| Beacon Hill | |
|---|---|
 Beacon Tower and transmission mast | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 237 m (778 ft) |
| Coordinates | 52°32′51″N2°06′55″W / 52.5475°N 2.1153°W /52.5475; -2.1153 |
| Geography | |
 | |
| Location | Sedgley,England |
Beacon Hill inSedgley,England, is one of the highest points in theWest Midlands, at 237 metres (778 ft) above sea level.
From the summit,Wolverhampton,Walsall andBirmingham are all visible, as is theStaffordshire,Shropshire andWelsh countryside to the west. The hill is so named as historically it was one in a series of prominent locations with beacons on top, where a fire would be lit as a signal during times of war or turmoil. The Sedgley beacon lies between beacons atBarr Beacon andCannock Chase. At the highest point, a Grade IIlisted tower erected in 1846 byLord Wrottesley for astronomy,[1][2] stands on the site of an earlier tower, which sits on the spot of the original beacon.
When the tower was climbable (today a fence restricts access as the steps inside were removed by the council to prevent access), it was often said theBristol Channel was visible on a clear day.[3][dubious –discuss]. However, these claims are false as the website www.viewfinderpanoramas.org shows the southern view to extend only as far as Stinchcombe Hill near Dursley, Gloucestershire.
Approximately half of Beacon Hill was situated in the urban district ofCoseley, which was created in 1897 from the eastern half of the old Sedgley manor. This section included the Beacon Tower.[4]
However, the local government reorganisation of 1966 (which saw the bulk of Sedgley and approximately half of Coseley incorporated intoDudley) resulted in the creation of post code districts, with all of Beacon Hill being included in the new Sedgley DY3 post code district.[5]
The Beacon housing estate sits near the tower monument on Beacon Hill. It was initially developed by Sedgley UDC in the 1920s, with a further section being added in the 1930s and the final section being developed after the end ofWorld War II.
By 2024, the area was being plagued with anti social behaviour, vandalism and car thefts.
TheBeacon Hill Tenants & Residents Association look after and clean up the hill, and have been responsible for the erection of gates and fences in an effort to prevent vandalism and fly tipping in the area.[6]
