inside pages 6/6/06 15:32 Page 1

North Heritage inside pages 6/6/06 15:33 Page 2 Heritage - Wheels

The wheel is the oldest invention known to man. North Warwickshire is a recycled landscape It has been the great enabler, the mechanism with a rich past that has seen many people that has seen the development of trade and settle in this the Northern most part of the with the trade; we see the growth from local to Forest of Arden. global communications. The Romans From Chariots Saxons and the Danes To Salt Carts The Monasteries To Water Mills Royalty and the Gentry To Stage Coaches To Pits Poets and Writers To Railways Canal Navigators To Canal turns Railway Engineers To Cars, Lorries Coal Miners And Bicycles Modern Industrial Giants

They have all shaped North Warwickshire Each turn of the wheel has seen a new generation; of soldiers, clergy, royalty, gentry, poets, writers and builders create the rich layers of history with salt tracks, roads, canals, railways and fine buildings in this the Hub of .

All have come and settled in North Warwickshire Each creating a rich historical layer Each recycling Each Building and Rebuilding

All making use of man's oldest invention to shape the landscape that it is today in North Warwickshire

This guide tells the story of the influence of wheels upon the North Warwickshire landscape and highlights the “must see” places to visit, where you can see, touch and breath in the atmosphere of the heritage that has shaped the Hub of England. Invaders and Settlers d c (c & d) and (c (b), where treachery where (b), Hartshill Seckington 1 3 2 Must See Places See Must When the Romans left, the road remained. This was to was This remained. road the left, the Romans When in the Vikings between border the frontier become in and the Saxons as the Danelaw, known the East, precious for route a trade became road The the West. trundle along which would such as salt, commodities the towns, for heading laden carts in over the road and further a field Coleshill and such as built people also These and . into stakes earth with wooden of (mounds their castles be found can good example A ditches). by surrounded in behind the church and murder took place. took and murder of the Battle Following the Normans. came Then made the more builders great in 1066, these Hastings and churches. castles of permanent features at the castle of remains The to as monuments stand the churches of many who left their mark upon the North settlers, these landscape. Warwickshire b . Although Mancetter Invaders and Settlers Invaders a North Warwickshire as we know it today has seen has it today know as we NorthWarwickshire for valleys and along its rivers its by people settle land for using the fertile each years, thousands of of as places hills and ridges or its cultivation, and metal pottery Although fortification. strategic early show in the fields and towns found objects first the (a), and Iron Bronze of ages in the settlers the wheels of with the Chariot came major impact from northward in their drive Romans The Romans. road, The Street. built Watling Wales into of the Forest skirted the A5, as today know which we at with a fortification Arden on stand can you remains, the road only the line of and imagine the travellers at Mancetter Green The both North heading and South. through passing their with garrison their next to marching Soldiers need should the do battle to ready equipment always peddling their the traders were there Then arise. wherever settle to the opportunity and taking wares a living. make could they inside pages 6/6/06 15:33 Page 4 Page 15:33 6/6/06 pages inside The Age of the Monastery c is a nice place to place is a nice interrupted with fights and with fights interrupted Alvecote Abbey Polesworth 1 2 Must See Places See Must There was also an abbey at , and a priory at at Merevale, an abbey also was There the from be seen which can of the remains , originally a priory. also was church Atherstone's road. the priory at of remains The the landscape. contemplate a picnic and to for stop this today, by that pass and canals the railways Before and prayer for retreat been a quiet have would the by been measured have would Time meditation. were crops ensuring that the the seasons, of cycle the feed to and stored harvested and nurtured, sewn the year. people throughout were times peaceful These the of the Wars of including the final battle battles, in 1485. Roses in place that it did not take argue historians Some but in the fields just thought, as is commonly Bosworth Atherstone. north of in armour with that soldiers be sure can we Either way their took and through, passed all their weaponry in them strength give God to for praying communion, in the North Warwickshire the impending battle and chapels. churches the land the monasteries, Henry VIII dissolved When and once landowners, of generations the new to passed in the towns of growth and the recycling see again we North Warwickshire. a b (a & b) can be can & b) (a Polesworth Abbey Polesworth The Age of the Monastery Age of The North Warwickshire can boast of having more having of boast can North Warwickshire Religion Warwickshire. other part of any than monasteries in lives daily people's part of important a very was in grew Priories and Monasteries The times. medieval visible still examples with many NorthWarwickshire, of remains The today. found around and within the Abbey church. The monks The church. and within the Abbey around found which fulfilled sanctuary of a place and nuns provided also They and traveller. the settlers needs of the spiritual milled the the land, and using grinding wheels, farmed Barns, in the Tithe taxes collected They and wheat. corn (c). in Polesworth the church to close being a fine example inside pages 6/6/06 15:33 Page 6 Page 15:33 6/6/06 pages inside Royalty and Gentry c b Middleton Hall Middleton 1 Must See Places See Must a (b & c). Here you will find not one or two but will find not one or two you Here (b & c). Royalty and Gentry and Royalty The land in North Warwickshire was once owned by the crown by owned once was in North land Warwickshire The their for as a reward subjects royal favoured to passed and was Manor built fine houses, the of Lords These and loyalty. services Many today. landscape the rural around find dotted which we Whitacre, Merevale, such as Packington, houses private now are Grendon such as Some, (a). and Bramcote Mancetter Kingsbury, Nevertheless, altogether. disappeared and , have who farmed the rich and privileged, of the estates were these community. the local for the employment the land and provided that you estates these of avenues and along the lanes It was of the power pulled along by wheels the carriage hear would at are houses large these of examples finest The horses. Hall Middleton Later the Lords of the Manor began to exploit the rich seams of the rich seams exploit the Manor began to of the Lords Later another phase came and so estates, their beneath that lay coal industry. with the birth of history in North Warwickshire's three examples of the manor house, the earliest of which was of the earliest the manor house, of examples three building in the domestic and is the oldest built in Norman times and the Elizabethan of are others The in use. still county, a by restored been lovingly have houses period. These Georgian these see to visitors who welcome volunteers, of group trust when the rural times of the story fine buildings that tell it. and maintain cultivate on the people to relied landscape inside pages 6/6/06 15:33 Page 8 Page 15:33 6/6/06 pages inside Writers and Poets b Clear Ancor, on whose silver-sanded shore silver-sanded on whose Ancor, Clear lies, Idea fair my saint, My soul-shrin'd adore swans milk-white whose brook, O blessed her eyes, by refined stream, crystal Thy in the spring Zephyr myrrh-breathing sweet Where showers, nectar-dropping his Gently distills sit and sing in Arden nightingales Where flowers; dew-impearled the dainty Amongst queen: thy when thou shalt see brook, fair thus, Say years, spent his wand'ring shepherd thy here Lo, hath been, he oft nymph, dear shades, And in these his tears. thee he sacrific'd to And here art alone, Tempe thou my Arden, Fair Helicon. art my Ancor, And thou, sweet Michael Drayton ss ee c hh cc cc aa rr ll hh uu tt PP hh rr

