Coven, Staffordshire
Coven is a village in the district of South Staffordshire, England, near to the border with Wolverhampton. Together with Brewood it forms part of the parish of Brewood & Coven.[1]
Etymology
Coven derives from the Anglo-Saxon cofum, the dative plural of cofa, which means either 'a cove' or 'a hut'.[2]
History
The first record of Coven (as Cove) is in the Domesday Book (1086); when it was listed as being held by William de Stafford. Prior to the Norman Conquest it was held by the Saxon ceorl Alric.[3]
Iron-making was carried on at a furnace and two forges near to the village from the seventeenth century or earlier. 'The Homage' (circa 1679) is said to be the oldest brick-built house in Staffordshire. During the nineteenth century, John Smith operated a foundry in the village, where he produced stationary steam engines and locomotives.[4]
St Paul's Church, Coven was opened in 1857.
Communications
The village is located on the A449, and is also served by the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal.
See also
References
- ^ Brewood & Coven Parish Council. "Coven village web site". Brewood & Coven Community Web.
- ^ Poulton-Smith, Anthony (1995). Staffordshire Place-Names (including The Black Country). Berkshire: Countryside. p. 38.
- ^ White, Kevan. "Coven History". roman-britain.org.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Robinson, Paul. Coven In Times Past. Penk Publishing, 2015, p. 167.