A New and Compendious History of the County of Warwick, from the earliest period to the present time, comprising views of the principal towns, buildings, etc

Front matter

TIMOTHY OVERTON, / wailed sor the train al Coventry • j I hung with grooms and porters on the bridge, To w".tch the three tall spires ; and there I shaped The city's ancient legend into this ; Not only we, the latest seed of Time, 1 New men, that in the flying of a wheel Cry down the past, not only we, that prate Of rights and wrongs, have loved the people well, ] And loathed to see them overiax'd ; but she Did more, and underwent, and overcame, The woman of a thousand summers back, Godiva, wife to that grim Earl, who ruled ln Coventry: for when he laid a tax | Upon his town, and afl the mothers brought Their children clamouring, " If we pay, we starve ;" 3 She sought her lord, and found him, where he strode ;>>,{ About the hall, among his dogs, alone, I His beard a foot before him, and his hair A yard behind.

She told him of their tears, And pray'd him, " If they pay this tax, they starve." . js - Whereat he stared, replying, half-amazed, j V1 You would not let your little finger ache A 'For such as these?" — "But I would die," said she. He laugh'd, and swore by Peter and by Paul: Then philllp'd at the diamond in her ear, I " O ay, ay, ay, you talk!"— "Alas!" she said, [ " But prove me what it is I would not do." And from a heart, as rough as Esau's hand, He answer'd, " Ride you naked thro' the town, i And I repeal it;" and nodding, as in scorn, | He parted, with great strides among his dogs. So left alone, the passions of her mind. As winds from all the compass shift and blow, Made war upon each other for an hour, i Till pity won. She sent a herald forth, 1 And. bad him cry, with sound of trumpet, all The. hard condition; but that she would loose The people: therefore, as they loved her well, From then till noon no foot should pace the street, No eye look down, she passing: but that all Should keep within, door shut, and window barr'd. Then fled she to her inmost bower, and there Unclasp'd the wedded eagles of her belt, j The grim Earl's gift; but ever at a breath She linger'd, looking like a summer moon Half-dipt in cloud; anon she shook her head, ) And shower'd the rippled ringlets to her knee; Unclad herself in haste ; adown the stair Stole. on; and, like a creeping sunbeam, slid From pillar unto pillar, until shB reach'd The gateway; there she found her palfrey trapt In purple blazon'd with armorial gold.

Then she rode forth, clothed on with chastity : The deep air listen'd round her as she rode. And all the low wind hardly breathed for fear. The little wide^mouth'd heads upon the spout Had euuning eyes to see : the barking cur Made her cheek flame: her palfrey's footfall shot Light horrors thro' her pulses: the blind walls Were full of chinks and holes; and overhead Fantastic gables, crowding, stared : but she Not less thro' all bore up till, last, she saw The whiteflo wer'd elder-thicket from the field Gleam thro' the Gothic archways in the wall. Then she rode back, clothed on with chastity : And one low churl, compact of thankless earth, The fatal byword of all years to come, JBorlng a little auger-hole in fear, , Peep'd — but his eyes, before they had their will, Were shrivell'd into darkness in his head, And dropp'd before him.

Preface

. It has been generally supposed, that fame or emolument is the only stimulus to author ship ; yet had not motives of a more mixed character actuated the present writer, the following pages would never have appeared to solicit the indulgence, or deprecate the severity of criticism. After devoting considerable time in ascertaining the different alterations and changes that have taken place, the author hopes it will not be deemed presumption in him to hint, that he is sensible some pleasure and improvement will be derived from perusing the following history. Every possible care and attention has been bestowed on the work to render it accurate. When a publication, on a new subject, makes its appearance, curiosity is excited ; the work is eagerly sought after and perused. But when a fresh book, upon a subject which has been hackneyed for ages, is announced, it is natural to enquire what improvements can this work contain — is the writer aiming to turn the literary spirit of the age to his own advantage, or to force his name into publicity ; these are not captious, but in the present state of literature, just and reasonable questions.

The author believes it to be a history of facts, and, as such, he presents it to the world • and will think himself well rewarded, should the public conclude he has employed the time for the real benefit or service of the reader. ■1 . KaM.c.ty/fe J, WARWICK: . T Cremitk D tL . THE COUNTY OF WARWICK.

Chapter I. Situation, Extent, Soil, Agriculture, Canals, Roads, Population

&C. This county, the most central, is one of the most interesting in the kingdom, not chap. i. only on account of the illustrious characters who have dignified it by their situation. great and memorable actions, but by its beauty of situation, extent, the commercial speculations carried on in it, and its manufactures, which add so largely to its stock of national wealth and importance. We should be wanting in justice not to mention, that England's great poetical ornament, Shakespeare, was born in . this county, whose master genius developed with equal felicity the beauties of nature and the images of art ; of whom more will be said when treating of the town which gave birth to this great man. Confined to delineation, it is hoped that in every circumstance the delineations will, at any rate, be found to possess fidelity.

