Digbeth, Deritend & Highgate Through Time

This fascinating selection of photographs traces some of the many ways in which Digbeth, Deritend & Highgate have changed and developed over the last century.

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Digbeth, Birmingham's oldest street has descended downhill from St Martin Church to the River Rea since 1166 when Birmingham's market opened. At the Rea crossing Deritend joins Digbeth to form a southerly route in and out of Birmingham with Highgate located to the West. Each district has varying historical assertions that contribute towards Birmingham's growth from a small village into the large metropolis we know today. The Victorian railway viaduct survives, still dominating one side of the road together with various other structures including the Old Crown and Bird's Custard Factory. This book illustrates where most of the old industry, shops, schools and places of worship have been replaced by modern structures. Alongside these alterations the River Rea, although mainly unseen, still manages to meander along man-made culverts through the three districts.