The West Midlands is a county full of history, which makes it a fascinating place for locals to explore.
Many West Midlands towns and villages we know and love today date back hundreds of years, even to the Domesday Book of 1086.
Published a staggering 940 years ago, the book was a detailed survey of landed property in England at the end of the 11th century, recording who held the land and how it was used.
Considering that it was written nearly 1,000 years ago, it’s unsurprising that some settlements have disappeared from the West Midlands map completely.
Others, meanwhile, have changed names over the past nine-and-a-half centuries.
So, we’ve takena look at 8 of the oldest villages in the West Midlands.
1. Tipton
Tipton was a settlement in Domesday Book, located in the county of Staffordshire. At the time, It had a recorded population of 5.5 households in 1086. Now the town has a population of 44,125 according to the 2021 census. | Tony Hisgett, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
2. Alderminster
The settlement had about 39 households in 1086. | JThomas, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
3. Aston
Aston was first mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086 as Estone. Almost 1000 years ago, the settlement had 44 households in the Domesday Book and was part of the Warwickshire county. Now, its a huge part of the city, boasting sites like Aston Hall, Aston Villa Football Club and being the birthplace of Ozzy Osbourne. | Philip Halling, CC BY-SA 2.0
4. Cannock
In the Domesday book, the town had 14 households in 1086, and is listed under 2 owners. Now Cannock has a population of 100,000 and is a thriving town in Staffordshire. | Geoff Pick / CC BY-SA 2.0