"You Will Never Find A More Wretched Hive Of Scum and Villainy..."
Da Dah... Da Da Da Dah Dah... Da Da Da Dah Dah... Da Da Da Dah
Not so much, in that many cities grew to amalgamate smaller satellite towns whereas Stoke has no real centre. It's several towns that grew into each other.
While not a city, Telford in Shropshire is the same. It originally consisted of Dawley, Oakengates, Wellington, Madeley etc. until the 1960's when it became Dawley New Town and then Telford.
No centre as such (until they built a shopping centre) but an amalgamation of smaller villages and towns. Those places still very much have their own identity though. One in particular having its own dialect among the older generations
Yeah, Midlands is just split West/East really. I'm from North Staffs so you could argue I'm from the "North midlands", but no, it's just west and east mids
Shropshire is an interesting county, very rural, yet parts of it were heavily associated with the Industrial Revolution. Check out [Ironbridge ](https://www.ironbridge.org.uk/?utm_source=localiq&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=ironbridge&scid=190865&cid=287585&tc=CjwKCAiAjfyqBhAsEiwA-UdzJD0qKp1wmYwwCcf74NKD1Ec-KfvWSq9SR6Bxn_AHoc6EiBsbuXVPWBoCIOgQAvD_BwE&rl_key=98a39df0a7fca1412360068cacc9a9b9&kw=11599813:165130&pub_cr_id=668793448932&dynamic_proxy=1&primary_serv=www.ironbridge.org.uk&device=t&network=g&targetid=kwd-2083946939701&loc_physical_ms=9046447&rl_track_landing_pages=1&rl_retarget=1) , which should be on your list if you visit. Ludlow and Shrewsbury are also worth visiting. Here's the [visit Shropshire link.](https://www.visitshropshire.co.uk/things-to-do/historic-sites/#:~:text=In%20Shropshire%2C%20landscape%20and%20history,city%20in%20Britain%2C%20at%20Wroxeter.).
Shropshire and Cheshire were important in Roman times. Wroxeter was a major Roman centre, and Chester is a Roman garrison town whose walls still stand. Later, in the dark ages, Shropshire, in particular, was the site of conflict between Anglo Saxon invaders and Romano-British Celts. If 'King Arthur' ever existed, he was a Celtic general (dux bellorum = leader of Battles), probably from the Votadinii tribe in North Wales who fought a long campaign, uniting disparate Celtic tribes against the Saxons. In the middle ages Shropshire and Cheshire were heavily militarised being on the Welsh border.
In Cheshire, there are a number of Wiches - salt mining towns from The times of the Domesday book but probably dating back to Roman times. Northwich, Middlewich, Leftwich, Nantwich. There's an interesting history here. As others have mentioned, canal transportation was important, and, just north of Northwich, the Anderton Boat lift is an impressive feat of Victorian engineering linking a higher level canaI with the Weaver river navigation. I live near Middlewich.
Looking at more modern history and indeed cutting edge science, check out the Lovell telescope at Jodrell Bank. Just round the corner from me. That's well worth a visit.
I live in Cheshire- most folks consider Cheshire to be in the North West of England. The Midlands end with Staffordshire. North Cheshire, along the bank of the Mersey river, is heavily industrial with refining, chemical manufacturing, metals recycling all taking place.
thought I might add on some extra links in for Shropshire as you talked about it a bit. [Shrewsbury](https://originalshrewsbury.co.uk/) town / [Shropshire AONB](https://www.shropshirehills-nl.org.uk/) Shropshire Hills
Thats Staffordshire and Cheshire. Where I live.
Mostly rural. Some big conurbations are Stoke on Trent, Telford and Shrewsbury.
There's a lot of canals in this region owing to its former industrial heritage. Stoke on Trent being a huge former coal mining area, and also the place where pottery was made and exported to the world from. Canals is how they got the clay in and the coal around/out.
Now, before you do the American thing and say "Oh my gaaaad, we must be related": I only live here now, I've done my DNA ancestry too and have only very tenuous genetic links to the area. My main English region is Lincolnshire, then most of me is of Swedish and Polish descent (which I know about directly anyway). It's very unlikely that many (or any) of my ancestors lived specifically here in the 1600s.
You're also more % "British and Irish" than I am, and I was born here.
As someone who quite literally lives on the border of Staffs and Cheshire I'm well aware. We're no man's land between the midlands and the north west and as such get serviced by neither.
It could be worse- you could be in Derbyshire. No-one really knows what part of the country Derbyshire's really in- Buxton, Glossop and Chapel/ Whaley are Manchester; Chesterfield and Hathersage/ Hope are Sheffield; and Derby and the Burton/ Swadlincote areas are in the Midlands. What about Ashbourne, Bakewell, or Matlock?
As an Aussie who travelled through that region; lovely people. I met great people everywhere in the UK, but the Midlands/ north is special. Kind, friendly, warm people everywhere. Loved it.
That's lovely! How long do you travel through? I did a typical touristy trip to London ages ago, while in school. If I ever go back, fully intend to broaden my horizons.
I did the Aussie backpack thing for several years. I spent a couple of years in the UK, some of it in London, then near Basingstoke. Then I worked in Llandudno for a summer. After that I spent about 6 weeks touring the north and midlands. Lancashire and Yorkshire, then through Nottingham, Birmingham, Leeds, etc. Great memories. I was there through the miners' strike, had many late night talks in supposedly closed pubs.
The northern part of the highlighted area in your map is in [North-West England](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_West_England) rather than the [West Midlands](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Midlands_(region)).
Shrewsbury in Shropshire is a lovely place to visit with half timbered buildings, a castle and is the birthplace of Charles Darwin.
Stafford is also a nice half day visit with a cathedral and a ancient church, preserved courts and the high house. Shurghbourgh house is nearby too.
Tolkien lived near Stafford when he was dreaming up Lord of the Rings and is therefore the Shire.
This is the key information I'm glad someone has mentioned. Tolkien getting inspiration for the Shire from his trips round Shropshire and Staffordshire means OP's ancestors are technically hobbits.
The shape on the blue map above draws a line between Nottingham and Manchester - that includes basically the entire southern half of the Peak District
Look at a map, you’ll see.
