An Introduction to West Midlands

The West Midlands consists of Birmingham, Coventry, & “The Black Country”(Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton), The West Midlands is the UK's manufacturing heartland. However, the largest part of the region's land space is rural with attractive countryside, market towns and picturesque villages - and a world class food and drink industry.

Birmingham: A city that oozes style, culture and charm. Vibrant and cosmopolitan visitors will discover everything they want in a city: scintillating shopping, the £500 million Bullring development and iconic Selfridges building has confirmed Birmingham’s reputation as the regional shopping capital. A World class culture, staging more national and international sporting championships, the UK’s finest concert venue- Symphony Hall and the most popular exhibition centre in Europe –The NEC.

First mentioned in the Domesday book as being worth 20 shillings, Birmingham was just a small settlement in the early Middle Ages the city has progressively evolved into one of the biggest cities in Europe, an area of 80 square miles, with a million people benefiting from the diversity and vibrancy of the communities that make Birmingham what it is today.

Particular attractions are: Bull Ring Shopping Centre,  National Exhibition Centre, Brindley Place, Balti Triangle, The Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, Cadbury World, Thinktank-Birmingham's Museum of Science and Discovery, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and National Sea Life Centre 

Coventry: Over 300,000 people live and work in Coventry. There are an abundance of projects that are benefiting from multi-million pound investments plus two universities that cater for students from home and abroad.

Known as “Godiva’s town” because of the conection with Lady Godiva, who was reputed to have ridden naked through the city.  It is said that Godiva made her famous naked horse ride as a bargain with her husband to free the people of Coventry from the heavy tax burden he had imposed on them. A striking statue of Godiva stands in the city’s central square, Broadgate. Sculpted by William Reid-Dick, it was unveiled in 1949 and is one of the few equestrian statues outside London to be listed (Grade II).

There are two new shopping developments, restaurants, are investing in our museums, parks and sports facilities and with plans in motion for a new stadium combining an exhibition and leisure centre in the north of the city.

The cathedral has risen from the ashes and engineerhave produced  the world's fastest car, Thrust SSC (External). Significant attractions include, Coventry Cathedral, the Coventry Transport Museum & the Ryton Organic Gardens - HDRA

The Black Country is a fascinating region of England located to the north-west of Birmingham.

Why is it called the Black Country? there have been thoughts, theories, ideas and stories. Two have dominated Black Country minds over the years.

One evokes images of red, fiery furnaces by night and black, sooty citadels by day. Another, tells of the rich, loamy earth mixing with the eight foot coal seam which dominates the land.

The Black Country today is much more, but very much the product of its unique heritage; cradle of the Industrial Revolution. With a proud industrial heritage in the manufacture of glass, leather, locks and iron & steel. This came about because of the extensive use of canal network at the time which enabled coal and other raw materials to be transported economically. The Black Country Canals have a wealth of fascinating junctions and buildings including bridges locks and warehouses.

At the hub of the Black Country's Canal System lies the Galton Valley and the Galton Valley Canal Heritage Centre. Additionally the Smethwick Engine site and newly restored and working Smethwick Pumping Station are open to visitors.

The glass industry in the Black Country dates back to the 17th Century. Today the glass industry is much less extensive yet a number of factories still operate on their historic sites. Of particular interest at Stuart Crystal is the Red House Cone Glassworks Experience, where the 100ft Cone is one of only four remaining in the country and the only one open to the public.

The Broadfield House Glass Museum is the perfect place to see glassblowers and engravers at work and to experience at first hand the Black Country's proud glassmaking industry. 

There are other museums that portray the areas industrial hereitage such as the Walsall Leather Museum, the Willenhall Lock Museum and the Black Country Living Museum