Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a
county
A county is a geographical region
In geography, regions are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and the environment ...
in the
West MidlandsWest Midlands may refer to: Places
* West Midlands (region), a region of the United Kingdom
**West Midlands (county), the metropolitan county in the West Midlands region
** West Midlands conurbation, the large conurbation in the West Midlands region
...
region of England. The
county town
In the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain,Usage is mixed. The Guardian' and Telegraph' use Britain as a synonym for the United Kingdom. Some pref ...
is
Warwick
Warwick ( ) is a market town and the county town
In the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain,Usage is mixed. The Guardian' and Telegraph' use ...

, and the largest town is
Nuneaton
Nuneaton ( ) is a large market town in the Borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth
Nuneaton and Bedworth is a local government district with borough
A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In ...

. The county is famous for being the birthplace of
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare (bapt. 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's greatest dramatist. He is often called England's national p ...

at
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon (), commonly known as just Stratford, is a market town
A market town is a European that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the , a market right, which allowed it to host a regular ; this distinguished it from ...

and Victorian novelist
George Eliot
Mary Ann Evans (22 November 1819 – 22 December 1880; alternatively Mary Anne or Marian), known by her pen name
A pen name, also called a ''nom de plume'' () or a literary double, is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real n ...

, (born Mary Ann Evans), at Nuneaton. Other significant towns include
Rugby
Rugby may refer to:
Sports Rugby codes
* Rugby football in various forms:
** Rugby league: 13 players per side
*** Masters Rugby League
*** Mod league
*** Rugby league nines
*** Rugby league sevens
*** Touch (sport)
*** Wheelchair rugby league
** ...
,
Leamington Spa
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or simply Leamington (), is a spa town
A spa town is a based on a (a developed ). Patrons visit spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. The word ''spa'' is ...
,
Bedworth
Bedworth ( or locally or ) is a market town
A market town is a European that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the , a market right, which allowed it to host a regular ; this distinguished it from a or . In Britain, small rural t ...
and
Kenilworth
Kenilworth ( ) is a market town and civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government
Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration
Public admi ...

. The county offers a mix of historic towns and large rural areas. It is a popular destination for international and domestic tourists to explore both medieval and more recent history.
The county is divided into five districts of
North Warwickshire
North Warwickshire is a local government district
The districts of England (also known as local authority districts or local government districts to distinguish from unofficial city districts) are a level of subnational division of England u ...
,
Nuneaton and Bedworth
Nuneaton and Bedworth is a local government district with borough
A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, althoug ...
,
Rugby
Rugby may refer to:
Sports Rugby codes
* Rugby football in various forms:
** Rugby league: 13 players per side
*** Masters Rugby League
*** Mod league
*** Rugby league nines
*** Rugby league sevens
*** Touch (sport)
*** Wheelchair rugby league
** ...
,
Warwick
Warwick ( ) is a market town and the county town
In the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain,Usage is mixed. The Guardian' and Telegraph' use ...
and
Stratford-on-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon (), commonly known as just Stratford, is a market town
A market town is a European settlement that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medie ...
.
The current county boundaries were set in 1974 by the
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body
A legislature is an assembly
Assembly may refer to:
Organisations and ...
. The
historic county boundaries included
Coventry
Coventry ( or ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its c ...

,
Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield or the Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield known locally as Sutton ( ), is a civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of Parish (administrative division), administrative parish used for Local government in England, ...
and
Solihull
Solihull (, or ) is a large market town
A market town is a European settlement that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages
In the history of Europe
The history of Europe concerns itself with the discovery ...
, as well as much of
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a city
A city is a large human settlement.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Ro ...

.
Geography
Warwickshire is bordered by
Leicestershire
Leicestershire (; postal abbreviation Leics.) is a landlocked county
A county is a geographical region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary
The ''Chambers Dictionary'' (''TCD'') was first publishe ...

to the northeast,
Staffordshire
Staffordshire (; postal abbreviation Staffs.) is a landlocked Counties of England, county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It borders Cheshire to the northwest, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, Warwickshire to ...

to the northwest,
and the
West MidlandsWest Midlands may refer to: Places
* West Midlands (region), a region of the United Kingdom
**West Midlands (county), the metropolitan county in the West Midlands region
** West Midlands conurbation, the large conurbation in the West Midlands region
...
to the west,
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire (; abbreviated Northants.), archaically known as the County of Northampton, is a historic county in the East Midlands
The East Midlands is one of nine official regions of England at the ITL 1 statistical regions of England ...

to the east and southeast,
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire ( abbreviated Glos) is a county
A county is a geographical region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary
The ''Chambers Dictionary'' (''TCD'') was first published by William Chamber ...

to the southwest and
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a landlocked county
A county is a geographical region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary
The ''Chambers Dictionary'' (''TCD'') was first published by William Chambers (publisher), ...

to the south. The northern tip of the county is only from the
Derbyshire
Derbyshire (; or ) is a county in the East Midlands of England. It includes much of the Peak District, Peak District National Park, the southern end of the Pennines, Pennine range of hills, and part of the The National Forest (England), Nation ...

border. An average-sized English county covering an area of , it runs some north to south.
The majority of Warwickshire's population live in the north and centre of the county. The market towns of northern and eastern Warwickshire were industrialised in the 19th century, and include
Atherstone
Atherstone is a market town and civil parish in North Warwickshire, Warwickshire, England. Located in the far north of the county, Atherstone forms part of the border with Leicestershire along the A5 road (Great Britain), A5 national route, an ...
,
Bedworth
Bedworth ( or locally or ) is a market town
A market town is a European that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the , a market right, which allowed it to host a regular ; this distinguished it from a or . In Britain, small rural t ...
,
ColeshillColeshill may refer to:
England
* Coleshill, Warwickshire, a town
* Coleshill, Buckinghamshire, a village and civil parish
* Coleshill, Oxfordshire, a village and civil parish (formerly Berkshire)
**nearby Coleshill House, destroyed "best Jonesian m ...
,
Nuneaton
Nuneaton ( ) is a large market town in the Borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth
Nuneaton and Bedworth is a local government district with borough
A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In ...

