Coleshill, Warwickshire
Encyclopedia
Coleshill is a market town in the North Warwickshire
district of Warwickshire
, England
, taking its name from the River Cole
. It has a population of 6,343 (2001 census) and is situated 11 miles (17.7 km) east of Birmingham
.
between the rivers Cole
and Blythe
which converge to the north with the River Tame
. It is just to the east of the border with West Midlands
county outside Birmingham
. According to 2001 census statistics http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/ssdataset.asp?vlnk=8271&More=Y it is part of the West Midlands conurbation
, despite gaps http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=52.498772,-1.722965&spn=0.046562,0.102576&t=h&hl=en of open green belt land between Coleshill and the rest of the conurbation. The Green Belt narrows to approximately 150 yards to the north near Water Orton
, and to approximately 700 yards at the southern tip of the settlement boundary where Coleshill meets Chelmsley Wood
, Solihull
http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?client=public&X=419500&Y=287500&width=700&height=400&gride=420020.968626167&gridn=289116.086739557&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=freegaz&pc=&zm=0&scale=10000&down.x=287&down.y=5, but is in excess of a mile at some points in between. In the 1970s, Coleshill narrowly avoided being absorbed into Birmingham.
, before the Roman
Conquest of 43 AD, as the Grimstock Hill Romano-British settlement
, north of the River Cole. Evidence of Hut Circles was found by archaeologists at the end of the 1970s. These excavations showed that throughout the Roman
period there was a Romano-Celtic temple
on Grimstock Hill. It had developed over the earlier Iron Age huts and had gone through at least three phases of development. The area was at the junction of two powerful Celt
ic Tribes - the Coritanii to the east from Leicester, and to the west the Cornovii from Wroxeter.
In the post Roman
or Arthurian period (The Dark Ages) the nucleus of Coleshill moved about a kilometre to the south - to the top of the hill. Here the present church is set and the medieval town developed around it. By 1066 the town was a Royal Manor held by King Edward the Confessor
and is recorded in the Domesday Book
of 1086 as land held by William the Conqueror
. Henry II granted the manor to the de Clinton family, then it passed to the de Montford's
who had moated manor houses at Coleshill and Kingshurst
. King Henry VII
granted the lands to Simon Digby in 1496. His descendants (Wingfield-Digby) still hold the titles.
Coleshill was granted a Market Charter by King John
in 1207, alongside Liverpool, Leek and Great Yarmouth.
During the Coaching Trade and the Turnpike Trusts Coleshill became important as a major staging post on the coaching
roads from London
to Holyhead
and from London
to Chester
to Liverpool
. At one point there were over twenty inns in the town. The Coleshill to Lichfield
Turnpike dates from 1743.
Many former coaching inn
s remain in Coleshill, mostly along the High Street and Coventry Road.
One of the most notable buildings in the town is the Parish Church Church of St Peter and St Paul at the top of the Market Square. It has a 52 metre (170 ft) high steeple
, one of the finest in Warwickshire
, dating from the 13th century. Inside there is a 12th century font
of Norman origin, which is one of the finest examples in the country. There are also medieval table tombs with effigies of Knights, including John de Clinton. Just outside the south door are the preserved remains of a medieval cross.
The Market Square is also the location of the town's Pillory and Whipping Post. Historically these were used to punish drunks, and bakers who sold underweight loaves. Today though, they are one of the town's tourist attractions, having been restored and preserved by the Gascoigne family, a local family who have run businesses in Coleshill for over 100 years.
At the top of Coleshill, just past Packington Lane, is a red post box that bears the Royal Seal of Edward VIII. It is one of a small number to have been placed in the UK before his abdication, of which only 14 remain.
, M6 Toll
and M42 motorway
s.
Until 2007, the town's nearest railway station was at Water Orton
, some 2.5 miles (4 km) to the north-west, but a new station opened as Coleshill Parkway
, adjacent to the old Forge Mills site and about 1.25 miles (2 km) east of Water Orton, on the 19 August 2007 approximately 16 weeks behind schedule due to construction delays. It is on the Birmingham to Peterborough Line
and is served half hourly by CrossCountry
as part of their service between Birmingham, Nuneaton
, Leicester
, Peterborough
, Cambridge
and Stansted Airport.
A number of bus routes serve the town, including one to Birmingham. The new railway station also has an interchange serving a direct Tamworth
- Coleshill - Birmingham International Airport
bus connection.
, following the Battle of Bosworth and the execution of Simon de Montford for helping in the attempt to oust the King.
North Warwickshire
North Warwickshire is a local government district and borough in Warwickshire, England. The main town in the district is Atherstone where the council is based...
district of Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, taking its name from the River Cole
River Cole, West Midlands
The River Cole is a river in the English Midlands. It rises in Redhill, near Kings Norton, South of Birmingham. After flowing through Birmingham, it passes Coleshill, to which it gave its name. It joins the River Blythe, of which it is a tributary, near Ladywalk, shortly before the Blythe meets...
