WARWICKSHIRE. 



WARWICKSHIRE. 



M on the bonier of Warwickshire and MeeiterthlM. Neither the 

 Tun* nor HIT oo of It* affluent* is navigable. 



Tb n*M 'lortlon of tin county which belongs to the bo.-in of the 

 TtlMMi i' drained by a email strvam which rises tienr P. n >:, 

 and flowi otith-ut by Wartnington into the Cherwell, below Banbury 



fordihira 



The deficiency of rirer nvl.;ati >n, which in Warwickshire is limited 

 to a rrll |>art of the course of the Avon 1 i'<l. is coin- 



nBitd by the number and importance of its c.mals. Tlie Cov, -ntry 

 Canal commencM in the tinnj Trunk Canal, on Knulley lli-uli, n>ar 

 Alrewaii, in Staffordshire, and runs southward, nearly parallel to the 

 rirer Tame, to Kazeley, near Tnmworthj afterward* it proceeds by 

 Polrtworth. ',,rth, ana to Coventry. The 



whole length of the ennui i henrly 3S mile*, 27 miles of which are in 

 Warwickshire. The Oxford Canal * in the Coventry Canal 



at Longford, and lias a winding course past Newbold-upon-Avon and 

 Hill Moreton to Branston, where the Grand Junction Canal opens into 

 it; then to Npton-on-the-Hill, and into Oxfordshire. It opens into 

 the Thames at Oxford. The whole length of this canal it about 

 84 infles ; of which about half is in Warwickshire, or in Northampton- 

 i>bire, one or two small projecting parts of which it crosses before 

 finally quitting Warwick-hire. The Ashby-de-la-Zouch Canal com- 

 mences in the Coventry Canal, 3 wiles S. from Nuueuton, and quits 

 the county near Hinckley : it ia continued to the collieries in the 

 coal-hVM we-t i>f Ashby. Th Old Birmingham Canal belongs chiefly 

 to Staffordshire, little more than two miles being in Warwickshire. 

 The Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, 16 milea long, belongs almost 



!y to Warwickihire, only two miles being in Staffordshire. 

 There \i a juncti* : 'his and the Old Birmingham Canal on 



the west side of the town of Birmingham. The Worcester and 

 Birmingham Canal commences at the junction of the Old Birmingham 

 and Birmingham and Fazt-1. y Canals, and runs southward and south- 

 westward into the Severn at Worcester. Of its whole course, 29 miles 



nly the three milea nearest to Birmingham are in Warwick- 

 .;ion-Avon Canal commences in the Birmingham 



and Worcester Canal nt King's Norton in Worcestershire, and runs 

 into the Avon at Stratford. Of it* whole course, 23J miles, by fai- 

 ths greater part belongs to Warwickshire. There are three or four 

 abort branches. The Warwick and Birmingham Canal commences at 

 Baltttford, on the north-West side of Warwick, and runs north-west 

 by Hatton and Knowle to Birmingham, where it joins a branch of the 

 I'.irminghnm and Fazeley Canal, on the east side of the town of 

 Birmingham. It is -.'! miles long, and belongs almost entirely to 

 Warwickshire. A short branch joius this canal with the Stratford- 

 on-Aron Canal. The Warwick and Naptou Canal commences in the 

 Warwick and Birmingham Canal n.-nr Warwick, and runs eastward 

 by Ix-amirgton Priors and Long Itchington to the Oxford Canal at 

 Napton-on-the-HilL It is 14 milea long, and belongs entirely to 

 Warwickshire. The great system of internal navigation which brings 

 the principal port* of England into communication with each other, 

 and With the manufacturing districts, has greatly promoted the manu- 

 factures of Warwickshire, especially the silk and ribbon manufactures 

 of Coventry. 



