Atherstone
Atherstone | ||
---|---|---|
Shire county | ||
Region | ||
Country | England | |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom | |
Post town | ATHERSTONE | |
Postcode district | CV9 | |
Dialling code | 01827 | |
Police | Warwickshire | |
Fire | Warwickshire | |
Ambulance | West Midlands | |
UK Parliament | ||
Website | www.atherstone-tc.gov.uk | |
Atherstone /ˈæðərstən/ is a market town and civil parish in the North Warwickshire district of Warwickshire, England. Located in the far north of the county, Atherstone is on the A5 national route, and is adjacent to the border with Leicestershire which is here formed by the River Anker. It is situated between the towns of Tamworth and Nuneaton. Atherstone is the administrative centre of the North Warwickshire district, with the offices of North Warwickshire Borough Council located in the town.
Atherstone has had its own local tradition of holding an annual Shrove Tuesday Ball Game in the streets, which has been played annually for over 800 years since 1199.
In the 2021 census the population of the civil parish of Atherstone was at 9,212.[1] The population of the larger built-up area which includes the adjoining village of Mancetter was 11,259.[2]
History
Roman
Atherstone has a long history dating back to
Medieval
The
The ancient
Battle of Bosworth
On 21 August 1485,
The battle has now been definitively located around the 'Fenn Lanes', which run from near Atherstone to Sutton Cheney. The battle site is NW of Stoke Golding, roughly half way between Atherstone and Market Bosworth, and near the junction with the road running south from Market Bosworth.
Tudor period
In
By the late Tudor period Atherstone had become a centre for
The surviving
17th century to present
The argument that Altherstone declined in favour of emerging cities in the 18th century has been challenged. In the 1750s, Altherstone was very much still a vibrant settlement, possessing both a book club and a bowling-green. It was regularly frequented by the leisure-seeking gentry, including Sir Roger Newdigate and his circle of friends.[18]
The
Atherstone was once an important hatting town, and became well known for its felt hat industry. The industry began in the 17th century and at its height in the early 20th century there were seven firms employing 3,000 people.[19][20] Due to cheap imports and a decline in the wearing of hats, the trade had declined substantially by the 1970s with just three companies remaining, Denham & Hargrave Ltd, Vero & Everitt Ltd and Wilson & Stafford Ltd. The production of felt hats in the town ceased altogether with the closure of the Wilson & Stafford factory in 1999.[21] As of 2018 the factory received the go-ahead to be redeveloped into canalside residential apartments. However, the remains of the town's last hat manufacturing site, on Coleshill Road, were scheduled for demolition in 2022, after the local council decided it could not be safely redeveloped for residential use.
Governance
Atherstone is part of the parliamentary constituency of
Geography
Atherstone is situated 6 miles (9.7 km) northwest of
The A5 road (former Watling Street) historically ran through the town centre, but a dual carriageway bypass was opened in 1963.[26]
Atherstone is one of the closest towns to the geographic centre of England, which since 2002 has been recognised as being at Lindley Hall Farm, around 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Atherstone, across the county border in Leicestershire.[27]
Economy
Atherstone used to be known for its hatting industry. In part due to its central location in the UK, Atherstone's economy has expanded rapidly since the 1980s, with several major companies such as
Transport
Atherstone is on the main A5 national route and close to the M42 motorway.
The Coventry Canal and a series of eleven locks runs through the town, as does the West Coast Main Line railway. Atherstone has its railway station on this line, with an hourly service 7 days a week to both London and Crewe via Stafford. The current level of service was introduced in 2008,[29] and is a big improvement on the service two decades earlier there were only five trains a day, just going between Stafford and Rugby.
The historic station building, built in 1847, was under threat of demolition in the early 1980s. Thanks to a local group, the Railway and Steam
Media
Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC West Midlands and ITV Central. Television signals are received from the Sutton Coldfield TV transmitter.[30]
Local radio stations are
The town is served by the local newspapers, Atherstone Herald and Tamworth Herald.[31]
Recreation
The major football team in the town is Atherstone Town, known as 'the Adders'. This is after the tradition which has Atherstone being a corruption of the name "Adders – stone". Their ground is located on Sheepy Road. Atherstone's team started out as Atherstone Town Football Club in 1887 but folded in 1979, from 1979 to 2003 Atherstone's football team was known as Atherstone United Football Club but folded again mid-season in 2003. The team then reverted to its previous name Atherstone Town Football Club. The club made the national headlines in October 2013 when during an FA Cup 3rd Qualifying round against Barrow A.F.C. crowd violence erupted during the first half when a small "minority" of Atherstone supporters ran across the pitch and attacked a number of Barrow supporters. The ringleaders and other participants of the crowd trouble were subsequently arrested, charged and sentenced to various jail terms. Since this incident the club has established itself as a family and community orientated club.[32]
The rugby union team is Atherstone Rugby Football Club who play in the Warwickshire Two League. Their ground is situated on Ratcliffe Road. The same ground is shared by Atherstone Town Cricket Club, Atherstone Rangers Junior Football Club and is the home of Atherstone Adders Hockey Club, who play at the nearby Queen Elizabeth Academy.
