Coordinates 5227'01N 203'03W 52.450164N 2.050935W 52.450164 2.050935 Halesowen (160helz'o.n) is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley in the West Midlands England. The population as measured by the United Kingdom Census 2001 was 55273.1 Halesowen is included in the Halesowen and Rowley Regis constituency which is held by the Conservative James Morris. edit Geography and administration Halesowen was a detached part of the county of Shropshire but was incorporated into Worcestershire in 1844 by the Counties (Detached Parts) Act. Since the local government reorganisation of 1974 it has formed a part of the West Midlands Metropolitan County and Conurbation in the Dudley Metropolitan Borough which it joined at the same time as neighbouring Stourbridge. Halesowen is located approximately 10 miles (16160km) southwest of Birmingham at the edge of the industrial Midlands. Although predominantly urban or suburban in character Halesowen borders on green belt land with excellent access to the countryside for example the Clent Hills. It has extensive road links including Junction 3 of the M5 motorway which allow easy commuting to Birmingham other areas of the Black County or nationwide. The centre of Birmingham is approximately 30 minutes away by car and reachable with the number 9 bus. The centre of Halesowen is home to a Norman church a football ground (where nonleague Halesowen Town F.C. play) and College of Further Education which was founded in 1939. Most of the housing stock in Halesowen is privately owned and was built in the 30 years which followed the end of World War II although some parts of the town are still made up of Victorian and Edwardian terraced houses. The town centre was almost completely rebuilt during the 1930s. edit Suburbs In 1974 Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council identified six historical suburbs within Halesowen which they signed accordingly with a series of gateway signs. In addition to the Town Centre these are listed below. A separate sign for Illey was added many years later. Cradley Hasbury Hawne Hayley Green Hill amp Cakemore Lapal edit Neighbourhoods Each of the suburbs above contain various neighbourhoods within them. Here are some Abbeyfields Haden Hill Hurst Green Illey Manor Abbey Olive Hill Shenstone Valley Squirrels Estate Tanhouse Colley Gate edit Climate As with the rest of the British Isles and West Midlands Halesowen experiences a maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters. A Met Office weather station provide's local climate data for the period 19712000 although it ceased observation's in 2004. Temperature extremes at Halesowen have ranged from 14.5 C (5.9160F) during December 19812 up to 34.7 C (94.5160F) during August 1990.3 edit History See also Evolution of Worcestershire county boundaries Halesowen is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as being larger than Birmingham. The manor and town was known as Hala (from the AngloSaxon word halh meaning nook or remote valley) until it was gifted by King Henry II to Welsh Prince David Owen and became known as Halas Owen. The parish of Halesowen which incorporated other townships later to become independent parishes was an exclave of the county of Shropshire but grew to become a town and was transferred to the jurisdiction of Worcestershire by the Counties (Detached Parts) Act 1844. Included in the boundaries was the ancient village of Brettle. In the 1220s Halesowen had a market and fair and by 1270 it had been granted a charter