Warwickshire

Nuneaton The Five Minute Spare Guide

Nuneaton The Five Minute Spare Guide
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The Five-Minute Tour of Nuneaton In Warwickshire. Let’s explore the Tourist attractions, local landmarks, and discover a little history behind the town the nuns named.

Ever wanted to know what a town that was built around a nunnery would look like? You would be halfway there with Nuneaton. This pleasant, picturesque town has been around since Saxon times. Nowadays, it’s a bustling town with loads to see and do… but we’ll get to that later.

Nuneaton Warwickshire

The Market Place Fountain. A Nice stop off for a selfie Image Credit: Elliott Brown (Cropped & Edited)/CC BY-SA 2.0

First, let’s cover the history of Nuneaton. When was it founded and what was it built for? We don’t know, but it’s going to be fun to find out.

The Early History of Nuneaton

Nuneaton began its life as a Saxon village named Eatun. This word combined the Saxon for ‘Ea’ – near water, and ‘Tun’ – a small farm. This means the region the town now stands on was there as long ago as the pre-Norman times, even if the town hadn’t formed yet.

By the time, the Normans did invade, Nuneaton was still known as Eatun, and was a larger town than you might expect. If we check the Domesday Survey conducted in 1086, twenty years after the invasion, we see that it was counted as part of the Hundreds of Coleshill, within the county of Warwickshire. At the time, it had 85 households, making it one of the larger settlements in England.

The Domesday Survey records Nuneaton as having 44 villagers, 10 smallholders, 6 freedmen, and 3 slaves. The land included 20 acres of meadow and 26 ploughlands, with 19 plough teams to plough them all. There were 2 leagues of woodlands and a mill – all belonging to the Land of Earl Aubrey. He wasn’t the only owner of this large town, either. Thorkil of Warwick owned 9 villagers, 22 plough teams, 5 acres of meadows and a single league of woodland. He also kept slaves, 5 of them, lest we forget.

In the 12th century, the Earl that owned the larger part of the town gifted his home there – Etone manor – to the church. A French Abbey took control and moved in a full herd of nuns. It was these nuns upon which the town continued to develop, and which gave Nuneaton its name.

King Henry II granted charters to the nunnery, so that they could officially form a town. The charter for a weekly market was granted in 1160. Funnily enough, it was Henry’s namesake, Henry VIII, that later closed the nunnery and dissolved it, so that he could marry a new wife.

The Nuns return

The market charter, however, was re-issued in 1226. Nuneaton has been a centre for trade in Warwickshire ever since. A yearly market Fair would be held, that would have attracted traders and crafters from all over the region.

The establishment of this nunnery and the weekly market meant that more traders moved in. By the 1540s, Nuneaton is recorded as having a population of just under a thousand people… which is still big back in those days. In 1539, Henry closed all the churches, and the nunnery was left to go to waste. Although parts of it have been rebuilt, it would never reach its former glory again.

The last notable occasion to happen in Nuneaton in the Medieval period was a grammar school that was established in 1552 but Henry VIII’s successor, Edward VI. The school stayed open right up until the seventies when it was subsequently closed to be turned into a 6th form college.

By the 1600s, Nuneaton had about 415 houses, which would have contained anything up to 2,000 people. It also attracted traders from the surrounding countryside at least once a week. Market days were busy, and the town was well known. All this before the Industrial Era even began. Nuneaton, as an early settlement, was bigger than most sources would lead you to believe.

Let’s pause for a moment and read about some fun facts. History can be a slog so it’s nice to take a break.

 



 

Fun Trivia and Nuneaton Facts

We love to find out the funniest, strangest, most out their facts about a town while we are researching it. In Nuneaton, we found there were plenty of fun facts to fill our boots with. Here are some of the Five Minutes Spare favourites, because we couldn’t pick the top three:

  • It is the birthplace of the Victorian author George Eliot, who stayed here as a youngster. This seems to be what the town is most famous for. Odd, in a place named for nuns.
  • Its nickname is ‘Codder’, something to do with a fish-shaped pump in the Marketplace…
  • Nuneaton’s other nickname is ‘treacle town’. When investigated, a local newspaper found this name was the result of the fact that nobody ever seems to leave it… and is also attributed to the slow pace of life here.
  • William Hutton, the poet, once visited. He said it was the ‘dominion of sleep’. We’re not sure if that means that it was quiet, or boring. Possibly both.
  • It has been home to Midland’s Air Festival in the past but obviously, things have been thrown in the air thanks to Covid-19. It remains to be seen what festivals will run this year, if any.

Nuneaton is a fun place to live, after all. It’s also affordable for those that want to live outside of Birmingham, Coventry, or Leicester to commute to work.

Now that the fun part is over, though, it’s back to the history. Hold on to your hats. Nuneaton went through an expansive period of growth in the 18th century and onwards.

