Heath Hayes (formerly known as Fiveways) is 1.5 miles approx from Hednesford town centre. It was originally a small farming and coal mining village centred on a junction of five roads. These were Cannock (the main town of the area) to Lichfield, Hednesford to Lichfield, and the Watling Street (old roman road now the A5) to possibly the Beaudesert Estate. Its size increased when in the late 1800s the Black Country coal industry and also the Nail making industry went into decline. Families moved to the area to work in the pits. In it's prime there where two collieries one on the north eastern edge (Cannock Chase No.8) of the village the other on the south western (Coppice Colliery nicknamed by the men the Fairlady after the owners wife) side of the village. These were closed in 1962 and 1964 from then the village has declined into a residential area having no industry of its own. The old part of the village that is left dates from around 1890s it's bounded by country side on the South, West and North Eastern side but is being urbanised on the North side in the direction of Hednesford.