Polesworth
Encyclopedia
Polesworth is a large village
and civil parish in the North Warwickshire
district of Warwickshire
, England
. In the 2001 census
it had a population
of 8,439, inclusive of the continuous sub-villages (often regarded as suburb
s) of St Helena, Dordon
and Hall End directly to the south. This population technically allows Polesworth market town
status.
Polesworth is located at the northern tip of Warwickshire only 3 miles (5 km) northwest of Atherstone
and adjacent to the border with Staffordshire
, and is only 4 miles (6 km) from Tamworth
. The border with Derbyshire
is 6 miles (10 km) to the north.
The River Anker
and the Coventry Canal
run through Polesworth, and the A5 road runs nearby. Polesworth railway station
is on the West Coast Main Line
. In 2005, Polesworth received no train services due to the modernisation of the West Coast Mainline. Train services were replaced by a replacement bus service. The footbridge to the up platform was removed and has not been replaced. The station in 2011 only receives one northbound service each day (towards Tamworth).
.
Polesworth was once the site of an abbey
. Polesworth Abbey
was founded in 827 by King Egbert
with his daughter Editha (later Saint Editha
) as Abbess. It prospered for 700 years but was disbanded as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries
. In 1544 the lands of the Abbey were granted by the Crown to Francis Goodere, who used the stones of the Abbey to build a manor house
; Polesworth Hall.
Henry Goodere
, son of Francis, was a patron of the arts and Polesworth Hall was a centre of culture during Elizabethan
times. The poet Michael Drayton
was in the service of the Goodere family around 1580, and his works contain allusions to Polesworth and the River Anker
(Brink, 1990). It is rumoured that William Shakespeare
also spent some time as a fellow page boy here and they remained companions in adult life. Polesworth Hall no longer exists, as it was demolished in the 1860s.
In around 1509 Thomas Cockayne constructed Pooley Hall
, which today includes some of the oldest brick
work in the country. The hall still exists and overlooks Pooley View. That part of the hall known as Pooley Farm was once owned by Edwin Starr
, famous for the song War.
During the English Civil War
, Polesworth and Wilnecote
are listed among the towns paying arrears to the Parliamentary garrison at Tamworth. In an account drawn up by a Captain Thomas Layfield for the period from 1 November 1645 to 1 May 1646, Polesworth (being rated at £8 a week) was assessed at and paid £196.16.0 while Wilnecote (at £2 a week) paid £50.7.0. (SP 28/136/31)
When the Coventry Canal
was built through Polesworth in the 1770s, the village developed a coal-mining and clay
industry and the population underwent rapid growth. A lime kiln became a focal point along the canal; however was demolished in the 1980's.
During the Second World War, opencast coal-mining devastated the surrounding countryside, and caused the river Anker to be diverted. The former opencast site is now a public park and the river now flows on its original course. Industry is now gone and Polesworth serves mainly as a small commuter town
for nearby towns and cities such as Tamworth
, Nuneaton
, Lichfield
, Sutton Coldfield
, Birmingham
and Coventry
.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and civil parish in the North Warwickshire
North Warwickshire
North Warwickshire is a local government district and borough in Warwickshire, England. The main town in the district is Atherstone where the council is based...
district 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
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 the 2001 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....
it had a population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 8,439, inclusive of the continuous sub-villages (often regarded as suburb
Suburb
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 St Helena, Dordon
Dordon
Dordon is a village and civil parish in the North Warwickshire district of the county of Warwickshire in England and close to the border with Staffordshire. The village is located on the A5 and is adjacent to Polesworth. Other nearby places include Grendon, Wood End, Baddesley Ensor, Atherstone,...
and Hall End directly to the south. This population technically allows Polesworth market town
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
status.
Polesworth is located at the northern tip of Warwickshire only 3 miles (5 km) northwest of Atherstone
Atherstone
Atherstone is a town in Warwickshire, England. The town is located near the northernmost tip of Warwickshire, close to the border with Staffordshire and Leicestershire and is the administrative headquarters of the borough of North Warwickshire.-History:...
and adjacent to the border with Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, and is only 4 miles (6 km) from Tamworth
Tamworth
Tamworth is a town and local government district in Staffordshire, England, located north-east of Birmingham city centre and north-west of London. The town takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through the town, as does the River Anker...
. The border with Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
is 6 miles (10 km) to the north.
The River Anker
River Anker
The River Anker is a river in England. The river flows through the centre of Nuneaton towards Tamworth in Staffordshire. The river continues on before merging with the River Tame in Tamworth...
and the Coventry Canal
Coventry Canal
The Coventry Canal is a navigable narrow canal in the Midlands of England.It starts in Coventry and ends 38 miles north at Fradley Junction, just north of Lichfield, where it joins the Trent and Mersey Canal...
run through Polesworth, and the A5 road runs nearby. Polesworth railway station
Polesworth railway station
Polesworth railway station serves the large village of Polesworth in Warwickshire, England. It is situated on the Trent Valley section of the West Coast Main Line.-History:...
is on the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
. In 2005, Polesworth received no train services due to the modernisation of the West Coast Mainline. Train services were replaced by a replacement bus service. The footbridge to the up platform was removed and has not been replaced. The station in 2011 only receives one northbound service each day (towards Tamworth).
