Longford, Coventry
Longford is a
Features
The neighbourhoods covered by the ward include Longford Village, Foxford, Rowleys Green, Alderman's Green, Hawkesbury, Bell Green, Manor House, Hall Green, Courthouse Green, Woodshires and Little Heath.[3]
Longford is mainly residential, but it also has industrial areas and a few green areas, such as Longford Park and Longford Community Nature Park, which are in close proximity on opposite sides of Longford Road. In the north of the ward is the Coventry Building Society Arena, home to Wasps and Coventry City. Also part of the complex is Arena Park a Retail Centre including a Tesco Extra. Riley Square shopping centre is another shopping centre in the ward. Longford is also served by one library: Bell Green Library.[3]
Demographics
The
Education
Foxford Community School is the area's secondary school. Primary education is provided by Grangehurst Primary School.
History
The area is referred to as early as the 15th century, stating that there were houses and cottages in the areas of Longford and Foxford however these had not developed to form hamlets. A census in 1730 stated that there were only 20 houses in Longford and Foxford. Longford began to develop in the mid-18th century when the ribbon weaving industry and a flourishing coal mine at Hawkesbury encouraged workers and their families to move into Longford.
Historically Longford was part of
Canals
The Coventry Canal passes through the area. On the towpath is a sculpture named 'The Stone Sofa', by Tim Shutter. Unveiled on 31 May 1997, it was commissioned by Groundwork Coventry as part of the Coventry Canal Art Trail, and is owned by the City Development Directorate at Coventry City Council. The sculpture is 1.4 metres high, 2.4 metres wide and approximately one metre deep and carved out of solid sandstone.[8][9]
The Oxford Canal was started in the area in 1769 and the first 10 miles were completed by 1771. The two canals passed alongside each other from Hawkesbury to Longford as the Coventry Canal Company and the Oxford Canal Company were unable to agree on tolls. Following a court injunction taken out by the Coventry Canal Company, the two canals were joined at Longford in 1777.[10] The current junction of the canals is Hawkesbury Junction.
Gallery
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Longford Park
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Longford Park gates
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Longford Community Nature Park
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Sandstone sculpture Stone Sofa by Tim Shutter, on the Coventry Canal
References
- ^ "Coventry Ward population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
- ^ "Coventry City Council: Longford Ward". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 2 September 2007.
- ^ a b Coventry City Council: About Longford Ward Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Services, Good Stuff IT. "Longford - UK Census Data 2011". UK Census Data. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ^ Coventry City Council: Longford in numbers Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Coventry College • Where you get inspired". Coventry College. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ^ "History of Longford, in Coventry and Warwickshire | Map and description". www.visionofbritain.org.uk. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ISBN 0-85323-847-2.
- ^ Coventry Canal Sculpture Trail Archived 3 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Coventry Walks: Hawkesbury Junction Conservation Area