WARWICK. 
breaks of its frequent spots of woodland, scenes are to be 
met with by the traveller, well calculated by their beauty to 
soothe the imagination; while the labours of the farmer are 
never entirely interrupted by precipitous elevations, or dete¬ 
riorated by expanses so flat as to be unwholesome. The 
highest points of land are at Corley, in Hemlingford hun¬ 
dred, and in the neighbourhood of Packington. From this 
elevated ridge the water runs on one side into the Avon, and 
thence to the Bristol channel; on the other it descends to the 
Blythe, Tame, Trent, and Humber at Hull. A ridge on the 
south-east, including the Brailes and Edgehills, is also much 
elevated, and commands a variety of pleasing prospects. The 
insulated situation of the county, and its freedom from any 
great inequalities of surface, render the climate mild, and 
vegetation early. 
The soil, as is usual with the midland district, possesses 
great variety. Indeed, nearly every species is to be seen, 
except that incorporated with chalk and flint; and often 
many varieties occur within one field or enclosure. The 
greater part of the soil is of a description highly amen¬ 
able to the purposes of agriculture; and it may safely 
be asserted, that few counties possess less bad or sterile 
land, in proportion to that which rewards readily and abun¬ 
dantly the husbandman’s toil. The hundred of Knightlow 
(a district chiefly in tillage), consists principally of a red 
clay loam and sand, in some places upon freestone and 
limestone, and in others on a good sharp gravelly bottom; 
a strong clay loam on limestone rock ; a light sandy land, 
in several places mixed with sharp gravel, well adapted to 
turnip husbandry; and a rich clay loam on limestone and 
marl. The portion of this hundred which is in grass, has for 
its soil a clay of desirable strength. The city of Coventry is 
surrounded by a red and deep sandy loam, of great richness, 
chiefly in grass. The same character of soil pervades nearly 
the whole of the tract denominated the county of Coventry; 
but in some instances an admixture of clay is to be perceived, 
and a few parishes consist of what is emphatically termed 
strong land. Towards the north-east also is seen a strong 
clay loam on marl. This stretch of land (particularly the 
part that borders on Leicestershire), is in grass, and used in 
grazing. 
The principal woodlands of this county are still to be found 
in the neighbourhood of its former great forest, in the middle, 
western, and northern districts; but nearly every division is 
interspersed with valuable and ornamental timber. Oak, 
matured and grand, conveying the story of former ages, yet 
likely to flourish in the days of succeeding generations, is 
attached to almost every residence of hereditary consequence. 
Elm, in the most flourishing condition, is abundant. There 
are also many coppices, consisting of oak, ash, hazel, alders, 
birch, and beech. Warwickshire is watered by numerous 
streams, which impart richness to the pastoral tracts, and 
add greatly to the beauty of the county; though, with the 
exception of the Avon, they are of a character too trivial to 
bestow important facilities on commercial interchange. Of 
these, the principal are the Avon, the Tame, the Leam, the 
Rea, the Stour, the Alne, the Arrow, the Anchor, the Blythe, 
the Swift, the Cole, and the Dove. This county is con¬ 
spicuous for commercial enterprise, and for the spirit with 
which manufactures are cultivated. It will necessarily be 
supposed, that a people so industrious and intelligent have 
been active in profiting by the great medium of canal con¬ 
veyance. No county, indeed, can boast of more numerous 
facilities of this description ; and some diversion^ from 
original channels are yet projected, which a more propitious 
era may lead to perfection. The Grand Junction canal, 
which commences in the river Thames, near the extremity of 
the Tideway at Brentford creek, and terminates in the Oxford 
canal at Braunston, has for its chief object a communication 
between the metropolis and the various canals of the mid¬ 
land district. 