The Industrial Era in Nuneaton

During the Industrial Period, Nuneaton went through a period of vast growth, which kicked off with silk weaving. This was a newly discovered form of clothing creation back then, and it swiftly took hold over the entire country. Areas like Nuneaton, where water flowed through and weavers took refuge, were excellent centres of fabric creation. For Nuneaton, it was silk ribbon, for other towns it was cotton, fine silk fabric, and even sailcloth.

Coal mining is reported in the area from as far back as the 1300s, but it went full scale in the Indust4rial era. Some of the coal from Nuneaton fired smelters all over the country. Weavers worked in their own homes on privately owned looms right up until the 1800s, when they would have been replaced by the super looms, their mechanical counterpart. Cheap imports later destroyed the industry, which died out before midway through the 19th century. Leather tanning, cattle rearing, brick making, and wool fulling would all have been jobs going on in the town at that time.

By the start of the 1800s, the population was about 5,000. Many were employed in the ribbon weaving but there were plenty of people also involved in the trading of other goods. Nuneaton was still a market town and a busy one, at that. Before the end of the 19th century, the population had increased 500% to 25k… that increase would have left the town in a bad shape by 1900.

The railway through Nuneaton was built in 1847 and would have opened several trading doors for the town. There was a thriving beer-making industry, with brewers attracting employees and generating special skills. Bricks and tiles were made here, hat making was important, given all the silk. Cotton eventually replaced silk as the main fabric of choice, leading to a few supply problems in the Cotton famine, which happened when the American Civil War broke out (1861-1865).

Living conditions would have been horrible at the end of the 19th century. With 25,000 people crammed into houses enough for 10,000, families would have been living ten to a room. Conditions gradually improved under Queen Victoria, with an electricity generating station opening in 1897. A public library followed in 1899 and the town was finally appointed a mayor in the early 20th century.

The 20th Century in Nuneaton

By 1907, Nuneaton had been incorporated and several improvements were subsequently made. Gas lamps were added to the streets, which would have been cobbled or paved. Street cleaners would have been in operation, with trams eventually being replaced by busses. Gas lamps would have changed to electric lamps, with a museum dedicated to the area first opening its doors in 1917. A Park was added in 1923 with the Council House building opening in ’34.

Although it was part of the PAL regiment scheme in the First World War, the archives seem to state that Nuneaton got off lightly in WWI. A memorial was erected that still stands to this day, but the two commemorative guns on either side of it were taken away for scrap metal and used to create munitions in WW2. After the soldiers returned from the First World War, there was a huge drive by the council to give them somewhere to live. The massive growth over the last hundred years had seen the town left dingy, dirty, and overcrowded. Many new housing estates were added in the 20s and 30s to take away some of that stress.

Despite newly-built council estates, there was still another World War. During WWII, Nuneaton was consistently bombed. Whether its proximity to Birmingham was the cause, or whether it was mistaken for somewhere else, we could not say. The large town was bombed many times and left with roughly 130 civilian casualties. Much of the newly built council estates had to be rebuilt after bombings. At the end of the Second World War, Nuneaton was a sorry place left to lick its wounds.

Post-WWII

In 1948 the George Elliot hospital was opened in honour of the author. A new library was also added in 1962. By the 70s, the population was around 70,000 people – but the cotton and silk industries had completely died out. There was a gap of around 30 years where mass unemployment cursed the city. In the eighties, several computing and electronics firms moved in, paving the way for the newest industries in town… that of computing.

The population nowadays is roughly 85,000 people. Leisure centres, shopping malls, and outdoor attractions have made the town into a much nicer place. The last few decades have seen several housing areas fill up, as people from all over the area still flock to Nuneaton, attracted by the pleasantness of the landscape and the thrill of the weekly markets.

What does the future hold for this attractive place to live? We’re not sure. If it remains a centre of electronics, however, it will continue to do well in an industrial sense. We’re desperate to get into the attractions of this awesome, historical town. First, though, we need to talk about famous faces that you might run into in Aldi.

Famous People from Nuneaton

Before we go any further, we must record the famous people that have come from this turbulent town throughout the years. Nuneaton is a big place, but there’s every chance you might meet one of these famous names when you are down the high street:

  • The author George Eliot, who we already mentioned and who, by the way, was a woman.
  • Several Footballers, including Julian Alsop, John Curtis, Matty Fryatt, Trevor Peake, and Nigel Winterburn.
  • A bunch of rugby players, including Dean Richards, Wally Holmes, and Andy Goode.
  • Kate Quilton, who is the TV presenter in Food Unwrapped.
  • The actors Ben Daniels and Paul Bradley.
  • Director Ken Loach is a Nuneaton man.
  • Justin Welch, a drummer who was in both Elastica and Suede.

