Warwickshire

Warwickshire (pronounced either /?w????k???/ or /?w????k????/) is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in central England. The county town is Warwick. The shape of the administrative area Warwickshire differs considerably from that of the historic county. Commonly used abbreviations for the county are Warks or Warwicks.

History

Main article: History of Warwickshire.

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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 Waeinewiscscr named after Warwick (meaning "dwellings by the weir").

Related Topics:
Mercia - 11th century - 1001 - Weir

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During the middle ages Warwickshire was dominated by Coventry, which was at the time one of the most important cities in England due to its textiles trade.

Related Topics:
Middle ages - Coventry

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Warwickshire played a key part in the English Civil War, with the Battle of Edgehill and other skirmishes taking place in the county.

Related Topics:
English Civil War - Battle of Edgehill

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During the Industrial Revolution Warwickshire became one of Britain's foremost industrial counties, with the large industrial cities of Birmingham and Coventry within its boundaries.

Related Topics:
Industrial Revolution - Birmingham - Coventry

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1974 boundary changes removed Birmingham and Coventry from Warwickshire, leaving the present day county with a rather odd shape, which looks like a large chunk has been bitten out of it.

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