The Heart of England

Birmingham is the most important city in the Midlands, one of England's most productive regions, with large industrial areas such as the Black Country in the West Midlands. However, there is also a lot of farming country, for example in the counties of Shropshire, Worcestershire and Leicestershire. This region has some beautiful countryside in the Peak District National Park, the Cotswold Hills and the Malvern Hills.

-	In the beautiful fruit-growing countryside of the Severn valley, are the famous cathedral-towns of Worcester, Hereford and Gloucester, plus ancient Tewkesbury.
-	South of Birmingham lies the historic town of Warwick with its great castle. Nearby is Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare.
-	Coventry is famous for its magnificient modern cathedral. The waters of Leamington Spa can cure medical problems.
-	Shropshire is the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. Ironbridge, where iron was first made, is a living museum.
-	The moorland and hills of Staffordshire and Derbyshire are part of the Peak District.
-	Manchester and Sheffield are large industrial centres. Sheffield is famous for steel.
-	Liverpool is one of Britain's major ports and has long had an important ship-building industry.

Susan Sheerin, Jonathan Seath, Gillian White: Spotlight on Britain; Oxford University Press, 1985, page 50