Whitnash | |
---|---|
St Margaret's Church | |
Location within Warwickshire | |
Population | 10,489 (2021 census) |
District | |
Shire county | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | LEAMINGTON SPA |
Postcode district | CV31 |
Dialling code | 01926 |
Police | Warwickshire |
Fire | Warwickshire |
Ambulance | West Midlands |
UK Parliament | |
Whitnash is a town and civil parish located southeast of, and contiguous with Leamington Spa and Warwick in Warwickshire, England. In 2001, it had a population of 7,760 which increased to 9,129 in the 2011 census, increasing again to 10,489 in the 2021 census. [1]
Whitnash was mentioned in the Domesday Book as Witenas, by 1326 it had become Whitenasshe meaning 'white ash'. As Whitnash is generally thought to derive from the Anglo-Saxon ‘at the white ash’ other derivations have included ‘place by the wood’, ‘sacred ash’ or the 'meeting place of the wise'. [2] Whitnash has likely been settled since Celtic times. According to tradition, just east of the town there was a Celtic fortification in a field known as “Castle Hill Field”. [3] The parish church of St Margaret's is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and stands on a mound which may have been a pre-Christian pagan site, it was largely rebuilt between 1855 and 1880 to designs by Sir George Gilbert Scott. [4] [5]
Whitnash at one time had a holy well, located around 400 metres east of the town. [6] According to a local legend, a church bell was dropped accidentally into the well when it was being taken there to be consecrated, according to the legend, the bell then gained the ability to foretell the future; at night time people would drop a stone into the well and ask a question. Then at daybreak it would give its answer: one ring for yes and two for no. The bell is commemorated in Whitnash's municipal crest. [3]
Whitnash was for most of its history a small village, the population in 1931 was 586. [7] Around the historic core of the old village are a number of older half timbered buildings dating from the 17th century, including the Plough and Harrow inn. [4] Until modern times, Whitnash was a fairly isolated community, which has led to it retaining a strong sense of local identity. [2]
Dramatic population growth began during the second half of the 20th century. Reflecting its much larger size, in 1978 Whitnash became a town through the resolution of its parish council; thenceforth the parish council became a town council. [5]
Whitnash does not have a well defined town centre as such; with Leamington Spa town centre only 2 miles to the north, a central district for Whitnash never developed, and the town expanded residentially only, around the small historic core around St. Margaret's Church. Whitnash has three neighbourhood shopping areas around Coppice Road, Heathcote Road /Acre Close and Home Farm Crescent. In November 2021, the Town Council completed development of its new Civic Centre and Library, which has the Town Council office, library, café, conference room and sports hall suitable for badminton and other recreational activities. [8]
There are four primary schools in the town. [5] Whitnash Primary, St Joseph's RC Primary, St Margaret's Middle School and Briar Hill First School. [9] There are no secondary schools located in Whitnash, but the state schools Campion School, Myton School and Trinity Catholic School name Whitnash as being within their priority areas. [10]
The Whitnash Resident's Association dominates the local political scene, holding all the town's seats on Warwick District Council [11] and Whitnash Town Council. [12] It also holds the town's seat on Warwickshire County Council and has done for many years. The association was founded as the Whitnash Ratepayer's Association in 1977.[ citation needed ]
At the Whitnash Sports & Social Club, there is a petanque club (http://www.whitnashpetanque.co.uk/) and Lawn Bowls club. Whitnash Sports and Social club is the new home of the Leamington Royals rugby league team, who represent Royal Leamington Spa, Warwick and the surrounding areas in the Midlands RL Conference. Whitnash Town FC is the local association football club. The Leamington and County golf club is also within the parish. [5]
Published by the Town Council from July 2003 until December 2022, Whitnash had a free quarterly news pamphlet called the ‘Whitnash Tymes’ posted to every residence in the town. [13] Usually entailing messages from the mayor and local authorities, listings, local business advertisements, local news, and events.
