South Staffordshire Coalfield

Reading some of the descriptions of the Black Country in the nineteenth century, one could be forgiven for believing the area stood at the gates of Hell. Much was made of burning heaps of coal and coke, with mining waste burying agricultural land and slag tips at the furnaces glowing red. The noise of hammers and machinery filled the air. Gradually, these industries have been replaced with warehouses and retail parks. These much quieter and cleaner industries have changed the landscape beyond al