Solihull
Explore hidden histories, historic photos, and things you never knew about Solihull from the collections and archives of Historic England.
Discover your local listed buildings and places
Introducing some of Solihull's most historic sites, included in the National Heritage List for England. Some of these captions have been summarised by AI. Click through for the official List entry. Skip this section and go to place by numbers
Elmdon Terminal Building, Birmingham Airport
Bickenhill and Marston Green
The Elmdon Building, Birmingham Airport, of 1939 by Norman and Dawbarn.
Motte and bailey castle with later moated site at Stonebr…
Kingshurst
Motte and bailey castles were strategic Norman fortifications and aristocratic residences crucial to Norman Britain's history.
Diddington Hall
Hampton in Arden
Diddington Hall, a late 16th-century building, features red brick and sandstone, gabled roofs, stone fireplaces, and a 17th-century staircase with intricate details.
Colebrook Priory
Solihull
A house with surviving fabric of possibly the C16 or C17, later re-fronted in probably the C19.
Dovehouse Farmhouse
Solihull
Dovehouse Farmhouse in Solihull is a historically significant timber-framed building from circa 1500, featuring 18th-century brickwork and distinctive architectural elements.
Ram Hall
Berkswell
Ram Hall is a 16th-century sandstone and brick building with notable features like original fireplaces and a concealed staircase, forming a historical group with its barn.
15 and 17, Chester Road
Castle Bromwich
15 and 17 Chester Road, a historic pair of circa 1700 red brick houses, features a hipped roof and Jacobean-style porches.
Goldfinger House
Solihull
Office building, the former headquarters for Carr's Paper Works. 1955, by Erno Goldfinger (1902-1987).
Olton Friary (formerly Diocesan Seminary College of St Be…
Solihull
Former diocesan theological training college, built in 1873, founded by Bishop Ullathorne, designed by Edward Joseph Hansom (1842-1900) of Dunn and Hansom.
The Rectory
Castle Bromwich
The Rectory is a Queen Anne-style house designed by C E Bateman in 1910, featuring red brick, stone dressings, and a symmetrical facade with a central porch.
Church of Saint Alphege
Solihull
A parish church dating from the late C12, with rebuilding and enlargement from the late C13 until the C16, with some alterations in the C18, C19 and C20.
Castle Bromwich Hall
Castle Bromwich
Castle Bromwich Hall, with gardens designed by William Winde and George London between 1680-1740, underwent major restorations in the late 19th and 20th centuries.
Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of the Wayside
Solihull
A Roman Catholic church built between 1965-67 to the designs of Brian Rush of Rush, Granelli and Partners with glass by Tom Fairs and sculpture by Dame Elisabeth Frink and Walter Ritchie.
Hillfield Hall
Solihull
Hillfield Hall, dated 1576, features red brick, a tiled roof with a crowstep gable, and castellated towers. Rebuilt partially after a fire in 1867.
Church of Saint Thomas
Hockley Heath
The Church of Saint Thomas, built in 1879 by John Cotton, features polychromatic brickwork in the Early English style with a north-east steeple.
Church of Saint Mary and Saint Margaret
Castle Bromwich
The Church of St Mary and St Margaret features a timber-framed structure from the 15th century, encased in 18th-century red brick and stone by Thomas White.
Church of St Patrick
Cheswick Green
Nave and chancel by W.H. Bidlake, 1897-1902, grafted onto a tower of 1860-1 by G.T. Robinson.
144, High Street
Solihull
144 High Street is a 19th-century reface of an older building with a plaster facade and false timber framing, forming a historical group with its neighboring structures.
Meriden Hotel
Meriden
The Meriden Hotel is a late 18th-century red brick building with historic architectural details, including sash windows and Doric pilasters.
Bradford Arms Public House
Castle Bromwich
The Bradford Arms Public House, dating back to the 18th century, features a symmetrical red brick design and hipped roof, accompanied by single-story wings.
The Malt Shovel Inn
Solihull
The Malt Shovel Inn is a 17th-century timber-framed building with color-washed roughcast and machine-tiled roof, featuring distinct early 19th-century bay windows.
K6 Kiosk
Hampton in Arden
K6 telephone kiosk. Designed in 1935 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. Made by various contractors.
467, Warwick Road
Solihull
Late 16th-century timber-framed cottage encased in 19th-century brick with exposed beams and reused timbers.
Waterfall Cottage
Meriden
Waterfall Cottage, a 17th-century two-storey timber-framed building, features brick nogging and a distinctive group with nearby historic structures.
