Midlands
IN AND AROUND THE BLACK COUNTRY WITH A WHEELCHAIR
These pages are being updated during 2010 and until they are completed we strongly advise you to check with the accommodation and attraction providers included for more current information. N.B. The Black Country Museum, the Red House Glass Cone, Bantock House, Walsall Leather Museum and the New Art Gallery at Walsall have now been updated.
The Black Country is an area of South Staffordshire and North Worcestershire that was named because of the smoke that polluted the air from the densely packed industrial manufacturers that sprang up in this part of the world in the 19th century.
The Black Country Museum
A view across the canal basin in the Black Country Living Museum
The Black Country Museum is situated in Castle Hill Dudley and visiting it will help to explain the unique history of this part of England. It is a large and interesting site where buildings from different areas of the Black Country have relocated to create a canalside village. Costumed demonstrators enhance the visitor experience by recreating the lives of the craftsmen and women who lived and worked in the area.
Our researchers Inside one of the cottages at the museum
The staff and volunteers are helpful and willing to assist with ramps to give wheelchair access to the buildings and there is an easy access vehicle to take visitors to and from the upper and lower areas of the site. There is a modern exhibition area near the entrance, a shop and two cafes on site.
For more detailed accessibility information about the museum, a link to their own website and suggestions of places to stay in the area please click here.
Dudley Zoological Gardens
Inside the Tropical Bird House at Dudley Zoo
Dudley Zoological Gardens are a five minute car ride from The Black Country Museum. The car park is signposted off of The Broadway and there are disabled spaces at the top end, the zoo can be reached along a pathway at the side of a nightclub. There is a reduced entrance fee for wheelchair users and their carers. It is possible to access the majority of the exhibits but most of the site is extremely steep especially to the castle, so you will need to have a strong pusher. There is a landtrain but you will need to be able to transfer from your chair. (Updating this is being considered at the moment and wheelchair users will be borne in mind). There are disabled toilets scattered throughout the site. There is a cafe and a restaurant. Despite the steep gradients it is well worth a visit.
Red House Glass Cone
Red House Glass Cone
Red House Glass Cone is in Wordsley near Stourbridge. It lies at the heart of the Stourbridge glass making industry and is one of only four left in the UK. Entrance is free and includes an audio guides which explains a lot about the history of the cone and the glass making process.
The canalside picnic area
Live demonstrations of glass blowing are carried out inside the cone each weekend. There is a shop, a cafe serving light lunches and snacks and a picnic area on site.
For more detailed accessibility information about Red House Glass Cone, a link to their own website and suggestions of places to stay in the area please click here.
Sandwell Valley Country Park
The walled kitchen garden at Sandwell Park Farm
Sandwell Valley Country Park is split into two sites by the M5 motorway but both have good wheelchair access to most areas. Sandwell Park Farm off Salters Lane, West Bromwich was once the home farm to the Sandwell estate, owned by the Earl of Dartmouth. There is a small exhibition, gift shops and a tea room as well as farm animals and the kitchen garden. There is a RADAR disabled toilet (key available from the tea room) and free car parking. Two and a half miles away by road in Forge Lane is Forge Mill Farm and visitor centre. There is a gift shop, a farm trail and in the late afternoon you can watch the cows being milked. There is a RADAR disabled toilet and free car parking. Nearby is a lake and nature reserve.
Walsall Leather Museum
Walsall Leather Museum
The Leather Museum is situated in Littleton Street West part of the Walsall ring road. Leather was an important part of Walsall's industrial history and the museum which is located in a refurbished leather factory reflects this.
The bridle workshop at Walsall leather museum
Visitors to the museum are given excellent demonstrations of leather working techniques by skilled crafts people. General access around the museum is good and the staff members are extremely helpful and friendly. There is an excellent cafe on site serving homemade meals.
For more detailed accessibility information and a link to their own website please click here.
The New Art Gallery Walsall
The square outside The New Art Gallery Walsall
The new Art Gallery in Walsall is well signposted and only ten minutes wheel from the Leather Museum. A lot of thought has gone into making the gallery enjoyable for people of all abilities, particularly those with impaired sight.
There is excellent space around the exhibits in the Garman Ryan galleries
The gallery has produced an access guide to assist disabled visitors and their carers when planning a visit which is available to download from their website. Amongst the important works of art included at the gallery is a large collection of bronze sculptures and drawings by Jacob Epstein. Some exhibits at the museum have been coated in a wax resin so that they can be explored by touch. There is a cafe and shop located on the ground floor on site and admission is free.
For more detailed accessibility information and a link to their own website please click here.
Bantock House and Gardens
Bantock House
Bantock House Museum and Park is located in Finchfield Road approximately one mile out of Wolverhampton town centre. The house has good accessibility to all floors. Visitors can explore this interesting buiding furnished as it would have been in the Edwardian era and also learn about the history of Wolverhampton and its people.
There is a very informative visual audio display located on the ground floor
Admission are free to the house and gardens is free and there is a shop and restaurant on site. Visitors might also enjoy spending time to relax in the attractive conservatory where there are comfy chairs and a selection of books to browse through.
For more detailed accessibility information and a link to their own website please click here.
The Black Country is an interesting and diverse place to explore with a wealth of history and plenty to see and do. Hopefully this taste of its attractions will encourage a visit.