Discover hidden gems amongst the best towns in the West Midlands.
The West Midlands is one of those regions that doesn’t immediately register when thinking of pretty locations. The area is most famous for the boom cities of Coventry and Birmingham, which despite their credentials, are not the prettiest of places. Delve a bit deeper however and you discover the region has some of the most beautiful towns in England. The West Midlands was among the first areas of the UK to industrialise in the 17th century. The smoke from the many thousands of ironworking foundries and forges in the area resulted in it being dubbed the “black country”.
In the 19th century, industries became increasingly concentrated and trade shifted toward larger cities. Many of the early pioneers of industrial methods lost out and remained small and rural, with little demand for space. Others snubbed industrialisation altogether, content on the custom of society, market trade, agriculture or coaching traffic. These towns – the ‘has-beens’ and ‘never were’ – remain little changed since the 19th century. Perfectly preserved and devastatingly handsome, these towns are the best towns in the West Midlands.
Best Towns in West Midlands
- Bewdley
- Bridgenorth
- Great Malvern
- Hereford
- Ironbridge
- Ledbury
- Ludlow
- Much Wenlock
- Pershore
- Ross-on-Wye
- Shrewsbury
- Stratford-upon-Avon
- Tewkesbury
- Warwick
- Worcester
Best Towns in West Midlands
1. Bewdley
Mentioned in the Domesday Book, Bewdley is one of the best towns in the West Midlands. It’s also one of the oldest. The settlement started out in the 14th century a market town, growing to become a strategic trading site. The River Severn was once the second busiest river in Europe and Bewdley’s riverside setting allowed it to prosper through the centuries.
Visit Bewdley today and you’ll be greeted by a handsome Georgian town, little changed since the 19th century.
County: Worcestershire
Train Station: Kidderminster Station
2. Bridgnorth
Nestled into the Severn Valley is the riverside town of Bridgnorth. Bridgnorth is not one but two; low town and high town, connected by the steepest inland cliff railway in Britain, the Castle Hill Railway. The fashionable way to arrive at the town is by train, which is in keeping with the area’s industrial heritage. Bridgnorth dates much further back than industrial times however.
A castle was built by Ethelfleda – King Alfred’s daughter in 912. For many centuries, Bridgnorth thrived as a river port, ferrying goods to and from the great seaport of Bristol. Though the port no longer functions, the wealth from this era is easily visible in the town’s many historic buildings.
County: Shropshire
Train Station: Cosford Station
3. Great Malvern
Lying in a sheltered spot amongst the Malvern Hills, Great Malvern is undoubtedly one of the best towns in the West Midlands. What makes this little spot so special is the glorious array of Victorian Architecture, with many buildings of a mock Tudor and Jacobean vernacular. The inspiration behind this revival style was undoubtedly the great Priory Church which dates to 1085.
Great Malvern grew outside the priory walls and was of little consequence until 1756 when it was publicised as an up-and-coming spa town. So popular was the resort that Princess Victoria came here in 1830. Though the curative waters no long attract crowds, the beautiful architecture and surrounding landscape is still going strong.
County: Worcestershire
Train Station: Great Malvern Station
4. Hereford
Famous for its cathedral, Hereford is a bustling country town of much importance. The settlement was made the seat of a bishop in 676 AD and by the 10th century had a mint and weekly market. Though the mint no longer functions, the market continues, accompanied by many other rituals and customs of civic life.
Today, Hereford has a wonderfully rural character despite its official status as a ‘city’. The countryside and meandering Wye River are never too far away. The town is blessed with many beautiful buildings, Georgian, Victorian and Jacobean in style. With a cathedral, countryside and many museums, it’s perfect for a day trip.
County: Herefordshire
Train Station: Hereford Train Station
5. Ironbridge
The status of Ironbridge as the “Birthplace of the Industrial Revolution” defies its rural situation. This is the town where Abraham Darby perfected the technique of iron smelting, making way for the cheap and fast production of iron. Iron fulled the industrial revolution and this makes Ironbridge one of the best towns in the West Midlands.
The bridge after which Ironbridge takes its name was the first to be fabricated in cast iron (and still stands). The rest of the town sits above the river and is graced by handsome Georgian houses built by ironmasters, contemporary workers’ cottages and Victorian villas. It’s altogether a lovely country town with many museums and landmarks to while away the hours.
County: Shropshire
Train Station: Telford Central Station
6. Ledbury
Tucked into the Malvern hills, Ledbury is one of the most charming countryside towns in England. Like many towns on this list, Ledbury derived its early wealth – like any market town – through a number of trades. The town is distinctive for its black and white timber-framed houses with elegant square panels (a decorative feature of the West Midlands).
Timber houses are interspersed with others of glowing red Hereford brick with the local parish church built of rosy red sandstone. Walk along the high street here and you will find it widens to reveal the site of an ancient market place, complete with 17th century market house built on stilts. The most iconic view however is that of cobbled Church Lane, which twists its way up the hill with pretty timbered houses with projecting upper stories.
County: Herefordshire
Train Station: Ledbury Train Station
7. Ludlow
Described by Sir John Betjeman as ‘the loveliest town in England’, Ludlow is a beauty. The town owes its success to its position facing the Welsh border. The location made it the administrative capital of Wales in the 16th Century. However, Ludlow’s origins are far older than that. William the Conqueror built a castle here in the 11th century and soon after the town was laid out on a carefully planned grid (which still exists).
For many years, Ludlow drew wealth from its market, wool and cloth. Then, in the 18th Century, it became a fashionable centre for the county’s gentry. Many of the buildings still exist, making Ludlow a Georgian town with some pleasant Tudor additions. If there had to be a winner for best town in the West Midlands – this would be it.
