Knowle and Dorridge lie in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the West Midlands, roughly eight miles south‑east of Birmingham. Knowle retains a clearly historic village core, centred on a medieval parish church and a conservation area of timber‑framed and Georgian buildings, while Dorridge developed later around its railway station into a leafy suburb noted for broad, tree‑lined streets and substantial Edwardian and interwar houses.
Both places are part of an affluent commuter belt with a strong local life of independent shops, cafés, clubs and well‑regarded schools; many residents travel from Dorridge station into Birmingham or further afield, and road links give quick access to the M42, Birmingham Airport and the NEC. Active village societies, sports clubs and conservation protections help maintain neighbourhood character even as demand for family homes keeps the area popular and economically buoyant.