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Heritage - Trade and Industry
It was the wheel and North Warwickshire’s central location coupled with the coal seams that meant North Warwickshire would inevitably become a major part of the industrial revolution. It has however maintained a balance between the industrial urban and the agricultural rural landscapes that we see today. Trading has been a feature for many centuries with towns like Atherstone and Coleshill with their market squares and market halls. Atherstone also hosted a cheese fair in the past and was once famous as a town that made hats. Today it is developing as a Book Town.
The development of the coal industry with pits at Birch Coppice, Baxterley, Baddesley, Piccadilly and Hurley all provided employment and changed the landscape, bringing the pit head winding wheels onto the skyline. At Pooley Heritage Centre interpretation using video and displays shows the development of coal mining within the North Warwickshire coalfield, which continues to this very day with the pit at Daw Mill
Gravel extraction around Kingsbury Water Park has resulted in a series of lakes and nature reserves that give a breath of fresh air and some interesting walks for all of the family.
The need for clean water saw the development of the water industry, which brought the reservoirs at Shustoke, and the water works at Whitacre into North Warwickshire. The reservoirs have circular walks where you can enjoy watching the sailing boats. The waterworks is a building treasure. Although it can only be viewed from the road it is well worth stopping to admire the design and effort that went into an industrial building.
Today we see the modern industrial giants such as BMW at Hams Hall and TNT at Atherstone finding a home in North Warwickshire, providing employment and keeping the wheels turning and maintaining the hub of England.
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