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This wonderful leafy haven of wealth is home to the country's most famous cricket grounds. Edgbaston was built back at the end of the eighteenth century b y the Calthorpe family and it started life as an out of town residence and estate to avoid the industry that polluted the city at the time. Lying about three kilometres out of the centre to the south, it is home to the adorable Cannon Hill Park where you can while away an afternoon, if the weather is agreeable, either boating on the lake or bowling on the greens and quite easily forget that you are minutes away from Birmingham city. The park has woodlands and greenhouses filled with tropical plants. Cannon Hill is also where you can find Midland Arts Centre that like most centre has a cafè bar and even a cinema should the weather change and you are forced indoors. It prime function is of course the display and exhibit of photography and arts and crafts. The centre is most easily accessed from Edgbaston road. On the south fringe of Edgbaston you come across the Birmingham University campus that has more main treasure, notably the Barber Institute of Fine Arts. This is located at the east gate of the Edgbaston park. The institute and associated gallery were opened in 1939 to house a small and diverse collection fo paintings. There are many incredible works from the likes of Whistler, Monet, Bellini, Gainborough and Turner to mention but a few. The eclectic composition has works that range from the thirteenth century onwards. The pieces not to be missed are Landscape near Malines by Rubens and Jockeys before the Race by Degas. |