Whitnash
Encyclopedia
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.
By the time of the Domesday Survey in 1086, Whitnash was part of the Stoneleigh Hundreds area, and referred to as Witenas. The population consisted of 11 villagers and 8 smallholders. It remained a small village for many centuries, not even being connected to local towns by anything more than country lanes until around 1850.
Dramatic population growth began during the second half of the 20th century. In the space of a few decades, the population increased by over five times. Reflecting its much larger size, Whitnash became a town in 1972.
There is no real town centre in Whitnash. The focal point of the old village was the church of St. Margaret's, and with Leamington Spa town centre only 2 miles to the north, a central distrct for Whitnash never developed and the town only expanded residentially. The church dates back to Saxon times, and has been greatly altered over the years. One of its most famous features was an enormous elm
tree which dominated the open space in front of the church for many years. The tree had to be removed when it became dangerous. There are two other churches in the town, the Catholic St. Joseph's and the Whitnash Methodist Church.
Another focal point was the village public house
. The Plough and Harrow is a 17th century building that remains a pub to this day. There are now two other pubs in Whitnash, The Heathcote and The Hodcarrier, which are much more modern.
having, for many years, been used as a church hall. The Coppice Road site is also home to Briar Hill School which is an infant's school. The two other schools in Whitnash are Whitnash County Primary School and the Roman Catholic St. Joseph's School.
s located in Whitnash, but the state schools Campion School, Leamington Spa; Myton School, Warwick
and Trinity Catholic School, Leamington Spa name Whitnash as being within their priority areas.
Whitnash has a small number of clubs and associations for people to join and take part in. Some of these are listed below:
Whitnash Tennis Club - A small friendly tennis club, with 2 hard courts who welcome all new members, regardless of age or ability.
Whitnash Sports & Social Club - Angling, Bowls, Crib, Football (Senior and Junior), Petanque, Tennis
Whitnash Society - Meet 7.45pm each 2nd Monday of the month in the new hall of the Sports & Social Club. Our AGM is 11th July 2011, August is our summer break, new year starts 12th September 2011.
Whitnash Town FC are the local side football side. They run a number of youth teams and they have a fully stocked bar and are close to the small local shopping precinct and takeaway
shops. Whitnash Windmills Petanque Club - One of the leading petanque clubs in the area is next to the football ground and shares the bar.
housing estate Warwick Gates has resulted in further local population growth. The administrative border between Whitnash and Warwick runs along a brook near the eastern edge of the estate, meaning that almost all of it is formally in Warwick and outside the boundaries of Whitnash. Despite this, the estate is directly adjacent to Whitnash, and isolated from the main body of Warwick. The combined population of Whitnash with Warwick Gates is over 10,000. Separating the old and new parts, and situated right by a pedestrian crossing connecting them, is a venerable oak tree, the Whitnash Oak, which could easily be 500 years old or more.
Warwick
Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, south of Coventry and just west of Leamington Spa and Whitnash with which it is conjoined. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 23,350...
in Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, 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...
. In 2001, it had a population of 7,798.
History
Whitnash is a very ancient settlement. Its earliest origins can be traced back to pre-Roman occupation. Whitnash has several possible origins as a place name. It could variously mean "at the white ash", "place by the wood", "sacred ash", or even "meeting place of the wise". However, the first meaning is the considered most likely to be correct.By the time of the Domesday Survey in 1086, Whitnash was part of the Stoneleigh Hundreds area, and referred to as Witenas. The population consisted of 11 villagers and 8 smallholders. It remained a small village for many centuries, not even being connected to local towns by anything more than country lanes until around 1850.
Dramatic population growth began during the second half of the 20th century. In the space of a few decades, the population increased by over five times. Reflecting its much larger size, Whitnash became a town in 1972.
Town centre
Elm
Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the genus Ulmus in the plant family Ulmaceae. The dozens of species are found in temperate and tropical-montane regions of North America and Eurasia, ranging southward into Indonesia. Elms are components of many kinds of natural forests...
tree which dominated the open space in front of the church for many years. The tree had to be removed when it became dangerous. There are two other churches in the town, the Catholic St. Joseph's and the Whitnash Methodist Church.
Another focal point was the village public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
. The Plough and Harrow is a 17th century building that remains a pub to this day. There are now two other pubs in Whitnash, The Heathcote and The Hodcarrier, which are much more modern.
Primary schools
There are four primary schools in the town. St. Margaret's School which dates back to Victorian times and was founded by the church. It is now a county council-run junior school. Originally sited in Whitnash Road it transferred to new premises in Coppice Road in the 1970s. The original building is now derelict following a fire caused by arsonArson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
having, for many years, been used as a church hall. The Coppice Road site is also home to Briar Hill School which is an infant's school. The two other schools in Whitnash are Whitnash County Primary School and the Roman Catholic St. Joseph's School.
Secondary schools
There are no 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 in Whitnash, but the state schools Campion School, Leamington Spa; Myton School, Warwick
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 Trinity Catholic School, Leamington Spa name Whitnash as being within their priority areas.
Politics
Politics in Whitnash has a very local character. A party representing the residents of the town, the Whitnash Resident's Association, dominates the town council, holding all 15 seats. All three of Whitnash's seats on the District Council and the single County Council seat are also held by the Whitnash Residents Association.Things to do
Whitnash Tennis Club - A small friendly tennis club, with 2 hard courts who welcome all new members, regardless of age or ability.
Whitnash Sports & Social Club - Angling, Bowls, Crib, Football (Senior and Junior), Petanque, Tennis
Whitnash Society - Meet 7.45pm each 2nd Monday of the month in the new hall of the Sports & Social Club. Our AGM is 11th July 2011, August is our summer break, new year starts 12th September 2011.
Whitnash Town FC are the local side football side. They run a number of youth teams and they have a fully stocked bar and are close to the small local shopping precinct and takeaway
Takeaway
Takeaway can refer to:* Take-out food* The Takeaway , an American public radio morning news show* Turnover * Turnover * Subtraction—an alternative name...
shops. Whitnash Windmills Petanque Club - One of the leading petanque clubs in the area is next to the football ground and shares the bar.
Warwick Gates
Since the 1990s, the construction of the adjacent WarwickWarwick
Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, south of Coventry and just west of Leamington Spa and Whitnash with which it is conjoined. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 23,350...
housing estate Warwick Gates has resulted in further local population growth. The administrative border between Whitnash and Warwick runs along a brook near the eastern edge of the estate, meaning that almost all of it is formally in Warwick and outside the boundaries of Whitnash. Despite this, the estate is directly adjacent to Whitnash, and isolated from the main body of Warwick. The combined population of Whitnash with Warwick Gates is over 10,000. Separating the old and new parts, and situated right by a pedestrian crossing connecting them, is a venerable oak tree, the Whitnash Oak, which could easily be 500 years old or more.