Author: FVCA

To the north of the village is Fairfield Court, currently a private residence, formerly farmhouse, the site has a rich history that goes back to Anglo-Saxon times.

What can be seen today is reputedly the third house on the site, originating in the late 15th to early 16th century, and stands on an island boarded by a moat. Access to the house was once obtained by a drawbridge, but all traces of this have now disappeared and the moat along the north side of the building has been filled in.

The current building is the successor of the Domesday manor of Forfeld, and in the 11th century the manor belonged to Leofric, Earl of Mercia, who was married to Lady Godiva. 

The location of the Manor was in the medieval Forest of Feckenham and the forest court for the northern region, extending from the Trent, was held at the Manor.

Records indicate that a chapel was formerly situated immediately to the south of the house. 

The house was associated with recusant activities after the Reformation; it is said that Father John Wall, one of the last Christian Martyrs, preached here in a chapel constructed in the roof of the house. 

A Second World War ‘Permanent Starfish’ bombing decoy site was established, on land behind Fairfield Court, in the marshy valley between Cross Coppice and Gorsey Piece (SO 938 754). It was constructed to deflect enemy bombing from Birmingham. It is referenced as being in use between 01-AUG-1941 and 08-APR-1943. Nothing remains of the decoy site itself but the stone road to it is still clearly to be seen.

Starfish sites were large-scale night-time decoys created during the Blitz to simulate burning British cities. The aim was to divert German night bombers from their intended targets so they would drop their ordnance over the countryside. The sites were an extension of Colonel John Turner’s decoy programme for airfields and factories (code named “Q” Sites). Following the bombing, and near destruction, of Coventry in November 1940, Turner was tasked with creating decoys for seven major cities.

Further ‘Starfish’ decoys were located outside Birmingham; Ballsall, Holt End, Maxstoke, Bickenhill, Peopleton, Halford, and Silvington.

All decoys for Birmingham were closed by late 1944. The bombing decoys for Birmingham had limited success, possibly because the decoys were positioned quite far out from their intended targets.