pic: Walsall High Street
Walsall town centre is dominated by two contrasting but attractive buildings.
On a hill overlooking the town’s bustling High Street, site of the borough’s oldest market, is St Matthew’s church which dates back to the 12th century.
On the opposite side of the town, at the head of the main shopping thoroughfare of Park Street, stands the New Art Gallery Walsall.
The gallery opened in 2000 in a fanfare of international publicity, and is the award-winning home of the internationally renowned German Ryan art collection.
The Art Gallery is at the centre of a £500 million regeneration scheme which will see hundreds of contemporary apartments built beside the town’s meandering canal system, along with commercial office developments, and a host of new restaurants and bars.
Already, town centre pubs and clubs bring revellers from surrounding areas such as the nearby city of Wolverhampton to enjoy the lively nightlife.
Walsall is also famous for its leather goods and particularly its hand-made saddles which are exported around the world. This traditional industry dates back hundreds of years and gives Walsall Football Club its nickname ‘The Saddlers.’
Famous people hailing from the borough include funfair owner Pat Collins and Slade frontman, Noddy Holder.
Walsall was twinned with the French town of Mulhouse in 1962.
Areas in and around Walsall
pic: Beechdale
Palfrey: Palfrey is to the east of Walsall town centre. It offers modern housing and is home to a number of mosques including Abu Bakr.
The district is home to the recently refurbished Palfrey Park; work has included a new bandstand, improved play and sports facilities, nature conservation, and general overall enhancement.
Beechdale: A large housing estate mainly developed during the 1950s, Beechdale is again situated just a stone's throw from Walsall town centre.
Many of the roads on the estate take their name from famous inventors, and for book lovers, Beechdale Library can be found in Stephenson Square.
Leamore and Bloxwich: Leamore lies to the north of Walsall town centre and is boardered by Bloxwich; both areas have benefited from significant ongoing regeneration.
Bloxwich boasts a great mix of Edwardian and Victorian buildings, but was expanded during the 1950s and 60s with lots of new housing being built, along with several schools.
Residents in these parts have a wide range of stores and shops including a large Asda supermarket on Bloxwich High Street.
Pelsall: The attractive village of Pelsall has managed to retain its rural charm.
It has an attractive row of shops along the busy High Street, and following the Second World War, new housing sprung up in the community.
A wide range of activities take place in the village each year, including the annual Pelsall Victorian Christmas extravaganza which attracts thousands of visitors.
pic: Park Hall
Park Hall: Park Hall is a large estate on the southern side of the borough, and is a predominantly affluent area.
Many of the roads on the estate are named after Cornish towns; examples include Newquay Road and Launceston Road.
The Gillity Village shops can be found right in the heart of Park Hall, and the area is well served by transport links.
The Delves: Also located on the southern side of Walsall, The Delves is close to the home of Walsall Football Club, Banks's Stadium.
The area is well served by a number of schools including Delves Junior School.
Brownhills: Brownhills is situated close to Cannock Chase, a well-known wooded area, and has good access to the M6 Toll and the A5.
The area, particularly around Brownhills High Street, has a good range of shops, and there are plenty of schools in the vicinity, including Shire Oak School and Millfield Primary School.
An impressive statue has recently been erected in Brownhills to pay tribute to the area's mining heritage.
Living Here
Transport:
Roads: Walsall is well served by a motorway network providing excellent links to the rest of the Black Country and the wider region.
The borough is not far from neighbouring Wolverhampton and Birmingham city centre.
Junctions 7, 9 and 10 of the M6 are all within easy reach. The cathedral city of Lichfield is also a short drive away via the main A5.
Trains: Walsall boasts its own town centre station providing services to Birmingham New Street and Wolverhampton, as well as Cannock, Rugeley and Stafford.
Buses: Walsall Metropolitan Borough is mainly serviced by West Midlands Travel buses but there are several independent companies operating throughout the town.
Walsall has excellent bus links to the rest of the Black Country, particularly to Wolverhampton on the 529 service which goes via Willenhall.
Air: Birmingham International Airport lies just 18 miles away.
Shopping:
pic: Park Street, Walsall
Walsall town centre offers a fantastic range of shops for the bargain hunter.
There are three indoor shopping centres in the town centre, namely Park Place, The Saddlers Shopping Centre and the Old Square.
The town's historic outdoor market also adds to the shopping experience and the array of stalls ranges from fishmongers to bric-a-brac.
Nearby district centres such as Bloxwich, Pelsall and Brownhills also offer a wide range of shops from traditional butchers to hardware stores.
Eating and drinking:
The borough is well blessed with restaurants, cosy pubs and lively nightclubs. WS1 nightclub in Walsall town centre is a popular night-time venue and there are pubs galore including the Hog's Head, Varsity and Chicago Rock Cafe.
Bloxwich High Street also boasts a large number of traditional pubs, offering a friendly welcome.
Other areas such as the village of Pelsall, Beechdale, Brownhills and Aldridge have a good range of places to enjoy a bite to eat and a drink.
Entertainment and leisure:
pic: The New Art Gallery Walsall
Cinema: The Showcase Cinema, in Bentley Mill Way, is conveniently situated just off Junction 10 of the M6.
Theatre: The borough is well served by facilities such as Bloxwich Library Theatre, which hosts to a sublime range of productions from drama to comedy.
The vibrant Aldridge Youth Theatre in Noddy Park Road is popular with theatre-goers from across the Midlands.
Close at hand is Wolverhampton Grand Theatre which has a busy and varied year-round programme.
Walsall Leather Museum: Housed in a restored leather factory in Littleton Street West, visitors to the Leather Museum can celebrate Walsall's proud heritage in the leather trade, which continues to thrive today.
Walsall Museum, situated right in the heart of the town centre, also pays tribute to the borough's past, and hosts a wide range of fascinating exhibitions.
The New Art Gallery Walsall attracts visitors from across the world. It opened in February 2000 and works by a range of top artists can be found on display.
The gallery also stages an impressive number of free events throughout the year including talks and artist's demonstrations.
Parks and open spaces: pic: Walsall Arboretum
Despite being, by population, the largest metropolitan area outside Greater London, Walsall offers nature lovers countless countryside sites to visit.
In the town centre, Walsall Arboretum attracts visitors from far and wide, and also plays host to the town's annual Illuminations spectacular.
There are five Local Nature Reserves within the borough's boundaries including Pelsall Common North and the Park Lime Pits in Rushall.
Rough Wood Wedge, in Bloxwich, boasts a wide range of habitats which are home to a rich diversity of wildlife.
Walsall also has an impressive number of parks in which to spend a quiet hour or two. A fine example is Holland Park in Brownhills, which has a wide range of facilities including a multi-use games area, skate park, and children's play area.
Sports:
Walsall is, of course, home to the mighty Saddlers - Walsall Football Club. One of the town's biggest employers, the club is currently enjoying success in League One and continues to play a central role in promoting the borough.
The borough is a golfer's paradise with numerous golf courses to be found, including Druids Heath Golf Club and Walsall Golf Club. One of the country's finest driving ranges can also be found in Aldridge.
The Swag in Aldridge has a much-used lake for activities such as canoeing and sailing.