Retirement Properties Spotlight in Erdington

Birmingham : Birmingham was mentioned in Domesday as Bermingeham and its name seems to derive from 'Beorma's people's homestead'. It lies about eight miles to the north of the M42 motorway which connects with the M25 to the south-west and M40 to the south-east. It was not until the 19th century that the town saw major expansion through the ready availability of cheap labour and natural rescources such as coal and iron. Good communications assisted the town on its way to prosperity with miles of canals in the 18th, railways in the 19th and roads in the 20th century.

The city is second only to London in size and is traditionally the home of small industries with the Museum of Science and Industry displaying the city's rich industrial heritage. There are two cathedrals, the neo-classical Council House houses the Art Gallery with its important collection of modern sculpture and pre-Raphaelite paintings, and the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra is based at the Town Hall modelled on a classical Roman temple.