Village Dudley

Why visit Dudley?

by leics

Well, quite frankly, there is only one reason. Although Dudley has shops, and a castle/ zoo, its only real attraction is the Black Country Living Museum.

The 'Black Country' is the area around Dudley/ Wolverhampton, so-named because it was a centre for heavy (and dirty) industry during and after the Industrial Revolution. Coal, iron ore and limestone are all available, so steel and ironworking of all types took place, in factories and in people's backyards (particularly chain/ nail-making).

The Black Country Museum is made up of a large number of original buildings which have been moved to the site and rebuilt brick by brick, to give a flavour of what the area was like at the turn of the 20th century. There are houses of all types, shops, a chapel, a pub, a cinema, a fairground and a school. You can go inside all the buildings, which are appropriately furnished. Many of them have costumed guides, who provide extra information.

A tram and a trolleybus (electrically-powered) move around the site, you can visit a very dark and atmospheric drift coal-mine and have a lesson in the school. Canalboats also go into the limestone caverns under Dudley castle (well worth the extra cost), and chain is still made in the traditional way. There is a transport and industry museum too.

One of the most interesting things about this museum is that it is staffed by locals, so that you get a real flavour of the local accent, dialect and culture.

Finally, the chips from the chip shop are the best I've ever tasted and the beer is pretty good too!