A Short History of Birmingham

The second biggest city in the UK, Birmingham has played a formidable role in the Britain we know today. Birmingham has come quite a long way from its Anglo-Saxon roots. Once a collection of farms and houses dotted along the River Rea, Birmingham was first recorded in the Doomsday Book as a small village worth 20 shillings. Nowadays, Birmingham is home to some two million people and is the fourth most popular UK city with foreign visitors; not bad for a city that started off as a farm.

It was the 12th century, however, that really saw the Birmingham we know today start to take shape. With the town's castle granted permission to hold a market, it wasn't long before goods from far and wide were making there way to Birmingham for sale. The city's famous metal working heritage had also formed its foundations by the 1500s, where access to iron ore and coal allowed the city the necessary ingredients to grow into an even bigger city.

Birmingham's ties to industry and metalworking proved particularly important during the English Industrial Revolution which took place during the 18th century. During this time, Birmingham's population tripled in size as a surge in job opportunities, better living conditions and the arrival of great thinkers and inventors meant the city was very much 'the place to be'.

Sadly, the splendour of Birmingham's industrial heyday suffered extensive damage during the Second World War, where Nazi bombers repeatedly attacked the city from the air. Subsequently, most of the city had to be rebuilt during the 1950s and 1960s which has lead to a mixture of modern developments such as shopping centres, squares and Birmingham hotels standing shoulder to shoulder with historic cathedrals and museums.

Today, Birmingham is considered a 'gamma-world city' due to its position as a political, economic and cultural centre. Birmingham – a city that truly shows no sign of slowing down.