Pinfold Street takes its name from the “pound” or “pinfold” that existed there prior to 1752.  There used to be another of these receptacles for straying animals near to the Plough and Harrow in Hagley Road, and a small corner of Smithfield was railed off for the like purpose when the Cattle market was there established.  The “Jacob Wilsons” of a previous date held a field under the Lords of the Manor wherein to graze their captured cattle, but one of the Town Criers mortgaged it, and his successors lost their right to the land which was somewhere about Caroline Street.

Places of Worship.—­Established Church.—­In 1620 there were 358 churches in Warwickshire, 130 in Staffordshire, and 150 in Worcestershire; but St. Martin’s, Edgbaston, Aston, Deritend, and Handsworth, churches were all that Birmingham could boast of at the beginning of last century, and the number had not been increased to a very large extent even by the year 1800.  As will be seen from the dates given in following pages, however, there was a goodly number of churches erected in the first half of this century, about the end of which period a “Church extension” movement was set on foot.  The success was so apparent that a society was formed (Jan., 1865), and in March, 1867, it was resolved to raise a fund of L50,000, for the purpose of at once erecting eight other new churches in the borough, Miss Ryland heading the list of donations with the munificent gift of L10,000.  It is difficult to arrive at the amount expended on churches previous to 1840, but the annexed list of churches, built, enlarged, or repaired in this neighbourhood from 1840 to 1875, will give an approximate idea of the large sums thus invested, the whole of which was raised solely by voluntary contributions.

  Acock’s Green ... ...  L6,405
  Aston Brook ... ... 5,000
  Balsall Heath ... ... 8,500
  Bishop Ryder’s ... ... 886
  Christ Church ... ... 1,000
  Christ Church, Sparkbrook 9,163
  Edgbaston ... ... ... 2,200
  Hay Mills ... ... ... 6,500
  Immanuel ... ... ... 4,600
  King’s Heath ... ... 3,900
  King’s Norton ... ... 5,092
  Moseley ... ... ... 2,491
  Saltley ... ... ... 7,139
  St. Alban’s ... ... 2,800
  St. Andrew’s ... ... 4,500
  St. Anne’s ... ... ... 2,700
  St. Anne’s, Moseley ... 7,500
  St. Asaph’s... ... ... 7,700
  St. Augustine’s ... ... 7,800
  St. Barnabas’ ... ... 3,500
  St. Bartholomew’s... ... 1,260
  St. Clement’s ... ... 3,925
  St. Cuthbert’s ... ... 5,000
  St. David’s... ... ... 6,185
  St. Gabriel’s ... ... 4,307
  St. George’s Edgbaston ... 1,583
  St. James’s Edgbaston ... 6,000
  St. John’s, Ladywood ... 7,200
  St. Lawrence’s ... ... 4,380