he coach ronds, the most important ia the parliamentary road 

 to Shrewsbury an 1 Holyhead, which enters the county between 



i'rv and Dunchurch, and passes through Coventry and Birming- 

 ham. There ore two other main lines of road to Birmingham: one 

 >y Buckingham, Banbury, and Warwick, and the other by Oxford, 

 8tratford-on-Aton, and Henley-in-Ardeu. A road from London to 

 Liverpool crosses the northern part of the county, passing through 

 A thi-rntono ; and the principal road between Bristol and the north of 

 England pastes through Birmingham and Suttou ColdBeld. Roads 

 k by Southam to Daveutry, and by Keuilworth to 

 Coventry, and there are others of less importance. 



county Is amply furnished with railways. The main line of 

 the L' I way enters the county near Rugby, 



.<.e by Kugby ;. . to liinuingham, a short distance 



beyond which it quit* the county. The Trent Vnlh-y branch runs from 



no at Kugby, in a north-westerly direction to Tamworth. 



Another branch runs from Rugby to Leamington 1'riors, 15 miles. 



Krom Leamington a branch is carried northward to Coventry, and from 



ry it is continued to the Ti line at Nuneaton. The 



w. it branch of the Midland railway connects Birmingham with Tain- 

 worth, and a branch fiom it at \Vh:'acre junction joius the main line 

 of Uie Vettli- Western at Hampton. land South branch runs 



for a abort distance in the county north from Rugby. The Bristol 

 ;ham branch of the Midland just enters the couin 



'tiiingluun and Oxford branch of the (in -at 

 N- ,: ;' y niten Uu Monty tty Farnbordugh* feW miles from 

 Banbury, and traverses the county in a north-westerly direction post 

 Warwick t Birmingham. The Rugby and Stamford railway runs 

 for a the county north-cast of Rugby. 



"A This county, being situated nearly 



vrly mil.l and healthy climate. 



!>"Bd situations, wh<ir thi! soil is 



cold and h< i vest is aa early u ni counties. 



The soil vm ly, so that two or thro l.inds of soil 



ar often found la a field of no great extent. The red loam, which 



Is found to a considerable extent across the centre of the county, and 

 especially between Warwick and Coven fry, imd from the bor 



tershlra to Leicestershire, is mostly of a superior quality; all 

 of it is very fit for white crops, and much of it capable, of b airing 

 both beans and turnip.-. Where the loam inclines to sand, the sub- 

 .-'>il is chiefly limestone, marl, or sandstone; and under the < >lder 

 and heavier loams the substratum is clay. There is also a fertile elay 

 on limestone. There is a great extent of excellent pasture-land in 

 Warwickshire, but there are not many water-meadows. In the neigh- 

 bourhood of Warwick, Coventry, and especially Birmingham, much 

 land ia laid out in gardens, nt a high rent, aiid well cultivated : pieces 

 of meadow-land, likewise, for feeding milch cows, are let at very high 

 rents near these manufacturing towns. 



The county of Warwick is extremely well timbered : on every 

 of any extent, besides hedgerow timber, there are woods and K> 

 At one time the Forcjt of Ardcn occupied a large portion of the centre 

 of the county. Several places preserve the name, as Henley-in-Arden, 

 Hamptou-in-Ardcu, ic. ; and although there is no longer a continuous 

 forest in this district, it is still tho best-wooded part of the county, 

 affording plenty of timber, consisting of almost all kinds of forest- 

 tr.es, but especially oaks. 



There is no breed of cattle peculiar to the county. The dairy 

 cows are chiefly long-horns, crossed in every possible way : short-horns 

 have been introduced, and are preferred by many, especially for 

 feeding, although the Hereforda are in great repute with the graziers ; 

 as well as Scotch, when they can be bought in at a iva-unablu price. 

 The oil Warwickshire sheep is nearly forgotten, having been super- 

 seded by the New Leicester and a cross of the two breeds ; for folding 

 the South Downs are preferred. 



