The Jewellery Quarter
A Comprehensive Area Guide
Jewellery Quarter, dubbed Britain’s jewellery heaven and a national treasure, is one of the most popular locations in Birmingham. As the name implies, the area’s claim to fame is its thriving jewellery industry. JQ, as it’s commonly referred to, boasts the largest cluster of jewellery businesses in Europe and produces about 40% of the country’s jewellery.
But there’s more to it than shiny things. The area is steeped in history, widely evident in the iconic red-brick and terracotta Victorian buildings spread throughout the town.
Find out why it’s a great place to work and live below.
Getting Around The Jewellery Quarter; Transport Links in the Area
As Britain’s jewellery heaven since the 19th century, and a popular tourist destination, Jewellery Quarter boasts attractive and convenient local and national transport links.
The area is bound by the Great Charles Street Queensway road to the south, The Great Hampton Street to the north, and the Middle Ring Road to the west.
On the northwest of the area sits Icknield Street, which is part of the A45 Middle Ring Road connecting residents to Birmingham City Centre and areas like Belgrave Middleway, Bordesley, Dartmouth Circus, and Five Ways Island.
The A457 runs along the southwest of Jewellery Quarter, with direct links to Birmingham City Centre, Wolverhampton, West Bromwich, and many other cities and suburbs across Birmingham. Thanks to its convenient road connections, plenty of bus services run through, and along Jewellery Quarter, including buses from the National Express West Midlands.
For those who prefer to take the train, Jewellery Quarter has its very own station; The Jewellery Quarter Station opened in 1995 as a train and tram stop to allow seamless local and national access to the area.
The station is served by trains from West Midlands Trains(WMT), Chiltern Railways, and the Midland Metro. As the main station operator, trains by The West Midlands Trains run during the daytime at 10-minute intervals in each direction between Monday and Saturday.
Chiltern Railway trains mainly operate during peak hours and service areas between Kidderminster and Marylebone. Trams by the West Midlands Metro run between Grand Central and Wolverhampton at 6-8 minute intervals during the daytime and at 15-minute intervals on evenings and Sundays. There are toilets, telephones, and even cycle storage available to the public at the station.
If you plan on regularly travelling internationally, living in the Jewellery Quarter guarantees seamless access to the Birmingham International Airport, thanks to the multiple direct roads and rail links to Birmingham’s city centre.
Schools in the The Jewellery Quarter Area
Primary schools in Jewellery Quarter include the Nelson Primary School, Edmund’s Catholic School, Jewellery Quarter Academy, and Brookfield Primary(in Hockley, but a short distance from JQ).
Students in the area enjoy free secondary education at Perry Beeches II school on Newhall Street and Perry Beeches IV on Albion Street. Higher learning in Jewellery Quarter is also guaranteed thanks to the long string of colleges available in the area. These include The College of Law at the junction of Great Hampton, Hall, and Kenyon Streets, and the following:
- Abbey College Birmingham
- Birmingham Music School
- University College Birmingham
If you wish to improve or venture into jewellery making, JQ has a jewellery school, The Birmingham School of Jewelry, on Vittoria Street. Formerly the Municipal School for Jewellerry, it is one of the longest-running schools in the area(opened in the 18th century) and one of the largest not just in the UK but in all of Europe.
Amenities in The Jewellery Quarter
Some local amenities available to residents of Jewellery Quarter include:
Libraries
For some quiet reading or research, Jewellery Quarter residents often head to Spring Hill Library, five minutes away in Ladywood. The iconic library is housed in a red-brick, Grade II-listed, Victorian building and has been operating since January 1893.
Jewellery Quarter also boasts a Jewellery Library known as the School of Jewellery Library on St. Paul’s Square. The library opens daily from 9 am to 7.45 pm, but staff are only available between 9 am and 5 pm. Other libraries near Jewellery Quarter include:
- The Library of Birmingham
- Birmingham Central Library
- Kingstanding Library
Health Centres in The Jewellery Quarter
Quality healthcare in Jewellery Quarter is available through the wide range of NHS and private hospitals in and close to the area. The Hockley Medical Practice on Carver Street is one of the area’s leading healthcare facilities for NHS treatments. The facility works closely with the Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust to provide free emergency, communicable diseases, and compulsory psychiatric treatments to anyone in Jewellery Quarter and its environs.
For NHS mental healthcare services, area residents often turn to the Birmingham and Solihull Mental Trust on Summer Hill Road, Ladywood. Here are a few other hospitals providing NHS treatments near JQ:
- Sandwell & West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust
- Priory Wellbeing Centre
- Clarewell Clinics(private )
- Newtown Medical Centre(private)
Living in Jewellery Quarter also eases access to regular and quality dental care thanks to the wide range of private dentist practices that support NHS dentistry near the area. They include but aren’t limited to:
- Newtown Dental Practice and Opticians
- Paul’s Square Dental Practice
Community Spaces in The Jewellery Quarter
Like many attractions in The Jewellery Quarter, public spaces in the area aren’t your average-outside-the-neighbourhood communal spaces. Instead, some of the most popular public spaces are cemeteries turned into gardens and parks.
Before you scream spooky, note that these cemeteries aren’t all ghosts and gloom. Instead, they’re beautiful open and serene spaces you’ll love strolling through daily.
Key Hill Cemetery is one such spot. It was opened in the 18th century as a non-denominational public cemetery but closed to burials in the 19th century. Now it’s just an old, surprisingly picturesque cemetery opened to the public.
It features an iron gateway from 1835, terraced walks, extensive catacombs, and monument groups where many of Bruhm’s influential 19th-century figures lay. The Church of England Cemetery, also known as Brookfield Cemetery on Warstone Lane, also holds the same vibe.
Things To Do in The Jewellery Quarter
Check out a list of fun things to do in the Jewellery Quarter below:
- Take in amazing views of Birmingham from The Big Peg
- Explore JQ’s intriguing jewellery history at the Museum of Jewellery Quarter
- Appreciate art at St. Paul’s Gallery, or the RBSA Gallery
- Check out the quaint St. Paul Square
- Explore and shop at the endless array of jewellery stores in JQ
More Area Guides
Living in The Jewellery Quarter
You cannot compare life in Jewellery Quarter to any other place. As one of Europe’s top jewellery producers from as early as the 19th century, this renowned area attracts thousands of tourists annually, creating nearly endless entrepreneurial opportunities.
As a result, it’s a hub for creatives from all over the country and has an incredibly well-established public infrastructure system. This guarantees seamless access to quality education, healthcare services, and an array of local amenities for all residents.