Northwood - Lettings and Estate Agents in Solihull




	Solihull - at the Heart of England Solihull is situated in the geographical centre of the country – this is marked by a stone cross on the village green in nearby Meriden, and was first recorded c1170 in the Red Book of the Exchequer. The name Solihull derives from Anglo-Saxon and means muddy or soiley hill. The heritage of the town is preserved in the 15th Century Manor House and mediaeval parish church of St Alphege at the end of the High Street. Solihull's commercial roots are at the crossroads of commerce between west and east and north and south, the point at which its first market was established in 1242. Trade and travellers then were passing mainly between Worcester to the west, and Birmingham, Coventry and Warwick.


	The centre of Birmingham is less than ten minutes away from Solihull on a fast train. The train follows a similar route to those medieval travellers who kept the route busy from the city's Bull Ring to Warwick, via Solihull.

Natural Beauty

Most of Solihull is in the area defined as the Forest of Arden, although the Forest extends beyond the Borough's boundaries. The land between Worcester and Coventry and from Solihull southwards to Stratford-upon-Avon, is mostly rolling rural countryside.
With quaint picturesque villages and magnificent awarding winning parks and gardens, Solihull is also a Gold Winner in the national Britain in Bloom Awards, evidence of which can be seen everywhere you visit.

Sport and Leisure
Whether you enjoy golf, tennis, cycling, ice skating, swimming or athletics, Solihull has an excellent array of sports and leisure facilities on offer.

Shopping
From busy shopping malls to traditional farmers' markets, Solihull offers an exciting range of shopping experiences, such as the Mell Square Shopping Centre and Touchwood - which boasts the only John Lewis store in the West Midlands.

Accessibility
Solihull is served by superb road, rail and air links and is home to the world-famous National Exhibition Centre (NEC), which attracts over 4 million visitors each year. It is one of the busiest exhibition centres in Europe, staging prestigious shows and exhibitions throughout the year. Just four miles from the heart of Solihull, the NEC is located next to Birmingham International Airport and Birmingham International Railway Station.

Industry

Solihull is the home of Land Rover, Birmingham Business Park, Monkspath Business Park and also Blythe Valley Business Park, which is the Midlands' own 'Silicon Valley' featuring high-tech IT companies.

Links with Europe
Solihull is twinned with similar towns in Germany and France, maintaining cultural, recreational and business links. Main-Taunaus-Kreis is in the state of Hesse, to the east of Frankfurt-am-Main (which is twinned with Birmingham). Cholet in France is situated in the Main-et-Loire department of South-West France and is the second largest town in the region.

Culture
The area takes pride in being the setting for the world famous book “The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady” by Edith Holden who lived nearby in Olton. The Central Library's Heritage and Local History section has an interesting collection of historical facts, items and photographs of residents, homes, maps and places from days gone by.



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