, and
Rugby
Rugby may refer to:
Sports Rugby codes
* Rugby football in various forms:
** Rugby league: 13 players per side
*** Masters Rugby League
*** Mod league
*** Rugby league nines
*** Rugby league sevens
*** Touch (sport)
*** Wheelchair rugby league
** ...
. Major industries included
coal mining
Coal mining is the process of extracting coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as stratum, rock strata called coal seams. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other Chemical element, ele ...
,
textiles
A textile is a flexible material made by creating an interlocking bundle of yarn
Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibres, suitable for use in the production of textiles, sewing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, embroidery, ...

,
engineering
Engineering is the use of scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad range of more speciali ...

and
cement
A cement is a binder (material), binder, a substance used for construction that solidification, sets, hardens, and adheres to other materials to bind them together. Cement is seldom used on its own, but rather to bind sand and gravel (constru ...
production, but heavy industry is in decline, being replaced by distribution centres, light to medium industry and services. Of the northern and eastern towns, Nuneaton and Rugby (as the birthplace of
rugby football
Rugby football is a collective name for the family of team sports of rugby union and rugby league, as well as the earlier forms of football from which both games, as well as Australian rules football and gridiron football, evolved.
The two v ...
) are best known outside of Warwickshire. The prosperous towns of central and western Warwickshire, including
Royal Leamington Spa
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 ...
,
Warwick
Warwick ( ) is a market town and the county town
In the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain,Usage is mixed. The Guardian' and Telegraph' use ...

,
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon (), commonly known as just Stratford, is a market town
A market town is a European that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the , a market right, which allowed it to host a regular ; this distinguished it from ...

,
Kenilworth
Kenilworth ( ) is a market town and civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government
Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration
Public admi ...

,
Alcester
Alcester () is a market town
A market town is a European settlement that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages
In the history of Europe
The history of Europe concerns itself with the discovery and collect ...

,
Southam
Southam () is a market town and civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counti ...
and
Wellesbourne
Wellesbourne is a large village in the civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and ...
, harbour tourism, gaming and services as major employment sectors.
The north of the county, bordering Staffordshire and Leicestershire, is mildly undulating countryside (rising to 178m / 581 ft near
Hartshill
Hartshill is a village and civil parish in North Warwickshire, England, just north-west of the town of Nuneaton.
The parish borders the district of Nuneaton and Bedworth at the south, the North Warwickshire district parishes of Ansley at t ...
) and the northernmost village,
No Man's Heath, is only south of the
Peak District National Park Peak or The Peak may refer to:
Basic meanings Geology
* Mountain peak, see summit
A summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation
The elevation of a geographic
Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia'', literally "earth ...

's southernmost point.
The south of the county is largely rural and sparsely populated, and includes a very small area of the
Cotswolds
The Cotswolds ( , ) is an area in south-central England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea ...
, at the border with northeast Gloucestershire. The plain between the outlying Cotswolds and the
Edgehill escarpment is known as the
Vale of Red Horse.
[''Proceedings of the Cotteswold Naturalists' Field Club'', v.14, (1903), p.217] The only
town
A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than city, cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world.
Origin and use
The word "town" shares a ...

in the south of Warwickshire is
Shipston-on-Stour
Shipston-on-Stour is a town and civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counti ...

. The highest point in the county, at , is
Ebrington Hill, again on the border with Gloucestershire, at the county's southwest extremity.
There are no cities in Warwickshire since both
Coventry
Coventry ( or ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its c ...

and
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a city
A city is a large human settlement.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Ro ...

were incorporated into the West Midlands county in 1974 and are now metropolitan authorities in themselves. According to the
2011 United Kingdom census
A Census in the United Kingdom, census of the population of the United Kingdom is taken every ten years. The 2011 census was held in all countries of the UK on 27 March 2011. It was the first UK census which could be completed online via the Inter ...
, the largest towns (+20,000 pop.) in Warwickshire were: Nuneaton (pop. 81,900), Rugby (70,600), Leamington Spa (49,500), Bedworth (32,500), Warwick (30,100), Stratford (25,500) and Kenilworth (22,400)
Arden and Felden
Much of western Warwickshire, including the area now forming part of Coventry, Solihull and Birmingham, was covered by the ancient
Forest of Arden
Arden is an area, located mainly in Warwickshire
Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a county
A county is a geographical region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambe ...
(most of which was cut down to provide fuel for industrialisation). Thus the names of a number of places in the central-western part of Warwickshire end with the phrase "-in-Arden", such as
Henley-in-Arden
Henley-in-Arden (also known as simply Henley) is a town in the Stratford-on-Avon District in Warwickshire, England. The name is a reference to the former Arden, Warwickshire, Forest of Arden. In the United Kingdom Census 2001, 2001 census the tow ...
,
Hampton-in-Arden
Hampton in Arden is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish located in the Arden, Warwickshire, Forest of Arden in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands of England. Hampton in Arden was ...
and
Tanworth-in-Arden
Tanworth-in-Arden (; often abbreviated to Tanworth) is a small village and civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of loca ...
. The remaining area, not part of the forest, was called the Felden – from ''
fielden -'' and is now an undulating and agricultural landscape, through which the rivers Avon and Leam flow.
Historic county boundaries
Areas
historically part of Warwickshire include
Coventry
Coventry ( or ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its c ...

