Warwick
Encyclopedia
Warwick is the county town
of Warwickshire
, England. The town lies upon the River Avon
, 11 miles (17.7 km) 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. There has been human activity at Warwick as early as the Neolithic, and constant habitation since the 6th century.
Human activity on the site of the town dates back to the Neolithic
, when a settlement may have been established. From the 6th century onwards, Warwick has been continuously inhabited. According to the Anglo Saxon Chronicle, in the year 914 Anglo Saxon Ethelfleda
Lady of the Mercia
ns and sister of king Edward the Elder
of Wessex built a burh
or fortified dwelling at Warwick. It was one of ten burhs built to defend the kingdom of Mercia against the Danes. Warwick was chosen as the site for one of these fortifications because of its proximity to the important transport routes of the Fosse Way
and the Avon. In the early 10th century a new shire was founded with Warwick as its administrative centre, giving the settlement new importance. The name 'Warwick' means "dwellings by the weir
". In 1050 the Danes invaded Mercia and burned down much of Warwick including the nunnery (which stood on the site of the present day St Nicholas Church).
William the Conqueror founded Warwick Castle
in 1068 on his way to Yorkshire to deal with rebellion in the north. Building a castle within a pre-existing settlement could require demolishing properties on the site, and in the case of Warwick four houses were pulled down. The castle was within the larger Anglo-Saxon burh and a new town wall was created close to the rampart of the burh.
In the medieval period Warwick remained under the control of various Earls of Warwick
, mostly of the Beauchamp family, becoming a walled town
. Today the only remains of the town walls are the east and west gatehouse
s. The eastern gatehouse now serves as part of the King's High School, a sister institution to Warwick School
. Warwick was not incorporated as a borough
until 1545. The town's Priory
was founded in 1142 on the site of the current Priory Park
.
During the English Civil War
the town and castle were garrisoned for Parliament. The garrison, under Sir Edward Peyto, withstood a two week siege
by the Royalists
. Later musters
from 1644 to 1646 record a garrison of up to 350 men under the command of Colonel William Purefoy
and Major John Bridges. The middle of the 17th century also saw the founding of Castle Hill Baptist Church
, one of the oldest Baptist
churches in the world.
which occurred in 1694. As a result, most of the buildings in the town centre are of late 17th and early 18th century origin, although a number of older medieval timber framed
buildings survive, especially around the edges of the town centre.
The fire burnt down much of the medieval church of St Mary; both the chancel
and the Beauchamp Chapel, however, survived, the latter having been built between 1443 and 1464 according to the wishes of Richard Beauchamp
, Earl of Warwick (who had died in Rouen
in 1439). A full size reclining copper gilt effigy
of the Earl lies upon his Purbeck marble
tomb – a fine piece of medieval metalwork cast in 1459.
with which it forms a small conurbation
. Both towns are now, along with Kenilworth
and Whitnash
, administered as part of Warwick District
, which has its headquarters in Leamington, although each retains a separate town council
. Warwickshire County Council remains based in Warwick itself.
Warwick is represented in Parliament
as part of the Warwick and Leamington constituency. It has been held by the Conservative Party
since the 2010 general election; since then, Chris White
has been the constituency's member of parliament.
It was previously held by the Labour Party by James Plaskitt MP.
wrote in the 17th century that Warwick was "standing upon a rocky ascent from every side, and in a dry and fertile soil, having ... rich and pleasant meadows on the south part ... and ... woodland on the north". Two factors have effected Warwick's built environment
: the Great Fire of 1694 and the lack of industrialisation. The fire destroyed much of the town, and the subsequent rebuilding was largely in one style. In the 19th century, when other towns were rapidly growing during the Industrial Revolution
, Warwick did not experience the same growth. As a result, the factories and workers' housing largely passed Warwick by. Part of the reason Warwick did not develop as a centre of industry was that the town did not lie on important roads and the River Avon was not navigable as far as Warwick.
s of Warwick include Bridge End, Emscote, Forbes, Myton (connecting Warwick with Leamington Spa), Packmores, The Cape, Warwick Gates, Woodloes Park and the newly established Chase Meadow.
, a small town near Leamington Spa
, and nearby the village of Bishops Tachbrook. The Tachbrook Park and Heathcote industrial estates are located nearby. The NHS Royal Leamington Spa Rehabilitation Hospital
is adjacent to Warwick Gates.
The absolute maximum temperature (also the absolute maximum for the county of Warwickshire) stands at 36.1 °C (97 °F) recorded in August 1990. During a typical year, the warmest day should reach 30 °C (86 °F), and 16.5 days should report a maximum of 25.1 °C (77.2 °F) or higher.
The lowest recorded temperature is -17.8 °C, recorded in January 1982. Typically, 53.3 air frosts are recorded in an 'average' year.
Rainfall averages out at 608 millimetre per year, with over 114 days seeing 1mm or more falling. All averages refer to the 1971–00 period.