CC oo

ee ww yy ee ss ee ll ee SS tt ll

ss oo tt AA PP ss uu 1 2 MM To the River Ancor the River To a (b), where her where (b), . Members included Raphael . Members Astley Church Astley Polesworth Writers and Poets and Writers The Poet Michael Drayton, a contemporary of William Shakespeare William of a contemporary Drayton, Michael Poet The in a involved in Hartshill born and became was Johnson, and Ben on centred that circle literary Later George Eliot (a) was inspired by by inspired was (a) Eliot George Later These men were educated and supported by forward-thinking men forward-thinking by and supported educated men were These Hall Polesworth of such as Sir Henry Goodere Ancor the River of us a description that gave Drayton, however, It was imagination, you with a little Today, his boyhood. from that he knew (c) as he it, and see in Polesworth the river on the bridge over stand can ago. years hundred four did, some Holinshed from Bramcote Hall, a chronicler whose works were used by used were works whose Hall, a chronicler Bramcote Holinshed from plays. his history for as the source Shakespeare his poem and wrote the group, a member of also John Donne was Sir Philip Polesworth. out of westward rode as he 1613, Good Friday this fine company. amongst also was Sidney in her Church Knebley married and which became were parents the ruin of see can you the churchyard From Life. Clerical of Scenes her of Names Abbey. as Knebley she used which Castle Astley her as she gathered in the churchyards, be found can characters her. that surrounded the places from inspiration inside pages 6/6/06 15:33 Page 10 Page 15:33 6/6/06 pages inside Wheels and Water c became Whitacre The railways came in the 1800s, and 1800s, in the came railways The and Atherstone of the towns along stations developed Polesworth the routes. a major junction, which can still be still which can a major junction, the the bridge by from today viewed that linked lines Here waterworks. and the met and Derby ran Railway Stonebridge lost now at with a station Hampton to down can we Today track. on its Coleshill and bridges of the remains see way. its that indicate banks the from that developed roads The roads, and the new ancient tracks and toll such as the motorways pushed their way also have road, and the countryside through network. opened up the transport b Whitacre Heath Whitacre Atherstone Coleshill 1 3 2 Must See Places See Must However, the cycle tracks along the lesser-used quieter routes that criss-cross routes quieter along the lesser-used tracks the cycle However, the traffic. from an escape provide still the countryside through a , also have fine have , also Atherstone , with its canal turn wheel (c), always has someone passing through passing has someone always wheel (c), turn canal , with its , with its fine Georgian buildings (a) and coaching inns, was once on the once was inns, and coaching buildings (a) fine Georgian , with its Wheels and Water and Wheels Coleshill The Hub of England became so because of the transportation links. Initially with Initially links. the transportation of because so became England Hub of The and packhorse roads, with the Salt and then later Street, Watling the Roman development with the it was However Orton. in Water see such as we bridges became North that Warwickshire railways and canals towns, the coaching of Navigations. England's to key being the central as recognisable more even church a superb by over is watched town The the Borough. through main route which travellers for been a signpost have and would and proud tall which stands and law of a glimpse offers post and pillory (b) stocks town The head. would and travellers of the safety ensure to been enforced have which would order, in the the outlying hostelries for headed highwaymen Hence alike. townsfolk such as Other towns such as Wishaw. villages The Canal and Birmingham and Fazeley Canal meander through the through meander Canal and Fazeley and Birmingham Canal Coventry The Look and countryside. the towns through walks pleasant and provide Borough along the towpaths, on display and bridges features the architectural out for at locks flight of The past. industrial the canals' into a glimpse which give Atherstone examples of coaching inns such as the Red Lion. Coaching also saw the saw also Lion. Coaching inns such as the Red coaching of examples the for at the tollgates money which gathered Roads, Toll of introduction such as in places located which were tollgates, The road. the of upkeep no longer survive. Kingsbury, in the summer time. the locks inside pages 6/6/06 15:33 Page 12 Page 15:33 6/6/06 pages inside inside pages 6/6/06 15:33 Page 14