This county is of an irregular figure, terminating in a point at the north and south, is bordered upon almost equally by six counties, viz. Staffordshire, Worcestershire, and Gloucestershire, on the western side, from north to south ; and Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, and Oxfordshire, on the eastern side, in the same order. E

BOOK I.

Extent. The greatest length of the county is fifty-one and a quarter miles, and the o-reatest breadth thirty-six miles, statute measure; it contains 597,477 and a half acres, at the calculation of eighty chains to a mile. On the division of England into shires, Warwickshire evidently took its name from the town of Warwick, which, in the Saxon annals of the county is written Weringscyre, which appears to be the most ancient information we can collect on this subject. From that truly invaluable work called Domesday Book (caused to be com piled by William the Conqueror, as the commencement of the written history of this kingdom,) we are informed the county contained ten hundreds — a singular circumstance of division, and which no doubt proves the consequence and great population of this district at that period.

These hundreds existed but a short time under the names mentioned in Domesday ; but though they fluctuated in title, the number for some time remained nearly the same ; these are now divided into four hundreds only, which are subdivided for convenience into eighteen parts. The city and county of Coventry are usually considered in the character of a fifth hundred. Warwickshire, thus constituted, contains only one city, and thirteen market towns. The whole is in the province of Canterbury, and in the dioceses of Lichfield, Coventry, and of Worcester. This district sends six mem bers to parliament, viz. two for the shire, two for the city of Coventry, and two for the town of Warwick. Warwickshire is described by early writers as naturally divided into two parts, the Feldon (or champaign), and the Woodland.

The river Avon formed the line that separated these tracts, and the sylvan district was denominated Arden, which term was well known to have been common among the Celtæ in general, for a forest, however situated. The Arden of this county is justly asserted by Drayton to have been the largest of the British forests, its extent being from the banks of the Avon to the Trent on the north, and to the Severn on the west ; on the east, the tract so termed was formally bounded by an imaginary line drawn from High Cross to Burton on Trent. When England was divided into shires, the counties of Worcester and Stafford took to themselves respective portions of this wild, and bestowed on the forests so claimed, the names by which they are at the present time distinguished ; but this large division has long since been cleared of those thick matted woods which formerly incnmbered, rather than ornamented, its soil.

There are still remaining some appearances of its pristine character ; and an occasional air of wildness is to be found, which denotes the former complexion of the country when occupied by the Ceangi of the Cornavii, and their numerous herds. This county, in its general appearance, presents a beautiful scenery, CHAP. I Soil, &c diversified by an alternation of hill and valley, which renders it the most gratifying scenery to the eye of the traveller and other beholders. The highest points of land are at Corley, in Hemlingford hundred, and 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 Edge-hills, is also much elevated, and commands a variety of pleasing prospects.

The insulated situation ofthe country, and its freedom from any great inequalities of surface, render the climate mild, and the vegetation generally early. It is observed that the winds are from the south-west, and are usually accompanied with rain ; but frequently the effects of an easterly variation are felt towards the middle of May, and it is scarcely necessary to remark that the vegetation consequently suffers severely. But this county is not to be considered as subject to any extreme damps or frosts. The soil, as is usual with almost all parts of the midland district, generally possesses a great variety ; in fact, nearly every species is to be found, except that incorporated with chalk and flint ; and often many of these varieties occur within the space of a few acres. The greater part ofthe soil is generally of a description and quality which render it extremely beneficial to the agriculturist ; and it may be safely asserted, that few counties iu England possess less bad land.

The labours of Mr. Murray, the surveyor appointed by the board of agriculture, assist materially in making the following observations, which, it is hoped, will be highly interesting to the reader. 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 other'! on a good sharp gravelly bottom ; a strong clay loam or limestone rock; a light sandy land in several places, mixed with sharp gravel, well calculated for husbandry purposes; and a rich clay loam on limestone and marl. The principal portion of this hundred is grass ; it has for its soil a clay of desirable strength. Coventry, and its surrounding country, is principally composed of a red and deep sandy loam of great richness, chiefly cultivated as grass land.