The 2021 census recorded that 78.2% of Whitnash residents were White, 15.5% were Asian, 0.9% were Black, 2.8% were Mixed, with 2.5% belonging to any other ethnic group. In terms of religion 46.1% were Christian, 36.6% had no religion, 12% were Sikh, 3.2% were Hindu, and 1.5% Muslim. [1]
Kenilworth is a market town and civil parish in the Warwick District in Warwickshire, England, 6 miles (10 km) south-west of Coventry, 5 miles (8 km) north of Warwick and 90 miles (140 km) north-west of London. It lies on Finham Brook, a tributary of the River Sowe, which joins the River Avon 2 miles (3 km) north-east of the town. At the 2021 Census, the population was 22,538. The town is home to the ruins of Kenilworth Castle and Kenilworth Abbey.
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or simply Leamington, is a spa town and civil parish in Warwickshire, England. Originally a small village called Leamington Priors, it grew into a spa town in the 18th century following the popularisation of its water which was reputed to have medicinal qualities. In the 19th century, the town experienced one of the most rapid expansions in England. It is named after the River Leam, which flows through the town.
Southam is a market town and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire, England. Southam is situated on the River Stowe, which flows from Napton-on-the-Hill and joins Warwickshire's River Itchen at Stoneythorpe, just outside the town.
Warwick is a market town, civil parish and the county town of Warwickshire in the Warwick District in England, adjacent to the River Avon. It is 9 miles (14 km) south of Coventry, and 19 miles (31 km) south-east of Birmingham. It is adjoined with Leamington Spa and Whitnash.
Warwickshire is a ceremonial county in the West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Staffordshire and Leicestershire to the north, Northamptonshire to the east, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire to the south, and Worcestershire and the West Midlands county to the west. The largest settlement is Nuneaton, and the county town is Warwick.
Knowle is a large village situated 3 miles (5 km) east-southeast of the town of Solihull, West Midlands, England. Knowle lies within the Arden area of the historic county boundaries of Warwickshire, and since 1974 it has been part of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull within the West Midlands. It lies 2.5 miles from the Warwickshire border and had a recorded population of 10,678.
Warwick is a local government district of central Warwickshire in England. It borders the Borough of Rugby and Stratford-on-Avon District in Warwickshire as well as the West Midlands County. The City of Coventry is to the north and northeast, the Stratford-on-Avon District to the southwest and south, the Borough of Rugby to the east, and the Borough of Solihull to the west and northwest.
Kineton is a village and civil parish on the River Dene in south-east Warwickshire, England. The village is part of Stratford-on-Avon district, and in the 2001 census it had a population of 2,278, increasing to 2,337 at the 2011 Census.
Warwick and Leamington is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since the 2017 general election by Matt Western, of the Labour Party.
Lillington is a suburb of Leamington Spa, in the civil parish of Royal Leamington Spa, in the Warwick District in the county of Warwickshire, England. Historically a village which existed before the time of the Domesday Book (1086), it was incorporated into the borough of Leamington in 1890. Lillington is a ward of Warwick District Council and Royal Leamington Spa Town Council.
WCG is the managing body that administers several colleges of further education in the English West Midlands, namely in the counties of Warwickshire and Worcestershire. Its most recent acquisition concerned its August 2016 merger with South Worcestershire College of which the two campuses then reverted to their historical names of Evesham College in Evesham and Malvern Hills College in Great Malvern. The merger makes it the largest group of further and adult education institutions in the country and one of the five colleges in the United Kingdom empowered by the Privy Council with the authority to award Foundation Degrees
Warwickshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing Warwickshire in England. It is the second smallest territorial police force in England and Wales after the City of London Police, with only 823 regular officers as of September 2017. The resident population of the force area is 554,002.
Warwick Parkway is a railway station with park and ride facilities on the western outskirts of Warwick in Warwickshire, England. It also serves the village of Budbrooke. Unusually, the station is not owned by Network Rail but by Warwickshire County Council.
Warwickshire County Council is the county council that governs the non-metropolitan county of Warwickshire in England.
Sydenham is an eastern suburb of the town of Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England.
Leamington Royals are a rugby league team based in Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England. They play in the Midlands Rugby League Division Two.
St Peter's Church or St Peter Apostle Church is a Roman Catholic parish church in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England. It was built in 1864 and designed by Henry Clutton in the Gothic Revival style. It is located on Dormer Place, next to the Royal Pump Room Gardens. It is a Grade II listed building.