'Why we love our 750-year-old village so much'

Three-quarters of a millennium ago, a little-known place in the West Midlands called Knowle became a manor in its own right.

There was evidence of the settlement, historically part of Warwickshire and now part of Solihull borough, existing as far back as 1068 when it was known as Cnolle, part of Hampton-in-Arden.

It was owned by the de Arden family and, following the death of William de Arden, the land was passed to his widow Agnes in April 1276, making it a manor for the first time when it first entered historical records.

To mark the 750th anniversary of Knowle, which is home to more than 10,000 people, a huge celebration has been organised and will take place on 21 June.

It will feature a raft of entertainment, including music, dancing and other performances, along with stalls hosted by community groups and a market.

Knowle Library, which has been closed for a roof refurbishment, will also be officially reopened and will host activities throughout the day.

"The day is going to be bigger than any high street celebration that Knowle has put on before," said Kim Hulse, marketing manager at Visit Knowle.

Hulse has lived in Knowle for two decades and co-founded Visit Knowle seven years ago with the aim of promoting the village and increasing footfall.

She was alerted to this year's anniversary by members of The Knowle Society – a group dedicated to taking care of the village, including its history.

A number of old photographs from the early 20th Century have been unearthed by the society and will be displayed during the celebration.

"There's so much history right on our doorstep," Hulse said.

"You look at what life was like 750 years ago - people would have gone to the miller to get their crops milled, they'd have made their bread and gone to the baker's to have the bread baked.

"It's all really fascinating to think about what has happened and how life has changed."

Hulse said most of the population would have been working as blacksmiths, millers or farmers, whereas now the village has "professionals of all kinds".

Despite the high street going through a multitude of changes over the centuries, she said its core purpose remained the same.

"It will always be a place for people to congregate and to connect," she added.

"As the high street evolves, we will still have it as a centre where people come to spend time and do business.

"Knowle's got that sense of purpose on its high street in a really strong way. People are really connected to it."

Ann Bower has been living in Knowle since 1972 and after she retired, she decided to get involved in archiving the village's history because it was "such a lovely place".

"I think it is important to know about our heritage," she said. "It enriches people. So I think it's worth celebrating 750 years since it became a manor.

"Knowle wasn't mentioned in the Doomsday Book because it was still part of Hampton-in-Arden, but since it's separated, I think it's developed a really, really lovely character."

She also spoke of her love for its "attractive" old buildings, which includes its Grade I-listed, 15th Century parish church.

Asked what made Knowle so special, Bower said it was the "friendly people" along with all the groups or societies creating a strong sense of community in the village.

"It's just a good place to be… It can take up to an hour to walk from one end of the high street to the other because of all the people you meet and have a good chat with," she added.

Hulse agreed and said it felt "like home" to her and a place where people could really belong.

She added: "It's going into a cafe and being greeted by name and then maybe seeing someone you know. It's about walking through the park and bumping into someone.

"It's about children being able to walk to school and then seeing faces you recognise.

"In essence, it's that sense of belonging. It's a small enough place where people will say hello to you as you're walking down the street, even if you don't know them."

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