History
The name Polesworth is derived from "pole" meaning a "depth of water" (as in rod) and "worth" meaning "a dwelling" or enclosure in the Old English languageOld English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
.
Polesworth was once the site of an abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
. Polesworth Abbey
Polesworth Abbey
Polesworth Abbey was a Benedictine nunnery in Polesworth, North Warwickshire, England. It was founded in the 9th century by St. Modwena and King Egbert. The first abbess was Edgytha Polesworth Abbey was a Benedictine nunnery in Polesworth, North Warwickshire, England. It was founded in the 9th...
was founded in 827 by King Egbert
Egbert of Wessex
Egbert was King of Wessex from 802 until his death in 839. His father was Ealhmund of Kent...
with his daughter Editha (later Saint Editha
Saint Editha
Saint Edith of Polesworth is an obscure Anglo-Saxon abbess associated with Polesworth and Tamworth in Mercia. Her historical identity and floruit are uncertain. Some late sources make her a daughter of King Edward the Elder, but there are differing opinions as regards her actual ancestry...
) as Abbess. It prospered for 700 years but was disbanded as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
. In 1544 the lands of the Abbey were granted by the Crown to Francis Goodere, who used the stones of the Abbey to build a manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
; Polesworth Hall.
Henry Goodere
Henry Goodere
Sir Henry Goodere was an English nobleman, the son of Francis Goodere of Polesworth Hall.The earliest records that use the Goodere name are in Poynton, Cheshire, England. The Gooderes intermarried with the noble Warren family and could claim the title 'Lord of Poynton'. The Goodere name is spelled...
, son of Francis, was a patron of the arts and Polesworth Hall was a centre of culture during 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...
times. The poet Michael Drayton
Michael Drayton
Michael Drayton was an English poet who came to prominence in the Elizabethan era.-Early life:He was born at Hartshill, near Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England. Almost nothing is known about his early life, beyond the fact that in 1580 he was in the service of Thomas Goodere of Collingham,...
was in the service of the Goodere family around 1580, and his works contain allusions to Polesworth and the River Anker
River Anker
The River Anker is a river in England. The river flows through the centre of Nuneaton towards Tamworth in Staffordshire. The river continues on before merging with the River Tame in Tamworth...
(Brink, 1990). It is rumoured that William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
also spent some time as a fellow page boy here and they remained companions in adult life. Polesworth Hall no longer exists, as it was demolished in the 1860s.
In around 1509 Thomas Cockayne constructed Pooley Hall
Pooley Hall
Pooley Hall is a Manor house built in 1509 on the outskirts of Polesworth, Warwickshire, England. It is a Grade II* listed building and a private residence.-The Cockayne Family:...
, which today includes some of the oldest brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
work in the country. The hall still exists and overlooks Pooley View. That part of the hall known as Pooley Farm was once owned by Edwin Starr
Edwin Starr
Edwin Starr was an American soul music singer. Starr is most famous for his Norman Whitfield produced singles of the 1970s, most notably the number one hit "War".-Biography:...
, famous for the song War.
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...
, Polesworth and Wilnecote
Wilnecote
Wilnecote is an English housing district about 3 km south east of Tamworth, Staffordshire. It is one of the largest communities in the town....
are listed among the towns paying arrears to the Parliamentary garrison at Tamworth. In an account drawn up by a Captain Thomas Layfield for the period from 1 November 1645 to 1 May 1646, Polesworth (being rated at £8 a week) was assessed at and paid £196.16.0 while Wilnecote (at £2 a week) paid £50.7.0. (SP 28/136/31)
When the Coventry Canal
Coventry Canal
The Coventry Canal is a navigable narrow canal in the Midlands of England.It starts in Coventry and ends 38 miles north at Fradley Junction, just north of Lichfield, where it joins the Trent and Mersey Canal...
was built through Polesworth in the 1770s, the village developed a coal-mining and clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
industry and the population underwent rapid growth. A lime kiln became a focal point along the canal; however was demolished in the 1980's.
During the Second World War, opencast coal-mining devastated the surrounding countryside, and caused the river Anker to be diverted. The former opencast site is now a public park and the river now flows on its original course. Industry is now gone and Polesworth serves mainly as a small commuter town
Commuter town
A commuter town is an urban community that is primarily residential, from which most of the workforce commutes out to earn their livelihood. Many commuter towns act as suburbs of a nearby metropolis that workers travel to daily, and many suburbs are commuter towns...
for nearby towns and cities such as Tamworth
Tamworth
Tamworth is a town and local government district in Staffordshire, England, located north-east of Birmingham city centre and north-west of London. The town takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through the town, as does the River Anker...
, Nuneaton
Nuneaton
Nuneaton is the largest town in the Borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth and in the English county of Warwickshire.Nuneaton is most famous for its associations with the 19th century author George Eliot, who was born on a farm on the Arbury Estate just outside Nuneaton in 1819 and lived in the town for...
, Lichfield
Lichfield
Lichfield is a cathedral city, civil parish and district in Staffordshire, England. One of eight civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly north of Birmingham...
, Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield is a suburb of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Sutton is located about from central Birmingham but has borders with Erdington and Kingstanding. Sutton is in the northeast of Birmingham, with a population of 105,000 recorded in the 2001 census...
, 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 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...
.