Atherstone
Encyclopedia
Atherstone is a town in Warwickshire
, England
. The town is located near the northernmost tip of Warwickshire, close to the border with Staffordshire
and Leicestershire
and is the administrative headquarters of the borough of North Warwickshire
.
times. An important defended Roman settlement named Manduessedum
existed at Mancetter
near the site of modern day Atherstone, and the Roman road, the Watling Street
(now known as the A5) ran through the town. It is believed by some historians that the rebel Queen of the Britons
, Boudica
was defeated at the Battle of Watling Street
by the Romans in her final battle near Manduessedum.
The Domesday Book
of 1086, records that Atherstone was held by Countess Godiva.
The ancient St. Mary’s Chapel in Atherstone dates from the early 12th century when the monks of Bec
made a donation of 12 acres (4.9 ha) to a house of friars and hermits, later referred to as “Austin friars”. According to Nichols the chapel was granted to Henry Cartwright in 1542, then left abandoned and neglected until 1692 when Samuel Bracebridge settled a yearly sum for the parson of Mancetter to preach there every other Sunday in the winter season
After this, St. Mary’s Chapel seems to have experienced something of a revival. Its square tower being rebuilt in the fashionable “Gothic
” style in 1782. This drastic alteration probably aroused some controversy. although the fine architectural drawing of the chapel made by Mr. Schnebbelie in 1790 prompted Nichols to assert that “the new tower provides a good effect”. St Mary's was further redesigned in 1849 by Thomas Henry Wyatt and David Brandon.
It is said that the Battle of Bosworth actually took place in the fields of Merevale
above Atherstone. Certainly reparation was made to Atherstone after the battle and not to Market Bosworth
.
In Tudor
times, Atherstone was a thriving commercial centre for weaving and clothmaking. The town's favourable location laid out as a long ‘ribbon development’ along Watling Street, ensured its growth as a market town
. While it remained an agricultural settlement in medieval times, attempts were made to encourage merchants and traders through the creation of burgage
plots, a type of land tenure that provided them with special privileges. A manuscript discovered by Marjorie Morgan among the muniments of Cambridge
’s Kings College
(Ms. C9), refers to the creation of nine new burgage strips from land belonging to seven of the tenants in Atherstone vill
.
By the late Tudor period Atherstone had become a centre for leather
working, clothmaking, metalworking and brewing
. Local sheep farmers and cattle graziers supplied wool and leather to local tanner
s and shoemakers (an industry that continued until the 1970s), while metalworkers, locksmiths and nailers fired their furnaces with local coal and the alemakers supplied thirsty palates on market days.
The surviving inventories
from 16th century Mancetter provide a fascinating glimpse into Atherstone’s Elizabethan merchants and traders, before the town was economically overshadowed by the bustling city of Coventry
. They show Atherstone at this time as a typical Midlands
market town, taking full advantage of its location and agricultural setting.
Atherstone was once an important hat
ting town, and became well known for its felt
hats. The industry began in the 17th century and at its height there were seven firms employing 3,000 people. Due to cheap imports, the trade had largely died out by the 1960s and ended completely in 1998.
, with the current MP
for the area being Conservative's Daniel Byles
. The local authority is North Warwickshire
Borough Council, which, since May 2007, has been under Conservative
control.
, 13 km (8.1 mi) southeast of Tamworth
and 21 km (13 mi) north of the nearest major city, Coventry
. Atherstone is close to the River Anker
which forms the boundary between Warwickshire
and Leicestershire
. Witherley
village is on the opposite bank of the river in Leicestershire, whilst the village of Mancetter
is contiguous with Atherstone to the southeast.
Atherstone itself has a population
of 8,293 (2001 census), the population of its urban area which includes Mancetter
is 10,742.
Its co-ordinates are 52°35′00"N 01°31′00"W (52.5833,
-1.5167)1.
http://www.atherstonebooktown.net/. In part due to its central location in the UK (on the main A5 national route and close to the M42 motorway), Atherstone's economy has expanded rapidly since the 1990s, with several major companies such as TNT
, Aldi
, Bhs and 3M
setting-up their head office operations and/or national distribution centres in the town. 3M however were already there by 1974, and TNT by 1987.
and a series of eleven locks runs through the town, as does the West Coast Main Line
railway. Atherstone has its railway station
on this line, with an hourly service to both London
and Stafford
.