As of the 2001 UK census
, Warwick had a population of 23,350. The population density was 8841 /sqmi, with a 100 to 95.7 female-to-male ratio. Of those over 16 years old, 29.0% were single (never married), 43.4% married, and 8.9% divorced. Warwick's 10,285 households included 33.1% one-person, 36.7% married couples living together, 8.6% were co-habiting
couples, and 16.8% single parents with their children; these figures were similar to those of the wider district of Warwick, however both borough and town had higher rates of single parents than England (9.5%). Of those aged 16–74, 26.2% had no academic qualifications, above the figure for the district but below proportion nationally (22.2% and 28.9& respectively), and 26.2% had an educational qualification such as first degree, higher degree, qualified teacher status, qualified medical doctor, qualified dentist, qualified nurse, midwife, health visitor, etc. compared to 19.9% nationwide.
has had its National Gas Control Centre (NGCC) for the National Transmission System
on the Warwick Technology Park south of the town between the A425 road
and A452 road
. ConocoPhillips
and their petrol station group, JET
, have their UK base also on the Technology Park as do lingerie
company Bravissimo
. IBM
and Volvo Group UK
have bases on the Wedgnock Industrial Estate in the north of the town, near to the A46 trunk road.
s ranging from the Spoken Word to Classical
and Contemporary Music to a Folk Festival
and a Victorian
Evening, held in late November or early December. St. Mary's Church hosts a series of Early Music concerts, and the Bridge House Theatre hosts the Music-in-Round concerts. Warwick Chamber of Trade helps to promote the town for visitors, residents and businesses. The town is also famous for Warwick Castle
, the construction of which began in 1068. The town centre is also known for its historic architecture and contains a mixture of Tudor
and 17th-century buildings. In recent years several high-profile national and international companies have set-up large office complexes in and around Warwick, notably National Grid plc
and IBM
.
Warwick is also known for Warwick Racecourse
, near the west gate of the medieval town, which hosts several televised horse racing meetings a year. Within the racecourse is a small golf course. Warwick Hospital
, Royal Leamington Spa Rehabilitation Hospital
and St Michael's Hospital
(a psychiatric that superseded Central Hospital, Hatton
) are situated within the town.
J. R. R. Tolkien
seems to have been very influenced by Warwick (where he was married in the Catholic Church of Saint Mary Immaculate) and by its Mercian connections: Lynn Forest-Hill, in an article in the Times Literary Supplement (TLS 8 July 2005 pp 12–13) argues cogently that two important settlements in Tolkien's work were modelled on Warwick — Edoras closely on the early town, and Minas Tirith
more remotely on the Norman; and that aspects of the plot of The Lord of the Rings
are paralleled in the romance known as Guy of Warwick
.
Warwick and its historic buildings have featured in a number of television series, including the BBC
's drama series Dangerfield
, the period dramas Pride and Prejudice
and Tom Jones
and Granada Television
's Moll Flanders
. Parts of the town subbed for Elizabethan
and Jacobean era
London in the third-series episode two (The Shakespeare Code
) of Doctor Who
which ran 7 April 2007.
Warwick has many long established sports clubs including Warwick Hockey Club which was founded in 1920 and Racing Club Warwick F.C.
founded a year earlier.
s located within Warwick, including Warwick School
, an independent school for boys, The King's High School For Girls
, an independent school for girls, Myton School
and Aylesford School
, both of which are state run co-educational schools. Campion School and Trinity Catholic School in Leamington Spa also include parts of Warwick in their priority areas
.
is an independent school
for boys which claims to be the oldest boys' school in England. The actual date of its founding is unknown, although 914 has been quoted in some cases. For some years the school honoured the fact that King Edward the Confessor
(c.1004–1066) chartered it, although there is no direct evidence for this, and King Henry VIII
re-founded the school in 1545. Whatever the truth of the matter, there is no doubt that there has been a grammar school
in the town of Warwick since before the Norman Conquest, and its successor, the present independent school, has been on its current site south of the River Avon
since 1879.
is somewhat confusingly named after the county of Warwickshire
, rather than the town, and is in fact situated several miles north of Warwick on the southern outskirts of Coventry
, near Kenilworth
. Adding to the location confusion is the fact that Coventry is no longer in the county of Warwickshire
, but instead is in the West Midlands
, leading to the current situation where the university straddles both counties.
London-Birmingham motorway, connected to junctions 13, 14 and 15, and is on the A46
dual-carriageway trunk road positioned between Coventry
and Stratford-upon-Avon
. Warwick has several council off-street car parks in the town. There are also a few privately run car parks, including those at the railway station and the castle. There is also limited on-street parking in some streets, enforcement of which is the responsibility of council parking wardens.
with direct rail services to Leamington Spa
, London, Birmingham
and Stratford-upon-Avon
provided by Chiltern Railways
. In addition, a few peak-hour trains to and from Birmingham are operated by London Midland
. Warwick Parkway, an out-of-town station opened in 2000 a few miles from the town.
services to Leamington Spa
, Stratford-upon-Avon
and Coventry
are operated by Stagecoach in Warwickshire
from the bus station
in the town centre.
and the River Avon
also pass through the town. The restored Saltisford Canal Arm
, is close to the town centre, and is a short branch of the Grand Union Canal. The arm is the remains of the original terminus of the Warwick and Birmingham Canal and dates back to 1799. The Saltisford Canal Trust have restored most of the surviving canal, which is now the mooring for colourful narrowboat
s and a waterside park open to the public. Over 800 visiting narrowboats come by water to Warwick each year and moor on the arm.
, Royal Leamington Spa Rehabilitation Hospital
and St Michael's Hospital
(a psychiatric that superseded Central Hospital, Hatton
) are situated within the town.
in France (since 1976) and Verden in Germany (since 1989). Havelburg in Germany has been a friendship town since 1990 when it was adopted by Verden. There is also a friendship link with Bo District
in Sierra Leone
.
County town
A county town is a county's administrative centre in the United Kingdom or Ireland. County towns are usually the location of administrative or judicial functions, or established over time as the de facto main town of a county. The concept of a county town eventually became detached from its...
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. The town lies upon the River Avon
River Avon, Warwickshire
The River Avon or Avon is a river in or adjoining the counties of Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire in the Midlands of England...