Atherstone Leisure Complex is at the north end of Long Street and consists of a swimming pool and gym. Atherstone Memorial Hall is also part of the leisure complex.[33]
Shrovetide Ball Game
An annual tradition in Atherstone is the Shrove Tuesday Ball Game played on a public highway with large crowds. The game celebrated its 800th anniversary in 1999.
The game is a complete free-for-all played along Watling Street (the old
The origin of the game, in the reign of King John, is thought to have been a "Match of Gold that was played between the Warwickshire Lads and the Leicestershire Lads on Shrove Tuesday".[36]
The 'ball' used is specially made each year and is 'thrown out' by a prominent sporting or show business personality. Shop windows are boarded-up and traffic is diverted on the afternoon whilst the game, in which hundreds of people take part, progresses along the town's main streets.
Atherstone has strong naval connections. Three Royal Navy ships have been named HMS Atherstone after the town: the vessels were commissioned in 1916, 1939, and most recently, 1985.
Education
Primary age schools in Atherstone include the Outwoods Primary School, the Racemeadow Primary Academy, and St Benedict's RC Primary Academy.
The Queen Elizabeth Academy is the state secondary school in the town.
Notable people
- Obadiah Grew (1607–1689) an English nonconformist minister[37]
- Abel Roper (1665–1726) an English journalist, who wrote in the Tory interest[38]
- DL (1800–1871) a British Tory politician and MP[39]
- FRSA (1810–1885) an English military surveyor, astronomer and engineer and Britain's Chief Inspector of Railways [40]
- Prof FRCP (1860–1941) a professor of obstetrics[41]
- Sir FRSE (1865–1944) a British botanist[42]
- Charlie Wilson (1895–1971) an English footballer who played over 150 games for Stoke City[43]
- Arthur Johnson (1903–1987) an English professional footballer[44]
- Rhoda Sutherland (1907–1989) an academic of the French language, Old French and Old Provençal[45]
- Jack Barnes (1908–2008) an English pro footballer, also played for Atherstone Town F.C.[46]
- Mary Fox (1922–2005) an artist[47]
- Bernard Hunt MBE (1930–2013) an English professional golfer[48]
- Johnny Schofield (1931–2006) an English footballer who played as goalkeeper, later he ran an off-licence in Atherstone[49]
- Frank Upton (1934–2011) an English professional football player and manager[50]
- Les Green (1941–2012) an English footballer and manager[51]
- Leigh Lawson (born 1945) a British film and stage actor, director and writer [53]
- Sara Thornton (born 1950s) local resident convicted and later acquitted of murdering her violent and alcoholic husband[54]
- RAF fighter pilot and World Land Speed Record holder[55]
- Paul Broadhurst (born 1965) an English professional golfer[56]
- Steve Webster (born 1975) an English professional golfer[57]
See also
- Atherstone on Stour, a village in Warwickshire
- HMS Atherstone
- Witherley
References
- ^ "ATHERSTONE Parish in West Midlands". City Population. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
- ^ "ATHERSTONE in Warwickshire (West Midlands) Built-up Area Subdivision". City Population. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
- ^ "Queen Bodica battlefield to become Warwickshire tourist attraction". Coventry Telegraph. 4 October 2011. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
- ^ "Boudica - the case for Atherstone and Kings Cross". At the Edge. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
- ^ "Atherstone and Mancetter historians go into Battle of Watling Street on TV tonight to prove we staged Queen Boudica's last stand". Atherstone Nub News. 5 May 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
- ^ "1086 Domesday Book, Atherstone". Atherstone History. Archived from the original on 16 July 2010.
- ISBN 0-521049-06-7.
