Bilton is a suburb of
Rugby in
Warwickshire, England, located about south-west of Rugby town centre.
It is also a
ward of the
Borough of Rugby, which at the 2021 Census had a population of 6,544. It comprises much of the western half of the town. Historically a village in its own right, Bilton was incorporated into Rugby in 1932.
History
Historically a village in its own right (many residents continue to refer to the area as a village), Bilton's name is derived from the
Anglo-Saxon
The Anglo-Saxons were a Cultural identity, cultural group who inhabited England in the Early Middle Ages. They traced their origins to settlers who came to Britain from mainland Europe in the 5th century. However, the ethnogenesis of the Anglo- ...
''Beolatun'' (Beola's town), and it was mentioned in the
Domesday Book as both ''Beltone'' and ''Bentone''. The parish Church of St. Mark in Bilton dates from the mid-14th century, but was expanded and restored in 1873.
It is now
grade II* listed
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
.
In the early 20th century, Bilton was enveloped by the
suburb
A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separate ...
an expansion of Rugby. In 1932, when Rugby became a
municipal borough, the
civil parish of Bilton was abolished, and most of its territory incorporated into the new borough, with the remainder going to
Dunchurch.
In 1931 the parish had a population of 5966.
In the 1960s, two large
housing estates were built at Bilton; the Admirals Estate and the Woodlands Estate, to the north and the south of the old village centre respectively: The Admirals Estate had its streets named after
Admiral
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...
s of the
Royal Navy, whilst the streets in the Woodlands Estate, were given names with
Shakespearean connections, as the estate was laid out in 1964, the quarter centenary of William Shakespeare's birth.
The old village centre of Bilton still survives. The
village green of Bilton contains the remains of an ancient stone cross.
Bilton Hall Bilton may refer to:
Placenames in England
*Bilton, Northumberland
*Bilton, Warwickshire
*Bilton, East Riding of Yorkshire
*Bilton, Harrogate, North Yorkshire
*Bilton-in-Ainsty, North Yorkshire
*New Bilton, Warwickshire Buildings
* Bilton Grange, ...
in the old village is a
grade I listed building, the earliest parts of which date from 1623.
To the north of Bilton is the area known as
New Bilton.
To the east is the area of
Overslade
Overslade is a residential area in the central south part of the town of Rugby, Warwickshire. The area was developed for housing in the 20th century, mostly between the 1930s and late-1950s. It was historically within the parish of Bilton.
The l ...
, to the south is the village of
Dunchurch, and to the west is the suburban village of
Cawston.
Amenities
Most of the local amenities in Bilton are clustered around Main Street and The Green, including a number of shops and businesses, a
post office, and two
public houses; ''The Black Horse'' and ''The George''.
Education
Primary schools in Bilton include: Bawnmore Infant School, Bilton C. of E. Junior School, Bilton Infant School, Henry Hinde Infant and Junior Schools and
Crescent School.
Secondary schools include:
Bilton School
Bilton School (formerly Herbert Kay and Westlands School, and most recently Bilton High School) is a major secondary school with academy status for pupils aged 11–18 situated within the village of Bilton in Rugby, Warwickshire. There were 1 ...
and
Rugby High School for Girls.
Notable residents
*The writer and politician
Joseph Addison (1672-1719) lived at Bilton Hall.
*The television presenter and actor
Peter Purves lived in Bilton between 1987 and 1992.
*The 1960s pop singer
Billy J. Kramer married a local woman, Ann Ginn, at St Mark's Church in Bilton in 1968, and lived locally for a number of years.
Gallery
File:St Mark's Church, Bilton 6.19.jpg, St Mark's Church
File:Bilton-Church Walk - geograph.org.uk - 2282148.jpg, Bilton Hall
File:Bilton stone cross 7.20.jpg, Old stone cross remains
File:Old Bilton - Church Walk - geograph.org.uk - 79277.jpg, Church Walk
References
External links
Map and statistics for Bilton wardBilton Evangelical ChurchBilton C.of E. Junior SchoolBilton Archives - Our Warwickshire
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Areas of Rugby, Warwickshire
Former civil parishes in Warwickshire