Although the stretch of road between Wolverhampton and Birmingham was described as 'one continuous town' from the mid-eighteenth century, the first mention of 'The Black Country' can be traced back as recently as 1840. The region earned its name during the Industrial Revolution, as air pollution from chimneys and hearths covered the region in a blanket of black soot. By this time, the Black Country had become one of the most industrial parts of Britain. This region may have gained its name from the area's industrialisation, but it also has strong links to the arts and literature: poet William Shenstone lived in Halesowen, as did writer Francis Brett Young, and poet Sir Henry Newbolt was born in Bradley. Today, the Black Country encompasses the Metropolitan Boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton, and the heavy industry that once dominated the area has virtually disappeared.