Birmingham is argued to be the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution and walking through the Jewellery Quarter is almost like stepping back in time over 250 years, with the country’s best surviving group of Victorian architecture adorning each street of this compact district. It became popular for the prominent businesses that rose through the ranks in the jewellery trade, occupying some of the most incredible red brick factories and houses in the city, and is now full of wonderful converted Birmingham apartments to rent. This area of Birmingham is the cornerstone of British industrial heritage, and a hotbed for artistic growth within the city, with many artists still using original workshop tools and century-old methods that have been tried and tested. If you’re interested in how this city is still working hard to maintain a cultural and industrial identity established long ago, you will thoroughly benefit from staying in a short stay apartment in Birmingham Jewellery Quarter.
1. The Coffin Works, Fleet Street
A macabre addition to the array of industrial frontage in this area, The Coffin Works does what it says on the tin, having once produced coffins en masse for the dead. The Newman Brothers Coffin Works produced a whole range of funerary items such as decorative ornaments, crucifixes, shrouds and robes. They were hired for the coffin of Winston Churchill, Princess Diana and many others. Don’t be put off by the morbid tone, the tour guides are full of fascinating tales from days gone by, and it is a wonderful insight into the history of this city’s former powerhouse.
2. Smith & Pepper Jewellers
Jewellery production in this factory is still very much alive and kicking and is now officially the Jewellery Quarter Museum. Smith and Pepper officially finished trading in 1989 after having opened in 1899 and has been wonderfully preserved to show you the challenging conditions required for creating jewellery. Still retaining its character, it is dingy and lined with steel and industrial machinery which to this day is in working order. It is now also set to be opened as the Birmingham Whiskey Club with a collection of over 300 to try!
3. The Pen Museum
Here you can find out everything there is to know about the delicate craft of the steel pen trade. Birmingham was at one point the centre of this industry, and you will find out about the lives of employers during the industrial period. If you’re feeling creative, the museum hosts a range of calligraphy workshops and the possibility to try different types of typewriter and Braille machines for yourself.
4. The Button Factory
This sturdy converted button factory is now a popular eatery in the city, and is particularly renowned for its bottomless brunch which is a great idea to shake off the hangover the morning after your stay in a party apartment in Birmingham! This gorgeous piece of architecture has also been converted into a fantastic al fresco dining terrace, putting the Jewellery Quarter’s name on the map of trendy bar locations across the UK.
5. Fiddle and Bone Pub
This former pub off Broad Street is a wonderful example of British public house architecture, and you’ll be pleased to know it is being reopened under new management as a gin distillery. It is in the perfect Black Country setting, lined by canals and cobbled streets with some of the finest serviced apartments in Birmingham.
6. J.W. Evans Silver Factory
Thanks to the English Heritage association, this factory has been restored to its original function and is now an instrumental part of the artistic trade that continues to thrive in the Jewellery Quarter making bespoke pieces of silver. You can still see the workshop which remains largely unchanged.
4 gorgeous apartments in Birmingham Jewellery Quarter
There’s plenty to see in this creative hub, but it does not stop there. You can opt to stay in a fully furnished flat often renovated from an old factory building. Whether you’re after something sleek and modern, or with exposed beams and brickwork, we bring you the best corners of the district alongside a selection of its most comfortable holiday apartments. Take a look at our selection of apartments to rent in the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter.
1. 2-bedroom Birmingham apartment
This Wharf studio apartment in the Jewellery Quarter features a living room with a sofa as well as a fully equipped kitchen and two gorgeous bedrooms and a sofa bed. It has a private bathroom with bath or shower, and an oven and kettle are also available. Popular points of interest near the apartment include Bullring Shopping Centre, The ICC-Birmingham and Birmingham NIA. The nearest airport is Birmingham Airport which is easily reachable using the express train.
2. 1 bed luxury apartment in Birmingham
This Birmingham accommodation is perfect for guests aged 24 and over. Just 500m from the Bullring Shopping Centre, this offers great proximity to the Jewellery Quarter. There is free WiFi provided throughout the property and chargeable parking is available offsite nearby. You will receive tea and coffee and a gorgeous sitting area to enjoy it in, alongside a flat screen TV and open plan dining area. Towels and toiletries are fully provided for, and Birmingham Town Hall and Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery are all within 5-minutes’ walk from the property.
3. 6-person party apartment in Birmingham
A gem of a holiday apartment in the very trendy and ever popular area the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham City Centre. Situated in very modern and friendly apartment block this is a warm and quite apartment for all kinds of travellers. Jewellery Quarter train station is 0.3 miles away, with one tube stop to Grand Central Station you are a stone’s throw away from the buzz of Birmingham City Centre.
4. 6 person apartment in Birmingham
This 2 bedroom apartment features a bathroom, a seating area, a kitchen and a flat-screen TV. It is the perfect option for groups of friends who are looking for an apartment in the city centre for one night so that they can enjoy the Jewellery Quarter and its industrial-chic bars.
