Wombourne may lay claim to being the largest village in England, but despite a large population increase over the last century, it remains very much a traditional English village with its historic character still in evidence. The village green serves as a focal point for the community, while the Staffordshire & Worcestershire canal provides another attractive feature.

The first settlement at Wombourne was in prehistoric times, as evidenced by the discovery of Bronze Age artefacts in the vicinity, and the area was occupied by the Romans who built the road to Bridgnorth and Wales. In 1086, Wombourne was recorded in the Domesday Book as Wamburne, thought to be the Old English translation of 'winding stream'. It is listed as having 26 people including a priest - although women and children were not counted! - and two mills. In later Norman times Wombourne was also part of the Royal Forest of Kinver, and the king often hunted in the surrounding fields.

There has been a church in the centre of the village for over 1,000 years, and the original chapel may have been founded to pray for those killed at the nearby Battle of Tettenhall in 910, when King Edward the Elder defeated the last major Viking army to invade England. In mediaeval times, as Wombourne grew, this church of St Benedict Biscop was rebuilt in local sandstone.

During the Industrial Revolution, the village grew to such an extent that a much larger church was required, and a new building was created in the popular Gothic style in 1840 - although the 14th century tower was retained and is still in situ today. Just 20 years later, the new vicar decided to remodel the building yet again, according to ancient principles of church design, and had most of the 1840s structure demolished. This was replaced by the current building, which features a variety of architectural styles.

St Benedict Biscop is one of many interesting buildings in and around Wombourne, with charming shops and cottages framing the village green and several of the village's pubs dating back to the 1800s.

The fact that Wombourne is built on sandstone was beneficial for industry and agriculture, with income generated pre-1800 by selling market garden produce to local towns. During the 16th century Wombourne had a thriving iron industry, while nailmaking continued until the early 17th century, but it was the building of the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal that really opened the village up to trade.

This section of the canal, built in 1770, features one of the most famous landmarks on the UK's inland waterways - Bratch Locks, the country's first three-lock staircase. This feat of engineering was created by James Brindley to solve the problem of a 30-foot drop in ground level at Wombourne. Also of note are the octagonal toll house (now an information point), two original bridges and Bratch Pumping Station. The latter has two steam engines which were decommissioned in 1960 but restored to full working order in 1996.

The canal may have been a vital addition to Wombourne, but the railway, built between 1912 and 1925, did not make such an impact. In fact, even though the station was comparatively large, it closed to passengers just seven years later. The line continued to be used for goods transport until 1965, the only exception being the ferrying of injured soldiers to nearby hospitals after the D-Day landings.

Today, the line is part of the South Staffordshire Railway Walk, a visitor attraction lasting five and a half miles from Castlecroft to Wall Heath. Horse riding is permitted along certain sections, and the former station building now serves as a tea room.

Between Wombourne and Kingswinford is Himley Hall, an 18th century Palladian mansion built on the site of a mediaeval manor house belonging to the Earl of Dudley. The 180 acres of land were designed by Capability Brown, and the estate enjoyed plenty of royal patronage including a visit from Edward VIII on the weekend before his abdication. The former lodge house is now a hotel, and visitors can also stroll through the Himley Plantation, mature mixed woodland that once formed part of the estate.