched through the suburb, and caused such great excitement amongst the residents, that not only did many people flock to see it, but one person even put his pig on the wall to afford the animal a better view. This phrase has long been part of the local idiolect, but its origins still remain obscure.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.blackcountrybugle.co.uk/Tales-Old-Gornal/story-20155588-detail/story.html |title=Tales of Old Gornal {{!}} Black Country Bugle |website=www.blackcountrybugle.co.uk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140313194402/http://www.blackcountrybugle.co.uk/Tales-Old-Gornal/story-20155588-detail/story.html |archive-date=2014-03-13}} </ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.blackcountrybugle.co.uk/Gornal-pig-wall-really-puts-style/story-20135851-detail/story.html |title=The Gornal pig on the wall that really puts on the sty-le! {{!}} Black Country Bugle |website=www.blackcountrybugle.co.uk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140313195418/http://www.blackcountrybugle.co.uk/Gornal-pig-wall-really-puts-style/story-20135851-detail/story.html |archive-date=2014-03-13}} </ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sedgleymanor.com/historical/pig_on_the_wall.html|title = The Pig on the wall}}</ref> There was even a hotel in the Upper Gornal area of the town called the "Pig on the Wall". It was originally called the Bricklayer's Arms and known locally as Hammond's after the long time owners, but took up its new name in 1985. It was however demolished and replaced with a McDonald's restaurant in late 2002.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.expressandstar.com/news/2009/11/02/memories-of-the-pig-are-just-off-the-wall/|title = Memories of the Pig are just off the wall}}</ref>
===Gornal Wood=== Gornal Wood is on the western boundary of the Dudley Metropolitan Borough, and contains a small shopping area, including a library. It is the site of the Crooked House pub, a famous landmark known because of its distinctive appearance as a result of mining subsidence.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Crooked House – History|url=http://www.yampy.co.uk/gornal/news/history/ellowes.htm/http://www.thecrooked-house.co.uk/page10.htm|work=thecrooked-house.co.uk|access-date=6 December 2011}}{{Dead link|date=February 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> The pub was closed in 2023 and later sold. In early August 2023 a fire left the building in ruins and was controversially demolished.
Gornal Wood Crematorium and Cemetery is also in this area, having opened in 1960.
The X10 bus route operated by National Express running from Birmingham city centre terminates here. Other services are the 223, 27/27a and 17 operated by Diamond Bus.
==Notable events==
===2002 earthquake=== The epicentre of the 2002 Dudley earthquake was located in Gornal Wood.<ref>{{cite news|title=Dudley epicentre left unshaken|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2276610.stm|publisher=BBC News|access-date=10 October 2011|date=23 September 2002}}</ref> It measured 4.8 on the Richter magnitude scale and could be felt as far away as North Yorkshire.<ref>{{cite news|title=Earthquake hits UK|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2275158.stm|publisher=BBC News|access-date=10 October 2011|date=23 September 2002}}</ref>
==Notable residents== [[File:Sue lawley.jpg|thumb|160px|Sue Lawley, 2013]] * Chris Evans (1841 in Upper Gornal – 1924) was a British-born American labor union leader. * Sue Lawley (born 1946 in Sedgley) former BBC newsreader, grew up in Lower Gornal.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Guardian Profile: Sue Lawley|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2006/aug/25/broadcasting.bbc|work=The Guardian|access-date=10 October 2011|location=London|first=Owen|last=Gibson|date=25 August 2006}}</ref>
=== Sport ===
* Willie Layton (1875 in Gornall – 1944), footballer who played 331 games for Sheffield Wednesday F.C. * Arthur Marsh (1947 in Lower Gornall – 2020) footballer who played 186 games, mainly for Rochdale A.F.C.
==See also== *List of areas in Dudley *Straits Estate
==Notes== {{reflist|group=note}}
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== *[https://www.sedgleymanor.com/historical/pig_on_the_wall.html More details of the 'Pig on the Wall' and its urban legend] *[http://www.sedgleymanor.com The Ancient Manor of Sedgley – Local History website] *[http://www.sedgleylocalhistory.org.uk Sedgley Local History Society website]
{{Areas of Dudley}} {{West Midlands County}} {{Wards of Dudley}}
Category:Areas of Dudley Category:Sedgley