At a time of deteriorating living conditions the urban planner Ebenezer Howard wrote in his book To-Morrow: A Peaceful Path to Real Reform: “It is well-nigh universally agreed by men of all parties…that it is deeply to be deplored that the people should continue to stream into the already over-crowded cities, and should thus further deplete the country districts.”
It was 1898. Poor sanitation, overcrowding and a lack of comfort characterised housing in industrialised cities such as Birmingham, and planners were beginning to respond to the need to improve living conditions for working people.
Noting that working people could not live in the countryside unless they were employed in agriculture, Howard proposed an alternative, “in which all the advantages of the most energetic and active town life, with all the beauty and delight of the country, may be secured in perfect harmony.”
It was the birth of the garden city, a concept that merged the best of the countryside and the city, where workers could access both jobs and fresh air, and live in high-quality, affordable houses. These economically independent cities would include access to recreational and shopping facilities with transport and infrastructure coupled with green space and access to nature. Letchworth became the first city to be modelled on his ideas.
In 1907, nine years after the publication of Howard’s book, social reformer John Sutton Nettlefold established the Moor Pool Estate in response to the appalling living conditions brought about by Birmingham’s industrial growth. The Estate offered a space for people to enjoy the benefits advocated by Howard but this was no garden city. As a space on the edge of the city with no sections of industry, Moor Pool became a garden suburb – ironically almost the opposite to what Howard strived to achieve.
Built in the Arts and Crafts style – a movement that itself was a reaction against the social horrors of the factory system – the Estate offered access to nature and recreational facilities to people who would travel to the city to work.
It is a development that has stood the test of time and over a hundred years on, the successors to the original residents still enjoy the skittle hall, bowling green, purpose-built tennis courts and allotments that were introduced in Nettlefold’s time.
But what is striking about the neighbourhood today is the emphasis on keeping this suburb green, not just for the sake of its heritage but for the benefit of wildlife and the local people who live outside its original boundaries.
If you take a wander from Wentworth Gate or Carless Avenue along the path towards the garages you might be surprised to encounter a purpose-built growing area complete with greenhouse, raised beds and picnic tables. This is Carless Eco-Centre, a community space run on harvested rainwater, homemade compost and the dedication of a team of volunteers with a passion for plants.
Functioning as an outdoor classroom as well as a growing space, the centre is used by the community for composting workshops, children’s crafts and school bookings, and also hosts Muddy Moor Poolers Forest School sessions, although these mainly take place under the trees nearby.
Accessed via an intriguing pathway between two hedges just off The Circle, The Orchard is a pocket of mature woodland that forms the main backdrop for forest school. This is a space where children can really immerse themselves in nature. Potion making in the mud kitchen, den building and bug hunting are what goes on here, as well as learning all about wildlife, natural materials and even magical creatures. Getting messy is a requirement.
But if you want to take in the natural world without the mud, the Nettlefold Garden on the edge of the Estate provides a welcoming picnicking space, a grassy mound and a small wooded bosk area.
With its origins in the recreational space used by the original Moor Pool residents, this is a pocket park that opened to the community in 2017 following its rescue from abandonment by its acquisition by Moor Pool Heritage Trust and the hard work of local volunteers.
In keeping with its heritage, it hosts community events throughout the year and has been designed with both ease of access – a wheelchair friendly path encircles the garden – and biodiversity in mind. Planted with seasonal, pollinator-friendly species, the garden also features log piles for invertebrates and information boards detailing the wildlife found nearby.
If you look for them, you can see similar touches all around the Estate. A bug hotel is placed prominently near the entrance to the community hall while piles of sticks have been purposely left in The Circle’s newly planted flower beds. Signage around the eponymous Moor Pool also celebrates the waterfowl that make a home in the pond.
The Moor Pool Estate continues to be a thriving and diverse community that is fiercely proud of its historical roots. Locals play, meet and even work together and this small neighbourhood has retained its character for over a century.
Howard asserted that: “Human society and beauty of nature are meant to be enjoyed together,” and this is exactly what Moor Pool has achieved – even if it is the antithesis of his intended garden city notion.
Helen Eden, January 2025