, 11 miles (17.7 km) south 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 just west of Leamington Spa
Leamington Spa
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or Leamington or Leam to locals, is a spa town in central Warwickshire, England. Formerly known as Leamington Priors, its expansion began following the popularisation of the medicinal qualities of its water by Dr Kerr in 1784, and by Dr Lambe...
and Whitnash
Whitnash
Whitnash is a small town contiguous with both Royal Leamington Spa and Warwick in Warwickshire, England. In 2001, it had a population of 7,798.-History:...
with which it is conjoined. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 23,350. There has been human activity at Warwick as early as the Neolithic, and constant habitation since the 6th century.
History
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
, when a settlement may have been established. From the 6th century onwards, Warwick has been continuously inhabited. According to the Anglo Saxon Chronicle, in the year 914 Anglo Saxon Ethelfleda
Ethelfleda
Æthelflæd , was the eldest daughter of King Alfred the Great of Wessex and Ealhswith, wife of Æthelred, ealdorman of Mercia, and after his death, ruler of Mercia...
Lady of the Mercia
Mercia
Mercia was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was centred on the valley of the River Trent and its tributaries in the region now known as the English Midlands...
ns and sister of king Edward the Elder
Edward the Elder
Edward the Elder was an English king. He became king in 899 upon the death of his father, Alfred the Great. His court was at Winchester, previously the capital of Wessex...
of Wessex built a burh
Burh
A Burh is an Old English name for a fortified town or other defended site, sometimes centred upon a hill fort though always intended as a place of permanent settlement, its origin was in military defence; "it represented only a stage, though a vitally important one, in the evolution of the...
or fortified dwelling at Warwick. It was one of ten burhs built to defend the kingdom of Mercia against the Danes. Warwick was chosen as the site for one of these fortifications because of its proximity to the important transport routes of the Fosse Way
Fosse Way
The Fosse Way was a Roman road in England that linked Exeter in South West England to Lincoln in Lincolnshire, via Ilchester , Bath , Cirencester and Leicester .It joined Akeman Street and Ermin Way at Cirencester, crossed Watling Street at Venonis south...
and the Avon. In the early 10th century a new shire was founded with Warwick as its administrative centre, giving the settlement new importance. The name 'Warwick' means "dwellings by the weir
Weir
A weir is a small overflow dam used to alter the flow characteristics of a river or stream. In most cases weirs take the form of a barrier across the river that causes water to pool behind the structure , but allows water to flow over the top...
". In 1050 the Danes invaded Mercia and burned down much of Warwick including the nunnery (which stood on the site of the present day St Nicholas Church).
William the Conqueror founded Warwick Castle
Warwick Castle
Warwick Castle is a medieval castle in Warwick, the county town of Warwickshire, England. It sits on a bend on the River Avon. The castle was built by William the Conqueror in 1068 within or adjacent to the Anglo-Saxon burh of Warwick. It was used as a fortification until the early 17th century,...
in 1068 on his way to Yorkshire to deal with rebellion in the north. Building a castle within a pre-existing settlement could require demolishing properties on the site, and in the case of Warwick four houses were pulled down. The castle was within the larger Anglo-Saxon burh and a new town wall was created close to the rampart of the burh.
In the medieval period Warwick remained under the control of various Earls of Warwick
Earl of Warwick
Earl of Warwick is a title that has been created four times in British history and is one of the most prestigious titles in the peerages of the British Isles.-1088 creation:...
, mostly of the Beauchamp family, becoming a walled town
Defensive wall
A defensive wall is a fortification used to protect a city or settlement from potential aggressors. In ancient to modern times, they were used to enclose settlements...
. Today the only remains of the town walls are the east and west gatehouse
Gatehouse
A gatehouse, in architectural terminology, is a building enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a castle, manor house, fort, town or similar buildings of importance.-History:...
s. The eastern gatehouse now serves as part of the King's High School, a sister institution to Warwick School
Warwick School
Warwick School is an independent school with boarding facilities for boys in Warwick, England, and is reputed to be the third-oldest surviving school in the country after King's School, Canterbury and St Peter's School, York; and the oldest boy's school in England...
. Warwick was not incorporated as a borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
until 1545. The town's Priory
Priory Park, Warwick
Priory Park is an urban park located in the centre of Warwick, England. Originally the land was the grounds of a 12th century priory dedicated to St Sepulchre and built in 1124 but this was closed down by King Henry VIII during the dissolution of the Monasteries...
was founded in 1142 on the site of the current Priory Park
Priory Park, Warwick
Priory Park is an urban park located in the centre of Warwick, England. Originally the land was the grounds of a 12th century priory dedicated to St Sepulchre and built in 1124 but this was closed down by King Henry VIII during the dissolution of the Monasteries...
.
During the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
the town and castle were garrisoned for Parliament. The garrison, under Sir Edward Peyto, withstood a two week siege
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
by the Royalists
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
. Later musters
Muster (military)
The term muster designates the process or event for the of accounting for members in a military unit. Within the United States Army Reserve, it is an annual event used for screening purposes.-Historical:...
from 1644 to 1646 record a garrison of up to 350 men under the command of Colonel William Purefoy
William Purefoy
William Purefoy was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons of England variously between 1628 and 1659. He supported the Parliamentary cause in the English Civil War and was one of the regicides of King Charles I of England....
and Major John Bridges. The middle of the 17th century also saw the founding of Castle Hill Baptist Church
Castle Hill Baptist Church
Castle Hill Baptist Church in the town of Warwick in Warwickshire, England is one of the oldest Baptist churches in the world. It was founded in the 17th century when non-conformist churches were undergoing persecution in England, although Castle Hill itself escaped much persecution due to the...
, one of the oldest Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
churches in the world.