. It has a population of 6,343 (2001 census) and is situated 11 miles (17.7 km) east of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
.
Location
Coleshill is located on a ridgeRidge
A ridge is a geological feature consisting of a chain of mountains or hills that form a continuous elevated crest for some distance. Ridges are usually termed hills or mountains as well, depending on size. There are several main types of ridges:...
between the rivers Cole
River Cole, West Midlands
The River Cole is a river in the English Midlands. It rises in Redhill, near Kings Norton, South of Birmingham. After flowing through Birmingham, it passes Coleshill, to which it gave its name. It joins the River Blythe, of which it is a tributary, near Ladywalk, shortly before the Blythe meets...
and Blythe
River Blythe
The Blythe is a river in the English Midlands which runs from Warwickshire, through the borough of Solihull and on to Coleshill. It runs along the Meriden Gap in the Midlands Plateau,...
which converge to the north with the River Tame
River Tame, West Midlands
The River Tame is the main river of the West Midlands, and the most important tributary of the River Trent. The Tame is about 40 km from source at Oldbury to its confluence with the Trent near Alrewas, but the main river length of the entire catchment, i.e...
. It is just to the east of the border with West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
county outside Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. According to 2001 census statistics http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/ssdataset.asp?vlnk=8271&More=Y it is part of the West Midlands conurbation
West Midlands conurbation
The West Midlands conurbation is the name given to the large conurbation that includes the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton and the large towns of Dudley, Walsall, West Bromwich, Solihull, Stourbridge, Halesowen in the English West Midlands....
, despite gaps http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=52.498772,-1.722965&spn=0.046562,0.102576&t=h&hl=en of open green belt land between Coleshill and the rest of the conurbation. The Green Belt narrows to approximately 150 yards to the north near Water Orton
Water Orton
Water Orton is a village near the River Tame in the North Warwickshire borough of Warwickshire in England. It is located between Castle Bromwich and Coleshill, and borders the West Midlands metropolitan county boundary to the north, west and south. At the last census in 2001, the population was...
, and to approximately 700 yards at the southern tip of the settlement boundary where Coleshill meets Chelmsley Wood
Chelmsley Wood
Chelmsley Wood is a neighbourhood, civil parish and large housing estate in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, England, with a population of 13,010. It is located near Birmingham International Airport and the National Exhibition Centre. It lies adjacent to Birmingham...
, Solihull
Solihull
Solihull is a town in the West Midlands of England with a population of 94,753. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is located 9 miles southeast of Birmingham city centre...
http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?client=public&X=419500&Y=287500&width=700&height=400&gride=420020.968626167&gridn=289116.086739557&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=freegaz&pc=&zm=0&scale=10000&down.x=287&down.y=5, but is in excess of a mile at some points in between. In the 1970s, Coleshill narrowly avoided being absorbed into Birmingham.
History
Coleshill began life in the Iron AgeIron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
, before the Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
Conquest of 43 AD, as the Grimstock Hill Romano-British settlement
Grimstock Hill Romano-British settlement
Grimstock Hill, located north of the River Cole in Coleshill, Warwickshire, was the site of a Romano-British settlement discovered in 1978. The site included a temple complex with evidence of a circular wooden iron age temple, later replaced by stone-built temples from the Roman period developed in...
, north of the River Cole. Evidence of Hut Circles was found by archaeologists at the end of the 1970s. These excavations showed that throughout the Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
period there was a Romano-Celtic temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
on Grimstock Hill. It had developed over the earlier Iron Age huts and had gone through at least three phases of development. The area was at the junction of two powerful Celt
Celt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
ic Tribes - the Coritanii to the east from Leicester, and to the west the Cornovii from Wroxeter.
In the post Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
or Arthurian period (The Dark Ages) the nucleus of Coleshill moved about a kilometre to the south - to the top of the hill. Here the present church is set and the medieval town developed around it. By 1066 the town was a Royal Manor held by King Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor also known as St. Edward the Confessor , son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy, was one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England and is usually regarded as the last king of the House of Wessex, ruling from 1042 to 1066....
and is recorded in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086 as land held by William the Conqueror
William I of England
William I , also known as William the Conqueror , was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II...
. Henry II granted the manor to the de Clinton family, then it passed to the de Montford's
Simon de Montford
Simon de Montford was an English nobleman who had the manor of Coleshill passed onto him from the de Clinton family. He built moated manor houses at Coleshill and Kingshurst...
who had moated manor houses at Coleshill and Kingshurst
Kingshurst
Kingshurst is a post war housing estate and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, in the West Midlands. It lies about east of Birmingham city centre...
. King Henry VII
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
granted the lands to Simon Digby in 1496. His descendants (Wingfield-Digby) still hold the titles.
Coleshill was granted a Market Charter by King John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
in 1207, alongside Liverpool, Leek and Great Yarmouth.
