The Black Country Book Historic England

Product DescriptionThe Black Country Book Historic England.This illustrated history portrays one of England’s mostfascinating regions – the Black Country in the WestMidlands. It provides a nostalgic look at the area’s pastand highlights the special character of some of its mostimportant historic sites,The photographs are taken from the Historic EnglandArchive, a unique collection of over 12 million photographs,drawings, plans and documents covering England’sarchaeology, architecture, social and local history. Picturesdate from the earliest days of photography to the presentand cover subjects from Bronze Age burials and medievalchurches to cinemas and seaside resorts.The Black Country has long been an important regionin England. The towns and villages west of Birminghamaround Dudley, Wolverhampton, Sandwell and Walsallprospered from its rich mineral resources from medievaltimes, particularly through coal mining and ironworking.These towns were at the forefront of the IndustrialRevolution in Britain and by the eighteenth century thearea was continuously built up and the site of intensiveindustry and manufacturing. In the latter part of thetwentieth century coal mining in the Black Country rapidlydeclined and heavy industry and manufacturing movedaway. Though the landscape has changed rapidly due to theregeneration of the area in subsequent decades, the BlackCountry’s unique heritage has not been lost.