- ^ "Parishes: Atherstone". British History Online. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
- ^ a b "Atherstone, Warwickshire Historical Description". UKGA. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
- ^ John Nichols Leicestershire Vol. IV, Pt 11, pp. 1038
- ^ A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture 2000, Oxford University Press
- ^ "The Road to Bosworth by Sarah Bryson". The Tudor Society. 13 April 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
- ^ "The Atherstone hypothesis". Battlefields Trust. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
- ^ "BBC rejects Atherstone claim on Bosworth battle site". BBC. 6 March 2008. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
- ^ "Battle over Bosworth". Coventry Telegraph. 21 March 2003. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
- ^ "St Mary's - The Battle of Bosworth". St Mary's Church Atherstone. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
- ^ "Domain names | Domain name registration | 123-reg". Atherstone-online.co.uk. 11 March 2011. Archived from the original on 6 January 2009. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
- ^ Borsay, Peter (2003). "The landed elite and provincial towns in Britain 1660–1800" (PDF). The Georgian Group Journal. 23: 290.
- ISBN 1-85058-642-X.
- ^ "THE DEVELOPMENT OF ATHERSTONE". Our Warwickshire. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
- ^ "Hatting in Atherstone". BBC Coventry and Warwickshire. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
- ^ "North Warwickshire result - Local Elections 2023". BBC News. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
- ^ "Atherstone Town Council". Council website. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- ISBN 0319262375
- ISBN 0319262383
- ^ "Midlands News: 16.12.1963: Atherstone by-pass". Mace. 23 June 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
- ^ "Centre of England marked in Fenny Drayton". Hinckley Times. 11 June 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ Machin, Machin (10 August 2016). "500 jobs go as Atherstone warehouse closes". Tamworth Herald. Archived from the original on 11 August 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
- ^ "North Warwickshire INFRASTRUCTURE DELIVERY PLAN" (PDF). North Warwickshire Borough Council. October 2017. p. 11. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
- ^ "Full Freeview on the Sutton Coldfield (Birmingham, England) transmitter". UK Free TV. 1 May 2004. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
- ^ "Tamworth Herald". British Papers. 18 July 2013. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
- ^ "Football Club History Database – Atherstone United". Fchd.info. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
- ^ "Atherstone Leisure Complex, Swimming Pools and Memorial Hall". North Warwickshire Borough Council. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
- ^ "Man's ear 'ripped off' as violent Pancake Day Ball Game descends into carnage". 7 March 2019.
- ^ "The truth behind those Atherstone Ball Game "ear" claims". 7 March 2019.
- ^ "Atherstone Ball Game". Atherstone Ball Game. Archived from the original on 23 February 2009. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
- ^ Dictionary of National Biography, 1885–1900, Volume 23, Grew, Obadiah retrieved 26 September 2018
- ^ Dictionary of National Biography, 1885–1900, Volume 49, Roper, Abel retrieved 26 September 2018
- ^ Mr William Dugdale retrieved 26 September 2018
- ^ Dictionary of National Biography, 1885–1900, Volume 63, Yolland, William retrieved 26 September 2018
- PMC 2162882.
- ISBN 0-902-198-84-X. Archived from the original(PDF) on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ Atherstone at WorldFootball.net
- ^ Atherstone at WorldFootball.net
- . Retrieved 4 October 2023.
- ^ "Jack Barnes: Football's great survivor". CoventryLive. 27 April 2007. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
- ^ "Fox, Mary". Art UK. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
- ^ Tait, Alistair (24 June 2013). "British Ryder Cupper Hunt dead at 83". USA Today. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
- ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
- ^ "Frank Upton: Versatile and hard-tackling footballer known as 'Frank the Tank'". The Independent. 16 August 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
- ^ Ponting, Ivan (17 August 2012). "Les Green: Goalie who made his name at Derby County". The Independent. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
- ^ Mr Bill Olner, May 9, 1942 – retrieved 26 September 2018
- ^ "Leigh Lawson". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 23 August 2017.
- ^ Bennett, Will (31 May 1996). "Sara Thornton is cleared of murder". The Independent. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
- ^ "Thrust SSC – Andy Green". History in Numbers. 6 April 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
- ^ Bridge, Bobby (19 September 2018). "Paul Broadhurst wins on PGA Tour Champions circuit after 'embarrassment'". CoventryLive. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
- ^ "Warwickshire golfer Steve Webster gets fit for victory". BusinessLive. 18 March 2009. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
External links
- Atherstone Town Council
- Atherstone archives – Our Warwickshire
- Atherstone in the Domesday Book
History links
- Atherstone History : A comprehensive history of Atherstone and the surrounding area from the Romans up until the 20th century at the Wayback Machine (archived 30 May 2009)
- Atherstone 16th-century inventories and map of the township printed in John Nichols' Antiquities of Leicestershire at the Wayback Machine (archived 6 January 2009)
- Archdeaconry court case from Atherstone Fair with 18th-century Bracebridge estate map of the town showing the market square at the Wayback Machine (archived 6 January 2009)
- 1100s–2007 Atherstone Ball Game from Atherstone History at the Wayback Machine (archived 23 February 2009)