Nuneaton

Template:Infobox England place Nuneaton is the largest town in the English county of Warwickshire, and the borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth. 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 much of her early life. In fiction, Nuneaton is referred to as "Milby" in the George Eliot novel Scenes of Clerical Life (1858).

Geography

The town is located 13 km (8 miles) north of Coventry, 32 km (20 miles) east of Birmingham and 166 km (103 miles) northwest of London. The River Anker runs through the town. Nuneaton had a population of 70,721 (2001 census). Towns close to Nuneaton include Bedworth, Atherstone and Hinckley with the towns Tamworth, Lutterworth and city of Coventry further afield.

History

Nuneaton Town Centre.

Nuneaton's name came from a 12th century Benedictine nunnery (parts of which still survive) from which much of the town grew around. Prior to this it was a settlement known as 'Etone', which translates literally as 'water-town'. Nuneaton was listed in the Domesday Book as a small Hamlet [1]. A market was established in 1233 (and is still held today). The first recorded use of the modern name was in 1247 when a document recorded it as 'Nonne Eton'. The Nunnery fell into disrepair after 1539 (with Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries).

Nuneaton grew gradually from the 17th century onwards, due to its position at the centre of the Warwickshire coalfields. At the time of the first national census in 1801 Nuneaton was already one of the largest towns in Warwickshire, with a population of 5,000. During the Industrial revolution in the 19th century, Nuneaton developed a large textile industry. Other industries which developed in the town included brick and tile making and brewing. By 1901 the population of Nuneaton had grown to 25,000.

Due largely to munitions factories located in Nuneaton, the town suffered heavy bombing damage during World War II. The heaviest bombing raid on Nuneaton took place on 17 May 1941, when 100 people were killed, 380 houses were destroyed, and over 10,000 damaged, a few smaller raids took place on the town, most notably on the 25th June 1942. As a result of the bombing, much of the town centre was re-built in the post war years.

Economy

Nuneaton's traditional industries like textiles and manufacturing have declined drastically in the postwar years. Due to its good transport links, Nuneaton is now largely a commuter town for nearby Coventry and Birmingham. However electronics and distribution remain major economic activities in the town. One of the biggest developments in the town's history, the multi-million pound Ropewalk Shopping Centre, opened on 1 September 2005 in the hope that it will give the town extra income from the shopping, attract more visitors and retailers, and steer shoppers away from larger retail centres such as Birmingham, Coventry, Leicester and Solihull. The town centre itself has undergone a successful transition from being an uninteresting 'dormitory town' service centre in the 1980s to a relatively thriving and well-planned retail and business district by the 2000s.

Politics

Nuneaton is part of the constituency of the same name in the House of Commons, which is currently represented by the Labour Member of Parliament (MP), Bill Olner. The local council, Nuneaton and Bedworth, is also currently controlled by the Labour Party. On 1 April 1974, Nuneaton's council was merged with that of nearby Bedworth to form the borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth.

Media

The local radio stations are Mercia FM, part of the independent radio network, BBC Coventry & Warwickshire, which are both based in the nearby city of Coventry and also Fosseway Radio which is broadcasted from the nearby town of Hinckley. Within Nuneaton itself there is Anker Radio which serves the George Eliot Hospital, but also broadcasts on 1386am and can be received throughout the area broadcasting 24 hours a day.

The local newspapers are the Nuneaton Evening Telegraph, a localised version of the Coventry Evening Telegraph, the Heartland Evening News and the Weekly Tribune, which is a free paper delivered to most homes in the area weekly.

Transport

The town is near to both the M6 motorway, and the main A5 trunk road. It is also an important railway junction, served by the West Coast Main Line and also by the Birmingham to Leicester railway line, and by a line to Coventry via Bedworth. The Coventry Canal passes through the town.

Recreation

Nuneaton has two non-league football teams of note: Nuneaton Borough of the Conference North and Nuneaton Griff who play in the Midland Combination League.

There are three Rugby Union teams in the town: Nuneaton R.F.C. (nicknamed the Nuns), who play in National Division 2, Nuneaton Old Edwardiansof Midlands 3 West (South) division and Manor Park of the Warwickshire 1 league.

There are many leisure centres in the town and the Pingles Leisure Centre was rebuilt in 2004 it includes indoor and outdoor swimming areas, saunas, a dance studio and gym. There is also an associated athletics stadium - the Pingles Stadium - which has a seated stand and is used for a variety of athletics events and a football ground.

Nuneaton has a museum in the grounds of Riversley park adjacent to the town centre.

Trivia

• On 6 June 1975, six people died and 38 were injured when a train crashed just south of Nuneaton railway station.

• Nuneaton enters annually the Britain in Bloom competition and in 2000, Nuneaton and Bedworth was a national finalist.

Twin Towns

• Roanne, France
• Guadalajara, Spain
• Cottbus, Germany

Notable inhabitants

• Paul Bradley, actor (born in Nuneaton)
• Ben Daniels, actor (born in Nuneaton)
• George Eliot, author
• Matty Fryatt, footballer
• Larry Grayson, comedian, entertainer and television presenter
• Ken Loach, film/tv director
• Ian Roper, footballer
• Adam Whitehead, swimmer
• Mary Whitehouse, campaigner (born in Nuneaton)
• Peter Whittingham, footballer (born in Whitestone, Nuneaton)
• Nigel Winterburn, footballer
• Marc Bridge Wilkinson, footballer
• John Curtis, footballer
• John Barber, inventor of the gas turbine in 1791.
• Alan Carr, comedian

Districts and suburbs of Nuneaton

• Stockingford
• Attleborough
• Weddington
• Whitestone
• Chilvers Coton
• Bermuda Village
• Galley Common
• Hartshill
• Griff Hollow
• Plough Hill Road
• Hill Top
• Camp Hill
• Bucks Hill
• Freesland Rise
• Grove Farm
• Robinson's End
• St Nicolas Park
• Horeston Grange

External links

• The Nuneaton Society's local history chronicle.
• Nuneaton Web Nuneaton events, Images, news, online forum.
• An historical website chronicling the Castle which formerly stood in Weddington until its demolition in 1928.
• Nuneaton and Bedworth borough council
• The Ropewalk Shopping Centre - Nuneaton's premier shopping centre