Walsall: Leather craft, a hilltop church, and a world-class art collection

Walsall sits in the northern part of the West Midlands conurbation with a character shaped by its long association with the leather trade — saddles, bridles and accessories that were exported across the British Empire — and by the presence of The New Art Gallery Walsall, a building and collection of such quality that it has quietly become one of the most significant regional galleries in England.

The town's market, its leather-quarter streets, and the hilltop Church of St Matthew give Walsall a more varied and interesting urban texture than its modest reputation tends to suggest. For visitors on a West Midlands itinerary, Walsall offers a genuinely unexpected cultural reward in the form of its gallery's Garman Ryan Collection.

Heritage & History

Walsall's prosperity was built on the leather trades, and the town remains one of the few places in Britain where traditional leather craftspeople still operate, particularly around the Walsall Leather Museum area. The Church of St Matthew, standing on a sandstone hill above the town, has medieval origins and offers commanding views across the Black Country. The Walsall Arboretum, laid out in the Victorian era, reflects the civic investment in public green space that characterised the period.

What to See & Do

• The New Art Gallery Walsall — A striking contemporary building by Caruso St John, housing the Garman Ryan Collection — assembled by sculptor Jacob Epstein's wife Kathleen Garman — alongside changing contemporary exhibitions. Among the most rewarding gallery visits in the Midlands.
• Walsall Leather Museum — A working museum set in a former leather goods factory, telling the story of Walsall's centuries-long leather trade with live craft demonstrations and an extensive collection of historic pieces.
• Church of St Matthew — A medieval church set on a prominent sandstone hill above the town centre, providing views across the West Midlands and preserving stonework of considerable age and quality.
• Walsall Arboretum — A Victorian pleasure park on the edge of the town centre, with a boating lake, formal plantings and a programme of summer events, including the famous Walsall Illuminations.

Food & Drink

Walsall's food landscape is centred on its busy market and the varied independent offer of its town centre, reflecting a working community with eclectic tastes. The New Art Gallery's café provides a pleasant and well-regarded option for visitors to the gallery. The wider area has a strong tradition of South Asian cooking, with a number of independent restaurants in the town centre and surrounding streets.

Parks & Outdoors

The Walsall Arboretum provides the most pleasant green space within the town, with lakeside walks and well-maintained Victorian gardens. The nearby Chasewater Country Park — a few miles north near Burntwood — offers a reservoir setting with sailing, cycling and walking in a more openly rural landscape. The Staffordshire countryside begins to assert itself within a short drive north of the town.

Events & Culture

The New Art Gallery Walsall is the town's defining cultural institution — the Garman Ryan Collection, donated to the town in 1973, includes works attributed to or associated with Van Gogh, Monet, Constable and Epstein, assembled with a personal vision that gives it a character entirely different from a conventional civic collection. Walsall Illuminations in the arboretum, an autumn tradition of several decades' standing, draws visitors from across the region.

Practical Tips

The New Art Gallery Walsall is free to enter and should be considered essential for any visitor with an interest in art — allow at least two hours. The Leather Museum also has limited opening hours and is best checked before visiting. Walsall town centre is compact and the gallery, leather museum and town centre market are all within reasonable walking distance of each other.

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