Fire
Much of the medieval town was destroyed in the Great Fire of WarwickGreat Fire of Warwick
The Great Fire of Warwick was a major conflagration that swept through the small town of Warwick, England, beginning at 2:00 p.m. on 5 September 1694 and lasting for six hours.The fire started from a spark from a torch that was being carried up High Street.The town’s small population, close-packed...
which occurred in 1694. As a result, most of the buildings in the town centre are of late 17th and early 18th century origin, although a number of older medieval timber framed
Timber framing
Timber framing , or half-timbering, also called in North America "post-and-beam" construction, is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs . It is commonplace in large barns...
buildings survive, especially around the edges of the town centre.
The fire burnt down much of the medieval church of St Mary; both the chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
and the Beauchamp Chapel, however, survived, the latter having been built between 1443 and 1464 according to the wishes of Richard Beauchamp
Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick
Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick, Count of Aumale, KG was an English medieval nobleman and military commander.-Early Life:...
, Earl of Warwick (who had died in Rouen
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
in 1439). A full size reclining copper gilt effigy
Effigy
An effigy is a representation of a person, especially in the form of sculpture or some other three-dimensional form.The term is usually associated with full-length figures of a deceased person depicted in stone or wood on church monuments. These most often lie supine with hands together in prayer,...
of the Earl lies upon his Purbeck marble
Purbeck Marble
Purbeck Marble is a fossiliferous limestone quarried in the Isle of Purbeck, a peninsula in south-east Dorset, England.It is one of many kinds of Purbeck Limestone, deposited in the late Jurassic or early Cretaceous periods....
tomb – a fine piece of medieval metalwork cast in 1459.
Governance
Population growth has led to Warwick becoming joined to its larger neighbouring town Leamington SpaLeamington Spa
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or Leamington or Leam to locals, is a spa town in central Warwickshire, England. Formerly known as Leamington Priors, its expansion began following the popularisation of the medicinal qualities of its water by Dr Kerr in 1784, and by Dr Lambe...
with which it forms a small conurbation
Conurbation
A conurbation is a region comprising a number of cities, large towns, and other urban areas that, through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban and industrially developed area...
. Both towns are now, along with 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....
and Whitnash
Whitnash
Whitnash is a small town contiguous with both Royal Leamington Spa and Warwick in Warwickshire, England. In 2001, it had a population of 7,798.-History:...
, administered as part of Warwick District
Warwick (district)
Warwick is a local government district of central Warwickshire in England. The current leader of the district council is Conservative Party member Michael Doody. The council is currently controlled by the Conservative group, who hold 23 of the 46 council seats...
, which has its headquarters in Leamington, although each retains a separate town council
Town council
A town council is a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or civil parishes. A council may serve as both the representative and executive branch....
. Warwickshire County Council remains based in Warwick itself.
Warwick is represented in Parliament
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
as part of the Warwick and Leamington constituency. It has been held by the Conservative Party
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...
since the 2010 general election; since then, Chris White
Chris White (politician)
Christopher White is a British Conservative Party politician and the Member of Parliament for Warwick and Leamington, having won the seat at the 2010 general election.-Education:...
has been the constituency's member of parliament.
It was previously held by the Labour Party by James Plaskitt MP.
Geography
Antiquarian William DugdaleWilliam Dugdale
Sir William Dugdale was an English antiquary and herald. As a scholar he was influential in the development of medieval history as an academic subject.-Life:...
wrote in the 17th century that Warwick was "standing upon a rocky ascent from every side, and in a dry and fertile soil, having ... rich and pleasant meadows on the south part ... and ... woodland on the north". Two factors have effected Warwick's built environment
Built environment
The term built environment refers to the human-made surroundings that provide the setting for human activity, ranging in scale from personal shelter and buildings to neighborhoods and cities that can often include their supporting infrastructure, such as water supply or energy networks.The built...
: the Great Fire of 1694 and the lack of industrialisation. The fire destroyed much of the town, and the subsequent rebuilding was largely in one style. In the 19th century, when other towns were rapidly growing during the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
, Warwick did not experience the same growth. As a result, the factories and workers' housing largely passed Warwick by. Part of the reason Warwick did not develop as a centre of industry was that the town did not lie on important roads and the River Avon was not navigable as far as Warwick.
Suburbs
SuburbSuburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
s of Warwick include Bridge End, Emscote, Forbes, Myton (connecting Warwick with Leamington Spa), Packmores, The Cape, Warwick Gates, Woodloes Park and the newly established Chase Meadow.
Warwick Gates
Warwick Gates is a newly developed housing estate and business park in Heathcote, south-west Warwick. Although separated from Warwick town centre by open fields, Warwick Gates falls within the Warwick South and Bishops Tachbrook parish. It is adjacent to WhitnashWhitnash
Whitnash is a small town contiguous with both Royal Leamington Spa and Warwick in Warwickshire, England. In 2001, it had a population of 7,798.-History:...
, a small town near Leamington Spa
Leamington Spa
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or Leamington or Leam to locals, is a spa town in central Warwickshire, England. Formerly known as Leamington Priors, its expansion began following the popularisation of the medicinal qualities of its water by Dr Kerr in 1784, and by Dr Lambe...
, and nearby the village of Bishops Tachbrook. The Tachbrook Park and Heathcote industrial estates are located nearby. The NHS Royal Leamington Spa Rehabilitation Hospital
Royal Leamington Spa Rehabilitation Hospital
The Royal Leamington Spa Rehabilitation Hospital is located on Heathcote Lane in Warwick, England. Originally a tuberculosis isolation hospital, it is now a hospital specialising in rehabilitation...
is adjacent to Warwick Gates.
