The first recorded use of the name “Warwickshire” was in AD 1001 and by this time, the protection afforded by Warwick Castle had allowed Warwick to prosper and grow as a market town. The founding of a Benedictine abbey in the mid-11th Century by Leofric Earl of Mercia led to the development of Coventry. While Leofric may not be well known these days, his wife, Lady Godiva, is famed for reputedly riding through the streets of Coventry naked to protest at the taxes her husband forced on the people of Coventry. While there is probably no truth in the legend, it continues to fascinate to this day.
During the late middle-ages, Coventry’s importance in the wool and cloth trades meant that the city and county continued to flourish. In 1451, Henry VI gave Coventry a royal charter granting it county status. It would remain separate from the rest of Warwickshire until 1842.
It was in 1564 that Warwickshire’s most famous son, William Shakespeare, was born in Stratford-upon-Avon. Widely regarded as the finest playwright in the English language, Warwickshire and especially Stratford-upon-Avon have become destinations for millions of Shakespeare aficionados.
During the Civil War, Warwickshire was staunchly Parliamentarian and, in revenge for this support, upon the restoration of the monarchy, Charles II tore down the famous city walls of Coventry.
With the Industrial Revolution, Warwickshire became one of the foremost industrial counties in Britain. The canal and rail network coupled with the county’s location in the heart of England and the highly productive coal fields of the north of the county turned Warwickshire into an industrial hub.
It was around this time that Leamington Spa began to flourish. Were it not for Benjamin Stachwell and William Abbot’s discovery of a spring in Leamington and them marketing it to the monied classes as having medicinal qualities, it may well have remained an obscure village in Warwickshire. As it was, Leamington grew into one of the most popular and exclusive spa towns during the early 19th century spa craze.
The famous Royal Pump Rooms were opened in 1814. Visitors came to this grand structure in the hope that the spring water would cure all manner of aches, pains and ailments. The fame of Leamington Spa was such that Queen Victoria gave the town the use of the “Royal” prefix in 1838 and visitors came from all over the globe to enjoy the gardens and promenades.
Of course, no craze lasts forever and by the mid 19th century spa towns were rapidly going out of fashion and for a brief while it looked Leamington faced crisis. Fortunately, the wealthy entrepreneurs of the nearby industrial centres of Birmingham and Coventry began to move and retire to the town. The wealth they brought with them helped establish Leamington as a major shopping.
