Places of Worship Heritage Trail - Handsworth and Lozells
Welcome to the Places of Worship Heritage Trail. We hope you’ll enjoy your walk around Handsworth and Lozells learning about the rich variety of religious communities who live alongside one another in a, relatively, small area.
The trail will take you through a culturally diverse area, so as well as the places of worship you will encounter people, shops, food and clothing from around the world that have all made their home in this part of Birmingham. Whilst the trail is focussed on one small area it reflects the diversity that is found across Birmingham and the West Midlands.
Before you head out please take a few minutes to read these tips to keep you safe and help you to have an enjoyable walk. The entire route is just under 2 miles so allow about an hour and a half for your walk, which will give you time to stop and take notice of what you are seeing.
- Check the route before you go so you don’t get lost
- Wear some comfortable shoes and take waterproofs if needed
- Be aware of your surroundings, particularly when crossing roads
- Always stop walking when reading the map
- Be considerate of other people if walking in a big group or stopping to read the information
- Make sure the leader is wearing a high-vis vest and knows the names of everyone in the group
- Stay together throughout the walk
- Make sure everyone is aware of this information
Enjoy yourselves and make the most of being in the area, why not stop for food or a drink at one of the many cafés on the Lozells Road.
At each place of worship we will give you some information about the building, the community that worships there and a short story of one member of that faith community. Below there are also give links to their websites so you can find out more an arrange a visit if you should wish to.
As you’ll see many of the buildings were constructed around the same time at the end of the 19th Century. This was due to the huge number of workers coming to Birmingham for jobs in the factories, especially metal working.
Download the map here. Feel free to print copies if you find that easier. If you view on a mobile phone the various landmarks are clickable for more information.
If you want to know the best way to fold your map, you can see instructions here
You can also view a detailed map of the route here:-
If you click the image below and view on a mobile phone the various landmarks are clickable for more information.
Why not check out more information on all of the places of worship in the trail.
Whilst you are on the trail also look out for the following landmarks:
A view of Birmingham city centre from Wills Street
The entrance to Georges Park on the corner of Wills Street and Villa Street
Two murals on the corner of Lozells Road and Frances Road,
the floral one was created to commemorate those who died during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
A mural on the corner of George Street and Lozells Road depicting a Muslim girl skateboarding.This was inspired by a young Muslim woman skating in Georges Park.
A mural on George Street opposite the church
All four murals were painted by local artist Bunny Bread as part of an arts trail developed in 2021, as the Downlow project from local charity Saathi House.
Saints Paul and Silas Church on the Lozells Road
The Masjid At-Taqwa on the corner of Villa Road and Hamstead Road
We hope you have enjoyed your walk around Lozells and Handsworth seeing and learning about different places of worship and religious communities.
The trail was made possible by a generous grant from The Connecting Network of Birmingham City Council with support from Legacy WM. www.legacy-wm.org and in collaboration with The Feast www.thefeast.org.uk.
Illustration Onegraydot Ltd. Andrew Gray www.onegraydot.com 07/11/ 2022.