There are loads of them. You can have a look at other famous people from Nuneaton over on the Wikipedia page if you are interested. In the meantime, we are going to delve straight in to all the attractions that make Nuneaton such a nice place to visit on a Sunday…

Top Attractions in Nuneaton

Whether you are just in town for a few days, or whether you plan on spending a fortnight’s holiday there, Nuneaton has plenty of attractions for you to dig into. Here are some of our favourites…

Historic Sights and Landmarks

One of the biggest buildings in and around town is Arbury Hall. Set inside stunning gardens and acres of natural, outdoors life, this place has the most striking architecture around. The Arbury Estate can be rented out for weddings or other events, or you can apply to the estate to do things like fishing on their grounds. It’s a great place to explore and stunning at Christmas time.

Astley Castle is arguably the second most prolifically visited landmark in the area. It is a 16th-century country home that spent hundreds of years as a semi-ruined building. As of recent years, it has been extensively refurbished and opened as a guest house/hotel. It makes an interesting day out for little ones that long to be royalty.

If you are interested in learning more about the history of the town, then you can visit the Chilvers Coton Heritage Centre. They have a collection of artefacts that would have been important in past lives of Nuneaton and aim to preserve them. They do a lot of school tours, too.

Outdoor Attractions

The Hartshill Hayes Country Park is a lovely, wooded area that is perfect for taking the kids on nature walks. You can expect plenty of dog walkers, the odd frog, and one or two squirrels. This place is a locally famous bluebell woods, which gives stunning blankets around April time. There are two ancient woodlands here so do take your rubbish home with you and try not to disturb the lichen.

Another firm favourite with those on holiday in Nuneaton with kids is the Hoar Park Craft Village and Children’s farm. No, that’s not a farm where they breed children, although they may want to reconsider the name. The craft village is filled with delightful shops and stalls. It is set in the countryside just outside of town, in a 17th-century courtyard and barn. Not bad. The children’s farm is a petting zoo come play barn, don’t be fooled into thinking you can just leave them there and go on with your life.

Galleries and Museums

Nuneaton Museum Warwickshire

Image: Mark N Dowell/Shutterstock.com

No trip would be complete without a visit to the local museum and art gallery. Nuneaton Museum and Art Gallery has a collection from local artists as well as fine artists. There are several exhibits, but it mainly focuses on town history.

If galleries are your thing, then local legend Richard Golding has a glassworks that specialise in sculpting. Head to the Station Glass store to buy some.

Sports and Recreation

Head down to the Bosworth Water Park for a great day out in the summer sun. If you have good weather, this place has beaches and lakes aplenty to let you enjoy some cool, refreshing, Warwickshire waterways. Keep an eye on the kids but otherwise, just enjoy the moment. You could spend all week here, by the way, it’s massive. They also have crazy golf. Who doesn’t love crazy golf?

Speaking of golf… There is the Nuneaton Golf course, complete with a pro-golfer shop, which is your closest bet. You can hop on over to New Arley a few miles away and enjoy the Oakridge Golf Club too if you want something a little fancier.

Nuneaton Borough Football Club are the team most likely to inspire a celebration in this town. They were founded all the way back in 1889, with their first men’s team playing in the Southern League football division. Take a tour of the ground or catch a match at the weekend.

Shopping and Retail

The Spinney Bank Farm Shop is a firm favourite among locals. Visit them for all your fresh produce needs. Other places you should visit include the Abbeygate Shopping Centre and the Ropewalk shopping centre, both of which offer lots of choices.

Nightlife in Nuneaton

Is Nuneaton busy at night? Hell yes. It has several drinking establishments for you to choose from. Have a few at a party in the Miner’s hall or visit Church End Brewery. Drink at Lord Hops or visit the Fox inn in Attleborough, for a change of scenery.

Other Notable Nuneaton Attractions

There are so many wondrous things to see and do around Nuneaton that we couldn’t squeeze them all in… but we did try our best. Check out the following places if you are still in town and run out of locations to visit:

  • Catch a show at the Abbey Theatre, first erected all the way back in the early 1900s.
  • Visit Sutton Cheney for a lovely walk.
  • Go to the Tunnel Brewery and take the tour – adults only on this one.
  • Spot the George Eliot statue that went up in the town centre some years back.
  • There is an Odeon Cinema in town although we will have to wait and see if they will reopen.

There’s always something to do in this town, no matter your age, interests, or activity levels. Go along and see for yourself. They will enjoy your tourism.

How to Get to Nuneaton?

You are almost clued up on all things Nuneaton. The only thing we have left to tell you, is how you go about getting there. Follow these loose directions or risk getting lost.

By Road

Follow the M6 east out of Birmingham to reach Nuneaton.

By Rail

Nuneaton Railway Station is on the West Midlands Line.

By Air

Visit Birmingham Airport if you are flying internationally.

By Boat

Nuneaton is many miles from the sea, but there is a nice canal so you can get there by barge.

Got Five More Minutes?

If you still have time to kill, why not head to our delightful home pages, where you will have access to a plethora of town-based articles, just like this one. There has never been a better time to investigate where to go on your staycation 2021, and there has never been a better resource to spot locations with. Check it out, it might just change your life.

Of course, it might not, but you never know.

 

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