in 1086, the domesday book describes wednesbury ("wadnesberie") as being a thriving rural community encompassing bloxwich and shelfield (now part of walsall). during the middle ages the town was a rural village, with each family farming a strip of land with nearby heath being used for grazing. the town was held by the king until the reign of henry ii, when it passed to the heronville family. during the 12th or 13th centuries, a motte and bailey castle (wednesbury castle) is believed to have been built in wednesbury.