Wolverhampton

Perhaps little known to most people, Wolverhampton is a city steeped in a rich history and was an extremely important industrial centre in the 19th century. Lying at the edge of the historically famed 'Black County', the interest of the area extends beyond the conurbation into the attractive surrounding Staffordshire and South Shropshire countryside, that are best explored by car.

Attractions

Wolverhampton grew to be a wealthy town due to the huge amount of industry and abundance of coal and iron deposits in the area and the heavy industry that developed as a result. An excellent tribute to this rich industrial history can be found in the Black County Museum, that is home to an underground coalmine, old fashioned schools, shops and houses. The interactive museum gives the buildings the feeling of an authentic, traditional black country way of life. Well worth the visit, especially if you have younger children to entertain. Relics of this industrial wealth can be explored in the local manor houses. Shugborough Manor is perhaps the most stunning example of a complete estate, with all major buildings still remaining, including servants' quarters.

In terms of national fame, the most notable of the Wolverhampton Houses is Boscobel House. The house has attached to it some remarkable history, in particular the story of a fleeing King. Following the defeat of the Royal army at the hands of Cromwell's troops at Worcester, the future King Charles was forced to flee for his life through the British countryside. He did not succeed to cross into Wales and in his desperation, sought refuge in the house. As the legend goes, he hid for many hours up a huge oak tree, to evade the passing Cromwell troops. To this day, the grandiose 'Royal Oak' tree stands within the grounds of the house. The house is well worth the short car ride into the stunning Staffordshire countryside.

Back into the city centre there are a number of attractions that merit discovery. The oldest religious building in Wolverhampton, St Peter's Church, stands in pleasant gardens with the shaft of the ancient Saxon Cross. Standing in Queens square, in the heart of the city centre, is a statue erected in 1866 in memory of Prince Albert, the unveiling of which brought Queen Victoria to Wolverhampton. The statue is referred to by many locals as simply "the Man on the Horse".

During its industrial heyday Wolverhampton developed as a crucial transport hub. Perhaps the best example of a vintage railway lies a mere 10 miles from the city in the Severn Valley. Regular steam-hauled passenger trains for tourists and enthusiasts alike pass along its 16 mile course between Bridgnorth, Shropshire and Kidderminster in Worcestershire, both easily accessible by car from the city.

Wolverhampton is also home to one of the oldest English football clubs, 'The Wolves' were in fact one of the 12 founding members of the Football League. Their celebrated history can be witnessed at the 28,500 seat stadium, the Molineux.

Shopping

Recently much of the city centre was pedestrianised and now provides an extremely pleasant shopping experience. Two recently refurbished shopping centres; the Mander and the Wulfrun house all the local and national chain stores that one could need.

The grand old Beatties department store is the centrepiece of the colourful, decorated streets at Christmas. It is a pleasure to browse the store and take a stroll down Dudley street in the festive season.Wolverhampton also houses a lively indoor and outdoor market where all produce can be bought.

Nightlife and Eating Out

The city houses a broad range of trendy, British and European restaurants. Notably, 'Bella' is a modern, Italian family run business that specialises in good quality, freshly done meat, fish and pasta dishes. Alternately, Zorbas is a Greek eatery that also provides entertainment on Friday and Saturday, encouraging the punters to take part.

It is a must to try out one of the numerous ethnic eateries the city has to offer. In particular, the 5 star restaurant Bilash, a Bangladeshi restaurant that offers an extensive menu and won the 'National Chef of the Year' award and member of the 'Good Food Guide'.

Wolverhampton is a relatively large city and has a vibrant night life to match. A plethora of famous rock groups have their roots in the city; Slade, Babylon Zoo and Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin and live music venues are numerous. With weekly lineups of top national artists and the 'up and coming', Wolverhampton Civic Hall is the most renowned venue. Second to that is Wulfrun Hall (part of the same complex as the Civic Hall).

In terms of 'higher culture', the famous Grand Theatre and the Arena Theatre are located in the city centre and both house the popular pantomines of the moment. Art Galleries are also numerous in the city; Wolverhampton Art Gallery, is in fact home to England's biggest Pop Art collection.

The city is well served for cinema with a Cineworld multiplex located at Bentley Bridge or, for more alternative flavours, The Lighthouse celebrates the ethnic culture of the region with regular showings of Bollywood films. For a slightly different manor of entertainment, perhaps involving a bit of a flutter, Wolverhampton Racecourse is located at Dunstall Park, just to the north of the city centre and was one of the first all-weather horse racing courses in the UK.

Tourist Information

Wolverhampton Tourist Information Centre 18 Queen Square, Wolverhampton, WV1 3JW Tel: +44(0)1902 556110Email: wolverhampton.tic@dial.pipex.com

Airport

Birmingham International Airport is the nearest and most accessible from Wolverhampton, to the south-east of the city. The rail connection between the airport and Wolverhampton is excellent.

East Midlands Airport around an hour and a half from the city has a growing number of flights to popular European destinations.

Manchester International and Liverpool Airport lie only 2 hours by car to the north and service a large number of international destinations.