In celebration of our beautiful suburb, we’ve put together six reasons as to why Bournville might just about be the best place to live in the UK.
Home to world-renowned Cadbury’s chocolate factory, Bournville is not only heaven for chocolate-lovers, but is also a beautiful suburb, full of places of interest and hosting a wide variety of history. Here at Bournville News we’re making it clear why we think Bournville is one of the UK’s greatest places to live.
1. It’s really, really beautiful
The original landscape of Bournville exists the same today, with most of the layout being centred around Bournville Green, a spacious parkland that is wonderful to walk around on a sunny day or cold winter morning. The area of Bournville may have only been designated a conservation area in the early 1970s but it has been famous for its well preserved Victorian characteristics ever since the estate was built by chocolate barons and brothers, George Cadbury and Richard Cadbury, in the late 19th century.
Pic by Pete Ashton via Flickr
2. It’s got great houses
The model village of 1,000 acres of large garden suburb, 120 acres of open space and 7,800 now rather pricey homes, originally built for factory-workers. Most houses comprise of 3-4 bedrooms with big gardens. Bournville’s rural scenery and 19th century feel, not only makes it one of the more aesthetically pleasing villages to look at and live in in Birmingham, but also is completely different to the more contemporary urban environment we are all used to.
3. The schools are good.
Most families moving in to the area tend to do so for the schools. Bournville hosts a number of high quality colleges, primary and secondary schools, with most being given the title of ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’. The Junior School dates back to 1906 and was built on the instruction of George Cadbury himself. The historic buildings that once comprised the School of Art are now home to a college for international students.
4. They make chocolate here.
When you think of Bournville, you think of chocolate. It’s that simple. Indeed, you can often smell it in the air. The area is home to the Cadbury factory and to Cadbury World, a visitor attraction that welcomes over 500,000 visitors a year and is a fun place for all the family to go to find out all about the origins, history and manufacturing of chocolate making and cocoa. Not only do they give you some chocolate as you enter the attraction but the shop is pretty good for all your choc-related needs. From time to time the attraction run tours of the local area.
5. There’s quite a lot of nice old buildings.
Bournville’s history lives on throughout the area, from popular visitor attractions, to religious buildings, to monuments built in favour of the Cadbury’s brothers influence and legacy. On the Village Green is the Bournville Rest house, built in celebration of George and Elizabeth Cadbury’s silver wedding anniversary and now used as a visitor centre for the Carillon. On Linden Road is the Grade II listed Anglican church of St Francis of Assisi. This red-brick romanesque-style building was the first church to be built in Birmingham post WWI. Selly Manor and Minworth Greaves are two magnificent cruck-framed medieval houses, which date back as far as the 1300s. The two buildings are now seen as perfect examples of Bournville’s famous Victorian architecture and are now used as museums for visitors.
The Bournville Carillon, found at the main entrance to Bournville School, is one of the greatest and largest in Great Britain. The tall square tower comprises of 48 bells and is owned by the Bournville Village trust, it is well worth a listen. Additional historical landmarks in Bournville include: the Quaker Meeting House, Bournbrook river, Bournville baths and Ruskin Hall.
Maypole at Bournville Village Festival 2012
6. Village life is peaceful.
The centre of Bournville is its picturesque village green, where you will find a small row of independent shops, including a bakers, butchers, café and knitwear shop. To say it’s a little sleepy at times isn’t an exaggeration but that’s part of the charm. There’s plenty of nearby open spaces and the Village comes to life once a year for its annual Village Festival where the ‘Festival Queen’ is crowned.
Images from Flickr:
You forgot the war memorial!
i love bournville because its kept well by happy home owners, gardens are lush with green, no grafitti, people seem to be proud and look after this area with pride.a lovely place to live..
I’m a 2nd generation Bournvillian my son is a 3rd we adore living Bournville beautiful place to live but you have to respect it.
Love Bournville and would love to live there, the beauty, the history and the whole ethos around why it was developed for the workers make it unique. Fircroft College is beautiful, you wouldn’t know you were in a city when you’re there. Plus isn’t the area alcohol free? If this is true it’s another good reason. The world should follow.
I was lucky enough to have been born and brought up in this beautiful village, i went to school there, sang in the church choir, enjoyed the sound of the bells playing. I danced in the Maypole from the age of 4 til 15, i led a very sheltered childhood, my parents still live in Bournville, i moved away when i was in my 20s and i can honestly say that nowhere compares to this beautiful village. Yes it is alcohol free Billy Mckie, run by the Quakers.