Netherton, West Midlands

Netherton is a town in the West Midlands which has always come under the borough of Dudley. Its parish church, St Andrew's, is the highest parish church in England. Another local landmark is a pub on the A459 Dudley-Halesowen Road called the Old Swan. It has been known as Ma Pardoe's since the interwar years, as its long-term landlady was Doris Clare Pardoe (born 1899) who owned it until her death in 1984, when she was 85 years old.

The town has a postwar comprehensive school, Hillcrest, which was one of the worst secondary schools in the West Midlands during the [[1990s{{ but has improved dramatically under the management of new principal {{Maureen Brennan}}. She became Dame Maureen Brennan DBE in 2005 for her outstanding efforts which saw Hillcrest School become one of the most successful schools in the borough just five years after an {{OFSTED}} report had slammed its weak management and placed it in special measures. In {{2002}}, it was mentioned in parliament for its substantial turn-around.

Netherton is also home to Saltwells Education Development Centre, the Dudley EDC which was Saltwells Secondary School until {{1986}}.

{{Saltwells Nature Reserve}} stands on the Netherton - {{Brierley Hill}} border, next to {{Netherton Reservoir}}.

Netherton Park is located near the town centre and was laid out in about {{1900}}.

Once located in Netherton, was a firm of {{chain|chaimakers}} called {{Hingley}}s, which was famous for making the anchor for the {{Titanic}} ocean liner.{{Category:Towns in the West Midlands}}