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Fun Facts

Heritage Factsheet

• In it’s manufacturing heyday, Birmingham was known as ‘the city of 1000 trades’, and the foundations of the city’s prosperous manufacturing centred around guns, jewellery and pens.

• The city saw the pioneers of the Industrial Revolution James Watt, Matthew Boulton, William Murdoch, Josiah Wedgwood, Joseph Priestley and Erasmus Darwin form the Lunar Society. Allegedly, the Society was so-called because members met at the full moon to make use of the light as there were no street lamps at that time. The Society’s melting-pot of scientific and industrial ideas conceived the world’s first purpose-built factory, invented gas lighting and pioneered the mass production of the steam engine.

• Evidence of the city’s former trades are scattered throughout the city. The Gun Quarter is the name given to the area of Birmingham associated with the manufacture of firearms and sporting guns. Here you’ll find the Birmingham Proof House,  originally one of only two such proof houses in England, and still in use today. The building was managed by a consortium of the town's gun traders, its purpose being to ensure that the guns manufactured in the area were safe for use. The Grade II listed Proof House contains a museum of arms and ammunition, and can be visited by prior arrangement.

• On the outskirts of the city, Birmingham’s unique Jewellery Quarter dates back over 250 years and is home to around 400 jewellery businesses. There are more than 100 specialist retailers selling handcrafted jewellery as well as clocks and watches - you can even commission your own design!

• A visit to the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter is well worth it. You can explore this former jewellery factory and see demonstration. Entry in to the museum is free of charge.

• The Pen Museum, also in the Jewellery Quarter, gives an insight into Birmingham’s reputation in the 19th century as the world centre for pen production. Entry in to the museum is free of charge.

• The Birmingham Assay Office is the largest Assay Office in the world and has carried out hallmarking since leading Birmingham industrialist Matthew Boulton lobbied Parliament for the city to have is own office in 1773. Tours of the Birmingham Assay Office can be booked by prior appointment and include a showcase of the unique and extensive Silver collection.

• A famous old haunt of the Lunar Society is Soho House, once a regular meeting place for some of the greatest minds of the 18th century.

• It was in the dining room of this elegant house that Matthew Boulton, entertained the Lunar Society including James Watt, Erasmus Darwin, Josiah Wedgwood and Joseph Priestly. Soho was one of the venues where they discussed ideas and presented discoveries that continue to affect our lives today.

• One of the most impressive historic homes in the West Midlands is only a couple of miles from Birmingham city centre. Aston Hall has a history going back to the Domesday Book and the manor passed through several hands until it came to the Holte family. This influential Warwickshire family owned the manors of Aston, Duddeston and Nechells, and were an extensive power in the region. The City acquired the Hall in the 1860s, following a fund-raising drive; the first local authority in Britain to acquire a major historic building and ensure its preservation as an ancient monument. The Hall and grounds are currently undergoing a £10 million make-over, and will be closed until summer 2009.

• Blakesley Hall was built in 1590 by Richard Smalbroke, a member of one of Birmingham’s leading merchant families. More than 400 years later, beautiful Blakesley is still a haven; secluded from the avenues of modern houses that lie beyond its gates. The Grade II Listed house is furnished as it would have looked in the 17th century and has a traditional herb garden and orchard.

• The 200-year-old mill at Sarehole is one of only two surviving watermills in Birmingham.

• The cobbled courtyard and mill pool are a tranquil haven from 21st century life outside, while the buildings and their impressive machinery give a unique insight into the lives of the millers who once inhabited this rural retreat. Sarehole Mill is part of the Tolkien Trail, which follows the childhood footsteps of the author and the places that influenced his writing in Birmingham. Tolkien contributed to a public appeal to save the Mill in the 1960s.

• The city has a rich religious heritage and boasts three important churches. St Martin's Church is the oldest of Birmingham's Churches, and is positioned in striking contracts with the modern Bullring and Selfridges developments. Inside the church stands the oldest monument in the city - a 1325 effigy of the Lord of the Manor Sir William de Bermingham.

• Grade I listed St Paul’s Cathedral is the smallest of the English cathedrals and the only one to be built in the Baroque style. St Philip's is most famous for its 19th century stained glass windows designed by Birmingham artist Edward Burne-Jones. The cathedral contains four jewelled effect windows as excellent examples of his work.

• Set in the heart of the Jewellery Quarter, St Paul’s Church stands in the only remaining Georgian square in Birmingham, and it was the church of Birmingham's early manufacturers and merchants - Matthew Boulton and James Watt had their own pews, which were bought and sold as commodities at that time.

• Any proud Brummie will tell you that Birmingham has more canals than Venice. Birmingham’s canals were built with the assistance of engineer James Brindley. Birmingham’s canals kicked off the city’s redevelopment in the early 90s with Brindleyplace an area alongside the canal, packed with restaurants, bars, shops and offices, named after the man himself. The Birmingham Canal Navigation is the world's largest canal system so exploring Birmingham by water is a great way to see the city, and The Mailbox boat allows you to do just that. Hop on for a 30 minute aquatic tour of the city centre for just £3.50. For that special occasion, enjoy gourmet food on away2dine. This floating restaurant offers diners a five course meal and a relaxing three hour cruise of the city.

• Much redevelopment has taken place in Birmingham, but the city has also succeeded in preserving important examples of its past. Newman Brothers Coffin Works was one of England’s only remaining funeral furniture manufacturers. It is situated in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, and it is said that the fixtures for the coffins of Churchill and the Queen Mother were all made here. Tours are available by appointment.

• Back to Back housing was built in Birmingham in the 1800s to cater for the industrial boom. These small houses were built in groups around a communal courtyard. One set of Back to Backs has survived and has been turned into a museum, owned by the National Trust. Guided tours are available through four separate homes, each representing a different period and detailing the lives of families who lived there.

• Acclaimed at its opening in 1834 as the finest music hall in the country, the Town Hall has received a £35m in 2007 renovation by a dedicated team of conservation and construction professionals. The Grade 1 listed landmark now has a packed programme of concerts and events throughout the year.

• Another thriving example of regeneration is the Custard Factory, a former Bird’s custard factory built in 1904. It has been transformed into the focal point of Birmingham’s arts and media quarter situated in rapidly regenerating Digbeth. Comprising of hundreds of studios and offices it provides a home to artists, designers, media businesses, charities, musicians and many others, along with a range of shops, bars and galleries.

• In 1879, Richard and George Cadbury moved their growing chocolate manufacturing business to a rural site called Bournbrook. Its name was changed from Bournbrook to Bourneville as French chocolate was the most fashionable at the time. By 1915 the heart of the village had been established as a centre for Quaker community life in keeping with the Cadbury family, complete with shops, school, school of arts and crafts, church hall and friends meeting house. Bourneville remains a Quaker society today.

• Bournville has grown over the years from a small community of 300 houses, to about 8000 homes on 1000 acres, and is also home to Cadbury World where visitors can learn first hand about Birmingham’s favourite confectionery.