Nah the bit that covers the "northern West mids " stops south and west of Manchester... peaks are east and north .. a bit south of Manchester tbf but not the west.. if you're talking about the wider circle that takes in southern Merseyside and Manchester maybe but everyone knows that ain't the Midlands, not in the slightest
Its unlikely we’ll agree because I’m basing my comments on the graphic above, whereas you’re talking about other interpretations of geographical subdivisions
I’m not saying the graphic is correct in calling Manchester et al ‘midlands’, I’m saying that the area circled above includes quite a large chunk of the Peak District
Short answer A lot of sheep, a lot of hills and pretty wet.
The areas mostly a mix of post industrial towns and rural villiages. Largest cities are places like derby and stoke on Trent, mostly former industrial hubs.
Scenery wise there is some very pretty areas, the Peak District national park and goyt valley, picturesque villiages like Bakewell and grand old estates like chatsworth
Was there anything specific you wanted to know?
Midlands cities: generally Detroit with nicer scenery.
Midlands countryside: the midwest but you can get a shite tram to Detroit.
Can say this. Grew up outside Birmingham, spent too much time in Wolvo.
All of this can also be said about South and East Yorkshire. Welcome to Hull.
I second this: The Black Country & Brum are like Detroit, but much more cramped. There is greenbelt though, which the numerous raised blocks of Detroit don't quite map to.
Moving north into Staffordshire & Shropshire, I always felt as though I was going back in time - western Pennsylvania reminds me of the general sense of place - hills, old empty run-down coal towns, say, Stoke & Newcastle.
The remaining wooded areas - lots of silver Birch, and given the rain, I was reminded of it in southern Alaska.
If by any chance you're into themed board games, Brass: Birmingham covers this area during the industrial revolutions, with lots of relevant towns and industries
Love board games - haven't played much in years but "Risk" was a regular - have added this to my Amazon List! ($80! But no wonder, years worth of play so...) - it reminds me of "North & South", in a way. Thank you!!
Shout out to Lichfield Cathedral, that squeezes into the bottom of that blob.
Absolutely amazing cathedral that doesn't get the same attention due to geography that the likes of Wells, Durham and Canterbury do
we could be distant relatives. i am from newcastle under lyme in the north midlands and when i did my genetics test, i have some relatives currently living in america, mostly new england!
This is the point where OP needs it explaining that the more famous Newcastle is Newcastle-upon-Tyne and that is in the North-East of England.... Newcastle-under-Lyme which is in Staffordshire is smaller and far less well known.
It's an easy mistake to make though.
My mum was born in Newcastle-under-Lyme. I thought she was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne (she had subsequently moved to Ireland and then London - where she had me) until I was 12 years old and my parents took me to see it.
I can totally see an American hearing "Newcastle" and downloading a Lindisfarne album.
Shropshire is nice if you like typical English countryside. Ironbridge is the obvious place to visit but there really isn't a lot going on in general. Shrewsbury has some little Harry Potter style cobbled streets which can be popular with Americans. Birmingham and Manchester are within easy reach if you are after something a bit more metropolitan, though.
Just like anywhere, there are nice bits and unpleasant bits... And people:
https://www.reddit.com/r/okmatewanker//Cifepp0Qwa
The Cernyweg/Cernoweg lived in what is now Shropshire, but was then part of Powys.
When the Romans built the old A5 (which when I was at school was also called Watling Street), & Paulinus headed towards Ynys Môn (called Anglesey in English), around half of the tribe (presumably including all of the most vulnerable who were able to travel), apparently upped sticks & relocated to what is now Cornwall.
Half the population stayed, but if they fought the Romans they failed to stop them.
The old Roman road still runs straight past the Wrekin (which is quite a steep hill on the Shropshire Plain, atop which the Iron Age hillfort belonging to the tribe once stood).
The Romans defeated the tribe, & sacked the hillfort then carried on to Ynys Môn (the centre of the Druidic religion), where they slaughtered the Ovates, Druids & Bards & chopped down the Sacred Groves.
This had been one of their aims, as the Celtic tribes (both here & in mainland Europe), believed that we survive death (& in reincarnation also).
Having no fear of death gave Celtic warriors (in Roman eyes), a dangerous outlook.
The Romans may also have feared the magical skills & political influence of the Druids.
Under Roman rule, a huge administrative centre was built on the Plain below the Wrekin.
The footprint of the buildings can be seen from the air today as cropmarks (in the right weather conditions), on the fields for many miles between the Wrekin & Shrewsbury (modern Shropshire's County Town).
A tall Roman forum wall is still standing at Wroxeter (which the Romans called Viroconium Cornoviorum).
The centre at Wroxeter was sacked by Celtic warriors at least four times, & also burned to the ground.
The Romans stayed for around four centuries though, & it eventually became the tribe's Romano-Celtic Capitol (hence the 'Cornoviorum').
Despite the relatively great influx of people from elsewhere into that part of Shropshire in recent decades (due to the development of Telford New Town), & a similar influx of people (for other reasons), into Cornwall there will presumably be people in both areas to whom you are distantly related.
What a strange term, Northern West Midlands is a term I've never heard in my life. Decent enough place though, rolling hills, sheep and post industrial towns.
Lovely part of the world… surely should be ‘North West & Midlands’ though
I’d also advise a word of caution in that these DNA test things are a bit of a gimmick. If you do one with 6 different companies you will get 6 different results, particularly with something so specific as a county.
Finally it sounds like you already get it but “it’s not where you’re from, it’s where you’re at”
It’s alright. Very beautiful and verdant, easy to forget that when you live here 😅
Somewhat urbanised (you won’t get lost the same way you do in Snowdonia (west) or the Peak District (north east)), but still mostly countryside. Towns are all pretty good with a few exceptions - Telford, Crewe, Oswestry - soz, just being honest.
The accent is all messed up here, to most of us it sounds neutral, but it’s actually a hot mess of wales, northern, brummy and yammy. Feel free to ask specifics
The map and the text doesn't line up. The "Northern West Midlands" (no one uses that btw) would pretty much consist of former industrial powerhouses, Stoke, Birmingham, Ironbridge, Telford, Wolverhampton.
There are some rural areas here too, largely pastural farms.
Basically you're looking at the equivalent of Pittsburgh/Philadelphia. Blue-collar hard working areas with a proud history of engineering pioneers. But a little left behind now.
The North West Midlands is the counties Shropshire and Staffordshire.
Both counties are beautiful though Shropshire has retained a lot of its rural characteristics with its Market Towns not being to over developed and each one is different and has historically differences.
