Rowington
Encyclopedia
Rowington is a village and civil parish
in the English county of Warwickshire
. It is five miles north-west of the town of Warwick
and five miles south-west of the town of Kenilworth
. The parish, which also includes Lowsonford
, Pinley and Mousley End, had a population of 925 according to the 2001 UK Census.
The Grand Union Canal
runs just south of the village and the M40 motorway
is also close by. The Heart of England Way
for long-distance walkers passes through the village. The parish church
of St. Laurence which dates from medieval times is found on a hill in the centre of the village. In Tudor times Rowington manor
was owned by Catherine Parr
, the sixth wife of King Henry VIII
of England. Possibly the most famous building however is Shakespeare Hall where a branch of William Shakespeare
's family is reputed to have lived at the same time he was alive. It was rumoured he wrote As You Like It
there.
There were once several windmills in the village but only one remains and its sails have been removed and the building converted into a house. At one time Rowington quarries supplied sandstone for several important buildings including St Philip's Cathedral in Birmingham, the parish church of St Laurence and nearby Baddesley Clinton
manor house
. No quarries remain in Rowington. The village is home to several farms and livery yard
s.
James Blyth, Baron Blyth of Rowington
once lived in the village and became a life peer
in 1999.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the English county 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...
. It is five miles north-west of the town of Warwick
Warwick
Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, south of Coventry and just west of Leamington Spa and Whitnash with which it is conjoined. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 23,350...
and five miles south-west of the town of Kenilworth
Kenilworth
Kenilworth is a town in central Warwickshire, England. In 2001 the town had a population of 22,582 . It is situated south of Coventry, north of Warwick and northwest of London....
. The parish, which also includes Lowsonford
Lowsonford
Lowsonford is a small village in Warwickshire, England which lies north-east of Henley-in-Arden.-General information:The most famous of Lowsonford's buildings is the "Fleur de Lys" pub which is known for its meat pies...
, Pinley and Mousley End, had a population of 925 according to the 2001 UK Census.
The Grand Union Canal
Grand Union Canal
The Grand Union Canal in England is part of the British canal system. Its main line connects London and Birmingham, stretching for 137 miles with 166 locks...
runs just south of the village and the M40 motorway
M40 motorway
The M40 motorway is a motorway in the British transport network that forms a major part of the connection between London and Birmingham. Part of this road forms a section of the unsigned European route E05...
is also close by. The Heart of England Way
Heart of England Way
The Heart of England Way is a long distance walk of around through the Midlands of England. The walk starts from Milford Common on Cannock Chase and ends at Bourton on the Water in the Cotswolds passing through the counties of Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Gloucestershire.The walk provides links...
for long-distance walkers passes through the village. The parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
of St. Laurence which dates from medieval times is found on a hill in the centre of the village. In Tudor times Rowington manor
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
was owned by Catherine Parr
Catherine Parr
Catherine Parr ; 1512 – 5 September 1548) was Queen consort of England and Ireland and the last of the six wives of King Henry VIII of England. She married Henry VIII on 12 July 1543. She was the fourth commoner Henry had taken as his consort, and outlived him...
, the sixth wife of King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
of England. Possibly the most famous building however is Shakespeare Hall where a branch of William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's family is reputed to have lived at the same time he was alive. It was rumoured he wrote As You Like It
As You Like It
As You Like It is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 or early 1600 and first published in the folio of 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 has been suggested as a possibility...
there.
There were once several windmills in the village but only one remains and its sails have been removed and the building converted into a house. At one time Rowington quarries supplied sandstone for several important buildings including St Philip's Cathedral in Birmingham, the parish church of St Laurence and nearby Baddesley Clinton
Baddesley Clinton
The moated manor house of Baddesley Clinton , located just north of the historic town of Warwick in the English county of Warwickshire, was probably established sometime in the 13th century. When large areas of the Forest of Arden were cleared and eventually converted to farmland this large...
manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
. No quarries remain in Rowington. The village is home to several farms and livery yard
Livery yard
A livery yard or livery stable , or boarding stable is a stable where horse owners pay a weekly or monthly fee to keep their horses. A livery or boarding yard is not usually a riding school and the horses are not normally for hire...
s.
James Blyth, Baron Blyth of Rowington
James Blyth, Baron Blyth of Rowington
James Blyth, Baron Blyth of Rowington is a British businessman.The son of Daniel Blyth and Jane Power Carlton was educated in Speir's school and the University of Glasgow, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in history in 1963.Blyth worked for Mobil Oil from 1963 to...
once lived in the village and became a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
in 1999.