,
Solihull
Solihull (, or ) is a large market town
A market town is a European settlement that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages
In the history of Europe
The history of Europe concerns itself with the discovery ...
,
Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield or the Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield known locally as Sutton ( ), is a civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of Parish (administrative division), administrative parish used for Local government in England, ...

, and some of
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a city
A city is a large human settlement.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Ro ...

including
Erdington
Erdington is a suburb and ward of Birmingham that is Historic counties of England, historically part of Warwickshire. It is northeast of central Birmingham, England and borders Sutton Coldfield. It was also a Government of Birmingham, England#D ...
, Aston and Edgbaston. These areas also became part of the
metropolitan county
The metropolitan counties are a type of county-level administrative division
Administrative division, administrative unitArticle 3(1). , country subdivision, administrative region, subnational entity, first-level subdivision, as well as man ...
of
West MidlandsWest Midlands may refer to: Places
* West Midlands (region), a region of the United Kingdom
**West Midlands (county), the metropolitan county in the West Midlands region
** West Midlands conurbation, the large conurbation in the West Midlands region
...
(and Sutton Coldfield became part of Birmingham) following
local government re-organisation in 1974.
In 1986 the
West Midlands County Council
The West Midlands County Council (WMCC) was, from 1974 to 1986, the upper-tier administrative body for the West Midlands (county), West Midlands county, a metropolitan county in England.
History
The WMCC existed for a total of twelve years. It w ...
was abolished and Birmingham, Coventry, and Solihull became effective
unitary authorities
A unitary authority is a local authority
Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state
A sovereign state is a political entity that is represented by one centralized gove ...
. However, the West Midlands county name has not been altogether abolished, and still exists for
. Since 2016, it has been used as part of the
West Midlands Combined Authority
The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) is a combined authority for the West Midlands (county), West Midlands metropolitan county in the United Kingdom. It was established by statutory instrument under the Local Democracy, Economic Developm ...
, with powers over transport, economic development and regeneration. Some organisations, such as
Warwickshire County Cricket Club
Warwickshire County Cricket Club is one of eighteen first-class
First class (or 1st class, Firstclass) generally implies a high level of service, importance or quality. Specific uses of the term include:
Books and Comics
* ''First Class'' ...
, which is based in
Edgbaston
Edgbaston () is an affluent suburban area of central Birmingham, England, historically in Warwickshire, and curved around the southwest of the city centre.
In the 19th century, the area was under the control of the Gough-Calthorpe family an ...

, in Birmingham, observe the
historic county boundaries.
The
was registered in October 2016. It is a design of a
bear and ragged staff on a red field, which is long associated with the county.
Coventry
Coventry ( or ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its c ...

is effectively in the centre of the Warwickshire area, and still has strong ties with the county. Coventry and Warwickshire are sometimes treated as a single area and share a single
,
Local Enterprise Partnership
In England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest of England and the Celtic Sea to the ...
and BBC Local Radio Station (
BBC Coventry & Warwickshire
BBC CWR is the Local BBC Radio, BBC's local radio station serving Coventry and Warwickshire.
It broadcasts on frequency modulation, FM, Digital Audio Broadcasting, DAB, digital TV and via BBC Sounds from studios at Priory Place in Coventry city ...
).
Coventry
Coventry ( or ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its c ...

was administered separately from the rest of Warwickshire between 1451 and 1842. It formed the
County of the City of Coventry, a
county corporate
A county corporate or corporate county was a type of subnational division used for local government
Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration
Public administration is the implementation of government ...
from 1451. In 1842 the county corporate of Coventry was abolished and remerged with the rest of Warwickshire.
The town of
Tamworth was historically divided between Warwickshire and
Staffordshire
Staffordshire (; postal abbreviation Staffs.) is a landlocked Counties of England, county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It borders Cheshire to the northwest, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, Warwickshire to ...

, but since 1888 has been fully in Staffordshire.
Green belt
Warwickshire contains a large expanse of
green belt
A green belt is a policy and land-use zone designation used in land-use planning
Land use planning is the process of regulating the use of land by a central authority. Usually, this is done to promote more desirable social and environmental ...
area, surrounding the
West MidlandsWest Midlands may refer to: Places
* West Midlands (region), a region of the United Kingdom
**West Midlands (county), the metropolitan county in the West Midlands region
** West Midlands conurbation, the large conurbation in the West Midlands region
...
and
Coventry
Coventry ( or ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its c ...
conurbations, and was first drawn up from the 1950s. All the county's districts contain some portion of the belt.
Places of interest

*
Anne Hathaway's Cottage
Anne Hathaway's Cottage is a twelve-roomed farmhouse where Anne Hathaway (wife of Shakespeare), Anne Hathaway, the wife of William Shakespeare, lived as a child in the village of Shottery, Warwickshire, England, about west of Stratford-upon-Avon ...

*
Arbury Hall
Arbury Hall () is a Grade I listed building, Grade I listed English country houses, country house in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England, and the ancestral home of the Newdigate baronets, Newdigate family, later the Newdigate-Newdegate and Fitzroy-N ...
*
Battle of Edgehill
The Battle of Edgehill (or Edge Hill) was a pitched battle
A pitched battle or set-piece battle is a battle
A battle is an occurrence of combat
Combat ( French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent conflict meant to physically ...
*
The Belfry
The Belfry is a golf
Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various Golf club, clubs to hit Golf ball, balls into a series of holes on a golf course, course in as few strokes as possible.
Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot a ...
*
Brinklow Castle
*
British Motor Museum
The British Motor Museum in Warwickshire
Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a county
A county is a geographical region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary
The ''Chambers Dictionary'' (''TC ...
*
Burton Dassett Hills
*
Caldecotte Park
*
Charlecote Park
Charlecote Park () is a grand 16th-century country house
An English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a Townhouse (Great Britain), town house. Th ...