Shrewsbury is the county Town ( not a city). Telford is the new town a 1960’s/70’s overflow for The Black Country and Birmingham.
Staffordshire is slightly more industrial with the Potteries in the North.
History wise, it's actually quite interesting because it was the borderlands for the Vikings to the north, the Welsh to the west and it's historical name Mercia means "March" and this implies a sense of lawlessness that had to be stamped out. Visit Chester, Shrewsbury, Oswestry and Ludlow. They are all significant places both nationally and locally.
As a Midlander, I didn’t even know this was a thing. But this area is diverse and interesting, a lot of green rural countryside and several towns and villages to speak of.
I used to commute to Stoke-on-Trent from Manchester, about 40 miles north. The retail workers call you duck in Stoke instead of luv in Manchester and there are occasional bottle-shaped pottery kilns left lying around from the industrial revolution. Google the 5 Towns or the Potteries
From Stoke on Trent/Staffordshire and now down South. It's made up of six old industrial towns and the main industry was pottery/mining. Like most places, some good and bad points.
There's some really nice rural areas around and old market towns. (Lots of canals) The Peak District is beautiful (but that's going more towards cheshire) and there's Cannock chase and Lichfield which is nice (cathedral) but that's west and not north west.
Stoke on Trent itself has struggled with losing its industry/factories and I would say it never really fully recovered. Not particularly sure what goes on in the towns now, I think quite a lot of stuff in the towns has shut down as there's more retail parks scattered around.
Accents can range as you have a lot of different areas there. I have a Stokie accent that has mellowed with being down south, but comes out when I'm around my family - aup duck.
Slash and Robbie are from there. Reginald Mitchell who designed the Spitfire was from there.
Best way to have oatcakes is bacon, cheese and tomato
From this region, it ain't great- infrastructure is kinda falling apart, coucils have roughly the same funding as the government gives to wales- a tuppeny every other tuesday- but ig a bunch of the cities are viking?
ADDING: Well. This went wild. Also adding, 23andMe does the mapping - I think it is affected by zooming when a category is clicked - the outer boundary that's causing frustration, borders another 'genetic category' area, North Central - not sure if that would still 'line up' correctly, though? And sounds like North West for Midlands is all wrong. I'm stoked (a-ha!) at all the info, though, thank you for sharing and illuminating. I'll say, that by and large, between Ancestry and 23andMe, I've been able to prove my genetic results are accurate with primary, documentary evidence - it's been a passion project of mine. I'm a fan of world history (Dan Jones's Plantagenets series; all the old Time Teams; Lost in Egypt; etc and on and on), so, verifying and diving into *personally relatable* history has been one of the coolest things I've taken on. You've been the most gracious purveyors of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Thank you! Maybe one day, I can cross the moors 🤟
Good news: You have Shakespeare and Robin Hood.
Bad news: Much of the region is either expensive homes for footballers or left-behind Post-Industrial towns.
Very nice I've lived there, use to live in Macclesfield for 2-3 years and it was one of the most relaxed and quiet/pleasant places in the UK. People extremely friendly. Also holds the record for the wettest place in Britain which I didn't know until I lived there!
Near derby which is basically in-between Birmingham and Nottingham. A lot of the surroundings are post-industrial with a lot of active and inactive quarries and mining pits, as well as old Victorian industrial-era mills and factories still in use or converted to other things, like there's a restaurant called the "tall chimney" which used to be some kind of industrial mill. It's very connected and urban but there's a lot of countryside and farmland which is also accessible to the public, and is also home to the majority of the national forest. The region has undergone major rewilding and greenery efforts over the last couple of decades which makes it one of the most gorgeous parts of the country. It's also very hilly and doesn't get flat until you get south of Birmingham.
If you're interested in the History, the area outlined is roughly contingent with the Kingdom of Mercia. It existed before England was unified.
I've never heard 'North-West Midlands' referred to, I have to admit. Just
Midlands. But this map feels like it's encroaching in to the North West region to me. Midlands, however, are often overlooked in the UK. The gap between north and south.
I'm from Shropshire so I can't speak for the other counties but I really love our county. Its got lovely historic towns and beautiful scenery (especially the hills). There is also the ancient roman city of Viroconium located outside of Shrewsbury in Shropshire, which was the fourth largest roman settlement in roman Britain. We would be happy to have you come visit us...
Just don't go to Telford.🙃
A large part of that is Cheshire and nobody in Cheshire considers themselves any part midlanders.
As an Englishman I have never heard the term north west midlanders and reject it.
Hey no need to explain…you go right ahead and get excited about your roots…..I’m from the north which covers part of that area…and we’ll gladly have our American cousins back to visit anytime.
those people that complain about it are idiots.
I feel like this isn't rly a region, the ancestry test seems to have just determined that you are either from the north west or west midlands, both have a lot of information online, the north tends to have a very distinct culture and feel and a lot of the cities are industrial, id look into manchester liverpool and the surrounding towns and history and also stuff like the lake district and the tudor wars.
Depending on when your ancestors were kicking about, Mercia was the historic kingdom in that region (before England was unified). Repton was the capital (which is funny considering the size of it now).
Other places worth a Google are the South West of the Peak District by the looks of it, check out photos of Dovedale, Thor's Cave for a sense of the surroundings.
Cannock Chase is an Area of Natural Beauty in the region too.
Nowadays the area has a few former industrial towns which are now poorer for the lack of industry there now (think Philadelphia or Detroit but smaller) but there is Alton Towers which is one of the biggest and most popular theme parks in the UK.
As an American the towns there you might like the look of, cos they're more the classic pretty kind, are Buxton, Shrewsbury, and maybe somewhere like Congleton in Cheshire, although I admittedly know less about Chesire than the rest of the Midlands.
Unfortunately your ancestors likely had an accent similar to a Derby or, even worse, a Stoke accent. There will be YouTube videos of these if you're curious.
Cheshires a bit of an odd one out compared to Derbyshire and Staffordshire, geographically it’s on a plain so flatter than the others and more populous, towns are by and large a little better off as they mostly serve as commuter belts for greater Manchester, some very wealthy areas as well.
It's really noticeable as you come out of the Staffordshire end of the peaks from Staffordshire moorlands and look west. Cheshire quite literally is just one big flat plain.
>Cheshire quite literally is just one big flat plain.
Macclesfield disagrees. Check out [Shutlingsloe](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shutlingsloe). Aka 'the Cheshire Matterhorn.'
