Polesworth

Infobox UK place
country = England
official_name= Polesworth
latitude= 52.61516
longitude= -1.61743
civil_parish= Polesworth
population = 8,439 (2001)
shire_district= North Warwickshire
shire_county= Warwickshire
region= West Midlands
constituency_westminster= North Warwickshire
post_town= TAMWORTH
postcode_district = B78
postcode_area= B
dial_code= 01827
os_grid_reference= SK2602

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 suburbs) 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 7 km (4 miles) from Tamworth. The border with Derbyshire is 10 km (6 miles) 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 2006 only receives one northbound service each day (towards Tamworth), all other services being operated by a replacement bus service.

History

The name Polesworth is derived from "pol" meaning a "depth of water" and "worth" meaning "a dwelling".

Polesworth was once the site of an abbey. Polesworth Abbey was founded in 827 by King Egbert, 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 received some of his education here and it is rumoured that William Shakespeare also spent some time here. 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 brickwork in the country. The hall still exists and overlooks Pooley View.

During the Civil War, Polesworth and Wilnecote are listed among the towns paying arrears to the parliamentary garrison at Tamworth. In an account drawn up by Captain Thomas Layfield for the period from November 1st, 1645 to May 1st, 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.

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.

References

*Allen, Geoff "Warwickshire Towns & Villages", Sigma Leisure (2000) ISBN 1-85058-642-X
*"The Warwickshire Village Book" (1988) ISBN 1-85306-032-1

External links

* [http://www.polesworthparish.co.uk/index.php Polesworth Parish] - Local Website
* [http://www.polesworthabbey.co.uk Polesworth Abbey]
* [http://www.polesworth-ilc.com Polesworth International Language College ]