Chapelfields, Coventry
Encyclopedia
Chapelfields is a suburb of Coventry
, West Midlands
, England. It is situated about 1.5 miles to the west of Coventry City Centre; bordering Coundon
to the north, Earlsdon
to the south, Spon End
to the east and Whoberley
to the west. It is mainly residential, with a high proportion of graduates among the younger residents, and nowadays a significant element of students, particularly those studying at the University of Warwick
. Houses in Chapelfields proper are mostly small to medium-sized terraced house
s with gardens.
The area properly speaking comprises just nine streets: Queensland Avenue, Craven Street, Sir Thomas White's Road, Mount Street, Lord Street, Duke Street, the easternmost stub of Abercorn Road, the southern side of Allesley Old Road, and the northern side of Hearsall Lane; however, most maps show the area as including a number of other streets to the west of Queensland Avenue. Those streets are generally considered to be part of Chapelfields by their residents and estate agents, though not by the Chapelfields Area Residents and Traders Association (CARTA).
In mediaeval times there was a lazar house
or leper hospital covering part of the area, which had been founded in 1168 by Hugh de Kevelioc, 5th Earl of Chester, for William D'Auney, a knight who had contracted the condition while following Kevelioc in a crusade. The modern area originates in 1847 when, as an extension of the neighbouring Spon area, building commenced to accommodate the watch-making
industry for which Coventry was then famous; however, the part of Chapelfields from Sir Thomas White's Road to Queensland Avenue was not developed until the early 20th century (Sir Thomas White's Road itself was built in 1908 and formed part of the tram route to Broadgate). It is a quirk of this section of Chapelfields that properties there are subject to restrictive covenants forbidding their use as "fried fish shops", which were prevalent in the area at that time. Another popular type of business in Chapelfields has always been the public house. Though fewer in number, there are still seven licenced premises in this tiny area: the Craven Arms, the Chestnut Tree, the Hearsall Inn, the Coombe Abbey Inn, the Craven Club (all in Craven Street), the Four Provinces (Allesley Old Road, on the corner with Craven Street) and the Nursery Tavern in Lord Street. The last, locally noted as a real ale pub, presumably derives its name from Weare's Nursery, the immediate former occupier of the land upon which Chapelfields was built. Chapelfields pubs no longer extant included the New Inn and the Brewer's Arms in Craven Street, and the Sun Dial in Lord Street.
Adjacent to the area is Hearsall Common
, an open space that was deprived of official common status by the local authority in 1927. In 2007/08 this became the centre of dispute when local residents opposed the Council's plans to remove part of the Chapelfields end of the common for bus lanes as part of the "PrimeLines" scheme. The six Conservative councillors for the Earlsdon and Whoberley wards have refused to support the objections and are backing one of their number, council leader Ken Taylor, in his attempts to impose this scheme which is the brainchild of the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive
. A petition was signed by 1,928 local residents opposing the scheme, whilst 29 indicated their support through a consultation with the council. The matter has not been settled at the time of writing, nor are applications by local residents to have the Common officially recognised as a village green to protect it.
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, West Midlands
West Midlands (region)
The West Midlands is an official region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It contains the second most populous British city, Birmingham, and the larger West Midlands conurbation, which includes the city of Wolverhampton and large towns of Dudley,...
, England. It is situated about 1.5 miles to the west of Coventry City Centre; bordering Coundon
Coundon, Coventry
Coundon is a predominantly residential suburb in northwest Coventry, West Midlands, England.Along with neighbouring Keresley, it was originally a village in the Warwickshire countryside, but by the 1930s had been incorporated into the city of Coventry, when mass housebuilding took place to...
to the north, Earlsdon
Earlsdon, Coventry
Earlsdon is a suburb and electoral ward of Coventry. It lies approximately one mile to the southwest of Coventry City Centre. It is the birth place of aviation pioneer Frank Whittle There are shops and several restaurants on Earlsdon Street, the main street through Earlsdon. There is also...
to the south, Spon End
Spon End
Spon End is a suburb of Coventry, England. It is situated west of Coventry City Centre. The Butts Park Arena and the Butts Centre are situated on the main road through Spon End. The Butts Park Arena, which was opened in 2004, is the home of Coventry Rugby Football club...