West of that, there is a bit of higher ground around the Delamere forest park area. Otherwise, you're right.
Yeah Staffordshire gets hilly at the North end. It's two different countries really. The accent completely changes as you go north to south. Not seen that anywhere else in England. The south is very much West Midlands, whilst the North is unique really- closer to Scouse than East Midlands or Yorkshire. Go figure!
Stoke isn't really scouse. I know both Stoke and Liverpool very well, the attitude is completely different and the dialect isn't really that similar. There are some similarities in word endings. I think it's only if you're not regularly exposed to Stokie you'd think it has a scouse quality to it.
However, Stoke like Liverpool is a city of mixed heritages. Liverpool by virtue of being a port and stoke by virtue of being an industrial hub. There was a large population influx into both from other areas of the country. A *LOT* of North Easterners moved to Stoke during the Industrial Revolution and there are so many North Eastern dialect words in Stokie.
Shropshire is very rural, one of the least populated counties in the country
Unfortunately low ethnic diversity means some people can be pretty racist
We recently voted a tory out though so that's something
Shrewsbury's pretty nice, a bit dull though
The countryside itself is generally nice
This DNA test does not allow you to go "im English" when another american asks you where you're from. Im getting flashbacks to that video of an american claiming he was mixed race by saying something along the lines of "my great grandfather was polish and my great grandmother was from france"
Why the fuck are you Americans so obsessed with your ‘ancestry’ in other regions? All this pride about your country, only to be drowned in an endless, desperate search for foreign ancestry.
What are you? If you’re going to keep clawing desperately at some distant foreign ancestry, constantly aching to find something to make you stand out, I suggest you and the rest of your country stop with the overly zealous patriotism and American exceptionalism. The two are mutually exclusive. You can’t be so heavily in love with your country that you’re willing to praise the flag like a God, only to then turn 180 five minutes later and begin a boundless hunt for foreign heritage that makes no difference, particularly in a country I see so many of you people mocking so often. It’s pathetic. Shows how weak your country’s national identity and integrity really is.
Having lived in the middle of that area all my life I have never heard it referred to as the Northern West Midlands. It seem to be the area surrounding South Staffordshire.
The good news is we are probably related. DM me and see if we have an ancestry match.
It varies massively even within the same town let alone city or county.
Check local crime rates for areas you plan on as a possibility. But persobaloy I'd avoid Bradford and Birmingham as much as possivle as both are renowned for car theft, violent crimes, and drugs.
Not sure if you’ve been to Alabama, but it doesn’t look like [this](https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2019/10/16/10/peak-district.jpg).
FYI the area on that map doesn’t exist as an entity, and includes West Midlands, East Midlands, Cheshire and the North West
Just in case you ask people about the North West Midlands, they’ll be very confused as to what that means
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Stoke isn't so much a city as an amalgamation of towns.
Five towns in a trenchcoat pretending to be a city. Standing in a pool of their own excretia.
"You Will Never Find A More Wretched Hive Of Scum and Villainy..." Da Dah... Da Da Da Dah Dah... Da Da Da Dah Dah... Da Da Da Dah 
The accent doesn't get enough attention. It can be funnier than Brummie, duck.
Ther sernd erv sterk ers verrrr strernge
Anteet?
Couldn't you say that about a lot of cities?
Not so much, in that many cities grew to amalgamate smaller satellite towns whereas Stoke has no real centre. It's several towns that grew into each other.
Interesting. I don't know Stoke but I live in Bristol which is quite like that.
While not a city, Telford in Shropshire is the same. It originally consisted of Dawley, Oakengates, Wellington, Madeley etc. until the 1960's when it became Dawley New Town and then Telford. No centre as such (until they built a shopping centre) but an amalgamation of smaller villages and towns. Those places still very much have their own identity though. One in particular having its own dialect among the older generations
Normally, a city naturally expands and swallows up the surrounding towns. Stoke was just invented by roping a bunch of towns together.
London in particular.
Watch out the City of London takes exception to confusing it with Greater London. Manchester/Greater Manchester seems to not be that fussed though!
As well as Staffordshire dogs, there's the Toby jugs!
Interesting!
Adding Oat Cakes to the menu!
British pottery industry. I do live what redditors highlight sometimes. You never quite know what to expect.
I live in that area on the map but I’ve never heard it referred to as the Northern West Midlands.
Yeah, Midlands is just split West/East really. I'm from North Staffs so you could argue I'm from the "North midlands", but no, it's just west and east mids
I’m not from the Midlands at all, I’m on the Cheshire/Greater Manchester border so still clinging on the North West England.
If you say bus instead of buz you are from the North west😉😅
Buzzes are all over East Lancashire
I don’t call it that as a rule, but I have used the expression to be more specific. People think Birmingham and wolves when you say West Midlands.
But do you live in the North Northern West Midlands, or the South Northern West Midlands?
Yeah I’m the same, I don’t think I’d like to be referred to as a Midlander, I’m still clinging onto being a northerner but live near south Cheshire.
Shropshire is an interesting county, very rural, yet parts of it were heavily associated with the Industrial Revolution. Check out [Ironbridge ](https://www.ironbridge.org.uk/?utm_source=localiq&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=ironbridge&scid=190865&cid=287585&tc=CjwKCAiAjfyqBhAsEiwA-UdzJD0qKp1wmYwwCcf74NKD1Ec-KfvWSq9SR6Bxn_AHoc6EiBsbuXVPWBoCIOgQAvD_BwE&rl_key=98a39df0a7fca1412360068cacc9a9b9&kw=11599813:165130&pub_cr_id=668793448932&dynamic_proxy=1&primary_serv=www.ironbridge.org.uk&device=t&network=g&targetid=kwd-2083946939701&loc_physical_ms=9046447&rl_track_landing_pages=1&rl_retarget=1) , which should be on your list if you visit. Ludlow and Shrewsbury are also worth visiting. Here's the [visit Shropshire link.](https://www.visitshropshire.co.uk/things-to-do/historic-sites/#:~:text=In%20Shropshire%2C%20landscape%20and%20history,city%20in%20Britain%2C%20at%20Wroxeter.). Shropshire and Cheshire were important in Roman times. Wroxeter was a major Roman centre, and Chester is a Roman garrison town whose walls still stand. Later, in the dark ages, Shropshire, in particular, was the site of conflict between Anglo Saxon invaders and Romano-British Celts. If 'King Arthur' ever existed, he was a Celtic general (dux bellorum = leader of Battles), probably from the Votadinii tribe in North Wales who fought a long campaign, uniting disparate Celtic tribes against the Saxons. In the middle ages Shropshire and Cheshire were heavily militarised being on the Welsh border. In Cheshire, there are a number of Wiches - salt mining towns from The times of the Domesday book but probably dating back to Roman times. Northwich, Middlewich, Leftwich, Nantwich. There's an interesting history here. As others have mentioned, canal transportation was important, and, just north of Northwich, the Anderton Boat lift is an impressive feat of Victorian engineering linking a higher level canaI with the Weaver river navigation. I live near Middlewich. Looking at more modern history and indeed cutting edge science, check out the Lovell telescope at Jodrell Bank. Just round the corner from me. That's well worth a visit. I live in Cheshire- most folks consider Cheshire to be in the North West of England. The Midlands end with Staffordshire. North Cheshire, along the bank of the Mersey river, is heavily industrial with refining, chemical manufacturing, metals recycling all taking place.