The need for clean water saw the Trade andIndustry Trade and Industry development of the water industry, which brought the reservoirs at It was the wheel and North Warwickshire's central location coupled with the coal , and the water works at seams that meant North Warwickshire would inevitably become a major part of Whitacre into North Warwickshire the industrial revolution. It has however maintained a balance between the (d). The reservoirs have circular industrial urban and the agricultural rural landscapes that we see today. Trading walks where you can enjoy watching has been a feature for many centuries with towns like Atherstone (a) and Coleshill the sailing boats. The waterworks is with their market squares and market halls. Atherstone also hosted a cheese fair in a building treasure. Although it can the past and was once famous as a town that made hats. Today it is developing as only be viewed from the road it is a Book Town. well worth stopping to admire the design and effort that went into an The development of the coal industry with pits at Birch Coppice, , industrial building. Baddesley, Piccadilly and Hurley all provided employment and changed the landscape, bringing the pit head winding wheels onto the skyline. At Pooley Today we see the modern industrial Heritage Centre (b) interpretation using video and displays shows the development giants such as BMW at Hams Hall of coal mining within the North Warwickshire coalfield, which continues to this very and TNT at Atherstone finding a day with the pit at . home in North Warwickshire, providing employment and keeping Gravel extraction around Kingsbury Water Park (c) has resulted in a series of lakes the wheels turning and maintaining and nature reserves that give a breath of fresh air and some interesting walks for the hub of England. c all of the family.

d

Must See Places ab1 Atherstone 4 Kingsbury Water Park 2 Coleshill 5 Shustoke Reservoir 3 Pooley Heritage Centre inside pages 6/6/06 15:33 Page 16

Public Transport Contact For information on public transport in North Warwickshire contact: If you have enjoyed reading this guide to Warwickshire County Council heritage in North Warwickshire and would Online: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/publictransport like to know more about the area's Telephone: 01926 412987 interesting history, look out for the North Arden Heritage Trail project which is being or Travel Line launched in Summer 2006. Online: www.traveline.org.uk Telephone: 0870 608 2 608 For further information on this guide, or the North Arden Heritage Trail Project, contact the Tourism Development Officer at North Disclaimer Warwickshire Borough Council on: This leaflet includes only a limited selection of the heritage sites in North Warwickshire, which have been chosen due to their location and link with the themes. Telephone: 01827 719301

Whilst great care has been taken to ensure the information is correct, at the time of Email: [email protected] publication, responsibility cannot be accepted for inaccuracies or omissions. Website: www.northwarks.gov.uk The text contained in this leaflet is also available in large print Address: The Council House, South Street, Atherstone, Warwickshire, CV9 1BG Photo acknowledgement Photography is provided courtesy of Adam Craig Photography, The Herald and Malcolm Dewhirst

Text acknowledgement The information within this leaflet has been compiled by a dedicated team of local volunteers, and written by Malcolm Dewhirst.