Just five minutes’ walk from the Bullring Shopping Centre and Birmingham New Street rail station…
Our View
You must book in advance to visit this superbly restored group of 19th-century workers' houses literally built 'back-to-back' around a communal courtyard, as admission is by timed guided tour only. At one time, a quarter of Birmingham's residents used to live in back-to-back houses, but due to widespread demolition in the slum clearance of the 1960s, these charming properties are the only survivors. Moving from the 1840s through to the 1970s, the guided tour brilliantly illustrates the daily lives of some of the people who crowded into these small houses with their families, and the ways they tried to make ends meet. The buildings you can visit include a 1930s sweetshop, Mrs Oldfield's kitchen, where a meal is always ready and waiting, a tailor's shop and a bedroom-cum-workshop. All give a unique glimpse into the past lives of the ordinary people of Birmingham.
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About the area
Discover West Midlands
After Greater London, the West Midlands is the UK’s biggest county by population, and after London, Birmingham is the UK’s largest city. There’s a lot to seek out here – it has a vibrant culture, with exceptionally good nightlife. Coventry used to be more important than Birmingham, until the 18th century when the Industrial Revolution started and Brum forged ahead.
Apart from Lady Godiva, Coventry is best known for its cathedrals. The medieval parish church became a cathedral in 1918, but the Blitz on Coventry in 1940 left only the spire and part of the walls. After the war, it was decided to build a new cathedral alongside linked to the ruins.
Dudley was one of the birthplaces of the Industrial Revolution, and this history is reflected in its architecture and the Black Country Living Museum, a recreation of an industrial village, with shops and a pub, cottages and a chapel. Stourbridge is also worth a visit, mainly due to its involvement in glassmaking, which has been going on since the 17th century, and is still a part of the town’s culture; there’s a glass museum and a bi-annual glass festival.
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