Climate
Warwick, along with the rest of the British Isles, experiences a maritime climate, characterised by a narrow temperature range, mild winters and cool summers. The nearest official met office weather station is Wellesbourne, located about 6 miles south of Warwick town centre, and at a similar elevation.The absolute maximum temperature (also the absolute maximum for the county of Warwickshire) stands at 36.1 °C (97 °F) recorded in August 1990. During a typical year, the warmest day should reach 30 °C (86 °F), and 16.5 days should report a maximum of 25.1 °C (77.2 °F) or higher.
The lowest recorded temperature is -17.8 °C, recorded in January 1982. Typically, 53.3 air frosts are recorded in an 'average' year.
Rainfall averages out at 608 millimetre per year, with over 114 days seeing 1mm or more falling. All averages refer to the 1971–00 period.
Demography
| Warwick compared | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 UK census | Warwick | Warwick Local Authority | England |
| Total population | 23,350 | 125,931 | 49,138,831 |
| White | 93.9% | 92.9% | 90.9% |
| Asian | 3.8% | 4.7% | 4.6% |
| Black | 0.4% | 0.5% | 2.3% |
As of the 2001 UK census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
, Warwick had a population of 23,350. The population density was 8841 /sqmi, with a 100 to 95.7 female-to-male ratio. Of those over 16 years old, 29.0% were single (never married), 43.4% married, and 8.9% divorced. Warwick's 10,285 households included 33.1% one-person, 36.7% married couples living together, 8.6% were co-habiting
Cohabitation
Cohabitation usually refers to an arrangement whereby two people decide to live together on a long-term or permanent basis in an emotionally and/or sexually intimate relationship. The term is most frequently applied to couples who are not married...
couples, and 16.8% single parents with their children; these figures were similar to those of the wider district of Warwick, however both borough and town had higher rates of single parents than England (9.5%). Of those aged 16–74, 26.2% had no academic qualifications, above the figure for the district but below proportion nationally (22.2% and 28.9& respectively), and 26.2% had an educational qualification such as first degree, higher degree, qualified teacher status, qualified medical doctor, qualified dentist, qualified nurse, midwife, health visitor, etc. compared to 19.9% nationwide.
Population change
Before the 1801 census, populations were not directly recorded. However estimates can be based on other measures. Historians suggest that in 1086 the town had a population of around 1,500. Indicators for the following centuries are sparse, but the population in the mid-16th century has been guessed to be around 2,000. By the late 17th century this had increased to over 3,000. The 1801 census recorded that 5,592 people lived in Warwick.Economy
Due to its proximity to north-south and east-west motorway routes, many companies have their head office in the town. Since November 2004, National Grid plcNational Grid plc
National Grid plc is a multinational electricity and gas utility company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. Its principal activities are in the United Kingdom and northeastern United States and it is one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the world.National Grid is listed on...
has had its National Gas Control Centre (NGCC) for the National Transmission System
National Transmission System
The National Transmission System is the network of large-diameter gas pipelines throughout the United Kingdom that supply gas to 40 power stations from natural gas terminals situated on the coast, and also gas distribution companies which lead indirectly to homes.-Similarity to the National...
on the Warwick Technology Park south of the town between the A425 road
A425 road
The A425 road is an A road in England, which runs between Daventry in Northamptonshire and Warwick in Warwickshire via Staverton, Lower Shuckburgh and Southam.At Southam it links with the A426 as well as the A423....
and A452 road
A452 road
The A452 is a road in England, which runs from Leamington Spa, Warwickshire to Brownhills in Staffordshire. It is the major link to the M6 motorway for both Leamington and Warwick in addition to serving as Leamington's link to the M40 motorway and to Coventry....
. ConocoPhillips
ConocoPhillips
ConocoPhillips Company is an American multinational energy corporation with its headquarters located in the Energy Corridor district of Houston, Texas in the United States...
and their petrol station group, JET
Jet (brand)
Jet is the filling station brand of ConocoPhillips, used in Europe.Jet filling stations are located in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, Thailand and the United Kingdom....
, have their UK base also on the Technology Park as do lingerie
Lingerie
Lingerie are fashionable and possibly alluring undergarments.Lingerie usually incorporates one or more flexible, stretchy materials like Lycra, nylon , polyester, satin, lace, silk and sheer fabric which are not typically used in more functional, basic cotton undergarments.The term in the French...
company Bravissimo
Bravissimo (company)
Bravissimo is a British lingerie company founded in 1995 by Sarah Tremellen. In 2011 it placed eighth on the Sunday Times’ annual Best Companies list....
. IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
and Volvo Group UK
Volvo
AB Volvo is a Swedish builder of commercial vehicles, including trucks, buses and construction equipment. Volvo also supplies marine and industrial drive systems, aerospace components and financial services...
have bases on the Wedgnock Industrial Estate in the north of the town, near to the A46 trunk road.
Culture
Warwick hosts annual festivalFestival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
s ranging from the Spoken Word to Classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
and Contemporary Music to a Folk Festival
Folk festival
A Folk festival celebrates traditional folk crafts and folk music.-Canada:Alberta*Calgary Folk Music Festival*Canmore Folk Music Festival*Edmonton Folk Music Festival*Jasper Folk Festival*Wild Mountain Music FestOntario*Barriefolk...
and a Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
Evening, held in late November or early December. St. Mary's Church hosts a series of Early Music concerts, and the Bridge House Theatre hosts the Music-in-Round concerts. Warwick Chamber of Trade helps to promote the town for visitors, residents and businesses. The town is also famous for Warwick Castle
Warwick Castle
Warwick Castle is a medieval castle in Warwick, the county town of Warwickshire, England. It sits on a bend on the River Avon. The castle was built by William the Conqueror in 1068 within or adjacent to the Anglo-Saxon burh of Warwick. It was used as a fortification until the early 17th century,...
