County of the City of Coventry
Encyclopedia
The County of the City of Coventry was a former English
county
, (officially a County corporate
) which existed between 1451 and 1842.
The county covered an area of around 20 square miles (51.8 km²) and contained the city of Coventry
and the surrounding villages of Ansty
, Asthull, Biggin
, Binley
, Caludon, Exhall
, Foleshill
, Harnell
, Horwell, Radford
, Stoke, Styvechale
, Walsgrave
, Wood End
and Wyken
.
. However during the medieval period Coventry became an important city in its own right.
King Henry VI
granted Coventry the status of a county in itself, largely to reward the city for the support it had given him. This county status enabled Coventry to control its own assize and gaol, and the city's bailiffs became sheriff
s – officers to the king. Coventry remained a separate county until disputes over ratings with the villages which formed the county resulted in its abolition by the Coventry Act 1842 (5 & 6 Vict. c.110). The Act provided that from November 9, 1842 the City and County of the City of Coventry shall... be taken to be in all respects Part of the County of Warwick , and within the Hundred of Knightlow. As well as re-merging Coventry with Warwickshire, the legislation resolved the Doubts which now prevail respecting the Boundary of the said City, by firmly setting the municipal limits.
The county covered an area similar to that covered by the modern city. Apart from Ansty
and Exhall
, all of the places which formed part of the county are now within the city boundaries.
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...
county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
, (officially a County corporate
County corporate
A county corporate or corporate county was a type of subnational division used for local government in England, Ireland and Wales.Counties corporate were created during the Middle Ages, and were effectively small self-governing counties...
) which existed between 1451 and 1842.
The county covered an area of around 20 square miles (51.8 km²) and contained the city of Coventry
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...
and the surrounding villages of Ansty
Ansty, Warwickshire
Ansty is a village and civil parish just outside the outskirts of Coventry, about northeast of the city centre. Ansty was part of the County of the City of Coventry until that county was dissolved in 1842....
, Asthull, Biggin
Biggin
Biggin can refer to:*Biggin , Derbyshire, in the Peak District*Biggin Hill a town in London*London Biggin Hill Airport an airport near Biggin Hill, London*Biggin by Hulland, Derbyshire, near Hulland*Biggin, North Yorkshire...
, Binley
Binley, Coventry
Binley is a suburb in the east of Coventry, England. Binley evolved from a small mining village on the outskirts of Coventry to a large residential area composing private residences and council-owned properties....
, Caludon, Exhall
Exhall
Exhall is a suburban settlement in the Nuneaton and Bedworth district of Warwickshire, England.- Geography :Exhall is an area south of Bedworth located 4.3 miles north-north-east of Coventry and 3.8 miles south of Nuneaton...
, Foleshill
Foleshill
Foleshill is a suburb in the north of Coventry in the West Midlands of England.Longford. Courthouse Green and Rowley Green are to its north and Keresley is to its west.- History :...
, Harnell
Harnell
Harnell is a surname. It may refer to:* Jess Harnell - American television voice actor* Joe Harnell - American arranger, band leader, composer, and musical director* Tony Harnell - American rock singer...
, Horwell, Radford
Radford, Coventry
Radford is a suburb and electoral ward of Coventry, located approximately 2 miles north of Coventry city centre. It is covered by the Coventry North West constituency.-Geography:...
, Stoke, Styvechale
Styvechale
Stivichall or Styvechale is a mainly residential area of south Coventry. It includes Fenside which forms part of southeast Stivichall. To the north and northwest Stivichall has a shared border with the War Memorial Park, along Coat of Arms Bridge Road. The district of Cheylesmore is to the...
, Walsgrave
Walsgrave
Walsgrave-on-Sowe is a village located about 3 miles north-east of Coventry, West Midlands in England. It was built on marsh lands, although it now sees very little flooding. However, due to urban growth, it is now an outer suburb of Coventry, near to Ansty and Shilton...
, Wood End
Wood End, Coventry
Wood End is an area in the north of the city of Coventry, England.Much of the housing stock was built in the 1950s and 60s. Many of the homes are owned by the Whitefriars Housing Group, a housing trust which took over the running and management of Coventry's council houses several years ago...
and Wyken
Wyken
Wyken, a suburb of Coventry, England, is situated between the areas of Stoke and Walsgrave, three miles northeast of Coventry city centre. It is a fairly large ward spreading as far as the Binley area...
.
History
Coventry was originally a part of the county of WarwickshireWarwickshire
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...
. However during the medieval period Coventry became an important city in its own right.
King Henry VI
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
granted Coventry the status of a county in itself, largely to reward the city for the support it had given him. This county status enabled Coventry to control its own assize and gaol, and the city's bailiffs became sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
s – officers to the king. Coventry remained a separate county until disputes over ratings with the villages which formed the county resulted in its abolition by the Coventry Act 1842 (5 & 6 Vict. c.110). The Act provided that from November 9, 1842 the City and County of the City of Coventry shall... be taken to be in all respects Part of the County of Warwick , and within the Hundred of Knightlow. As well as re-merging Coventry with Warwickshire, the legislation resolved the Doubts which now prevail respecting the Boundary of the said City, by firmly setting the municipal limits.
The county covered an area similar to that covered by the modern city. Apart from Ansty
Ansty, Warwickshire
Ansty is a village and civil parish just outside the outskirts of Coventry, about northeast of the city centre. Ansty was part of the County of the City of Coventry until that county was dissolved in 1842....
and Exhall
Exhall
Exhall is a suburban settlement in the Nuneaton and Bedworth district of Warwickshire, England.- Geography :Exhall is an area south of Bedworth located 4.3 miles north-north-east of Coventry and 3.8 miles south of Nuneaton...
, all of the places which formed part of the county are now within the city boundaries.