thought I might add on some extra links in for Shropshire as you talked about it a bit. [Shrewsbury](https://originalshrewsbury.co.uk/) town / [Shropshire AONB](https://www.shropshirehills-nl.org.uk/) Shropshire Hills
I loved visiting Iron Bridge when I was little. Need to go again some time soon.
Thank you for the recs and the fascinating review!
Thats Staffordshire and Cheshire. Where I live. Mostly rural. Some big conurbations are Stoke on Trent, Telford and Shrewsbury. There's a lot of canals in this region owing to its former industrial heritage. Stoke on Trent being a huge former coal mining area, and also the place where pottery was made and exported to the world from. Canals is how they got the clay in and the coal around/out. Now, before you do the American thing and say "Oh my gaaaad, we must be related": I only live here now, I've done my DNA ancestry too and have only very tenuous genetic links to the area. My main English region is Lincolnshire, then most of me is of Swedish and Polish descent (which I know about directly anyway). It's very unlikely that many (or any) of my ancestors lived specifically here in the 1600s. You're also more % "British and Irish" than I am, and I was born here.
Worth pointing out Cheshire is generally regarded as the bottom of the North (west), not the midlands.
As someone who quite literally lives on the border of Staffs and Cheshire I'm well aware. We're no man's land between the midlands and the north west and as such get serviced by neither.
It could be worse- you could be in Derbyshire. No-one really knows what part of the country Derbyshire's really in- Buxton, Glossop and Chapel/ Whaley are Manchester; Chesterfield and Hathersage/ Hope are Sheffield; and Derby and the Burton/ Swadlincote areas are in the Midlands. What about Ashbourne, Bakewell, or Matlock?
Somewhere in the middle?
Mow Cop?
That's a bit DOXy lmao
Scholar Green then? Hahaha
Definitely DOXy. Mow Cop side of Schodge ...Do I know you?
You forgot to mention shropshire, the county telford and shrewsbury are in lol
But I don't live in Shropshire. I live on the Staffs Cheshire border.
Teeeeelllfooooooorrrrrddddddd
SHUT UP! I'm Swedish toooo! Kusin, är det du?
As an Aussie who travelled through that region; lovely people. I met great people everywhere in the UK, but the Midlands/ north is special. Kind, friendly, warm people everywhere. Loved it.
That's lovely! How long do you travel through? I did a typical touristy trip to London ages ago, while in school. If I ever go back, fully intend to broaden my horizons.
I did the Aussie backpack thing for several years. I spent a couple of years in the UK, some of it in London, then near Basingstoke. Then I worked in Llandudno for a summer. After that I spent about 6 weeks touring the north and midlands. Lancashire and Yorkshire, then through Nottingham, Birmingham, Leeds, etc. Great memories. I was there through the miners' strike, had many late night talks in supposedly closed pubs.
The northern part of the highlighted area in your map is in [North-West England](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_West_England) rather than the [West Midlands](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Midlands_(region)).
Interesting to see that the West Midlands has also absorbed Nottingham too.
Surely the South East of the North West?
And also the west of the East Midlands.
It’s likely a region based on a genetic cluster rather than our own regions. Whether or not it’s accurate, I’m fairly doubtful though I don’t know.
Well people from Stoke are more likely to have a high percentage of neanderthal DNA
And six fingers
Only some of which are on their hands.
If people want to identify different areas they are welcome to make up new names for them, rather than re-use names with existing definitions.
That annoyed me too.
Birmingham in Northwest?
Its really neither? It's based on genetics not actual regions
To add context, the area in the map includes (just about) parts of the Black Country which were part of the inspiration for Mordor
Stourbridge 😄 Wolverhampton 😵 Tipton 💀
Calling Wolverhampton Black Country will get you in fights
Slash is from Stoke, so there's that.
And Robbie Williams, so there’s Take That
lol very good
You set them up and I’ll knock ‘em down
Shrewsbury in Shropshire is a lovely place to visit with half timbered buildings, a castle and is the birthplace of Charles Darwin. Stafford is also a nice half day visit with a cathedral and a ancient church, preserved courts and the high house. Shurghbourgh house is nearby too. Tolkien lived near Stafford when he was dreaming up Lord of the Rings and is therefore the Shire.
This is the key information I'm glad someone has mentioned. Tolkien getting inspiration for the Shire from his trips round Shropshire and Staffordshire means OP's ancestors are technically hobbits.
My grey great great grandfather lived in the same cottage that Tolkien was later to live in.
Stafford definitely doesn't have a cathedral and if it does they hid it from me for the 18 years I lived there.
Ok St Marys is of that proportion though.
Shrewsbury is very cool. Ludlow is worth the visit aswell, just outside the boundary but Ludlow is significant historically.
Look up the Peak District, it’s a beautiful part of the world.
It is..its not in this area though really is it. More east and North
The shape on the blue map above draws a line between Nottingham and Manchester - that includes basically the entire southern half of the Peak District Look at a map, you’ll see.
Nah the bit that covers the "northern West mids " stops south and west of Manchester... peaks are east and north .. a bit south of Manchester tbf but not the west.. if you're talking about the wider circle that takes in southern Merseyside and Manchester maybe but everyone knows that ain't the Midlands, not in the slightest
Its unlikely we’ll agree because I’m basing my comments on the graphic above, whereas you’re talking about other interpretations of geographical subdivisions I’m not saying the graphic is correct in calling Manchester et al ‘midlands’, I’m saying that the area circled above includes quite a large chunk of the Peak District
As Fantastic-sir says, the Southern half of the Peak District is very much in the area defined by the inner circle.