The historic station building, built in 1847, was under threat of demolition in the early 1980s. Thanks to a local group, the Railway and Steam Traction
Society, listed status was obtained, with the building celebrating its 150th anniversary in 1997. Building work won a special Ian Allen conservation
award. As of 2008, the station building is occupied by a local veterinary practice.
, known as 'The Adders'. Their ground is located on Sheepy Road.
Atherstone's team started out as Atherstone Town Football Club in 1887 but folded in 1979, from 1979 to 2003 Atherstone's football team was known as Atherstone United Football Club but folded yet again mid season in 2003. The team then reverted back to the previous name Atherstone Town Football Club.
The major rugby union
team is Atherstone Rugby Football Club who play in the Warwickshire Two League. Their ground is at Ratcliffe Road.
Atherstone Leisure Complex is at the north end of Long Street and consists of a swimming pool
and gym. Atherstone Memorial Hall is also part of the leisure complex.
Ball Game played on a public highway with large crowds. The game celebrated its 800th anniversary in 1999.
The game is a complete free-for-all played along Watling Street (the old Roman road) at the point where it forms the main street of Atherstone town. The ball is decorated with red, white and blue ribbons that are exchanged for money by who ever is able to obtain one and is made of thick leather to make it too heavy to kick far. The match starts at 15:00 when the ball is thrown from the window of Barclays Bank and continues until about 17:00. However the ball may legitimately be deflated or hidden after 16:30. There are no teams and no goals, though in the last century the match was played between a team from Warwickshire and one from Leicestershire. There is only one rule: players are not allowed to kill one another. Whoever is able to hang onto the ball at the end of the game not only wins the game but is allowed to keep the ball as well.
This Shrove Tuesday ball game has been held annually since the early 12th century and is one of Atherstone's claims to fame. The origin of the game, in the reign of King John
, is thought to have been a "Match of Gold that was played betwixt the Warwickshire Lads and the Leicestershire Lads on Shrove Tuesday".
The 'ball' used is specially made each year and is 'thrown out' by a prominent sporting or show business personality. Shop windows are boarded up and traffic is diverted on the afternoon whilst the game, in which hundreds of people take part, progresses along the town's main streets._badge.png)
ships have been named HMS Atherstone
for the town: Commissioned in 1916
, 1939
, and most recently, 1985
.
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...
. The town is located near the northernmost tip of Warwickshire, close to the border with Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
and Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
and is the administrative headquarters of the borough of North Warwickshire
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...
.
History
Atherstone has a long history dating back to RomanRoman 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....
times. An important defended Roman settlement named Manduessedum
Manduessedum
Manduessedum was a Roman fort and later a civilian small town in the Roman Province of Britannia. Today it is known as Mancetter, located in the English county of Warwickshire.The fort was founded in around c AD 50-AD 60 on the Watling Street Roman road...
existed at Mancetter
Mancetter
Mancetter is a village and civil parish on the outskirts of Atherstone in North Warwickshire, at the crossing of Watling Street over the River Anker.-History:...
near the site of modern day Atherstone, and the Roman road, the Watling Street
Watling Street
Watling Street is the name given to an ancient trackway in England and Wales that was first used by the Britons mainly between the modern cities of Canterbury and St Albans. The Romans later paved the route, part of which is identified on the Antonine Itinerary as Iter III: "Item a Londinio ad...
(now known as the A5) ran through the town. It is believed by some historians that the rebel Queen of the Britons
Britons (historical)
The Britons were the Celtic people culturally dominating Great Britain from the Iron Age through the Early Middle Ages. They spoke the Insular Celtic language known as British or Brythonic...
, Boudica
Boudica
Boudica , also known as Boadicea and known in Welsh as "Buddug" was queen of the British Iceni tribe who led an uprising against the occupying forces of the Roman Empire....
was defeated at the Battle of Watling Street
Battle of Watling Street
The Battle of Watling Street took place in Roman-occupied Britain in AD 60 or 61 between an alliance of indigenous British peoples led by Boudica and a Roman army led by Gaius Suetonius Paulinus. Although outnumbered, the Romans decisively defeated the allied tribes, inflicting heavy losses on them...
by the Romans in her final battle near Manduessedum.
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, records that Atherstone was held by Countess Godiva.
