The Bournville Model Village

In the late 19th century, industrial cities like Birmingham were heavily polluted, with workers living in cramped, unsanitary back-to-back terraced houses. Seeking to improve the lives of his employees, the Quaker philanthropist and chocolate manufacturer George Cadbury relocated his factory to a greenfield site outside the city.

There, he built Bournville, a pioneering 'model village'. The housing was designed with large gardens, fruit trees, and ample green public spaces. Cadbury wanted his workers to have a healthy environment and be able to grow their own food.

Social Impact

Because of Cadbury's strict Quaker beliefs, the village was completely dry—there were no public houses (pubs) allowed, a rule that remains largely in place today. Bournville's success heavily influenced the later Garden City movement and modern urban planning.