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Dudley became a municipal borough in 1865 and in 1889 it became a county borough which included the town of Dudley and the villages of Woodside and Netherton . In the 1961 census, the County Borough had a population of 62,965.
In 1966, the county borough was expanded to include the majority of the urban district councils of Brierley Hill and Sedgley , approximately half of Coseley along with small areas of Amblecote , Rowley Regis and Tipton , plus a tiny area from the rural district of Seisdon. As the majority of these areas were part of Staffordshire , Dudley was transferred from Worcestershire to the county of Staffordshire. The part of Tividale which existed within Dudley was at this time transferred into Warley County Borough . These changes meant that the population of Dudley County Borough at the time of the 1971 census increased to 185,592; an increase of almost 300% from the 1961 figure.
Dudley's borough boundaries were further expanded in 1974 to become a metropolitan borough , having taken in the boroughs of Halesowen and Stourbridge (both formerly in Worcestershire). This meant a further increase in population, which by the time of the 1981 census was 298,511 - an increase of five times the population of only twenty years before.
Since 1974, Dudley has been part of the West Midlands county.
History
Dudley has a history dating back to medieval times. Dudley Castle has stood in the town since the 11th century, and is mentioned in the Domesday Book. The present castle dates from the 13th century, and provided the centre around which the town grew. The oldest condoms found (rather than just pictures or descriptions) are from 1640, discovered in Dudley Castle in England.
The town industrialised rapidly in the 18th and 19th centuries, and its population grew dramatically. Due to its heavy and highly polluting industries it became a central part of the Black Country. The main industries in Dudley included coal and limestone mining. Other industries included iron, steel, engineering, metallurgy, glass cutting, textiles and leatherworking. Most of these industries have declined in recent decades.
Of historical significance, the first Newcomen steam engine was installed at the Conygree coalworks a mile east of Dudley Castle in 1712.
Dudley was mostly made up of farms and factories surrounded by the occasional cottage until the 19th century, when many rows of terraced houses with terrible sanitation were built. These in turn were cleared between the 1920s and 1960s to make way for council owned houses and flats. The Dudley area also consists of many privately owned houses including some late 19th/early 20th century homes which are still standing but have been modernised to keep up with modern sanitation standards.
The first major council housing development was the Priory Estate , near the border of Sedgley, where more than 2,000 houses were built between 1929 and 1939. The Wrens Nest Estate followed soon afterwards. It stands in the shadow of Wrens Nest Hill, where many Silurian fossils can be found including crinoids, corals and trilobites.
The outlying area of Gornal in Dudley was the epicentre for the Dudley earthquake of 2002, the largest earthquake to hit the United Kingdom in nearly 10 years.
Places of Interest
The town is home to Dudley Zoo, and the Black Country Living Museum. Visitors to the museum may also take a narrowboat trip from the adjacent canal, through the Dudley Tunnel. The ruined Dudley Castle is within the grounds of the zoo, and there is an extensive wooded ridge that runs north from the castle. Dudley Zoo is to be regenerated under proposals by Dudley Zoo in partnership with Dudley Council, St Modwen and Advantage West Midlands, which will see a former freightliner site redeveloped with a tropical dome, Asiatic forest, two aquatic facilities and walkthrough aviaries. It is expected to cost £38.7 million.
There are many canals in and around Dudley, the main one being the Dudley Canal . These are popular with walkers, cyclists, fishermen, and narrowboat users. Many of the canalside towpaths have been upgraded for cycling, and some sections are part of the National Cycle Network .
Dudley Museum and Art Gallery has a large collection of fossils plus numerous displays relating to the history of the town.
Established in 1260, Dudley Market in Dudley town centre is a major shopping area for the town. It has undergone numerous developments in its history. One major development was in the 1980s when the area was pedestrianised and the 12th century cobblestones were removed. Other developments have included the addition of a new roof and new toilet facilities.