Birmingham

Earlier than most of their neighbours, the ingas (folk) of Beorma (pronounced Berma), who was either their leader or an ancestor, made their ham on a sandstone ridge overlooking a stream that crossed the middle of the plateau. That small but often flooded river they called 'ea', which in time became 'Rea'. The site was chosen (so we assume!) because it was clear and dry but with copious springs at hand for filling moat and fishponds, water-meadows below, and thick forest for pannage, timber, and fuel, on the opposite valley side.

That the river ford, then or later split into two by an island, was the best of few crossing-places on a watercourse that practically cut the Plateau into two, so that travellers and tra-ders must use it, was an advantage which only time and growing population would prove. But it can be said that from the beginning the people of Birmingham have been less cut off from national life than their geographical position would sug-gest : they have always had to accept strangers, and have nearly always done so to their own gain.

Being first on the scene, the Beormingas could claim both sides of the Rea valley and did so. Later arrivals saw the virtues of the sandy ridge, and along it were established Northfield, Weoley, Edgbaston, Aston, Erdington, and Sutton. Hamlets appeared, none actually on the Roman reads though not far from it, so that they might be missed by marauders using the highway. Stirchley (once Streetley clearing settlement on the Roman road) is a late and rare exception.