The River Tame is a river in the West Midlands of England, and one of the principal tributaries of the River Trent. The Tame is about 95 km (59 mi) long from the source at Oldbury to its confluence with the Trent near Alrewas, but the main river length of the entire catchment, i.e. the Tame and its main tributaries, is about 285 km (177 mi).
It forms part of the Severn-Trent flyway, a route used by migratory birds to cross Great Britain.
Tamworth (/ˈtæmwərθ/, /ˈtæməθ/) is a market town and borough in Staffordshire, England, 14 miles (23 km) north-east of Birmingham. The town borders North Warwickshire to the east and south, Lichfield to the north, south-west and west. The town takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through it. The population of Tamworth borough (2024) was 81,117. The wider urban area had a population of 81,964.
Tamworth was the principal centre of royal power of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Mercia during the 8th and 9th centuries. It hosts a simple but elevated 12th century castle, a well-preserved medieval church (the Church of St Editha) and a Moat House. Tamworth was historically divided between Warwickshire and Staffordshire until 1889, when the town was placed entirely in Staffordshire.
Birmingham (/ˈbɜːrmɪŋəm/ BUR-ming-əm) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands region, in England. It is the largest local authority district in England by population and the second-largest city in Britain – commonly referred to as the second city of the United Kingdom – with a population of 1.2 million people in the city proper in 2024. Birmingham borders the Black Country to its west and, together with the city of Wolverhampton and towns including Dudley and Solihull, forms the West Midlands conurbation. The royal town of Sutton Coldfield is incorporated within the city limits to the northeast. Birmingham's urban area has a population of 2.7 million and its wider metropolitan area has a population of 4.3 million.
Located in the West Midlands region of England, Birmingham is considered to be the social, cultural, financial and commercial centre of the Midlands. It is just west of the traditional centre point of England at Meriden, and is the most inland major city in the country, lying north of the Cotswolds and east of the Shropshire Hills. Distinctively, Birmingham only has small rivers flowing through it, mainly the River Tame and its tributaries River Rea and River Cole – one of the closest main rivers is the Severn, approximately 20 miles (32 km) west of the city centre. The city does however have numerous canals, collectively named the Birmingham Canal Navigations.
Willenhall is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall, in the county of West Midlands, England. At the 2021 Census the town had a population of 49,587. It lies between Wolverhampton and Walsall on the River Tame, and is contiguous with both Wolverhampton and South Staffordshire. The M6 motorway at Junction 10 separates it from Walsall.
The town, formerly in the county of Staffordshire, is historically famous for the manufacture of locks and keys. As early as 1770, Willenhall contained 148 skilled locksmiths and its coat of arms reflects the importance of this industry to its growth. It was home to the National Union of Lock and Metal Workers from 1889 until 2004. Its motto is Salus Populi Suprema Lex – The welfare of the people is the highest law.
Wednesbury (/ˈwɛnzbəri/ locally [ˈwɛnzbriː]) is a market town in the Sandwell district, in the county of the West Midlands, England; it was historically in Staffordshire. It is located near the source of the River Tame and is part of the Black Country. Wednesbury is situated 5 miles (8km) south-east of Wolverhampton, 3 miles (4.4km) south-west of Walsall and 7 miles (11.8km) north-west of Birmingham. At the 2021 Census, the town's built-up area had a population of 20,313.
The River Cole is a 25-mile-long (40-kilometre) river in the English Midlands. It rises on the lower slopes of Forhill, one of the south-western ramparts of the Birmingham Plateau, at Red Hill and flows south before flowing largely north-east across the plateau to enter the River Blythe below Coleshill, near Ladywalk, shortly before the Blythe meets the Tame. This then joins the Trent, whose waters reach the North Sea via the Humber Estuary. Its source is very near the main watershed of Midland England: tributaries are few and very short except in the lower reaches, so the Cole is only a small stream. The stretch between Shard End and Tyseley formed part of the historic border between Warwickshire and Worcestershire.
The River Blythe flows through the English Midlands from central Warwickshire, through the Borough of Solihull and on to Coleshill in north Warwickshire. It runs along the Meriden Gap in the Midlands Plateau, is fed by the River Cole and is a tributary of the River Tame beside the West Midland Bird Club's Ladywalk reserve. This then joins the River Trent, whose waters reach the North Sea via the Humber Estuary.
The river rises at various sources near Earlswood Lakes, but the principal tributary is listed as Spring Brook (52°21′03″N 1°50′37″W / 52.350915°N 1.843601°W; grid reference SP107725). From here it winds north east, skirting Cheswick Green, towards Solihull. Here it passes through a local wildlife park, Malvern and Brueton Park and Nature Reserve, where it briefly splits/outpours for approximately 250 metres to form Brueton Park Lake. From here it meanders east, past several old country houses—Old Berry Hall, Ravenshaw Hall and Eastcote Hall—before turning sharply south towards Barston, which is encircled within a large meander of the river. At Temple Balsall the Cuttle Brook feeds the river, which now arcs north, and again close by Barston. Past Hampton in Arden the river is fed by Shadow Brook, at Diddington Hall. Travelling further north it passes to the east of Coleshill, and is fed by the River Cole, only a few hundred yards before it itself feeds into the River Tame (52°31′20″N 1°41′18″W / 52.522317°N 1.688242°W; grid reference SP212916), at Ladywalk Nature Reserve.
Horseley Heath is a residential area of Tipton, in the West Midlands of England. It is situated around the main A461 road which links the major townships of Dudley and Walsall, and stands on the banks of the River Tame.
Tipton was one of the most significant towns during the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century and by 1900 was home to numerous significant factories. There was also a railway link which gave passenger services to major towns including Stourbridge, Dudley, Walsall and West Bromwich.
The Severn-Trent flyway is a migratory route, or flyway, used by birds crossing Great Britain from the Humber estuary to the Severn estuary or vice versa. It follows the Humber and its tributaries the rivers Trent and Tame, then the River Severn. The last of these is not connected to the other three, and so birds must cross the gap over the West Midlands conurbation, around Birmingham.
It is used by birds migrating locally, within Britain, and by those migrating to or from Northern and Southern Europe.
Ladywalk Reserve is a nature reserve on the River Tame, at its confluence with the River Blythe, at Hams Hall in north Warwickshire, England, owned by Powergen, but leased to, and operated by, the West Midland Bird Club since 1971.
The reserve is best known for its over-wintering great bitterns. Entry is by permit only.