The George Hotel
Solihull
The George Hotel in Solihull features a 17th-century or earlier structure with timber framing and distinctive chimney stacks.
Church of Saint Peter
Bickenhill and Marston Green
Summary of the Church of Saint Peter includes its 12th-century origins, 14th-century expansions, a 15th-century chapel and tower, and significant 19th-century restoration.
Church of St James
Solihull
1830-2, by Robert Ebbels. Enlarged 1882-3 probably by John Cotton of Birmingham.
K6 Telephone Kiosk
Meriden
K6 Telephone kiosk designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and made by various contractors.
126, High Street
Solihull
No 126, sometimes called The Manor House, is a 15th-century timber-framed building with historical ties to the Greswolde family, featuring distinctive gables and a tiled roof.
Hampton in Arden War Memorial
Hampton in Arden
First World War memorial, unveiled in 1921 and built by Messrs J White and Sons, with later additions for the Second World War.
Shirley War Memorial
Solihull
First World War Memorial, with an additional inscription for the Second World War and casualties from that conflict commemorated on adjacent stone tablets.
Church of Holy Ghost and Mary Immaculate
Solihull
A Roman Catholic church, built 1926-9, designed by George Bernard Cox of Harrison and Cox, Birmingham, in a combination of Early-French and Early-English Gothic styles, built for the Order...
Elmdon War Memorial
Birmingham
War memorial, erected 1920, in the form of a stone cross set on a plinth.
Church of Saint John the Baptist
Berkswell
The Church of Saint John the Baptist features a late 12th-century chancel and crypt, a 14th-century nave and south aisle, and a 15th-century west tower and north aisle.
Church of St Mary
Balsall
Built around 1290 for the Knights Templars, the Church of St Mary was restored by Sir George Gilbert Scott in 1849 and has significant historical remnants.
Church of Saint Mary and Saint Bartholomew
Hampton in Arden
The Church of Saint Mary and Saint Bartholomew features architecture from the 12th to 16th centuries, with notable restorations in 1879 and includes a 1707 carved marble monument.
Explore more
Search for more listed places in SolihullSolihull through time
This timeline shows the first period of use for buildings and places on the National Heritage List for England, just one of the details recorded for every list entry. Click around to see how Solihull changes over time. Skip this section and go to aerial photos
Early medieval AD 410 to AD 1066
This period, often associated in England with Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, saw a reduction in urban living from the Roman period and increased migration from northern Europe.
Traces of this period can be found in cemeteries, particularly in artefacts and in some of the very early churches, as this period also saw the growth of Christianity in Britain.
Medieval AD 1066 to AD 1540
This period, sometimes known as the Middle Ages, began with the Norman invasion in AD 1066. It saw a significant rise in military and defensive buildings such as castles and earthworks, as well as religious houses dominating a largely agricultural landscape.
The monarchy and Church dominated the period, which also saw the break with the Roman Catholic Church and the English reformation.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanently altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Early medieval AD 410 to AD 1066
This period, often associated in England with Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, saw a reduction in urban living from the Roman period and increased migration from northern Europe.
Traces of this period can be found in cemeteries, particularly in artefacts and in some of the very early churches, as this period also saw the growth of Christianity in Britain.
Medieval AD 1066 to AD 1540
This period, sometimes known as the Middle Ages, began with the Norman invasion in AD 1066. It saw a significant rise in military and defensive buildings such as castles and earthworks, as well as religious houses dominating a largely agricultural landscape.
The monarchy and Church dominated the period, which also saw the break with the Roman Catholic Church and the English reformation.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanently altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Aerial photos of Solihull
Aerial photography helps reveal secrets of England's changing landscapes that are impossible to see from the ground. Skip this section and go to archive images
Shirley
The Carco Protective Paper Packings Mill and Cranmore Mills, Cranmore Boulevard and environs, Shirley, 1952
Shirley
The Carco Protective Paper Packings Mill and Cranmore Mills, Cranmore Boulevard and environs, Shirley, 1952
Shirley
Sandy Hill Nursery on Olton Road and Arnold Grove, Shirley, 1938
Shirley
The Sandy Hill Nursery and the surrounding area, Shirley, 1950
Solihull
The Shirley Cabinet Factory, Solihull, 1951
Solihull
The Shirley Cabinet Factory, Solihull, 1951
Kineton Green
Houses off St Bernards Road, Kineton Green, 1946
Kineton Green
Houses and the Cricket Ground off St Bernards Road, Kineton Green, 1946
Meriden
The Meriden Reservoir under construction, Meriden, 1931
Meriden
Reservoirs on Showell Lane, Meriden, 1948
Solihull in the Historic England Archive
The Historic England Archive cares for over 15 million images, dating from the 1850s to the present day. Discover stunning images of Solihull's past. Skip this section and go to stories about heritage
Eric de Mare
Solihull
Date created: 1945 - 1980
General view of Solihull Electricity Transformer Station.
