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The Heart of England Route of Industrial Heritage was launched on the 25th July 2007. It recognises the importance of several Black Country attractions.

The Black Country Living Museum, Dudley Canal Tunnel and Limestone Mines, the Red House Glass Cone, Broadfield House Glass Museum and Walsall Leather Museum are known as anchor points on the regional route.

Red House Glass Cone

The route connects 24 attractions in the Heart of England, celebrating their contribution to the industrial revolution.

The network is part of the European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH) which also involves Holland, Germany, parts of France, Belgium and Luxembourg.

The routes draw attention to Europe’s industrial heritage sites. The Regional Routes link landscapes and sites which have left their mark on European industrial history.

Racecourse Colliery

The Black Country

The Black Country is renowned throughout the world for its production of iron and steel goods and gained its name in the mid nineteenth century due to the smoke from the many thousands of ironworking foundries and forges.

The region was described as 'Black by day and red by night' by Elihu Burritt, the American Consul to Birmingham in 1862.

The Heart of England Route "Has given us the chance to show the world the unique heritage of our region and our impact on the world at large", said Brian Summers, Chairman of Tourism West Midlands.