, the construction of which began in 1068. The town centre is also known for its historic architecture and contains a mixture of Tudor
Tudor architecture
The Tudor architectural style is the final development of medieval architecture during the Tudor period and even beyond, for conservative college patrons...
and 17th-century buildings. In recent years several high-profile national and international companies have set-up large office complexes in and around Warwick, notably National Grid plc
National Grid plc
National Grid plc is a multinational electricity and gas utility company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. Its principal activities are in the United Kingdom and northeastern United States and it is one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the world.National Grid is listed on...
and IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
.
Warwick is also known for Warwick Racecourse
Warwick Racecourse
Warwick Racecourse is a horse racing course in Warwick, England. It is a leading flat racing and steeple chasing course, and has a programme of 25 meetings throughout the year, many of which are televised. The first stand was built in 1808, it has recently undergone a major refurbishment of its...
, near the west gate of the medieval town, which hosts several televised horse racing meetings a year. Within the racecourse is a small golf course. Warwick Hospital
Warwick Hospital
Warwick Hospital is situated on Lakin Road in the northwest of Warwick, Warwickshire, England. It has 350 beds and provides inpatient, outpatient and diagnostic services...
, Royal Leamington Spa Rehabilitation Hospital
Royal Leamington Spa Rehabilitation Hospital
The Royal Leamington Spa Rehabilitation Hospital is located on Heathcote Lane in Warwick, England. Originally a tuberculosis isolation hospital, it is now a hospital specialising in rehabilitation...
and St Michael's Hospital
St. Michael's Hospital, Warwick
St. Michael's Hospital is a National Health Service psychiatric hospital situated in Warwick, Warwickshire, England. It was founded in 1995, largely to replace the outdated Central Hospital in the nearby village of Hatton. The hospital was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 8 November 1996....
(a psychiatric that superseded Central Hospital, Hatton
Central Hospital, Hatton
Central Hospital was a psychiatric hospital located in Hatton, Warwickshire, England. Building began in 1846 on a site purchased from the Earl of Warwick and was completed in 1852, the first patients moving in on 30 June. It was originally named the Warwick County Lunatic Asylum and from 1930-1948...
) are situated within the town.
J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
seems to have been very influenced by Warwick (where he was married in the Catholic Church of Saint Mary Immaculate) and by its Mercian connections: Lynn Forest-Hill, in an article in the Times Literary Supplement (TLS 8 July 2005 pp 12–13) argues cogently that two important settlements in Tolkien's work were modelled on Warwick — Edoras closely on the early town, and Minas Tirith
Minas Tirith
Minas Tirith , originally named Minas Anor, is a fictional city and castle in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth writings. It became the heavily fortified capital of Gondor in the second half of the Third Age...
more remotely on the Norman; and that aspects of the plot of The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
are paralleled in the romance known as Guy of Warwick
Guy of Warwick
Guy of Warwick is a legendary English hero of Romance popular in England and France from the 13th to the 17th century. The story of Sir Guy is considered by scholars to be part of the Matter of England.-Plot:...
.
Warwick and its historic buildings have featured in a number of television series, including the BBC
BBC
The 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...
's drama series Dangerfield
Dangerfield (TV series)
Dangerfield is a British drama series about a small town doctor / police surgeon, which ran for 6 series, between 1995 and 1999. Originally Nigel Le Vaillant played the central role , but this character later left the series, the focus switching to his replacement, played by Nigel Havers.The BBC...
, the period dramas Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice is a novel by Jane Austen, first published in 1813. The story follows the main character Elizabeth Bennet as she deals with issues of manners, upbringing, morality, education and marriage in the society of the landed gentry of early 19th-century England...
and Tom Jones
Tom Jones (film)
Tom Jones is a 1963 British adventure comedy film, an adaptation of Henry Fielding's classic novel The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling , starring Albert Finney as the titular hero. It was one of the most critically acclaimed and popular comedies of its time, winning four Academy Awards...
and Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
's Moll Flanders
Moll Flanders
The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders is a novel written by Daniel Defoe in 1722, after his work as a journalist and pamphleteer. By 1722, Defoe had become a recognised novelist, with the success of Robinson Crusoe in 1719...
. Parts of the town subbed for Elizabethan
Elizabethan era
The Elizabethan era was the epoch in English history of Queen Elizabeth I's reign . Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history...
and Jacobean era
Jacobean era
The Jacobean era refers to the period in English and Scottish history that coincides with the reign of King James VI of Scotland, who also inherited the crown of England in 1603 as James I...
London in the third-series episode two (The Shakespeare Code
The Shakespeare Code
"The Shakespeare Code" is an episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was broadcast on BBC One on 7 April 2007, and is the second episode of Series 3 of the revived Doctor Who series. According to the BARB figures this episode was seen by 7.23 million viewers and was...
) of Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
which ran 7 April 2007.
Warwick has many long established sports clubs including Warwick Hockey Club which was founded in 1920 and Racing Club Warwick F.C.
Racing Club Warwick F.C.
Racing Club Warwick Football Club is a football club based in Warwick, Warwickshire, England.-History:They were formed in 1919 under the name of Saltisford Rovers and played in various local leagues including the Warwick League, Leamington & District League and the Warwickshire Combination until 1967...
founded a year earlier.
Education
Schools
There are a number of secondary schoolSecondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
s located within Warwick, including Warwick School
Warwick School
Warwick School is an independent school with boarding facilities for boys in Warwick, England, and is reputed to be the third-oldest surviving school in the country after King's School, Canterbury and St Peter's School, York; and the oldest boy's school in England...
