Overview

Small Heath was likely first used for grazing livestock. It lies on the route between Birmingham and Coventry and was probably used to move animals between markets in the two cities.

The Coventry Road, around which Small Heath grew, was first recorded in 1226. At that time, Birmingham was a medieval market town and Coventry was a city of national importance.

Small Heath was first mentioned in 1461. The name referred to a narrow heath between Green Lane and Coventry Road, where the baths and library were later built.

The Warwick and Birmingham Canal opened in 1799. It ran from Digbeth to Warwick and marked the southern edge of this scattered rural community. In 1852, the Birmingham and Oxford Junction Railway opened along the same route. It was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and reinforced this boundary.

Page last updated: 14 November 2025