John Laing Collection
Knowle, Solihull
Date created: 09 Dec 1960
Looking down at a group of people mingling at a party held for Laing's Thermalite staff
Eric de Mare
Solihull
Date created: 1945 - 1980
General view of the Solihull Electricity Transformer Station.
John Laing Collection
Elmdon, Birmingham, Solihull
Date created: 17 Jul 1991
The west end of the Eurohub terminal at Birmingham International Airport soon after its completion, viewed from the east, with an aircraft positioned...
John Laing Collection
Elmdon, Birmingham, Solihull
Date created: 17 Jul 1991
A departure lounge in the Eurohub terminal at Birmingham International Airport soon after its completion, with a sign suspended from the ceiling in...
John Laing Collection
Elmdon, Birmingham, Solihull
Date created: 17 Jul 1991
Seating in front of a duty free shop in the Eurohub terminal at Birmingham International Airport soon after its completion
John Laing Collection
Elmdon, Birmingham, Solihull
Date created: 17 Jul 1991
A departure lounge in the Eurohub terminal at Birmingham International Airport soon after its completion
John Laing Collection
Solihull
Date created: 07 Sep 1954
Construction vehicles carrying out site clearance work before the construction of the Rover car factory
John Laing Collection
Solihull
Date created: 14 Feb 1955
A view of the Rover car factory during construction, showing the partially clad structural frame and workers building a brick wall
John Laing Collection
Solihull
Date created: 14 Feb 1955
A view from within the basic structural frame of the Rover car factory during its construction
John Laing Collection
Solihull
Date created: 25 Oct 1956
An exterior view of the Rover car factory, with various makes of Rover and Land Rover outside
John Laing Collection
Solihull
Date created: 14 Feb 1955
A Ruston Bucyrus excavator emptying soil into a dump truck during the construction of the Rover car factory
Stories about heritage in your local area
Historic England publishes news, blogs, research, videos, and podcasts celebrating England's rich heritage. Discover the stories we have about Solihull. Skip this section and go to education
The Buildings of Architect Ernő Goldfinger
Mentions Goldfinger House
Discover the modernist buildings of Hungarian-born architect Ernő Goldfinger, including Trellick Tower, Balfron Tower and 2 Willow Road.
Raleigh Bicycle Company Head Office Listed as National Heritage List Reaches 400,000 Entries
Mentions Elmdon Terminal Building, Birmingham Airport
National Heritage List reaches 400,000 entries
Solihull's social history through photos
Over 10,000 images from the Historic England Archive have been specially selected and re-captioned for teachers, students, and anyone who wants to learn more about their local area. Skip this section and go to grant-aided places
Terminal and Control Tower, Elmdon Airport, Birmingham
Period: 1930s (1930 - 1938)
Elmdon was opened in 1939 and replaced Castle Bromwich as the city's main airport.
Terminal and Control Tower, Elmdon Airport, Birmingham
Rover Car Factory, Lode Lane, Solihull, West Midlands
Period: 1950s (1950 - 1959)
This interior view shows the polishing line of Rover Car Company�s factory at Solihull in 1956.
Rover Car Factory, Lode Lane, Solihull, West Midlands
Grimshaw Hall, Hampton Road, Knowle, Solihull, West Midlands
Period: Tudor (1485 - 1602)
The rear of Grimshaw Hall showing the north wing. Grimshaw Hall dates from c.1560.
Grimshaw Hall, Hampton Road, Knowle, Solihull, West Midlands
George Fentham School, Hampton in Arden, West Midlands
Period: Georgian (1714 - 1836)
This building is dated 1782.
George Fentham School, Hampton in Arden, West Midlands
Balsall Windmill, Berkswell, West Midlands
Period: Georgian (1714 - 1836)
Balsall Windmill is a tower windmill that was built in the early 1800s. It is the most complete example of a West Midlands tower mill.
Balsall Windmill, Berkswell, West Midlands
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