Kingshurst is a post war housing estate and parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull. It lies about nine miles (14 km) east of Birmingham city centre. The Smith's Wood area of Chelmsley Wood borders it to the north and east, Fordbridge to the south and the Shard End area of Birmingham to the west.
History
The name Kingshurst comes from having previously being a Royal Manor, and 'hurst' meaning wood. The earliest record of Kingshurst is in documents from the late 13th and early 14th centuries, when it is referred to as part of the Manor of Coleshill. Tenant farming was administered from here and Simon de Montford of Coleshill was an English nobleman who built a moated manor house near Kingshurst. The Hall had its own park and farmlands. The remains of the moat of Kingshurst Hall are still visible today.
Yorkswood
During World War I, much of the woodland in Kingshurst was cut down to help with the war effort. The Birmingham and District Association of Boy Scouts were able to buy a patch of land at a bargain price and set up a permanent camp there. This land was half way between Kingshurst and Shard End. It was called Yorkswood and opened in 1923. There were five camp fields, covering an area of 25 acres. The total site was over 200 acres (0.81 km²). The site benefited from permanent washhouses and latrines, a swimming pool, a training centre and headquarters, guesthouse, warden’s hut and other huts. A small brook from a fresh water spring ran past the camp and Cock Sparrow Farm was about 100 yards (91 m) away to provide fresh milk.
The entrance to the camp was flanked by a series of griffin statues. These had come from the roof of Lewis's Department Store on Corporation Street in Birmingham when it was being renovated. After the camp closed in 1972, they were placed upon the housing estate (Kendrick Avenue and nearby roads) built upon the site of the camp.
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