/'/,- i :ions. Towns, etc. The county is divided into four hundreds, 

 each of which contains several divisions. Tlu^e hundreds and their 

 respective divisions are as follows: Barlichway, we.- 1 

 Alcester, Henley, Snitterfield, and Stratford: Hemlingfurd, north 

 Atherstone, Birmingham, Solihull, and Tamworth divisions : rtiueton, 

 or Kingtou, south Brails, Burton Dassett, Kington, aud Warwick 

 divisions : Kuightlow, east Keuilworth, Kirby, Rugby, and Southam 

 divisions. The borough of Warwick is included in Kmeton hundred; 

 Hirmingham in. Hemliugford ; and the city of Coventry, formerly a 

 coiluty in itself, is now included in the hundred of Kniijhtlow. 



Warwickshire comprehends the city of COVENTRY; the county town 

 aud municipal aud parliamentary borough of WARWICK; the muni- 

 cipal and parliamentary borough of BIKMINCHAM; the municipal 

 boroughs of STKATFORD-urou-AvoN and Sutton C.deBeld ; ami the 

 market-towns of AI.CESTER, ATHEHSTONK, Coleshill, Heuley-in- 

 Kr.Nii.woRTH, Kington, or Kiueton, LEAMINGTON I'luons, 

 RUOBY, SOLIHULL, and SOUTUAM. Of these the places printed iu 

 small capitals arc noticed under their respective titks, the otl: 

 notice here : 



Coleshill, population of the parish 1930 iu 1S51, is situated near 

 the river Cole, about 10 miles E. by N. from Birmingham, and 18 miles 

 N.N'.W. from Warwick. The town consists principally of oue long 

 street, which contains many handsome houses. The church occupies 

 a lofty site, and has a square western tower with, buttresses, sur- 

 mounted by a crocketed octagonal spire of late perpendicular character 

 There are chapels for Wesloyau Methodists and Independents, a Free 

 Grammar school, a Commercial Free school, and National aud Infant 

 schools. The market is on Wednesday; aud there ore five annual 

 fairs for cattle and horses. 



Hcnhy-in-Anhn, population of the chapelry 1143 in 1851, about 

 11 miles W. from Warwick, consists chiefly of one street along the 

 road between Stratford-on-Avon and Birmingham. The town appears 

 to have been of some importance at an early period. Overlooking the 

 town is the site of an ancient castle, formerly the seat of the Montfort 

 family. Iu tho market-place are the remains of a cross. The paro- 

 chial chapel is small, but of good perpendicular character. There are 

 a school for boys; a Free school, partly endowed ; a school supported 

 by Roman Catholics ; a savings bank ; aud Randal's charity for appren- 

 ticing poor children. Brick-making, rope-making, malting, and brewing 

 arc carried on, and there are some flour-mills. 



Kintton, or Kimjton, population of the parish. 1270 in 1851, about 

 11 miles S.S.E. from Warwick, formerly had a market, which has been 

 disused. A castle once stood on a hill west of the town ; the ruins 

 are popularly termed King John's Castle, and at the foot of the hill 

 there is a well commonly called King John's Well. The church 

 retaius some ancient portions ; it is cruciform, with a square embattled 

 tower. Tlie western door has a richly-moulded Norman archway. 

 The We-leyau Methodists and the Independents have chapels. There 

 are National schools. Fairs are held iu February and October. 



Sutton ', population 4574 in 1851, is about 7 miles N.N.E. 



from Birmingham. The church is handsome, and comprehends a 

 mod-ru nave with side aisles and a chancel, which contains the euigy 

 of lU-hop Vesey, a benefactor of the town iu the time of Henry V11I., 

 who died in 1555, at the age of 103. The Roman Catholics have a 

 chapel. There are a Free Grammar school, a day-school, an Infant 

 school, and a savings bank. On the town-hall, a neat brick building, 

 are tho arms of Bishop [blazoned on a shield, surmounted 



with a mitre. South-west of the town is th a bleak and 



cheerless tract of 13,000 acres, extending into Staffordshire; and 