The ancient St. Mary’s Chapel in Atherstone dates from the early 12th century when the monks of Bec
Bec
Bec is a book by Darren Shan in The Demonata series. It is the fourth book of the series released but it is first chronologically. The protagonist of the book is the central character Bec. It takes place in Ireland around 1600 years ago. The last line of the book, "Screams in the dark," is also the...
made a donation of 12 acres (4.9 ha) to a house of friars and hermits, later referred to as “Austin friars”. According to Nichols the chapel was granted to Henry Cartwright in 1542, then left abandoned and neglected until 1692 when Samuel Bracebridge settled a yearly sum for the parson of Mancetter to preach there every other Sunday in the winter season
After this, St. Mary’s Chapel seems to have experienced something of a revival. Its square tower being rebuilt in the fashionable “Gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
” style in 1782. This drastic alteration probably aroused some controversy. although the fine architectural drawing of the chapel made by Mr. Schnebbelie in 1790 prompted Nichols to assert that “the new tower provides a good effect”. St Mary's was further redesigned in 1849 by Thomas Henry Wyatt and David Brandon.
It is said that the Battle of Bosworth actually took place in the fields of Merevale
Merevale
Merevale is a Village and Civil Parish in the North Warwickshire district of the county of Warwickshire in England. Located about one and a half miles west of Atherstone, it is the site of a medieval Cistercian Abbey and Merevale Hall, .-Merevale Abbey:An abbey was built in Merevale in 1148 by...
above Atherstone. Certainly reparation was made to Atherstone after the battle and not to Market Bosworth
Market Bosworth
Market Bosworth is a small market town and civil parish in Leicestershire, England. It formerly formed a district known as the Market Bosworth Rural District. In 1974 it merged with the Hinckley Rural District to form a new district named Hinckley and Bosworth...
.
Tudor dynasty
The Tudor dynasty or House of Tudor was a European royal house of Welsh origin that ruled the Kingdom of England and its realms, including the Lordship of Ireland, later the Kingdom of Ireland, from 1485 until 1603. Its first monarch was Henry Tudor, a descendant through his mother of a legitimised...
times, Atherstone was a thriving commercial centre for weaving and clothmaking. The town's favourable location laid out as a long ‘ribbon development’ along Watling Street, ensured its growth as a market town
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
. While it remained an agricultural settlement in medieval times, attempts were made to encourage merchants and traders through the creation of burgage
Burgage
Burgage is a medieval land term used in England and Scotland, well established by the 13th century. A burgage was a town rental property , owned by a king or lord. The property usually, and distinctly, consisted of a house on a long and narrow plot of land, with the narrow end facing the street...
plots, a type of land tenure that provided them with special privileges. A manuscript discovered by Marjorie Morgan among the muniments of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
’s Kings College
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
(Ms. C9), refers to the creation of nine new burgage strips from land belonging to seven of the tenants in Atherstone vill
Vill
Vill is a term used in English history to describe a land unit which might otherwise be described as a parish, manor or tithing.The term is used in the period immediately after the Norman conquest and into the late medieval. Land units in Domesday are frequently referred to as vills, although the...
.
By the late Tudor period Atherstone had become a centre for leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
working, clothmaking, metalworking and brewing
Brewing
Brewing is the production of beer through steeping a starch source in water and then fermenting with yeast. Brewing has taken place since around the 6th millennium BCE, and archeological evidence suggests that this technique was used in ancient Egypt...
. Local sheep farmers and cattle graziers supplied wool and leather to local tanner
Tanning
Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning...
s and shoemakers (an industry that continued until the 1970s), while metalworkers, locksmiths and nailers fired their furnaces with local coal and the alemakers supplied thirsty palates on market days.
The surviving inventories
Inventory
Inventory means a list compiled for some formal purpose, such as the details of an estate going to probate, or the contents of a house let furnished. This remains the prime meaning in British English...
from 16th century Mancetter provide a fascinating glimpse into Atherstone’s Elizabethan merchants and traders, before the town was economically overshadowed by the bustling 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...
. They show Atherstone at this time as a typical Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
market town, taking full advantage of its location and agricultural setting.