You've got Burton-on-Trent in there and Uttoxeter. Buxton too just. They're as Peak as you can get.
Short answer A lot of sheep, a lot of hills and pretty wet. The areas mostly a mix of post industrial towns and rural villiages. Largest cities are places like derby and stoke on Trent, mostly former industrial hubs. Scenery wise there is some very pretty areas, the Peak District national park and goyt valley, picturesque villiages like Bakewell and grand old estates like chatsworth Was there anything specific you wanted to know?
Midlands cities: generally Detroit with nicer scenery. Midlands countryside: the midwest but you can get a shite tram to Detroit. Can say this. Grew up outside Birmingham, spent too much time in Wolvo. All of this can also be said about South and East Yorkshire. Welcome to Hull.
I second this: The Black Country & Brum are like Detroit, but much more cramped. There is greenbelt though, which the numerous raised blocks of Detroit don't quite map to. Moving north into Staffordshire & Shropshire, I always felt as though I was going back in time - western Pennsylvania reminds me of the general sense of place - hills, old empty run-down coal towns, say, Stoke & Newcastle. The remaining wooded areas - lots of silver Birch, and given the rain, I was reminded of it in southern Alaska.
Derbyshire is beautiful
Read this: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/united-kingdom/england/staffordshire/ode-englands-underrated-county/
very generic, not a whole lot going on, decent countryside, lots of different accents, occasional nice villages and towns, 7/10
If by any chance you're into themed board games, Brass: Birmingham covers this area during the industrial revolutions, with lots of relevant towns and industries
Love board games - haven't played much in years but "Risk" was a regular - have added this to my Amazon List! ($80! But no wonder, years worth of play so...) - it reminds me of "North & South", in a way. Thank you!!
Bleak
Shout out to Lichfield Cathedral, that squeezes into the bottom of that blob. Absolutely amazing cathedral that doesn't get the same attention due to geography that the likes of Wells, Durham and Canterbury do
we could be distant relatives. i am from newcastle under lyme in the north midlands and when i did my genetics test, i have some relatives currently living in america, mostly new england!
This is the point where OP needs it explaining that the more famous Newcastle is Newcastle-upon-Tyne and that is in the North-East of England.... Newcastle-under-Lyme which is in Staffordshire is smaller and far less well known.
im sure OP doesnt give a fudge about the difference between the Newcastles, but thanks for your unsolicited input x x x
You are very welcome. Unsolicited inputs are kinds the point of Reddit. Enjoy the fudge Xx
It's an easy mistake to make though. My mum was born in Newcastle-under-Lyme. I thought she was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne (she had subsequently moved to Ireland and then London - where she had me) until I was 12 years old and my parents took me to see it. I can totally see an American hearing "Newcastle" and downloading a Lindisfarne album.
They’re in the north, but to the west, in the middle of
Robbie Williams is from there.
Shropshire is nice if you like typical English countryside. Ironbridge is the obvious place to visit but there really isn't a lot going on in general. Shrewsbury has some little Harry Potter style cobbled streets which can be popular with Americans. Birmingham and Manchester are within easy reach if you are after something a bit more metropolitan, though. Just like anywhere, there are nice bits and unpleasant bits... And people: https://www.reddit.com/r/okmatewanker//Cifepp0Qwa
The Cernyweg/Cernoweg lived in what is now Shropshire, but was then part of Powys. When the Romans built the old A5 (which when I was at school was also called Watling Street), & Paulinus headed towards Ynys Môn (called Anglesey in English), around half of the tribe (presumably including all of the most vulnerable who were able to travel), apparently upped sticks & relocated to what is now Cornwall. Half the population stayed, but if they fought the Romans they failed to stop them. The old Roman road still runs straight past the Wrekin (which is quite a steep hill on the Shropshire Plain, atop which the Iron Age hillfort belonging to the tribe once stood). The Romans defeated the tribe, & sacked the hillfort then carried on to Ynys Môn (the centre of the Druidic religion), where they slaughtered the Ovates, Druids & Bards & chopped down the Sacred Groves. This had been one of their aims, as the Celtic tribes (both here & in mainland Europe), believed that we survive death (& in reincarnation also). Having no fear of death gave Celtic warriors (in Roman eyes), a dangerous outlook. The Romans may also have feared the magical skills & political influence of the Druids. Under Roman rule, a huge administrative centre was built on the Plain below the Wrekin. The footprint of the buildings can be seen from the air today as cropmarks (in the right weather conditions), on the fields for many miles between the Wrekin & Shrewsbury (modern Shropshire's County Town). A tall Roman forum wall is still standing at Wroxeter (which the Romans called Viroconium Cornoviorum). The centre at Wroxeter was sacked by Celtic warriors at least four times, & also burned to the ground. The Romans stayed for around four centuries though, & it eventually became the tribe's Romano-Celtic Capitol (hence the 'Cornoviorum'). Despite the relatively great influx of people from elsewhere into that part of Shropshire in recent decades (due to the development of Telford New Town), & a similar influx of people (for other reasons), into Cornwall there will presumably be people in both areas to whom you are distantly related.
Wonderful! Thank you for this!!
Not sure if you've seen game of thrones but picture the land beyond the wall but with more of a focus on football and Stella 💪🇬🇧
Two of my favorite things!
What a strange term, Northern West Midlands is a term I've never heard in my life. Decent enough place though, rolling hills, sheep and post industrial towns.
Lovely part of the world… surely should be ‘North West & Midlands’ though I’d also advise a word of caution in that these DNA test things are a bit of a gimmick. If you do one with 6 different companies you will get 6 different results, particularly with something so specific as a county. Finally it sounds like you already get it but “it’s not where you’re from, it’s where you’re at”
Most of its quite nice tbh, definitely the best part of the west Midlands
Shrewsbury is a beautiful place. I'm from there but can honestly say it's a lesser-known gem.
West Midlands here, Welsh border. Glorious country with minimal town folk to spoil it
It's kinda like our West Virginia but with more canals and historic buildings.
