Description:This area, old 'Hedgford' or 'Hedgeford', near the Cross Keys Inn is the original 'centre' of Hednesford, prior to its mid-Victorian expansion due to coal mining which led to Market Street becoming the town centre.
This postcard view was taken from the corner of Hill Street and Littleworth Road looking toward Heath Hayes. The semi-detached cottages to the left and the railway crossing gates have long gone. Just to the right of centre is a grey building with a window high up in the gable which still stands. The Cross Keys also still stands (November 2020) and can be identified by its flat topped facade just to the right of the tree and the flagpole.
The rail-track at the crossing gates was originally a tramway linking the east Cannock canal basin (right) to mines at Littleworth and Rawnsley (left). Note the tall semaphore signal on the extreme right edge. With little road traffic, people promenade in the roadway without a care.