*
Charlecote Water Mill
*
*
Compton Verney House
Compton Verney House () is an 18th-century country mansion at Compton Verney near Kineton in Warwickshire, England. It is located on the west side of a lake north of the B4086 road, B4086 about north-west of Banbury. Today, it is the site of the ...
*
Compton Wynyates
Compton Wynyates is a Tudor architecture, Tudor English country house, country house in Warwickshire, England, a Grade I listed building. The Tudor period house is constructed of red brick and built around a central courtyard. It is castellated ...

*
Coombe Abbey
Coombe Abbey is a hotel which has been developed from a historic grade I listed building
A listed building, or listed structure, is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England
Historic Engla ...
*
Coombe Country Park
Coombe Country Park is a country park located in Warwickshire, England. The park is only 4.5 miles (7.5 km) east of Coventry city centre and is managed by Coventry City Council. The park has been developed from the grounds of an old Cistercian a ...
*
Coughton Court
Coughton Court () is an English Tudor
Tudor most commonly refers to:
* House of Tudor, English royal house of Welsh origins
** Tudor period, a historical era in England coinciding with the rule of the Tudor dynasty
Tudor may also refer to:
...

*
Coventry Canal
The Coventry Canal is a navigable narrow canal in the Midlands of England.
It starts in Coventry and ends to the north at Fradley Junction, just north of Lichfield, where it joins the Trent and Mersey Canal. It also has connections with the A ...
*
Draycote Water
Draycote Water is a reservoir (water), reservoir and country park near the village of Dunchurch, south of Rugby, Warwickshire, Rugby in Warwickshire, England, owned and operated by Severn Trent Water. It draws its water from the River Leam, an ...

*
Grand Union Canal
The Grand Union Canal in England
England is a that is part of the . It shares land borders with to its west and to its north. The lies northwest of England and the to the southwest. England is separated from by the to the eas ...

*
*
Hartshill Hayes County Park
*Hatton Country World
*Jephson Gardens
*Kenilworth Castle
*King Edward VI School, Stratford-upon-Avon, King Edward VI School
*Kingsbury Water Park
*Ladywalk Reserve
*Lunt Roman Fort
*Lord Leycester Hospital
*Lowsonford
*Mary Arden's House
*Midland Air Museum
*Nuneaton Museum & Art Gallery
*Oxford Canal
*Ragley Hall
*River Avon, Warwickshire, River Avon
*Rollright Stones
*Royal Pump Rooms
*Rugby Art Gallery and Museum
*Rugby School
*Ryton Pools Country Park
*Shakespeare's Birthplace
*New Place, Shakespeare's New Place
*St Nicholas Park
*The Forest Hermitage
*University of Warwick
*Warwick Castle
*Warwick School
*Webb Ellis Rugby Football Museum
*Wellesbourne Wartime Museum
Economy
Warwickshire has a strong and growing economy with the automotive industry being a major contributor. In the north, BMW’s Hams Hall plant employs over 1,000 people, while Jaguar Land Rover and Aston Martin Lagonda have headquarters, including a giant advanced production creation centre, at Gaydon in the south.
Warwickshire is also establishing a growing reputation as a global hub of the video game industry. One of Britain's oldest still-running game studios, Codemasters, has operated out of
Southam
Southam () is a market town and civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counti ...
for decades; the greater "List of places with 'Silicon' names, Silicon Spa" area, including Southam,
Royal Leamington Spa
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 ...
and
Warwick
Warwick ( ) is a market town and the county town
In the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain,Usage is mixed. The Guardian' and Telegraph' use ...

, is now home to dozens of game studios which employ a combined total of over 2,000 highly skilled people, equating to more than 10% of the UK's games development workforce.
Increasingly the region is establishing itself as one of the leading areas in battery technology with major developments announced in 2021 that include a £130 million UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) based in Coventry.
Tourism is also a key area of employment with country parks, rural areas and historic towns across the county. It generates a total business turnover of over £1 billion to the local economy and supports almost 20,000 jobs.
Settlements
The following towns and villages in Warwickshire rank in the top 20.
Main Warwickshire Settlements:
*
Bedworth
Bedworth ( or locally or ) is a market town
A market town is a European that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the , a market right, which allowed it to host a regular ; this distinguished it from a or . In Britain, small rural t ...
*
Kenilworth
Kenilworth ( ) is a market town and civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government
Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration
Public admi ...

*
Nuneaton
Nuneaton ( ) is a large market town in the Borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth
Nuneaton and Bedworth is a local government district with borough
A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In ...

*
Leamington Spa
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or simply Leamington (), is a spa town
A spa town is a based on a (a developed ). Patrons visit spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. The word ''spa'' is ...
*
Rugby
Rugby may refer to:
Sports Rugby codes
* Rugby football in various forms:
** Rugby league: 13 players per side
*** Masters Rugby League
*** Mod league
*** Rugby league nines
*** Rugby league sevens
*** Touch (sport)
*** Wheelchair rugby league
** ...
*
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon (), commonly known as just Stratford, is a market town
A market town is a European that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the , a market right, which allowed it to host a regular ; this distinguished it from ...

*
Warwick
Warwick ( ) is a market town and the county town
In the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain,Usage is mixed. The Guardian' and Telegraph' use ...

