West Midlands
Art, History & Archaeology Sites & Museums

Created in 1974, the county of the West Midlands is located within a larger region that is (confusingly) also called the West Midlands. A heavily urbanised area incorporating the city of Birmingham, the West Midlands is England’s second most-populous county. The area has been inhabited since prehistory, a reminder of which can be seen at the Wychbury Ring hillfort on the Worcestershire border. The legacy of the Middle Ages can still be explored at the castles of Dudley and Caludon, as well as at the medieval walls around the city of Coventry. The county’s medieval religious history is meanwhile on display at Saint Peter’s Collegiate Church, Wolverhampton, which has a 9th-century cross shaft outside it, while the Gothic ruins of Coventry Cathedral, wrecked in the Blitz, still remain standing. Early modern sites include Aston Hall and Moseley Old Hall, while the area’s rich industrial history is showcased at the Black Country Living Museum.