The Big House, Oldbury

This week’s Friday Photo takes a step to the west from Birmingham to the town of Oldbury in Sandwell. The old town centre here survives in patches between the bus station, Sainsburys and the council offices. The oldest building is The Big House which dates back to about 1730, maybe to 1705. It was built as a family home by landowner William Freeth on the foundations of an earlier building. In the 1850s The Big House was sold and became solicitors’ offices and now it is a civic affairs suite with the regalia of the six towns that were combined to make the borough of Sandwell in 1974.