Smaller Settlements include:
*
Alcester
Alcester () is a market town
A market town is a European settlement that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages
In the history of Europe
The history of Europe concerns itself with the discovery and collect ...

*
Atherstone
Atherstone is a market town and civil parish in North Warwickshire, Warwickshire, England. Located in the far north of the county, Atherstone forms part of the border with Leicestershire along the A5 road (Great Britain), A5 national route, an ...
*Bidford-on-Avon
*Bulkington
*
ColeshillColeshill may refer to:
England
* Coleshill, Warwickshire, a town
* Coleshill, Buckinghamshire, a village and civil parish
* Coleshill, Oxfordshire, a village and civil parish (formerly Berkshire)
**nearby Coleshill House, destroyed "best Jonesian m ...
*Kingsbury, Warwickshire, Kingsbury
*Polesworth
*
Shipston-on-Stour
Shipston-on-Stour is a town and civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counti ...

*
Southam
Southam () is a market town and civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counti ...
*Studley, Warwickshire, Studley
*Water Orton
*
Wellesbourne
Wellesbourne is a large village in the civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and ...
*Whitnash
History

Warwickshire came into being as a division of the kingdom of Mercia in the early 11th century. The first reference to Warwickshire was in 1001, as ''Wæringscīr'' named after Warwick (meaning "dwellings by the weir").
During the Middle Ages Warwickshire was dominated by
Coventry
Coventry ( or ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its c ...

, which was at the time one of the most important cities in England due to its importance in the textiles trade. Warwickshire played a key part in the English Civil War, with the
Battle of Edgehill
The Battle of Edgehill (or Edge Hill) was a pitched battle
A pitched battle or set-piece battle is a battle
A battle is an occurrence of combat
Combat ( French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent conflict meant to physically ...
and other skirmishes taking place in the county. During the Industrial Revolution Warwickshire became one of Britain's foremost industrial counties, with the large industrial cities of
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a city
A city is a large human settlement.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Ro ...

and
Coventry
Coventry ( or ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its c ...

within its boundaries.
Boundary changes
*1844: The Counties (Detached Parts) Act 1844#Warwickshire, Counties (Detached Parts) Act transferred a township to, and two parishes from, the county.
*1888: Those parts of the town of
Tamworth lying in Warwickshire were ceded to Staffordshire.
*1891: Harborne became part of the County Borough of Birmingham and thus was transferred from Staffordshire to Warwickshire by the Local Govt. Bd.'s Prov. Orders Conf. (No. 13) Act, 54 & 55 Vic. c. 161 (local act).
*1891: The district of Balsall Heath, which had originally constituted the most northerly part of the Parish of King's Norton in Worcestershire, was added to the County Borough of Birmingham, and therefore Warwickshire, on 1 October 1891.
*1909: Quinton, Birmingham, Quinton was formally removed from Worcestershire and incorporated into the County Borough of Birmingham, then in Warwickshire, on 9 November 1909.
*1911: The Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland), Urban District Handsworth, West Midlands, of Handsworth, in Staffordshire, and the Rural District Yardley, Birmingham, of Yardley along with the greater part of the Urban District of King's Norton and Northfield, both in Worcestershire, were absorbed into Birmingham, and thus Warwickshire, as part of the ''Greater Birmingham Scheme'' on 9 November 1911.
*1928: Perry Barr Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland), Urban District was ceded to Birmingham from Staffordshire.
*1931: The boundaries between Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire were adjusted by the Provisional Order Confirmation (Gloucestershire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire) Act which transferred 26 parishes between the three counties, largely to eliminate List of county exclaves in England and Wales 1844 - 1974, exclaves. The town of
Shipston-on-Stour
Shipston-on-Stour is a town and civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counti ...

was gained from Worcestershire and several villages, including Long Marston, Warwickshire, Long Marston and Welford-on-Avon, from
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire ( abbreviated Glos) is a county
A county is a geographical region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary
The ''Chambers Dictionary'' (''TCD'') was first published by William Chamber ...

.
*1974: Under The
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body
A legislature is an assembly
Assembly may refer to:
Organisations and ...
, Birmingham,
Coventry
Coventry ( or ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its c ...

,
Solihull
Solihull (, or ) is a large market town
A market town is a European settlement that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages
In the history of Europe
The history of Europe concerns itself with the discovery ...
and
Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield or the Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield known locally as Sutton ( ), is a civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of Parish (administrative division), administrative parish used for Local government in England, ...

were ceded to the new West Midlands (county), West Midlands county, with Sutton Coldfield becoming part of Birmingham.
Local government
Like most English shire counties, Warwickshire has a two-tier structure of local government in the United Kingdom, local government. with a county council, and five Non-metropolitan district, districts each with their own district or borough councils. These districts are:
North Warwickshire
North Warwickshire is a local government district
The districts of England (also known as local authority districts or local government districts to distinguish from unofficial city districts) are a level of subnational division of England u ...
,
Nuneaton and Bedworth
Nuneaton and Bedworth is a local government district with borough
A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, althoug ...
, Borough of Rugby, Rugby, Stratford-on-Avon (district), Stratford, and Warwick District, Warwick (see map). The county and district councils are responsible for providing different services.
Atherstone
Atherstone is a market town and civil parish in North Warwickshire, Warwickshire, England. Located in the far north of the county, Atherstone forms part of the border with Leicestershire along the A5 road (Great Britain), A5 national route, an ...
is the headquarters of the North Warwickshire district,
Nuneaton
Nuneaton ( ) is a large market town in the Borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth
Nuneaton and Bedworth is a local government district with borough
A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In ...

