51 photos of villages near the Black Country from the past that'll make you long for a simpler time
Villages are a big part of our region – some are scattered around our towns and cities and some have been swallowed by them.
![](https://www.expressandstar.com/resizer/v2/HJP52IOYIJBX5A47MJZG5LSTNQ.jpg?auth=56732190b479615954b07b91dda6c7390efdd7e8b03aff35cae7b0e39dd3d943&width=300&height=225)
But all are connected by a sense of community and tied by a proud history.
Today we look at seven villages that are a big part of our region, with pictures from the Express & Star archive.
Some are grainy black and white images from more than a century before, when horse-drawn travel was the norm.
Others reflect progress and modernisation – and many feature the faces of those who called their village home.
Wombourne
![](https://www.expressandstar.com/resizer/v2/MIMANX3OCFBG3J7GEV3BCNMIUY.jpg?auth=6af3abf6d5a922ee87a71baeeabefb7fb24de1512ca960f548cf7f5385ab1f8e&width=300&height=225)
![](https://www.expressandstar.com/resizer/v2/YMWA6IVKNBHUNLR5IM54HYDE4A.jpg?auth=af684beb58f0dc0fa76807e72d17a773924681e9ba7dc462469b4fe34f076ab3&width=300&height=225)
![](https://www.expressandstar.com/resizer/v2/5LL3I3AFN5HTPHERGFGVKO4L3Q.jpg?auth=efeef9c5120ce1c1ff9e81f4620629d3f1bff5bbf769491571fd38aa2ee98f78&width=300&height=225)
![](https://www.expressandstar.com/resizer/v2/QIMXR7WGN5HVDMJQD6X4XMGARA.jpg?auth=2daf1e7062a00d4511e193534de953dbf52039f1c4fc78d019521845541b4f13&width=300&height=225)
![](https://www.expressandstar.com/resizer/v2/7ASANHB7LFE57B4UUYSJR7KYRI.jpg?auth=a761d7c9e08d0e50404d8de012d28495327797dba1e5a8323da87aaddf033c23&width=300&height=225)
![](https://www.expressandstar.com/resizer/v2/AXCB6CHFBBGOTAOWE7MYS5255U.jpg?auth=13c20ab485accee994a8edb454d43b4be73928ef7c5e63031a95908ee0ff4ed4&width=300&height=225)
![](https://www.expressandstar.com/resizer/v2/6LC3BSIU5ZAFRC5MTGEDLOAIO4.jpg?auth=e1dd5288b24e5c2d2608cb1e4a508626a5994ce22a52fd472dd0a143f3cf391a&width=300&height=225)
![](https://www.expressandstar.com/resizer/v2/QVDODA2WDZFFHIKE2QN4CUTIX4.jpg?auth=464cd3e8ad6b0d24c724d676c933ddabf87325645e2ccbe349fab1dbc663bef4&width=300&height=225)
![](https://www.expressandstar.com/resizer/v2/GLCALHGO3BFOHB75SZC6Y3M4AM.jpg?auth=90bccabf4dcf94b9ad5c8f056e96b4feb9f3702374b6c8da1c7d60e0cbc327f3&width=300&height=225)
Codsall
![](https://www.expressandstar.com/resizer/v2/KLPZ4RN5I5EZRKOIMGJ34RHOIQ.jpg?auth=59bfb0a640a048f04641404c2770679c0bef933bdee274c2a58bb89b73c9ee6e&width=300&height=225)
![](https://www.expressandstar.com/resizer/v2/EXBE4SXWT5BFZIZKCFHJ52JILU.jpg?auth=41704f8036889ef37b6b83d49263b3d34766e6c539d890366bfe9f37f22e2343&width=300&height=225)
![](https://www.expressandstar.com/resizer/v2/VXLITRJSCBBULI665IZDEZDUXA.jpg?auth=90bb5d4748796ad6f8399c434b6e0d1c71fcd71367dcdcb26ed6f9b030e9efc1&width=300&height=225)
![](https://www.expressandstar.com/resizer/v2/YXI64JSTOVFRHMJBMUAX3NCPZE.jpg?auth=63f511a4f84fc0c5b8eff1e7a9ba171a96ca359ce1640cb1e22f3107fc0a6881&width=300&height=225)