The same quality of soil prevails nearly in the whole tract of land, denominated the county of Coventry; but, in some instances, an admixture of clay is perceptible, and a few parishes consist of what is generally termed strong land. Kineton hun dred consists of a clay loam of various strength, on limestone, and a cold clay, very strong, but poor. A tract of rich grass land, from four to five miles broad, begins at the Brailes Hills, and extends beyond Gaydon and Knightcote. The soil of the Barlichway hundred, in the neighbourhood of Warwick, and to the south and south-west of that vicinity, is frequently a strong clay loam on marl and limestone rock ; the remainder of the hundred consists principally of a fine dry red

BOOK I

Cultiva tion, &c clay loam, and a sandy loam, both of which render it good tillage, and afford abundant produce. A great proportion of Hemlingford hundred is tillage, but the soil in this part is of a more inferior quality than in any other division of this county. There is also a moorish sort of white and yellow clay, on clay and marl, and a dry sandy loam, of a very inferior description, which render this part scarcely worthy the labour of the husbandman, the produce being barely sufficient to pay him for his trouble ; but there are large spots which may, in some degree, be called exceptions; amongst which it may be observed, that the land in and round the neighbourhood of Birmingham, is found to be often of a dry and light red sandy soil, and is evidently well calculated for the production of turnips, in pre ference to other species of the vegetable kind.

Towards the north-east part, there is to be found a strong clay loam or marl. This portion of the county, (particularly that part which borders on Leicestershire,) produces excellent grass, and is principally cultivated as grazing land. In consequence of the great variety of soil in this county, the systems of agricul ture are various ; and it has often been remarked, very justly, that the Warwick shire farmers are far from being neat in ploughing, and otherwise cultivating their farms. The general mode of ploughing the strong clay land, is to lay it up in large ridges, very high, with a small ridge between them, and the lighter part of the soil is often tillaged in the same manner. It is a general observation of Mr. Murray's that " the country from Stafford to Warwick has every appearance of being by far the best cultivated part of the county.

The general mode of ploughing in this part is from five to eight inches deep ; and, on the clays, is cast into ridges about thirty feet broad, with a similar ridge of the width of ten or twelve feet between. On the lighter soils the ridges vary from fifteen to thirty, and in some instances to forty feet. In ploughing the strong lands four or five horses are generally used in a train, not abreast as in other parts of England ; but in the light soils a much lighter plough is used, generally drawn by two or three horses only. Anciently it was the custom to use very heavy and badly constructed ploughs drawn by two horses, which ren dered the mode of cultivation very inferior to that of the present time. But now the breed of horses being so much improved, and the instruments of tillage made on a better principle, the lands may be cultivated with half the labour.

Such, however, is the veneration which some of the farmers still entertain for the customs and manners of their predecessors, that it will no doubt take some time to turn their opinion on this subject, although they must see what improvements have been effected in Norfolk and other counties in England, which are much indebted to the celebrated agriculturist Mr. Coke, of Norfolk, and other distinguished gentlemen of that society. The drill is in some few instances used in CHAP- I. this county ; wheat is occasionally drilled ; but the species of corn commonly sown by this sort of instrument is beans, peas and vetches. The horse-hoe, so favourable to drilling, is as yet but little adopted in this part by the agriculturalist, although much used and approved of in other counties, and generally considered as the best method of weeding the ground.

The crops mostly cultivated are wheat, barley, oats, peas, beans, vetches, and turnips. Those usually prohibited from the ordinary course of farming are rye, potatoes and flax. " It appears from every possible notice which has been taken, not only by us, but others, that the most part of the soil in this county is well calculated for the cultivation of wheat; which might be much increased if a different system of husbandry was pursued." And after taking particular notice of the various soils which are generally considered capable of such improvements, and which would no doubt realize to the farmer a permanent gain, it is to be observed, that "on the more rich loams there is only a wheat season once in eveiy six or eight years, instead of three crops, which might be grown in the same period ; but it would be almost useless to attempt the growth of wheat on the poor sandy soils."

The seed time consequently varies with the different soils ; but wheat, unless after a summer's fallow, is usually sown in the months of September and October. The red lammas is generally preferred to any other. Barley is principally cultivated " on the dry loams after turnips, the clay soils being more uncertain.'' The seed time is early in April; and a change from other counties is seldom procured, which appears less necessary, as the barley of this county is generally of an excellent quality. The produce of this grain, on the soil best suited to its growth, averages five or six quarters per acre. Various kinds of oats are cultivated, which the soil produces of very good quality, though not so good and plentiful as in other counties ; the quantity sown per acre is five bushels, which generally produces, according to the soil, from three to eight quarters per acre.