is headquarters of the Nuneaton and Bedworth District and
Leamington Spa
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or simply Leamington (), is a spa town
A spa town is a based on a (a developed ). Patrons visit spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. The word ''spa'' is ...
is the headquarters of the Warwick district.
Warwickshire County Council, based in
Warwick
Warwick ( ) is a market town and the county town
In the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain,Usage is mixed. The Guardian' and Telegraph' use ...

is elected every four years. The last 2021 Warwickshire County Council election, election was the held on 6 May 2021 and resulted in a Conservative majority. The county council operates a cabinet-style council. The county council is made of 57 councillors, who decide upon the budget and appoints the council leader. The council leader selects 8 councillors and together they form the cabinet. The Leader assigns portfolios on which cabinet members make decisions. Key decisions are made by the whole cabinet while others are made only by the portfolio holders for relevant areas.
In addition many small towns and villages have their own town council or Parish councils in England, parish council as the most local tier of local government.
Warwickshire is policed by the Warwickshire Police. The force is governed by the elected Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner.
Proposed local government reorganisation
In August 2020 Warwickshire County Council put forward proposals for the five district and borough councils in the county to be abolished and replaced with a singe county-wide unitary authorities of England, unitary authority. This prompted a backlash from the district and borough councils who commissioned their own report, which argued in favour of Warwickshire being split into two unitary authorities, one for the north of the county, covering the current districts of North Warwickshire, Nuneaton and Bedworth and Rugby, and one for the south of the county, covering Warwick and Stratford districts. In September 2020, it was agreed that both proposals would be sent for consideration to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Education
In the state sector, children start school in the school year in which they turn five. They stay at primary school for seven years (although this varies even within the county, as some people have previously gone for four years and then spent another four years at a 'middle school') until they are eleven. Warwickshire is one of List of grammar schools in England, 36 local authorities in England to still maintain the grammar school system in two districts: Stratford-on-Avon and Rugby. In the final year of primary school, children are given the opportunity of sitting the eleven-plus exam, 11-plus exam to compete for a place at one of the 5 grammar schools: Stratford-upon-Avon Grammar School for Girls; King Edward VI School, Stratford-upon-Avon, King Edward VI School, a boys' school from year 7–11 with a mixed Sixth-Form; Lawrence Sheriff School, Lawrence Sheriff Grammar School for Boys; Rugby High School for Girls and Alcester Grammar School (mixed). The Warwickshire 11+ selection test consists of two papers, each containing a mixture of verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning and non-verbal reasoning multiple-choice questions.
Warwickshire contains four colleges of further education: North Warwickshire and Hinckley College, North Warwickshire & Hinckley College, King Edward VI Sixth Form College (K.E.G.S) in Nuneaton, Stratford-upon-Avon College and the WCG (college), Warwickshire College Group an institution made up of six main separate colleges that have merged (Leamington Centre, Rugby Centre, Moreton Morrell Centre, Pershore College, Henley-in-Arden Centre and the Trident Centre in Warwick).
There are also six independent senior schools within the county, namely: Rugby School, Warwick School, Princethorpe College, Kingsley School, Arnold Lodge School (both in
Leamington Spa
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or simply Leamington (), is a spa town
A spa town is a based on a (a developed ). Patrons visit spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. The word ''spa'' is ...
), and the King's High School For Girls (in
Warwick
Warwick ( ) is a market town and the county town
In the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain,Usage is mixed. The Guardian' and Telegraph' use ...

).
A number of the Warwickshire grammar and independent schools have historical significance. King Edward VI School, Stratford-upon-Avon still uses 13th century school buildings and is the likely school of
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare (bapt. 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's greatest dramatist. He is often called England's national p ...

, Rugby School was founded in 1567 and Warwick School was founded c. 914 AD, which makes it the oldest surviving boys' school in the country. Rugby School is one of nine schools that were defined as the "great" English public schools by the Public Schools Act 1868, and is a member of the Rugby Group. Rugby School, Princethorpe College and Warwick School are Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, HMC schools, with the Headmaster from each school attending the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference.
There are no universities per se in Warwickshire, though the University of Warwick forms part of the border with Warwickshire on the southern edge of the city of Coventry. Some areas of the University of Warwick are within the boundaries of Warwickshire including Lakeside Village and Warwick Business School The university has a small campus near Wellesbourne which houses the Warwick Horticultural Research Centre and an Innovation Centre.
Transport
Roads
Several major motorways run through Warwickshire. These include:
*The M40 motorway, which connects London to
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a city
A city is a large human settlement.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Ro ...

, runs through the centre of the county, and serves Leamington Spa, Warwick and Stratford.
*The M6 motorway, which connects northwestern England and the West Midlands to the M1 motorway (and then on to London), runs through the north of Warwickshire, and serves Rugby, Nuneaton and Bedworth on its way to Birmingham.
*The M69 motorway, M69 Coventry to Leicester motorway, which serves Nuneaton.
*Other motorways pass briefly through Warwickshire including the M45 motorway, M45 (a short spur south of Rugby connecting to the M1), the southern end of the M6 Toll, and the M42 motorway, M42, which passes through the county at several points.
Other major trunk routes in Warwickshire includes the A45 road, A45 (Rugby-Coventry-Birmingham and east into Northamptonshire route). The A46 road, A46 (connects the M40 to the M6 via Warwick, Kenilworth and Coventry), the A452 road, A452 (Leamington to Birmingham route) and the A5 road (Great Britain), A5 runs through Warwickshire passing Nuneaton between Tamworth and Hinckley. Also the A444 goes through Nuneaton and Bedworth.
Rail
Two major railway lines pass through Warwickshire.
*The Chiltern Main Line, the former Great Western Railway route from Paddington railway station, London Paddington to Birmingham Snow Hill railway station, Birmingham passes through the centre of Warwickshire on a route similar to the M40 motorway, and has stations at , , (and ), and . Rail services are provided by Chiltern Railways and West Midlands Trains (Birmingham to Leamington only). There are also two branches off the Chiltern line, one Coventry to Leamington Line, from Leamington to Coventry, and another from Hatton near Warwick Leamington–Stratford line, to Stratford.