County: Shropshire
Train Station: Ludlow Train Station
8. Much Wenlock
The country town of Much Wenlock sits snugly within the Shropshire hillside – a romantic landscape that has inspired artists throughout the ages. This is a town that doesn’t often feature in tourist books, making it one of the most underrated countryside towns in England. Much Wenlock owes its origins to St Mildburga who founded a convent here in the 7th century. The Normans turned it into a priory and for hundreds of years, the abbot held power until the dissolution of the monasteries.
Like many market towns, Much Wenlock had a concentration of various manufactures, crafts, trades and professions, all serving the surrounding rural community. The priory buildings are the most grand, with the town consisting of modest country buildings, made with oak, brick, stucco and warm tinted stone. It’s a really pretty place – unfussy, and surrounded by countryside.
County: Shropshire
Train Station: Wellington Station
9. Pershore
The market town of Pershore is a special place for it is classified as a ‘Gem Town’. The designation refers to the ‘historic quality’ of Pershore’s built environment (which has changed little since the 19th century). Walking round the streets here, it’s not difficult to understand why it’s regarded as special.
Pershore is a pretty Georgian town, graced with red-brick Georgian townhouses built from the wealth agriculture and market trade brought. The town is is a rural delight across all seasons but especially in the summer when the Pershore Jazz Festival comes to town. It really is one of the best towns in the West Midlands.
County: Worcestershire
Train Station: Pershore Station
10. Ross-on-Wye
Ross-on-Wye is ‘a good old town, famous for good cider, a greate manufacture of iron ware, and a good trade on the River Wye’. These were the words of Daniel Defoe who visited the town in Georgian era. Much of what he saw remains, for Ross of Wye is beautifully preserved, sitting on a cliff on red sandstone.
The town is made of the same stone, though some houses are stuccoed or built in timber. The best views are to be found across the river, where a fine array of houses from different periods, sit huddled beneath the soaring Church spire. Further in the town, the 17th market house and timbered merchant houses provide further curiosity.
County: Herefordshire
Train Station: Ross-on-Wye Station
11. Shrewsbury
Like Ludlow, Shrewsbury lies on a hill and combines all the trappings of a medieval English country town. The strategically commanding and easily defensible location allowed the Tudor town to prosper through the ages. Monks and Merchants thrived here, benefitting from the income of wool and milk, along with coaching traffic on the London-Holyhead route.
What’s lovely about Shrewsbury is the wonderful array of historical buildings. Tudor timber mansions combine with graceful Georgian houses, an ancient abbey and early industrial structures to create a vision of English history. It really is one of the best towns in the West Midlands.
County: Shropshire
Train Station: Shrewsbury Train Station
12. Stratford-upon-Avon
The pretty Tudor town of Stratford upon Avon is synonymous with Shakespeare. However, there’s a lot more to love about Stratford than its literary connections. Stratford upon Avon owes its historic success to the flowing River Avon which made the town a trading hub. The town has held a market since the 12th century and many merchants grew rich here, creating guilds to augment their power.
Visit Stratford upon Avon today and you’ll find reminders of Shakespeare everywhere. There are many fine timber houses here, dating to the time where the material was used heavily to show prestige. With picture postcard streetscapes, countryside and numerous attractions, it’s one of the best town in the West Midlands.
County: Warwickshire
Train Station: Stratford-upon-Avon Train Station
13. Tewkesbury
If you’re after real olde world charm – narrow alleys, winding streets, ancient buildings – you’ll love Tewkesbury. Monks settled in Tewkesbury at the start of the 8th century and by the 12th they had started work on Tewkesbury Abbey. The Abbey still stands, with the Tudor town huddling below.
Tewkesbury’s narrow site meant every bit of space had to be exploited, with the town having some of the longest and best conserved medieval terraces in the UK. The houses come in an charming array of styles, with medieval timber-framing sitting beside elegant Georgian brick frontages. It’s a delight for any lover of history, a town little changed since the Victorian era.
County: Gloucestershire
Train Station: Ashchurch for Tewkesbury Station
14. Warwick
When people think of Warwick, they always think of the castle. However, the town is far older. Warwick was founded as a burgh (fortified town) in 914 by Ethelfleda (who built a castle in nearby Bridgnorth). The town’s site on a spur of limestone overlooking the avon made it easy to defend and so Warwick prospered through the centuries.
Though a fire burnt large swathes of Warwick in 1694, some significant timber structures survived making Warwick a Tudor Town at heart. What was rebuilt was ‘so noble and so beautiful a manner’ (Daniel Defore). Visit Warwick today and you’ll be graced by a medieval town that wears its history well, with many iconic structures and a riverside setting.
County: Warwickshire
Train Station: Warwick Station
15. Worcester
Located 8 miles north of Great Malvern, Worcester is the second town on this list with a cathedral. Founded by the Romans around 50 AD, the settlement has long been a seat of importance. Worcester is typical of many West Midland towns, with black and white buildings, interspersed between much Victorian.
Though the settlement has been much expanded since it’s Victorian heyday, Worcester’s historic centre remains a beauty. Visit the town today and you’ll fall in love with its Cathedral, Medieval houses and Royalist Headquarters – all Grade I listed.
County: Worcestershire
Train Station: Worcester Foregate Street Station
20 Best Georgian Towns in England
Some of the towns listed are deliciously Georgian. Discover their 18th history and some other Georgian beauties in my post on the 20 Best Georgian Towns in England. Enjoy!