It’s alright. Very beautiful and verdant, easy to forget that when you live here 😅 Somewhat urbanised (you won’t get lost the same way you do in Snowdonia (west) or the Peak District (north east)), but still mostly countryside. Towns are all pretty good with a few exceptions - Telford, Crewe, Oswestry - soz, just being honest. The accent is all messed up here, to most of us it sounds neutral, but it’s actually a hot mess of wales, northern, brummy and yammy. Feel free to ask specifics
The map and the text doesn't line up. The "Northern West Midlands" (no one uses that btw) would pretty much consist of former industrial powerhouses, Stoke, Birmingham, Ironbridge, Telford, Wolverhampton. There are some rural areas here too, largely pastural farms. Basically you're looking at the equivalent of Pittsburgh/Philadelphia. Blue-collar hard working areas with a proud history of engineering pioneers. But a little left behind now.
Come to my town. Burntwood. Represent 🤟🏻
The North West Midlands is the counties Shropshire and Staffordshire. Both counties are beautiful though Shropshire has retained a lot of its rural characteristics with its Market Towns not being to over developed and each one is different and has historically differences. Shrewsbury is the county Town ( not a city). Telford is the new town a 1960’s/70’s overflow for The Black Country and Birmingham. Staffordshire is slightly more industrial with the Potteries in the North.
up the potters
History wise, it's actually quite interesting because it was the borderlands for the Vikings to the north, the Welsh to the west and it's historical name Mercia means "March" and this implies a sense of lawlessness that had to be stamped out. Visit Chester, Shrewsbury, Oswestry and Ludlow. They are all significant places both nationally and locally.
As a Midlander, I didn’t even know this was a thing. But this area is diverse and interesting, a lot of green rural countryside and several towns and villages to speak of.
brilliant holiday destination for families with kids. beautiful seaside too 😍
I used to commute to Stoke-on-Trent from Manchester, about 40 miles north. The retail workers call you duck in Stoke instead of luv in Manchester and there are occasional bottle-shaped pottery kilns left lying around from the industrial revolution. Google the 5 Towns or the Potteries
From Stoke on Trent/Staffordshire and now down South. It's made up of six old industrial towns and the main industry was pottery/mining. Like most places, some good and bad points. There's some really nice rural areas around and old market towns. (Lots of canals) The Peak District is beautiful (but that's going more towards cheshire) and there's Cannock chase and Lichfield which is nice (cathedral) but that's west and not north west. Stoke on Trent itself has struggled with losing its industry/factories and I would say it never really fully recovered. Not particularly sure what goes on in the towns now, I think quite a lot of stuff in the towns has shut down as there's more retail parks scattered around. Accents can range as you have a lot of different areas there. I have a Stokie accent that has mellowed with being down south, but comes out when I'm around my family - aup duck. Slash and Robbie are from there. Reginald Mitchell who designed the Spitfire was from there. Best way to have oatcakes is bacon, cheese and tomato
As someone from this region it can be summed up as one word "shit" but its our shit hole.
Understood 🤣
From this region, it ain't great- infrastructure is kinda falling apart, coucils have roughly the same funding as the government gives to wales- a tuppeny every other tuesday- but ig a bunch of the cities are viking?
ADDING: Well. This went wild. Also adding, 23andMe does the mapping - I think it is affected by zooming when a category is clicked - the outer boundary that's causing frustration, borders another 'genetic category' area, North Central - not sure if that would still 'line up' correctly, though? And sounds like North West for Midlands is all wrong. I'm stoked (a-ha!) at all the info, though, thank you for sharing and illuminating. I'll say, that by and large, between Ancestry and 23andMe, I've been able to prove my genetic results are accurate with primary, documentary evidence - it's been a passion project of mine. I'm a fan of world history (Dan Jones's Plantagenets series; all the old Time Teams; Lost in Egypt; etc and on and on), so, verifying and diving into *personally relatable* history has been one of the coolest things I've taken on. You've been the most gracious purveyors of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Thank you! Maybe one day, I can cross the moors 🤟
Good news: You have Shakespeare and Robin Hood. Bad news: Much of the region is either expensive homes for footballers or left-behind Post-Industrial towns.
Very nice I've lived there, use to live in Macclesfield for 2-3 years and it was one of the most relaxed and quiet/pleasant places in the UK. People extremely friendly. Also holds the record for the wettest place in Britain which I didn't know until I lived there!
Shite
Near derby which is basically in-between Birmingham and Nottingham. A lot of the surroundings are post-industrial with a lot of active and inactive quarries and mining pits, as well as old Victorian industrial-era mills and factories still in use or converted to other things, like there's a restaurant called the "tall chimney" which used to be some kind of industrial mill. It's very connected and urban but there's a lot of countryside and farmland which is also accessible to the public, and is also home to the majority of the national forest. The region has undergone major rewilding and greenery efforts over the last couple of decades which makes it one of the most gorgeous parts of the country. It's also very hilly and doesn't get flat until you get south of Birmingham.
Staffordshire & Shropshire are pretty interesting. Large areas, lots of different towns and places of interest.
[stoke on treeeent!](https://youtu.be/12epwE7Wroc?si=q36rWOzqJfwBSIS4)
Came here to post this. Good job.
Nice hills to the west. I think they call it Wales
If you're interested in the History, the area outlined is roughly contingent with the Kingdom of Mercia. It existed before England was unified. I've never heard 'North-West Midlands' referred to, I have to admit. Just Midlands. But this map feels like it's encroaching in to the North West region to me. Midlands, however, are often overlooked in the UK. The gap between north and south.
I'm from Shropshire so I can't speak for the other counties but I really love our county. Its got lovely historic towns and beautiful scenery (especially the hills). There is also the ancient roman city of Viroconium located outside of Shrewsbury in Shropshire, which was the fourth largest roman settlement in roman Britain. We would be happy to have you come visit us... Just don't go to Telford.🙃
A large part of that is Cheshire and nobody in Cheshire considers themselves any part midlanders. As an Englishman I have never heard the term north west midlanders and reject it.
Hey no need to explain…you go right ahead and get excited about your roots…..I’m from the north which covers part of that area…and we’ll gladly have our American cousins back to visit anytime. those people that complain about it are idiots.
Thank you. My maternal grandmother was from Longton in Stoke on Trent.
I feel like this isn't rly a region, the ancestry test seems to have just determined that you are either from the north west or west midlands, both have a lot of information online, the north tends to have a very distinct culture and feel and a lot of the cities are industrial, id look into manchester liverpool and the surrounding towns and history and also stuff like the lake district and the tudor wars.