*The West Coast Main Line (WCML) runs through Warwickshire. At the WCML splits into two parts, one runs west through to Coventry railway station, Coventry and Birmingham New Street railway station, Birmingham, and the other the Trent Valley Line runs north-west towards and the north-west of England. This section has stations at , , and (north bound services only). There is one branch off the WCML from Coventry to Nuneaton Line, Nuneaton to Coventry, and there are stations at , and on this branch.
Other railway lines in Warwickshire include the Birmingham-Nuneaton section of the Birmingham to Peterborough Line, which continues east of Nuneaton towards Leicester railway station, Leicester and Peterborough railway station, Peterborough. Nuneaton has direct services to Birmingham and Leicester on this line, and there are two intermediate stations at and Coleshill Parkway railway station, Coleshill in the extreme north-west of the county.
There is also North Warwickshire Line, a branch line from Birmingham to . This line used to continue southwards to Cheltenham but is now a dead-end branch. There is an intermediate station on this line at and at several small villages. Stratford also has direct rail services to London via the branch line to Warwick (mentioned earlier).
Until 2018 the only major town in Warwickshire without a station was
Kenilworth
Kenilworth ( ) is a market town and civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government
Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration
Public admi ...

. The Leamington to Coventry line passes through the town, but the station was closed in the 1960s as part of the Beeching cuts. Kenilworth railway station, A replacement station opened in April 2018, with an hourly service to Coventry and to Leamington provided by West Midlands Trains.
Air
Coventry Airport is located in the Warwickshire village of Baginton.
Canals and waterways

Canals and navigable waterways in Warwickshire include:
*The
Grand Union Canal
The Grand Union Canal in England
England is a that is part of the . It shares land borders with to its west and to its north. The lies northwest of England and the to the southwest. England is separated from by the to the eas ...

, which runs through Leamington and
Warwick
Warwick ( ) is a market town and the county town
In the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain,Usage is mixed. The Guardian' and Telegraph' use ...

and onwards to Birmingham.
**The restored Saltisford Canal Arm is close to the centre of Warwick, and is now a short branch of the Grand Union Canal. The arm is the remains of the original terminus of the Warwick and Birmingham Canal and dates back to 1799.
*The
Coventry Canal
The Coventry Canal is a navigable narrow canal in the Midlands of England.
It starts in Coventry and ends to the north at Fradley Junction, just north of Lichfield, where it joins the Trent and Mersey Canal. It also has connections with the A ...
which runs through the north of the county from
Coventry
Coventry ( or ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its c ...

through
Bedworth
Bedworth ( or locally or ) is a market town
A market town is a European that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the , a market right, which allowed it to host a regular ; this distinguished it from a or . In Britain, small rural t ...
,
Nuneaton
Nuneaton ( ) is a large market town in the Borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth
Nuneaton and Bedworth is a local government district with borough
A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In ...

,
Atherstone
Atherstone is a market town and civil parish in North Warwickshire, Warwickshire, England. Located in the far north of the county, Atherstone forms part of the border with Leicestershire along the A5 road (Great Britain), A5 national route, an ...
, and Polesworth, and then onwards to
Tamworth.
*The Ashby-de-la-Zouch Canal passes briefly through Warwickshire from a junction with the Coventry Canal at
Bedworth
Bedworth ( or locally or ) is a market town
A market town is a European that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the , a market right, which allowed it to host a regular ; this distinguished it from a or . In Britain, small rural t ...
.
*The Oxford Canal, which runs from near Coventry and then eastwards around Rugby, and then through the rural south of the county towards Oxford.
*The Stratford-upon-Avon Canal which runs from the Grand Union west of Warwick to Stratford, where it joins the Avon.
*The River Avon, Warwickshire, River Avon runs through Warwickshire on a south-west to north-east axis, running through Stratford, Warwick and Rugby. It River_Avon,_Warwickshire#Navigation, is navigable for from the River Severn at Tewkesbury to Alveston, Warwickshire, Alveston weir just east of Stratford-upon-Avon, making it the only navigable river in Warwickshire.
There have been proposals to extend the Avon navigation to Warwick. However, as of 2019, these plans look unlikely to proceed.
Sports
Cycling
Warwickshire’s rural roads, canal towpaths and historic towns are increasingly popular with cycling enthusiasts. Its reputation as a major cycling destination has been bolstered in recent years having hosted a stage of the Women’s Tour since 2016 and the Men’s Tour of Britain in 2018 and 2019.
In 2022, St Nicholas Park in Warwick will host the Elite Men’s and Women’s Road Race as part of the Commonwealth Games taking place in Birmingham.
Association football
Warwickshire has no English Football League, Football League clubs. As of the 2021–22 season the highest-placed team is Leamington F.C., Leamington, who play in the National League North, the sixth tier of English football. A level below in the Southern Football League Premier Division Central are Nuneaton Borough F.C., Nuneaton Borough and Stratford Town F.C., Stratford Town. Other clubs include Rugby Town F.C., Rugby Town, Bedworth United F.C., Bedworth United, Southam United F.C., Southam United, Racing Club Warwick F.C., Racing Club Warwick and Coleshill Town F.C.. All of these are affiliated to the Birmingham County Football Association, Birmingham FA.
Aston Villa F.C., Aston Villa, Birmingham City F.C., Birmingham City and Coventry City F.C., Coventry City are Football League clubs located within the historic boundaries of Warwickshire, along with National League club Solihull Moors F.C., Solihull Moors and Southern League Division One Central club Sutton Coldfield Town F.C., Sutton Coldfield Town.
Cricket
Warwickshire County Cricket Club
Warwickshire County Cricket Club is one of eighteen first-class
First class (or 1st class, Firstclass) generally implies a high level of service, importance or quality. Specific uses of the term include:
Books and Comics
* ''First Class'' ...
play at Edgbaston Cricket Ground,
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a city
A city is a large human settlement.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Ro ...