During the Coaching Trade and the Turnpike Trusts Coleshill became important as a major staging post on the coaching
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
roads from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to Holyhead
Holyhead
Holyhead is the largest town in the county of Anglesey in the North Wales. It is also a major port adjacent to the Irish Sea serving Ireland....
and from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
to Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. At one point there were over twenty inns in the town. The Coleshill to Lichfield
Lichfield
Lichfield is a cathedral city, civil parish and district in Staffordshire, England. One of eight civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly north of Birmingham...
Turnpike dates from 1743.
Notable buildings
Coaching inn
In Europe, from approximately the mid-17th century for a period of about 200 years, the coaching inn, sometimes called a coaching house or staging inn, was a vital part of the inland transport infrastructure, as an inn serving coach travelers...
s remain in Coleshill, mostly along the High Street and Coventry Road.
One of the most notable buildings in the town is the Parish Church Church of St Peter and St Paul at the top of the Market Square. It has a 52 metre (170 ft) high steeple
Steeple (architecture)
A steeple, in architecture, is a tall tower on a building, often topped by a spire. Steeples are very common on Christian churches and cathedrals and the use of the term generally connotes a religious structure...
, one of the finest in Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, dating from the 13th century. Inside there is a 12th century font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
of Norman origin, which is one of the finest examples in the country. There are also medieval table tombs with effigies of Knights, including John de Clinton. Just outside the south door are the preserved remains of a medieval cross.
The Market Square is also the location of the town's Pillory and Whipping Post. Historically these were used to punish drunks, and bakers who sold underweight loaves. Today though, they are one of the town's tourist attractions, having been restored and preserved by the Gascoigne family, a local family who have run businesses in Coleshill for over 100 years.
At the top of Coleshill, just past Packington Lane, is a red post box that bears the Royal Seal of Edward VIII. It is one of a small number to have been placed in the UK before his abdication, of which only 14 remain.
Transport
The town is close to the M6M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
, M6 Toll
M6 Toll
The M6 Toll , connects M6 Junction 4 at the NEC to M6 Junction 11A at Wolverhampton with of six-lane motorway. The weekday cash cost is £5.30 for a car and £10.60 for a HGV...
and M42 motorway
M42 motorway
The M42 motorway is a major road in England. The motorway runs north east from Bromsgrove in Worcestershire to just south west of Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire, passing Redditch, Solihull, the National Exhibition Centre and Tamworth on the way. The section between the M40 and M6 road forms...
s.
Until 2007, the town's nearest railway station was at Water Orton
Water Orton railway station
Water Orton railway station serves Water Orton in Warwickshire, near Birmingham, England. It is owned by Network Rail, and managed by London Midland...
, some 2.5 miles (4 km) to the north-west, but a new station opened as Coleshill Parkway
Coleshill Parkway railway station
Coleshill Parkway Railway Station is a station at Hams Hall on the Birmingham to Peterborough railway line, serving Coleshill in Warwickshire, England...
, adjacent to the old Forge Mills site and about 1.25 miles (2 km) east of Water Orton, on the 19 August 2007 approximately 16 weeks behind schedule due to construction delays. It is on the Birmingham to Peterborough Line
Birmingham to Peterborough Line
The Birmingham to Peterborough Line is a cross-country railway line in the United Kingdom, linking Birmingham to Peterborough, via Nuneaton and Leicester....
and is served half hourly by CrossCountry
CrossCountry
CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
as part of their service between Birmingham, Nuneaton
Nuneaton railway station
Nuneaton railway station serves the large town of Nuneaton in Warwickshire, England. The station is managed by London Midland.It is situated at the point where the Birmingham - Leicester route crosses the Trent Valley Line section of the West Coast Main Line north of London Euston, with a branch...
, Leicester
Leicester railway station
Leicester railway station serves the City of Leicester in Leicestershire, England.As of late 2009 Leicester is a Penalty fare station, a valid ticket or Permit to travel must be shown when requested.-Background:...
, Peterborough
Peterborough railway station
Peterborough railway station serves the city of Peterborough, England. It is located approximately north of London Kings Cross on the East Coast Main Line...
, Cambridge
Cambridge railway station
Cambridge railway station is a railway station serving the city of Cambridge in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located at the end of Station Road, off Hills Road, 1 mile south-east of the city centre...
and Stansted Airport.
A number of bus routes serve the town, including one to Birmingham. The new railway station also has an interchange serving a direct Tamworth
Tamworth
Tamworth is a town and local government district in Staffordshire, England, located north-east of Birmingham city centre and north-west of London. The town takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through the town, as does the River Anker...
- Coleshill - Birmingham International Airport
Birmingham International Airport (UK)
Birmingham Airport , formerly Birmingham International Airport is an airport located east southeast of Birmingham city centre, at Bickenhill in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull within the West Midlands, England...
bus connection.
Notable people
Simon Digby was awarded the manor of Coleshill in 1496 by King Henry VIIHenry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
, following the Battle of Bosworth and the execution of Simon de Montford for helping in the attempt to oust the King.