Manufactures of various descriptions are cultivated to a 
considerable extent. The manufactory of hardware goods 
571 
at Birmingham has obtained for that town the appellation of 
“ the Toyshop of Europe,” and is assuredly a just subject of 
national pride. Not less than 16,000 people, in the city of 
Coventry, aud neighbouring towns and villages, are believed 
to be employed in the manufacture of ribbons. The manu¬ 
facture of watches is likewise cultivated at Coventry with 
such eminent success, that perhaps this city now takes the 
lead in that trade, even when the metropolis is admitted to 
the scale of comparison. Many horn-combs of all descrip¬ 
tions are made at Kenilworth. At Warwick are manufac¬ 
tories of worsted for the hosiery trade; of calicoes, and other 
cotton goods, from yarn spun at Manchester and the neigh¬ 
bourhood ; and 3 mills for the spinning of cotton yarn. At 
Alcester about 900 persons are employed in the making of 
needles; and in other parts of Warwickshire there are con¬ 
siderable flax manufactures, and much linen yarn spun. It is 
divided into four hundreds, viz., Barlichway, Hemlingford, 
Kineton, and Knightlow, besides the liberties of Coventry ; 
containing one city, Coventry; one borough, Warwick; and 
11 other market towns, viz., Atherstone, Alcester, Birming¬ 
ham, Coleshill, Henley, Kineton, Nuneaton, Rugby, South- 
am, Stratford-on-Avon, and Sutton Coldfield. The county 
is diversified by many pleasant and fertile country seats. It 
was anciently inhabited by the Cornavii, and was afterwards 
part of the kingdom of Mercia. The Roman roads called 
the Watling-street and Fossway, passed through this county. 
WARWICK, a town near the centre of the above county, 
to which it gives name, and on the banks of the Avon. It 
is of great antiquity, and justly celebrated for the grandeur 
of its castle, and its other public buildings. The town stands 
on a rocky hill, the acclivity of which, though somewhat 
abrupt, is not considerable. In 1694 Warwick was nearly 
destroyed by fire; and to this accident it is indebted for the 
regularity with which it is built. The streets meet near the 
eeutre of the town, on an eminence. The principal street of 
the town is conspicuous for neatness. It is of a fair width, 
and of considerable length, and is intersected by another 
street, which runs nearly north and south. At the eastern 
extremity of the first street is an ancient gate, the perspective 
effect of which has been injured by modern embellishments. 
At the western extremity is another gateway, surmounted by 
a venerable chapel, of a plain but impressive appearance 
But there are several other streets, independent of extensive 
suburbs. In the vicinity of the market-place, and in some 
other divisions of the town, are houses occupied by traders, 
so large and well built, as satisfactorily to prove the com¬ 
mercial respectability of the place; but the majority of 
domestic buildings unconnected with that part of the city 
which the fire destroyed, are on a contracted scale. It is 
only necessary to look at them, to be convinced how much 
the town is indebted for its improved appearance to the 
great fire. 
The wall by which this town was formerly surrounded had 
disappeared, and had been an object of antiquarian research, 
so early as the reign of Henry VIII. Of the dyke which was 
formed in the time of William I., and on the margin of which 
the wall was afterwards raised, considerable traces are to be 
perceived ; and it may be observed, that one of the present 
streets gains its appellation from this fortified ditch 
Over the Avon is an elegant stone bridge of one arch. On 
the northern bank of the river stands the castle, on the solid 
rock, nearly 100 feet higher than the level of the Avon, but 
on the north side it is even with the town, and has a charming 
prospect from the terrace. Across the river, communicating 
with the castle, there was a stone bridge of 12 arches, which 
is gone to decay; and by a stone-work dam, the water forms 
a cascade under the castle walls. It is supposed to have been 
originally built by Ethelfleda, queen of Mercia, in the 10th 
century. William the Conqueror considered this castle of 
great importance, when he enlarged it, and put it in complete 
repair, giving it to the custody of Henry de Newbury, on 
whom he bestowed the earldom of Warwick. During the 
barons’ wars, it was nearly demolished by Gifford, governor 
of 