Atherstone was once an important hat
Hat
A hat is a head covering. It can be worn for protection against the elements, for ceremonial or religious reasons, for safety, or as a fashion accessory. In the past, hats were an indicator of social status...
ting town, and became well known for its felt
Felt
Felt is a non-woven cloth that is produced by matting, condensing and pressing woollen fibres. While some types of felt are very soft, some are tough enough to form construction materials. Felt can be of any colour, and made into any shape or size....
hats. The industry began in the 17th century and at its height there were seven firms employing 3,000 people. Due to cheap imports, the trade had largely died out by the 1960s and ended completely in 1998.
Governance
Atherstone is part of the parliamentary constituency of North WarwickshireNorth Warwickshire (UK Parliament constituency)
-Notes and references:...
, with the current MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the area being Conservative's Daniel Byles
Daniel Byles
Daniel Alan Byles FRGS MP is an English mountaineer, sailor, ocean rower, polar adventurer and Conservative Party politician...
. The local authority is North Warwickshire
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...
Borough Council, which, since May 2007, has been under Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
control.
Geography
The town is situated 8 km (5 mi) northwest of NuneatonNuneaton
Nuneaton is the largest town in the Borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth and in the English county of Warwickshire.Nuneaton is most famous for its associations with the 19th century author George Eliot, who was born on a farm on the Arbury Estate just outside Nuneaton in 1819 and lived in the town for...
, 13 km (8.1 mi) southeast of 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...
and 21 km (13 mi) north of the nearest major city, 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...
. Atherstone is close to the River Anker
River Anker
The River Anker is a river in England. The river flows through the centre of Nuneaton towards Tamworth in Staffordshire. The river continues on before merging with the River Tame in Tamworth...
which forms the boundary between 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...
and Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
. Witherley
Witherley
Witherley is a village and civil parish in the Hinckley and Bosworth district of Leicestershire, England. It is in the far south-west of Leicestershire. The Warwickshire/Leicestershire border runs along the parish boundary, along the River Anker to the west and the A5 to the south, with Witherley...
village is on the opposite bank of the river in Leicestershire, whilst the village of Mancetter
Mancetter
Mancetter is a village and civil parish on the outskirts of Atherstone in North Warwickshire, at the crossing of Watling Street over the River Anker.-History:...
is contiguous with Atherstone to the southeast.
Atherstone itself has a population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 8,293 (2001 census), the population of its urban area which includes Mancetter
Mancetter
Mancetter is a village and civil parish on the outskirts of Atherstone in North Warwickshire, at the crossing of Watling Street over the River Anker.-History:...
is 10,742.
Its co-ordinates are 52°35′00"N 01°31′00"W (52.5833,
-1.5167)1.
Economy
In recent years Atherstone has been promoting itself as a book townBook town
A book town is a town or village with a large number of second-hand or antiquarian book shops. These shops, and sometimes also literary festivals, attract bibliophile tourists to them...
http://www.atherstonebooktown.net/. In part due to its central location in the UK (on the main A5 national route and close to the M42 motorway), Atherstone's economy has expanded rapidly since the 1990s, with several major companies such as TNT
TNT N.V.
TNT N.V., more commonly known as TNT, is an international express and mail delivery services company with headquarters in Hoofddorp, Netherlands. In the Netherlands, TNT operates the national postal service under the name TNT Post. The group also offers postal services in eight other European...
, Aldi
ALDI
ALDI Einkauf GmbH & Co. oHG, doing business as ', short for "Albrecht Discount", is a discount supermarket chain based in Germany...
, Bhs and 3M
3M
3M Company , formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation based in Maplewood, Minnesota, United States....
setting-up their head office operations and/or national distribution centres in the town. 3M however were already there by 1974, and TNT by 1987.
Transport
The Coventry CanalCoventry Canal
The Coventry Canal is a navigable narrow canal in the Midlands of England.It starts in Coventry and ends 38 miles north at Fradley Junction, just north of Lichfield, where it joins the Trent and Mersey Canal...
and a series of eleven locks runs through the town, as does the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
railway. Atherstone has its railway station
Atherstone railway station
Atherstone railway station serves the town of Atherstone in Warwickshire.It is located on the Trent Valley section of the West Coast Main Line, exactly 102 miles from London Euston station, as a placard on an adjacent building announces...
on this line, with an hourly service to both 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...
and Stafford
Stafford
Stafford is the county town of Staffordshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It lies approximately north of Wolverhampton and south of Stoke-on-Trent, adjacent to the M6 motorway Junction 13 to Junction 14...