(historically part of Warwickshire). Notable English players for the side have been Eric Hollies, M.J.K. Smith, Bob Willis, Dennis Amiss, Jonathan Trott, Ian Bell, Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes. Overseas players have included Alvin Kallicharran, Rohan Kanhai, Brian Lara, Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock. In 2014 the club partly severed its links to the county by renaming its Twenty20 side the Birmingham Bears, much to the chagrin of many supporters.
Other grounds in modern-day Warwickshire which have hosted First-class cricket, first-class cricket matches are:
*Griff and Coton Ground,
Nuneaton
Nuneaton ( ) is a large market town in the Borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth
Nuneaton and Bedworth is a local government district with borough
A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In ...

– 26 matches (most recently 1980)
*Leamington Cricket Club Ground, Arlington Avenue,
Leamington Spa
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or simply Leamington (), is a spa town
A spa town is a based on a (a developed ). Patrons visit spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. The word ''spa'' is ...
– 4 matches (most recently 1910)
*Stratford-upon-Avon Cricket Club Ground, Swan's Nest Lane,
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon (), commonly known as just Stratford, is a market town
A market town is a European that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the , a market right, which allowed it to host a regular ; this distinguished it from ...

– 3 matches (most recently 2005)
*Nuneaton Cricket Club Ground, Weddington Road,
Nuneaton
Nuneaton ( ) is a large market town in the Borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth
Nuneaton and Bedworth is a local government district with borough
A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In ...

– 3 matches (most recently 1914)
Gaelic sports
The Warwickshire County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) (or Warwickshire GAA) is one of the GAA county, county boards outside Ireland and is responsible for Gaelic games in Warwickshire. The county board is also responsible for the Warwickshire inter-county teams. They play their home games at Páirc na hÉireann, West Midlands, Páirc na hÉireann.
Polo
The Dallas Burston Polo Club is a six-pitch polo (sport), polo club located near
Southam
Southam () is a market town and civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counti ...
.
Freedom of the county
In March 2014 the freedom of the county was bestowed on the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. The honour was officially bestowed following a parade through
Warwick
Warwick ( ) is a market town and the county town
In the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain,Usage is mixed. The Guardian' and Telegraph' use ...

on 6 June 2014.
People
Warwickshire is perhaps best known for being the birthplace of
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare (bapt. 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's greatest dramatist. He is often called England's national p ...

from
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon (), commonly known as just Stratford, is a market town
A market town is a European that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the , a market right, which allowed it to host a regular ; this distinguished it from ...

. Even today, road signs at the county boundary describe Warwickshire as "Shakespeare's County". The county has also produced other famous figures such as Aleister Crowley (from
Royal Leamington Spa
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 ...
),
George Eliot
Mary Ann Evans (22 November 1819 – 22 December 1880; alternatively Mary Anne or Marian), known by her pen name
A pen name, also called a ''nom de plume'' () or a literary double, is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real n ...

and Ken Loach (from
Nuneaton
Nuneaton ( ) is a large market town in the Borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth
Nuneaton and Bedworth is a local government district with borough
A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In ...

), Rupert Brooke (from
Rugby
Rugby may refer to:
Sports Rugby codes
* Rugby football in various forms:
** Rugby league: 13 players per side
*** Masters Rugby League
*** Mod league
*** Rugby league nines
*** Rugby league sevens
*** Touch (sport)
*** Wheelchair rugby league
** ...
), and Michael Drayton (from
Hartshill
Hartshill is a village and civil parish in North Warwickshire, England, just north-west of the town of Nuneaton.
The parish borders the district of Nuneaton and Bedworth at the south, the North Warwickshire district parishes of Ansley at t ...
). The poet Philip Larkin lived in Warwick (born in nearby Coventry). Folk musician Nick Drake, who recorded for Island records in the late 1960s and early 1970s, lived and died in
Tanworth-in-Arden
Tanworth-in-Arden (; often abbreviated to Tanworth) is a small village and civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of loca ...
. Frank Whittle the inventor of the jet engine was born in Coventry and was closely associated with Warwickshire,
growing up in Leamington Spa, and carrying out much of his work at Rugby.
See also
*Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire, List of Lord Lieutenants of Warwickshire
*High Sheriff of Warwickshire, List of High Sheriffs for Warwickshire
*Custos Rotulorum of Warwickshire – List of Keepers of the Rolls
*Warwickshire (UK Parliament constituency) – List of MPs for Warwickshire constituency
*2007 Atherstone fire
*Warwickshire College
*W. W. Quatremain
References
External links
Warwickshire County Council
Warwickshire College HomepageWarwickshire Geological Conservation Group (WGCG)The Manor of HunninghamImages of Warwickshireat the English Heritage Archive
*
{{Authority control
Warwickshire
Non-metropolitan counties
NUTS 3 statistical regions of the United Kingdom
West Midlands (region)
Counties of England established in antiquity