| The large town of Solihull, West Midlands, England | | | | times, when it was established as a market town, |
| is a vital part of this west-central area of the | | | | after people began to gather in a clearing in the |
| country. It is a component of the collection of | | | | forest to trade and barter goods. This was nearly |
| large towns and cities in the region which is | | | | a thousand years ago. Architecturally, there are |
| known as a conurbation. The town currently | | | | classic examples of Tudor wooden-framed houses |
| enjoys a population of around 95,000 on its own. | | | | still standing in the town. There is also a church in |
| As a part of a larger metropolitan area, it can | | | | Solihull, St. Alphege's, which was first established in |
| count upwards of 201,000 within its family. | | | | 1220. Its nearly-170 foot high spire can be seen |
| Solihull is considered to be one of the most | | | | for miles around. |
| prosperous population centers in the English | | | | Life in the town continued much as always all the |
| Midlands, which has a history going back to the old | | | | way up through the 20th century. In fact, the |
| medieval Kingdom of Mercia. This region stretches | | | | Industrial Revolution largely passed Solihull by. By |
| from coast to coast, in the midline of the country. | | | | the 1960s, however, nearly 100,000 people called |
| The meaning of the town's name is derived from | | | | the immediate vicinity home. This was mainly due |
| it being near to a dirty or muddy or "soily" hill. | | | | to development of large tracts of land for |
| Solihull can trace its existence back to medieval | | | | subdivisions and other neighborhoods. |