.
The historic station building, built in 1847, was under threat of demolition in the early 1980s. Thanks to a local group, the Railway and Steam Traction
Traction
- Engineering :*Forces:** Traction , adhesive friction or force in the context of vehicle** Traction vector, in mechanics, the force per unit area on a surface, including normal and shear components...
Society, listed status was obtained, with the building celebrating its 150th anniversary in 1997. Building work won a special Ian Allen conservation
Architectural conservation
Architectural conservation describes the process through which the material, historical, and design integrity of mankind's built heritage are prolonged through carefully planned interventions. The individual engaged in this pursuit is known as an architectural conservator...
award. As of 2008, the station building is occupied by a local veterinary practice.
Recreation
The major football team in the town is Atherstone Town F.C.Atherstone Town F.C.
Atherstone Town Football Club is a football club based in Atherstone, Warwickshire, England.They were officially established in 2004 after a previous club bearing the same name folded in 1979...
, known as 'The Adders'. Their ground is located on Sheepy Road.
Atherstone's team started out as Atherstone Town Football Club in 1887 but folded in 1979, from 1979 to 2003 Atherstone's football team was known as Atherstone United Football Club but folded yet again mid season in 2003. The team then reverted back to the previous name Atherstone Town Football Club.
The major rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team is Atherstone Rugby Football Club who play in the Warwickshire Two League. Their ground is at Ratcliffe Road.
Atherstone Leisure Complex is at the north end of Long Street and consists of a swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
and gym. Atherstone Memorial Hall is also part of the leisure complex.
Shrovetide Ball Game
An annual tradition in Atherstone is the Shrove TuesdayShrove Tuesday
Shrove Tuesday is a term used in English-speaking countries, especially in Ireland, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Germany, and parts of the United States for the day preceding Ash Wednesday, the first day of the season of fasting and prayer called Lent.The...
Ball Game played on a public highway with large crowds. The game celebrated its 800th anniversary in 1999.
The game is a complete free-for-all played along Watling Street (the old Roman road) at the point where it forms the main street of Atherstone town. The ball is decorated with red, white and blue ribbons that are exchanged for money by who ever is able to obtain one and is made of thick leather to make it too heavy to kick far. The match starts at 15:00 when the ball is thrown from the window of Barclays Bank and continues until about 17:00. However the ball may legitimately be deflated or hidden after 16:30. There are no teams and no goals, though in the last century the match was played between a team from Warwickshire and one from Leicestershire. There is only one rule: players are not allowed to kill one another. Whoever is able to hang onto the ball at the end of the game not only wins the game but is allowed to keep the ball as well.
This Shrove Tuesday ball game has been held annually since the early 12th century and is one of Atherstone's claims to fame. The origin of the game, in the reign of King John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
, is thought to have been a "Match of Gold that was played betwixt the Warwickshire Lads and the Leicestershire Lads on Shrove Tuesday".
The 'ball' used is specially made each year and is 'thrown out' by a prominent sporting or show business personality. Shop windows are boarded up and traffic is diverted on the afternoon whilst the game, in which hundreds of people take part, progresses along the town's main streets.
Naval Connections
Atherstone has strong naval connections. Three Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
ships have been named HMS Atherstone
HMS Atherstone
Three ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Atherstone after the town of Atherstone in Warwickshire, or after its hunt:, launched in 1916, was a Racecourse-class minesweeper that served in World War I., launched in 1939, was a Hunt-class destroyer that served in World War II., launched in...
for the town: Commissioned in 1916
HMS Atherstone (1916)
HMS Atherstone was a Racecourse-class minesweeper of the Royal Navy. The Racecourse class comprised 32 paddlewheel coastal minesweeping sloops.-Great War:...
, 1939
HMS Atherstone
Three ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Atherstone after the town of Atherstone in Warwickshire, or after its hunt:, launched in 1916, was a Racecourse-class minesweeper that served in World War I., launched in 1939, was a Hunt-class destroyer that served in World War II., launched in...
, and most recently, 1985
HMS Atherstone (M38)
HMS Atherstone is a Hunt-class minesweeper of the Royal Navy. She was launched on 1 March 1986 and commissioned on 17 January 1987, the tenth ship of her class....
.