The grey pea is also generally cultivated, which is observed to thrive particularly on land that has lately undergone a course of lime. Beans till of late years were rarely sown in this county ; but they are now becoming general and productive, and appear to be much esteemed by the farmer; the principal kinds which are most approved of are the common tick and horse bean. Both winter and spring vetches are grown here to considerable extent : two bushels is the quantity sown per acre ; the produce of which is often eaten off the ground by sheep, or cut green for the use of horses, and often ploughed in the ground for manure. Turnips, the introduction of which is generally considered as one of the most important additions that English agriculture has yet experienced, find a suitable soil in nearly every division of this county, and are cultivated with much success : if sown after wheat, oats or barley, it is necessary to give the land a good coat of manure. The crops too

BOOK 1

Extent of land cultivated. Cattle Sheep Farms Waste lands. Wood lands. frequently are hoed only once, which evidently is very detrimental to the farmer's own interest. The ruta raga, or Swedish turnip, once so much esteemed in this county, is now but seldom grown, which is attributed to the natural mildness of the climate, and consequent early abundance of grass. The extent of land cultivated as meadow and pasture in Warwickshire amounts to 235,000 acres, and the quantity in artificial grass to about 60,000 acres, making together annually in grass 295,000 acres, out of which quantity it is supposed 80,000 to 85,000 are meadow, and generally mown for hay ; and of artificial, from 10,000 to 15,000 are cut green for horses and other cattle ; the remaining 195,000 to 295,000 are pastured with sheep and cattle.

The live stock thus employed by the farmers are of various breeds : but the most esteemed is the long horned cow, which is principally bred in this county. The Warwickshire sheep, which are of a large polled kind, have been judiciously crossed with the Leicester ; and a breed has resulted, certainly not inferior to the stock in general request in almost all parts of England. The farms in this county principally run rather small ; but of late years the system of consolidation, as in most other counties in England, appears to be rapidly increasing with the great landholders ; and in the general opinion of farmers 150 acres are at present about the average size of farms, throughout the county. Few leases are granted ; but the rent of land (with the exception of such of the districts as border on the principal commercial towns) is considered very moderate.

Mr. Murray supposes that the average rent of the whole county would not amount to more than 29s. per acre, per annum. According to an estimate formed a few years back by Mr. Wadge, the waste lands, including roads in this county, amounted to 120,470 acres, the commons and common fields he stated at 27,000 acres. Since the time of this calculation many acts of inclosure have been obtained, and only a small portion now lies unculti vated. The uninclosed tracts consist of heaths and common of very indifferent quality on the north and west sides of the county. The principal woodlands formerly in this county are still to be traced in the middle of the western and northern districts ; but nearly every division is inter spersed with valuable and ornamental timber. Oak, natural and grand, appears to have been very plentiful in former ages ; and although diminished considerably, is still in a flourishing state, and in all probability will continue to be so for succeeding generations ; it forms part of the original and present beauty of almost every gentleman's residence of hereditary consequence.

The estate of Mr. Leigh, of Stoneleigh, near Coventry, is beautifully situate in the most luxuriant part of the county, and is well stocked with oak timber of the largest growth and best quality. At Merivals, at Ragley, the seat of the Marquis of Hertford, and at Charlecote, the seat of the Rev. Mr. Lucie, are likewise woods which abound with this stately and venerable monarch of the forest. Elm is also found in a most flourishing state in abundance, and equal in beauty and growth to that of any part of England, on the estates belonging to the above mentioned gentlemen. CHAP. I. This county does not depend for its beauty and wealth in woodland recesses, it having undergone very great improvements in plantations recently made, which are very numerous, and add greatly to its beauty. There are also many coppices, consisting of oak, ash, hazel, alders, birch, beech, and elm, which are generally set in proper and regular allotments, and which admit of falling in every year, and consequently leave a general succession, which renders timber in this county good and plentiful, and as cheap as in any part of the kingdom.

Coals are found in abundance in various parts of the county. There are very extensile mines and collieries, which afford plenty of employ for the poor classes, and which are exported to most parts of England by canal conveyance, consequently but little wood is consumed for fuel in this county. Coal mines, &c Warwickshire is watered by various streams, which render the pasture lands very rich and productive, and add much to the pictorial beauties of the county. The river Avon is the principal : the Tame, the Learn, the Rea, the Stour, the Alne, the Arrow, the Anker, the Blythe, the Swift, the Cole, and the Dove, which are of a trivial character compared with the Avon, will be more fully treated of hereafter in due course. Meadow lands, rivers, and streams.