, an independent school for boys, The King's High School For Girls
The King's High School For Girls
The King's High School for Girls is an independent school for girls in Smith Street, Warwick, England. There are currently 700 girls in years 7-13...
, an independent school for girls, Myton School
Myton School
Myton School is a secondary school located on Myton Road in the town of Warwick in Warwickshire, England. The history of the school in its current form dates from 1968. the school has 1,626 pupils.-History:...
and Aylesford School
Aylesford School
Aylesford School and Sixthform College is a secondary school in Warwick, England, located on Shelley Avenue.Aylesford is a mixed-sex school comprising years with students aged from 11-18 and teaches the full range of students....
, both of which are state run co-educational schools. Campion School and Trinity Catholic School in Leamington Spa also include parts of Warwick in their priority areas
Catchment area (human geography)
In human geography, a catchment area is the area and population from which a city or individual service attracts visitors or customers. For example, a school catchment area is the geographic area from which students are eligible to attend a local school...
.
Warwick School
Warwick SchoolWarwick School
Warwick School is an independent school with boarding facilities for boys in Warwick, England, and is reputed to be the third-oldest surviving school in the country after King's School, Canterbury and St Peter's School, York; and the oldest boy's school in England...
is an independent school
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
for boys which claims to be the oldest boys' school in England. The actual date of its founding is unknown, although 914 has been quoted in some cases. For some years the school honoured the fact that 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....
(c.1004–1066) chartered it, although there is no direct evidence for this, and 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...
re-founded the school in 1545. Whatever the truth of the matter, there is no doubt that there has been a grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
in the town of Warwick since before the Norman Conquest, and its successor, the present independent school, has been on its current site south of the River Avon
River Avon, Warwickshire
The River Avon or Avon is a river in or adjoining the counties of Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire in the Midlands of England...
since 1879.
University of Warwick
The University of WarwickUniversity of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
is somewhat confusingly named after the 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...
, rather than the town, and is in fact situated several miles north of Warwick on the southern outskirts 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...
, near 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....
. Adding to the location confusion is the fact that Coventry is no longer in the 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...
, but instead is in the 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...
, leading to the current situation where the university straddles both counties.
Landmarks
- Bridge House Theatre
- Collegiate Church of St MaryCollegiate Church of St Mary, WarwickThe Collegiate Church of St Mary is a Church of England parish church in the town of Warwick, England. It lies in the centre of the town just east of the market place. It is a member of the Greater Churches Group....
- Lord Leycester hospitalLord Leycester hospitalThe Lord Leycester Hospital is a retirement home for ex-Servicemen in Warwick, England, that is located next to the West Gate, on High Street.-Buildings and composition:...
- Lord Leycester hotelLord Leycester hotelThe Lord Leycester hotel is a hotel in Warwick, United Kingdom, that is located on Jury Street in the centre of the town...
- Market Hall
- Guy's Cliffe HouseGuy's CliffeGuy's Cliffe is a hamlet on the River Avon between Warwick and Old Milverton in Warwickshire, England and in the civil parish of Leek Wootton and Guy's Cliffe...
- The Dream Factory
- St John's MuseumSt John's House Museum, WarwickSt John's House Museum is a historic house located in Warwick, just east of the town centre, in Warwickshire, England. It is now a museum, run by Warwickshire County Council, and has had a varied history spanning almost 400 years. To the side of the house is a small garden belonging to St John's...
- St Michael's Leper HospitalSt Michael's Leper HospitalThe remaining ruins of St Michael's Leper Hospital, a medieval hospital, lie in a patch of scrubland in the Saltisford area in the north of the town of Warwick, England. The hospital, which was founded by Roger, Earl of Warwick in about 1135, is classified by English Heritage as a scheduled monument...
- St. Nicholas' Park
- Saxon MillSaxon MillThe Saxon Mill is a former mill at Guy's Cliffe, Warwickshire, England, situated about one mile northeast of the town of Warwick. It is now a restaurant and bar. It is on the River Avon and it has a waterwheel, although a larger waterwheel has gone.-History:...
- Warwick CastleWarwick CastleWarwick Castle is a medieval castle in Warwick, the county town of Warwickshire, England. It sits on a bend on the River Avon. The castle was built by William the Conqueror in 1068 within or adjacent to the Anglo-Saxon burh of Warwick. It was used as a fortification until the early 17th century,...
- Warwick HospitalWarwick HospitalWarwick Hospital is situated on Lakin Road in the northwest of Warwick, Warwickshire, England. It has 350 beds and provides inpatient, outpatient and diagnostic services...
- Warwick RacecourseWarwick RacecourseWarwick Racecourse is a horse racing course in Warwick, England. It is a leading flat racing and steeple chasing course, and has a programme of 25 meetings throughout the year, many of which are televised. The first stand was built in 1808, it has recently undergone a major refurbishment of its...
- Warwick SchoolWarwick SchoolWarwick School is an independent school with boarding facilities for boys in Warwick, England, and is reputed to be the third-oldest surviving school in the country after King's School, Canterbury and St Peter's School, York; and the oldest boy's school in England...
- Warwickshire County Council Shire Hall
Road
Warwick is on the M40M40 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...
London-Birmingham motorway, connected to junctions 13, 14 and 15, and is on the A46
A46 road
The A46 is an A road in England. It starts east of Bath, Somerset and ends in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, but it does not form a continuous route. Large portions of the old road have been lost, bypassed, or replaced by motorway development...
dual-carriageway trunk road positioned between 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 Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. It lies on the River Avon, south east of Birmingham and south west of Warwick. It is the largest and most populous town of the District of Stratford-on-Avon, which uses the term "on" to indicate that it covers...