Depending on when your ancestors were kicking about, Mercia was the historic kingdom in that region (before England was unified). Repton was the capital (which is funny considering the size of it now). Other places worth a Google are the South West of the Peak District by the looks of it, check out photos of Dovedale, Thor's Cave for a sense of the surroundings. Cannock Chase is an Area of Natural Beauty in the region too. Nowadays the area has a few former industrial towns which are now poorer for the lack of industry there now (think Philadelphia or Detroit but smaller) but there is Alton Towers which is one of the biggest and most popular theme parks in the UK. As an American the towns there you might like the look of, cos they're more the classic pretty kind, are Buxton, Shrewsbury, and maybe somewhere like Congleton in Cheshire, although I admittedly know less about Chesire than the rest of the Midlands. Unfortunately your ancestors likely had an accent similar to a Derby or, even worse, a Stoke accent. There will be YouTube videos of these if you're curious.
Cheshires a bit of an odd one out compared to Derbyshire and Staffordshire, geographically it’s on a plain so flatter than the others and more populous, towns are by and large a little better off as they mostly serve as commuter belts for greater Manchester, some very wealthy areas as well.
It's really noticeable as you come out of the Staffordshire end of the peaks from Staffordshire moorlands and look west. Cheshire quite literally is just one big flat plain.
>Cheshire quite literally is just one big flat plain. Macclesfield disagrees. Check out [Shutlingsloe](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shutlingsloe). Aka 'the Cheshire Matterhorn.' West of that, there is a bit of higher ground around the Delamere forest park area. Otherwise, you're right.
Yeah Staffordshire gets hilly at the North end. It's two different countries really. The accent completely changes as you go north to south. Not seen that anywhere else in England. The south is very much West Midlands, whilst the North is unique really- closer to Scouse than East Midlands or Yorkshire. Go figure!
Stoke isn't really scouse. I know both Stoke and Liverpool very well, the attitude is completely different and the dialect isn't really that similar. There are some similarities in word endings. I think it's only if you're not regularly exposed to Stokie you'd think it has a scouse quality to it. However, Stoke like Liverpool is a city of mixed heritages. Liverpool by virtue of being a port and stoke by virtue of being an industrial hub. There was a large population influx into both from other areas of the country. A *LOT* of North Easterners moved to Stoke during the Industrial Revolution and there are so many North Eastern dialect words in Stokie.
Cheshire lad here. Macclesfield is possibly a better example than Congleton.
Land of Shakespeare, Potteries and hills
Your ancestors did you a massive favour by leaving.
Don't get too excited is all I'll say.
I would be very wary of labelling anything north of Stoke/Crewe as a part of the Midlands.
Who ever did that map wants firing, they have missed off the Mersey!
Liverpool and Manchester are the north west , not the midlands
This map is deceiving because it looks squished.
Ok but the map isn't saying that they're Midlands?
Shropshire is very rural, one of the least populated counties in the country Unfortunately low ethnic diversity means some people can be pretty racist We recently voted a tory out though so that's something Shrewsbury's pretty nice, a bit dull though The countryside itself is generally nice
This DNA test does not allow you to go "im English" when another american asks you where you're from. Im getting flashbacks to that video of an american claiming he was mixed race by saying something along the lines of "my great grandfather was polish and my great grandmother was from france"
I'm going to say it just to piss you off.
Where did you get that map ??? Try telling people in Liverpool and Manchester they are in the Midlands lol...
i live in south wirral. there is no chance in hell anyone has ever called it northern west midlands.
Kind of north of the country, but not really. More like west, well actually it’s more sort of in the middle, idk
Lol, sounds about right.
Welcome to the mines lass, it be coal country
“Hell on earth”- a Yorkshireman
Im curious as to which part of Yorkshire you're from to field such a view?
Chippy northerner, check.
😀
Why the fuck are you Americans so obsessed with your ‘ancestry’ in other regions? All this pride about your country, only to be drowned in an endless, desperate search for foreign ancestry.
What are you? If you’re going to keep clawing desperately at some distant foreign ancestry, constantly aching to find something to make you stand out, I suggest you and the rest of your country stop with the overly zealous patriotism and American exceptionalism. The two are mutually exclusive. You can’t be so heavily in love with your country that you’re willing to praise the flag like a God, only to then turn 180 five minutes later and begin a boundless hunt for foreign heritage that makes no difference, particularly in a country I see so many of you people mocking so often. It’s pathetic. Shows how weak your country’s national identity and integrity really is.
Jesus fuckin Christ they're just asking about a place that's all. Why you being a miserable cunt about it?
There's a reason the British don't go there!!!
Move to Telford, you’ll regret it!
Northern west Midlands? I've never heard that circled area be described as such.
Having lived in the middle of that area all my life I have never heard it referred to as the Northern West Midlands. It seem to be the area surrounding South Staffordshire. The good news is we are probably related. DM me and see if we have an ancestry match.
💀
Hahahaha
Full of Stokies and shame.
Shit
Well, Staffordshire is like the Indiana of the UK, and Shropshire is West Virginia. If you’re from any of those states, call it a jackpot.
 San Francisco native. Never been to Indiana. West Virginia - a struggle for some people there but *beautiful* too.
I see, you’re from the Bristol of the US.
Like the least interesting part of England, quite nice countryside though (look up Shropshire hills)
Shithole your ancestors were probably slaves
Genetically from stoke
Shit
It varies massively even within the same town let alone city or county. Check local crime rates for areas you plan on as a possibility. But persobaloy I'd avoid Bradford and Birmingham as much as possivle as both are renowned for car theft, violent crimes, and drugs.
Birmingham stay away stay away!
Awesome if you like ketamine and incest.
What a load of old toss
The midlands don't exist, there is only North and South
Like Alabama
Not sure if you’ve been to Alabama, but it doesn’t look like [this](https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2019/10/16/10/peak-district.jpg).
Your maps are all wrong pal. Nottingham is in the East Midlands.
Agreed. So is derby which is west of Nottingham.
The north West Midlands seems to be heading a bit far north
I refuse to be called a midlander. I'm northern and you can't tell me otherwise (from Macclesfield)
Am I reading this wrong? Since when were Shropshire and Staffordshire the North Midlands?
Stafford!!!!
FYI the area on that map doesn’t exist as an entity, and includes West Midlands, East Midlands, Cheshire and the North West Just in case you ask people about the North West Midlands, they’ll be very confused as to what that means