Tamworth | |
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Tamworth Castle from the castle grounds |
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Tamworth shown within Staffordshire | |
Population | 76,900 (2011) |
OS grid reference | SK0933 |
District | |
Shire county | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | Tamworth |
Postcode district | B77, B78, B79 |
Dialling code | 01827 |
Police | Staffordshire |
Fire | Staffordshire |
Ambulance | West Midlands |
EU Parliament | West Midlands |
UK Parliament | |
Tamworth(/ˈtæmwərθ/) is a large market town in Staffordshire, England, 14 miles (23 km) northeast of Birmingham and 103 miles (166 km) northwest of London. Bordering Warwickshire to the South and East, and Lichfield to the North and West, Tamworth takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through it. At the 2011 census, the town had a population of 76,900, making it the second largest settlement in Staffordshire after Stoke-on-Trent.
Tamworth is the home of the historic Tamworth Castle and Moat House and was the capital of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Mercia.
The town's main industries include logistics, engineering, clothing, brick, tile and paper manufacture. Until 2001 it was also home to the Reliant car company, which produced the three-wheeled Robin and the Scimitar sports car. The Snowdome, the UK's first full-sized real-snow indoor ski slope is in Tamworth, and only a short distance away is Drayton Manor Theme Park.
When the Romans arrived in Britain, (43–409 CE) the Trent Valley was home to the British Coritani tribe. Evidence of Roman activity in the area of Tamworth consists of fragments of Roman building materials found near Bolebridge Street. Tamworth was situated near the Roman road, Watling Street and a few miles from the Roman town of .