Before the development of the estates the area was farm land.  The main farm buildings were called Winyates Farm.  Part of the buildings still exist in Winyates Green but it’s exact location is difficult to confirm. Photographs of the area show parts of the original farm building see here

The term 'win' used to mean meadow, and 'yate' a variation of the word gate.  It is therefore likely that Winyates means 'meadow gate'.

Housing developments such as Church Hill, Matchborough, Winyates, Lodge Park and Woodrow were created to accommodate the large overspill from an industrially expanding Birmingham. Redditch was built as a 'flagship' town using new methods and new town planning, all the main roads in Redditch were banked to reduce noise to the new housing estates and the whole of Redditch was landscaped.

Roman History

History of the name

Modern History

Part of the old roman road Icknield Way runs through the estate. Icknield Street (ĭk`nēld), is the name for a prehistoric road in England, extending south west from the Wash, along the line of the Chiltern Hills and Berkshire Downs, to Salisbury Plain.

The road formed a link between two earlier Roman roads: Watling Street and Fosse Way. The Watling Street - Fosse Way - Icknield Street triangle is shown on this map.

It is not known when or why the road got the name Icknield, also known as Ryknild, Ricknield etc. (And, very confusingly, it's the same name as the ancient Icknield Way across Southern England.)

The line of the road is unclear in the Birmingham area, but its course is well-established near Redditch, where it passes through Ipsley. The Birmingham section of the road is currently being investigated by archaeologists who tend to disagree with earlier opinions about its route.The solid red stretches of Icknield Street on this map show where the

route is definitely known.