Notable people
- Paul BroadhurstPaul BroadhurstPaul Andrew Broadhurst is an English golfer, originally from Atherstone in Warwickshire.Broadhurst was the leading amateur at the 1988 Open Championship. He joined the European Tour in 1989, picked up his first win at the Credit Lyonnais Cannes Open that year, and was the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie...
, golfer - Andy GreenAndy GreenWing Commander Andy D. Green OBE BA RAF is a British Royal Air Force pilot and World Land Speed Record holder.-RAF career:...
, world Land Speed RecordLand speed recordThe land speed record is the highest speed achieved by a wheeled vehicle on land. There is no single body for validation and regulation; in practice the Category C flying start regulations are used, officiated by regional or national organizations under the auspices of the Fédération...
holder, born 1962 in Atherstone - Leslie GreenLeslie GreenLeslie William Green was an English architect known especially for his design of iconic stations constructed on the London Underground railway system in central London during the first decade of the 20th century....
, ex-professional football player - Leigh LawsonLeigh LawsonLeigh Lawson is a film and stage actor, director, and writer.-Career:Trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Lawson has acted in film and television since the early 1970s, directed plays in the West End and on Broadway...
actor, born in Atherstone - Love Bites (band)Love Bites (band)Love Bites is an English girl band, that formed in 2004 and disbanded in 2006. The band was reformed again in 2011.-Career:The girls all got together through their school and internet contacts. They started out as a three piece group consisting of Danielle Graham, Aimee Haddon and Hannah Haddon....
, originated from Atherstone - Sara ThorntonSara Thornton caseThe Sara Thornton case concerns that of British woman Sara Thornton who was sentenced to life imprisonment after being convicted of the 1989 murder of her violent and alcoholic husband. Thornton never denied the killing, but claimed it had been an accident during a row...
, Former Atherstone resident convicted and later acquitted of murdering her husband - Steve WebsterSteve WebsterSteve Webster is an English professional golfer.Webster was born in Nuneaton, Warwickshire. He finished tied for 24th place in the 1995 Open Championship at St Andrews, winning the silver medal as low amateur ahead of Tiger Woods. He turned professional later that year.Webster won the 1995...
, golfer
See also
- Atherstone on StourAtherstone on StourAtherstone on Stour is a village and civil parish in the Stratford on Avon district of Warwickshire, England. It is located about three miles south of Stratford-upon-Avon, on the Warwickshire-Gloucestershire border and is essentially the estate village of Alscot Park...
, a village in Warwickshire - HMS AtherstoneHMS AtherstoneThree ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Atherstone after the town of Atherstone in Warwickshire, or after its hunt:, launched in 1916, was a Racecourse-class minesweeper that served in World War I., launched in 1939, was a Hunt-class destroyer that served in World War II., launched in...
- WitherleyWitherleyWitherley is a village and civil parish in the Hinckley and Bosworth district of Leicestershire, England. It is in the far south-west of Leicestershire. The Warwickshire/Leicestershire border runs along the parish boundary, along the River Anker to the west and the A5 to the south, with Witherley...
- HinckleyHinckleyHinckley is a town in southwest Leicestershire, England. It has a population of 43,246 . It is administered by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council...
External links
- Atherstone Recorder Atherstone's only dedicated newspaper.
- Atherstone Forum Atherstone events, images, news, online forum.
- Atherstone Organised news, photos, jobs, property, blogs.
History Links
- Atherstone History A comprehensive history of Atherstone and the surrounding area from the Romans up until the 20th century.
- http://www.atherstone-online.co.uk/16thcentury.htm Atherstone 16th century inventories and map of the township printed in John Nichols' Antiquities of Leicestershire.
- http://www.atherstone-online.co.uk/18thcentury.htm Archdeaconry court case from Atherstone Fair with 18th century Bracebridge estate mapEstate mapEstate maps were maps commissioned by individual landowners or institutions showing their property, typically including fields and buildings.-Development:...
of the town showing the market square. - http://www.atherstoneballgame.co.uk 1100s-2007 Atherstone Ball Game from Atherstone History.
Shrovetide football links
- Atherstone Ball Game History, rules, description, pictures and video.
- town succumbs to ball game fever BBC news story (8 February 2005)
- Dive for cover - it's the Atherstone Ball Game! A report from the BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...