6th JULY 2024
TOURIST INFORMATION
Warwickshire
Stratford-upon-Avon and all things Shakespearian are about 40 mins drive away.
Stratford has many interesting historic buildings as well as the world famous theatre. You might also be able to book seats for a play: http://www.rsc.org.uk/whats-on/
The nearby town of Warwick with Warwick Castle & the Beauchamp Chapel are also well worth a visit.
Kenilworth Castle: A ruined medieval fortress transformed into a Elizabethan palace.
Bosworth Battlefield: The site of the Battle of Bosworth is of national significance and international interest. It’s where King Richard 3, whose bones were recently found under a car-park and reburied In Leicester Cathedral, lost his life and crown to Henry Tudor in 1485, thus beginning the powerful Tudor dynasty.
Birmingham
It takes just 30 minutes from Merevale Hall and 15 minutes from Blyth Hall to the centre of Birmingham so it’s easy to combine your stay with a bit of sight-seeing.
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery: International collection including Pre-Raphaelite paintings with the world’s largest number of works by Edward Burne-Jones. Has just reopened after important infrastructure works.
Barber Institute of Fine Arts: Grade 1 listed building housing an important art collection on the campus of Birmingham University.
Bull Ring: Contemporary landmark shopping centre with some amazing buildings.
Gas Street Basin: The heart of Birmingham's canal network where the Worcester & Birmingham Canal meets the BCN Main Line. The towpaths around this attractive basin are lined with bars, pubs and modern buildings.
Jewellery Quarter: Conservation area with over 200 listed buildings, jewellery shopping. Annoyingly museum may be closed.
Aston Hall: Grade 1 Jacobean House right beside Aston Villa football club.
Birmingham Back to Backs: Run by National Trust and preserved as an example of thousands of similar houses that were built round shared courtyards for the population of Birmingham’s industrial towns.
Walsall New Art Gallery: The Garman Ryan collection of 365 artworks including Constable, Degas, Matisse, Monet, Picasso and Van Gogh, as well as by friends and family members (Kathleen Ryan was married to the sculptor Jacob Epstein) such as Epstein, Lucian Freud, Theo Garman and Matthew Smith