to the east and Whoberley
Whoberley
Whoberley is a small residential suburb of the City of Coventry in the West Midlands, England. Its bordering districts are Allesley and Allesley Park to the north, Canley to the south, Chapelfields to the east and Mount Nod / Eastern Green to the west, while Hearsall Common in the district of...
to the west. It is mainly residential, with a high proportion of graduates among the younger residents, and nowadays a significant element of students, particularly those studying at the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
. Houses in Chapelfields proper are mostly small to medium-sized terraced house
Terraced house
In architecture and city planning, a terrace house, terrace, row house, linked house or townhouse is a style of medium-density housing that originated in Great Britain in the late 17th century, where a row of identical or mirror-image houses share side walls...
s with gardens.
The area properly speaking comprises just nine streets: Queensland Avenue, Craven Street, Sir Thomas White's Road, Mount Street, Lord Street, Duke Street, the easternmost stub of Abercorn Road, the southern side of Allesley Old Road, and the northern side of Hearsall Lane; however, most maps show the area as including a number of other streets to the west of Queensland Avenue. Those streets are generally considered to be part of Chapelfields by their residents and estate agents, though not by the Chapelfields Area Residents and Traders Association (CARTA).
In mediaeval times there was a lazar house
Leper colony
A leper colony, leprosarium, or lazar house is a place to quarantine leprous people.-History:Leper colonies or houses became widespread in the Middle Ages, particularly in Europe and India, and often run by monastic orders...
or leper hospital covering part of the area, which had been founded in 1168 by Hugh de Kevelioc, 5th Earl of Chester, for William D'Auney, a knight who had contracted the condition while following Kevelioc in a crusade. The modern area originates in 1847 when, as an extension of the neighbouring Spon area, building commenced to accommodate the watch-making
Watchmaker
A watchmaker is an artisan who makes and repairs watches. Since virtually all watches are now factory made, most modern watchmakers solely repair watches. However, originally they were master craftsmen who built watches, including all their parts, by hand...
industry for which Coventry was then famous; however, the part of Chapelfields from Sir Thomas White's Road to Queensland Avenue was not developed until the early 20th century (Sir Thomas White's Road itself was built in 1908 and formed part of the tram route to Broadgate). It is a quirk of this section of Chapelfields that properties there are subject to restrictive covenants forbidding their use as "fried fish shops", which were prevalent in the area at that time. Another popular type of business in Chapelfields has always been the public house. Though fewer in number, there are still seven licenced premises in this tiny area: the Craven Arms, the Chestnut Tree, the Hearsall Inn, the Coombe Abbey Inn, the Craven Club (all in Craven Street), the Four Provinces (Allesley Old Road, on the corner with Craven Street) and the Nursery Tavern in Lord Street. The last, locally noted as a real ale pub, presumably derives its name from Weare's Nursery, the immediate former occupier of the land upon which Chapelfields was built. Chapelfields pubs no longer extant included the New Inn and the Brewer's Arms in Craven Street, and the Sun Dial in Lord Street.
Adjacent to the area is Hearsall Common
Hearsall Common
Hearsall Common is located in Earlsdon, Coventry in the West Midlands, central England.The common consists of a large grassy area with a smaller partly tarmacadamed area on one side of Hearsall Common Road, and a wooded nature reserve on the other side...
, an open space that was deprived of official common status by the local authority in 1927. In 2007/08 this became the centre of dispute when local residents opposed the Council's plans to remove part of the Chapelfields end of the common for bus lanes as part of the "PrimeLines" scheme. The six Conservative councillors for the Earlsdon and Whoberley wards have refused to support the objections and are backing one of their number, council leader Ken Taylor, in his attempts to impose this scheme which is the brainchild of the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive
West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive
The West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive , sometimes known as Centro, is a local government organisation responsible for certain transport services in the West Midlands county in England....
. A petition was signed by 1,928 local residents opposing the scheme, whilst 29 indicated their support through a consultation with the council. The matter has not been settled at the time of writing, nor are applications by local residents to have the Common officially recognised as a village green to protect it.