The historic Black Country village overlooked for its more famous industrial neighbours - here's why it's worth a visit
Here's one such overlooked Black Country village that we think deserves more visitors as we head into spring 2026.
When you think of the Black Country plenty springs to mind, especially as the region is so connected to its enduring industrial past even in 2026.
I'm sure many have visited the Black Country Living Museum, located in Dudley, as it's a place where you can track the region's progress from the industrial revolution up until the post-war period.
The museum feels truly 'living' as a place where you can witness about 80 reconstructed shops, houses and workshops.
When you visit if feels as though you're slipping into the past, despite being at the heart of a really modern place. Famously, the museum served as a key filming location for the hit TV show, Peaky Blinders.
Read more: Tram named after Peaky Blinders writer Steven Knight as fans gather for premiere
Likewise, there are towns such as Cradley Heath, where about which lies on the Staffordshire coalfields. The town is also known for being a centre point of nail making. Similarly, Tettenhall, is also often touted for being a popular place that offers respite from busy urban centres such as Wolverhampton and Birmingham.
Despite this, we thought we would draw your attention to Wordsley which often gets overlooked, despite it being just a 25 minute drive from Wolverhampton. Today, we're here to share that this village with a population of 12,440 according to latest 2021 census, is well worth a visit.
Key places to visit in Wordsley
Perhaps the first place you should start off with if you're hoping to begin with understanding the Black Country is perhaps paying a trip to Stourbridge Glass Making museum. Recently, the museum has been shortlisted for prestigious tourism award. It's quite a new spot in the area as it had only officially opened to the public in 2022, and has made waves already with plenty of visitors. For those, who would like to know more about the place it's that it hosts live-glassmaking demonstrations, look at the museum's vast glass collection and even take part in making some of your very own.
Another fantastic place to visit while you're in Wordsley is of course the historic Black Country canal that runs through the village.
Stourbridge canal is one that's lovely for meandering through on a spring day, whether that's taking your dog out to stretch their legs or to go for a refreshing jog around the area. Though, it is worth noting that as of March 2026, parts of the canal have been closed due to a sewage leak. Therefore it is worth checking whether it's worth cutting through the 9.3km long Black country waterway before you head out.
The Wordsley Waterfall is a lovely feature that forms as part of the canal network and is known to be a hidden gem for locals especially in the warmer months.
By far and away, the most prominent structure that is etched through Wordsley is the Wordsley Clock Tower, as the structure has its roots in the Victorian period, and was built in 1861 by Stourbridge Union Workhouse.
It was once part of Wordsley Hospital, though the hospital has been closed since 2005. Since then, the clock tower has been a part of The Heritage Buildings which converted the old hospital into residential homes in the area.
Alongside this, the Red House Glass Cone is a marvel in the area, as it towers at 100ft, nowadays the place has been repurposed as a lively museum. As well as this, visitors can enjoy a lovely new café which opened in October 2025 by a café owner called Zoe Konopka, who also owns a coffee shop in Walsall.
That's a few things Wordsley has to offer, so the next time you're looking for a fun day out in the Black Country, we hope Wordsley will make your list of scenic gems to visit.