. Warwick has several council off-street car parks in the town. There are also a few privately run car parks, including those at the railway station and the castle. There is also limited on-street parking in some streets, enforcement of which is the responsibility of council parking wardens.
Railway
The town has a railway stationWarwick railway station
Warwick railway station serves the town of Warwick in Warwickshire, England. The station is served by Chiltern Railways , and also occasionally by London Midland and CrossCountry. It is located one and a half miles from the town centre although it is in the inner suburbs. It was opened in 1852 by...
with direct rail services to Leamington Spa
Leamington Spa
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or Leamington or Leam to locals, is a spa town in central Warwickshire, England. Formerly known as Leamington Priors, its expansion began following the popularisation of the medicinal qualities of its water by Dr Kerr in 1784, and by Dr Lambe...
, London, 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...
and Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. It lies on the River Avon, south east of Birmingham and south west of Warwick. It is the largest and most populous town of the District of Stratford-on-Avon, which uses the term "on" to indicate that it covers...
provided by Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways is a British train operating company. It was set up at the privatisation of British Rail in 1996, and operates local passenger trains from Marylebone station in London to Aylesbury and main-line trains on the Chiltern Main Line to Birmingham Snow Hill with its associated branches...
. In addition, a few peak-hour trains to and from Birmingham are operated by London Midland
London Midland
London Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
. Warwick Parkway, an out-of-town station opened in 2000 a few miles from the town.
Bus
BusBus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
services to Leamington Spa
Leamington Spa
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or Leamington or Leam to locals, is a spa town in central Warwickshire, England. Formerly known as Leamington Priors, its expansion began following the popularisation of the medicinal qualities of its water by Dr Kerr in 1784, and by Dr Lambe...
, Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. It lies on the River Avon, south east of Birmingham and south west of Warwick. It is the largest and most populous town of the District of Stratford-on-Avon, which uses the term "on" to indicate that it covers...
and 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...
are operated by Stagecoach in Warwickshire
Stagecoach in Warwickshire
Stagecoach in Warwickshire is the Stagecoach Group bus operator in and around the county of Warwickshire, England. While Stagecoach in Warwickshire is the brand image of the company, its legal name is Midland Red Ltd...
from the bus station
Bus station
A bus station is a structure where city or intercity buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. It is larger than a bus stop, which is usually simply a place on the roadside, where buses can stop...
in the town centre.
Coach
There is also a National Express coach stop in the town's bus station with limited services. The nearby Warwick Parkway railway station also has a coach stop with more frequent services.Waterways
The Grand Union CanalGrand 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...
and the River Avon
River Avon, Warwickshire
The River Avon or Avon is a river in or adjoining the counties of Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire in the Midlands of England...
also pass through the town. The restored Saltisford Canal Arm
Saltisford Canal Arm
The Saltisford Canal Arm is a short stretch of canal located in the town of Warwick, Warwickshire, England. Opened in the 1790s . Originally it wasn't an arm at all, but the start of the Warwick / Birmingham Canal. It took on the appearance of an branch when the Warwick / Napton canal was...
, is close to the town centre, and is a short branch of the Grand Union Canal. The arm is the remains of the original terminus of the Warwick and Birmingham Canal and dates back to 1799. The Saltisford Canal Trust have restored most of the surviving canal, which is now the mooring for colourful narrowboat
Narrowboat
A narrowboat or narrow boat is a boat of a distinctive design, made to fit the narrow canals of Great Britain.In the context of British Inland Waterways, "narrow boat" refers to the original working boats built in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries for carrying goods on the narrow canals...
s and a waterside park open to the public. Over 800 visiting narrowboats come by water to Warwick each year and moor on the arm.
Air
The nearest international airport to Warwick is Birmingham Airport, about 20 miles (32 km) by road from the town centre.Public services
Warwick HospitalWarwick Hospital
Warwick Hospital is situated on Lakin Road in the northwest of Warwick, Warwickshire, England. It has 350 beds and provides inpatient, outpatient and diagnostic services...
, Royal Leamington Spa Rehabilitation Hospital
Royal Leamington Spa Rehabilitation Hospital
The Royal Leamington Spa Rehabilitation Hospital is located on Heathcote Lane in Warwick, England. Originally a tuberculosis isolation hospital, it is now a hospital specialising in rehabilitation...
and St Michael's Hospital
St. Michael's Hospital, Warwick
St. Michael's Hospital is a National Health Service psychiatric hospital situated in Warwick, Warwickshire, England. It was founded in 1995, largely to replace the outdated Central Hospital in the nearby village of Hatton. The hospital was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 8 November 1996....
(a psychiatric that superseded Central Hospital, Hatton
Central Hospital, Hatton
Central Hospital was a psychiatric hospital located in Hatton, Warwickshire, England. Building began in 1846 on a site purchased from the Earl of Warwick and was completed in 1852, the first patients moving in on 30 June. It was originally named the Warwick County Lunatic Asylum and from 1930-1948...
) are situated within the town.
Twin towns
The town of Warwick has formal twinning arrangements with two European towns: SaumurSaumur
Saumur is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.The historic town is located between the Loire and Thouet rivers, and is surrounded by the vineyards of Saumur itself, Chinon, Bourgueil, Coteaux du Layon, etc...
in France (since 1976) and Verden in Germany (since 1989). Havelburg in Germany has been a friendship town since 1990 when it was adopted by Verden. There is also a friendship link with Bo District
Bo District
Bo District is the second most populous district in Sierra Leone and is located in the Southern Province of the country. Its capital and largest city is the city of Bo, which is the second largest city in Sierra Leone. The other major towns in the district include Baoma, Bumpeh, Serabu, Sumbuya,...
in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
.