The river Avon (generally called the Upper or Warwickshire Avon) claims out most particular attention, from its affluence of waters, and from the interest so generally attached to its picturesque and beautifully ornamented banks;- it derives its source from a spring which rises in or near a village named Naseby, in Northamptonshire, and enters the county of Warwick at Brensford bridge, being joined at the village of Brownsover by the river Swift, a stream that rises in Leicestershire, and is memorable for having borne far abroad, through its narrow channel, the violated ashes of the great reformer John Wickliffe. * Proceeding in a south-west direction, but with devious and dilatory windings, the Avon reaches the town of Warwick through valleys which conspicuously increase in beauty as it approaches that venerable and much admired place ; passing close to the base of Warwick castle, whose beautiful and lofty towers so finely decorate its course, and expanding in some places to the width of two hundred feet, as if pursues its track through the grounds attached to this magnificent and princely residence, River Avon. * After the bones of Wickliffe had remained thirty-one years in quiet sepulchre, they were removed by order of the council of Sinna, and were burnt and thrown into the river Swift. See Beauties of Leices tershire, p. 468.

BOOK I

it moves with a flow too gentle, and a course too devious, for the warm anticipations of the examiner, as he draws towards the neighbourhood which imparts classic immor tality to its name. It passes Fulbroke, where, in the park, formerly stood a man sion house, in which, it is said, Shakespeare committed his first youthful error, in condescending to become one of those who with unhallowed licence " gorad in their own confines, the round haunches of dappled fools." It looks most beautiful and commanding on Charlecote, the former residence of Sir Thomas Lucie, condemned to never-failing fame as Justice Shallow; — and then, after making a fine and large sweep towards the north, washes the border of the town of Stratford. On quitting this town, which is admired by all who ever saw it, the river Avon proceeds, with no deviation of striking interest, lo Bidford, a spot worthy of some notice, and consequently not to be passed by with indifference, it being generally supposed to have afforded frequent retreat for convivial relaxationtto the great native of the county.

The village of Cleve is not more than one mile distant from Bidford ; and in the neighbourhood of this village the river, though much broader than in many other parts, is only four feet in depth, which shortly after leaves this county. While making its progress through Warwickshire, it re ceives the aid of several minor streams, among which the Dove, the Leam, the Stour, and the Alne, are the most important: its course is easy and gentle; its borders, though sometimes flat and dreary, are, as we have shewn, in many places highly picturesque. Mr. Ireland* mentions, as a most curious incidence of this river, the circum stance of its occasionally freezing first at the bottom, which opinion it appears he principally forms on the information conveyed by a miller in the neighbourhood of Rugby ; by whom he was told, that " the icy particles do not, in every frost, arise from the bottom of the river, but only in one particular kind of frost, which he denominates the ' anchor frost,' a term appropriate to such a singular incidence."

This aged informant of Mr. Ireland has been consigned to the tomb of mortality many years since ; but from other inquiries which have been strenuously made in the neighbourhood of his former residence, such statement is found correct ■ but the phenomenon only occurs in seasons of extreme severity, and under the effects of particular winds. It does not appear, from the most minute inquiries and examination of this river which have been made by many antiquarians that it possesses those freezing qualities in any other part than the vicinity of Rugby, which render it worthy the particular notice of the curious. The Avon was made navigable for vessels of about forty tons burden, from Stratford to its conflux with the Severn at Tewkesbury, in 1637 ; but in consequence of the great * Picturesque Views on the Avon, p. 63.

CHAP. I, Medicinal springs Artificial waters and streams. Grand Junction canal. Birming ham old canal. improvements which have been made since that period in the neighbourhood of the canals, which have recently been cut, its traffic is considerably di minished. The chief medicinal springs in this county are those of Leamington and Newn ham Regis ; the former are found efficacious in many chronic disorders of the skin and'visceral obstructions, in ccnsequence of which, the village in which they rise has, within these last few years, become very populous, and the number of buildings, which are principally of very costly and most approved architecture, have rapidly increased. The streets are so much improved, that it has nearly lost every vestige of its original appearance, and is now frequented by the first nobility in the kingdom, which renders it one of the best watering places, and most fashionable resorts in England.

The latter, which is generally called Newnham, is a weak chalybeate : a bath formed from its waters was once looked upon as one of great consequence for the cure of scorbutic complaints; but, in consequence of the celebrity of the former, it is now little noticed and resorted to but by few. In this part, considerable sheets of water or mine-lakes have been formed by the work of art, which contribute to the embellishment of the many adjacent mansions ; but the canals which pass through the country are the greatest objects of consideration, while treating of artificial waters. Warwickshire vies with most other counties in the kingdom, for its commercial enterprise, and for the peculiar spirit with which its manufactures are cultivated. It is natural to suppose, that a people possessed of industrious habits, and situated in a country like this, are celebrated for this qualification, and, combined with it, have been extremely active in profiting by the great advantages of the canal conveyance.