This article describes Tamworth, Staffordshire in England. Tamworth is also the name of other cities and towns: Tamworth, New South Wales in Australia and Tamworth, New Hampshire and Tamworth, Virginia in the USA.

Borough of Tamworth
Shown within Staffordshire
Geography
Status:	Borough
Region:	West Midlands
Admin. County:	Staffordshire
Area: - Total	Ranked 336th 30.85 km²
Admin. HQ:	Tamworth
ONS code:	41UK
Demographics
Population: - Total (2002 est.) - Density	Ranked 302nd 74,581 2,418 / km²
Ethnicity:	98.1% White
Politics
Tamworth Borough Council http://www.tamworth.gov.uk/
Leadership:	Leader & Cabinet
Executive:	Conservative
MP:	Brian Jenkins

Tamworth is a historic town and local government district in Staffordshire England, located 17 miles (25km) north-east from the city of Birmingham. The town gained its name from the River Tame, which flows through the town. In 2002 the town had a population of 74,581

Tamworth is the home of the historic Tamworth Castle, and has a minorly successful non-league football team by the name of Tamworth FC.

The town's main industries include: engineering, paper, clothing, and brick and tile manufacturing. It was also home to the Reliant car company.

History

Tamworth has existed since Saxon times, it was sacked by Danes in the 9th century. Defences in the form of a castle were constructed against Danish invaders by Ethelfleda Queen of the kingdom of Mercia.

In the 11th century, a Norman castle was built on the site of the Saxon one, which still exists to this day.

The town grew rapidly in the 18th and 19th centuries. during the Industrial Revolution, due largely to the surrounding coal mines. And it also became a hub of the canal network, with the Coventry Canal and the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal being built through the town. Later the railways arrived with the Midland Railway route from Derby to Birmingham, and later the London and North Western Railway, which provided direct trains to the capital.

The Victorian Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel served as the town's MP from 1830 until his death in 1850. It was in Tamworth that Robert Peel unveiled his Tamworth Manifesto in 1834 which effectively invented the modern Conservative Party.

Tamworth has grown rapidly in the post-war years due to overspill population from Birmingham. Its population has tripled since the 1940s.

Tamworth was historically split between Staffordshire and Warwickshire, with the border running through the city centre. Staffordshire was made to include the entire borough in 1888.