Dictionary of Meaning

<<Back
Please select a letter:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0-9

Warwick

*** Shopping-Tip: Warwick
{{otheruses}} {{GBmap|Warwick - Warwickshire|SP2865}} '''Warwick''' (IPA chart for English pronounced 'worrick' {{IPA|[ˈwɒɹɪk]}}) is the historic county town of Warwickshire in England and has a population of 25,434 (2001 census). The town lies upon the River Avon, Warwickshire River Avon. The town is most famous for the impressive Warwick Castle, the construction of which began in 1068, which attracts huge numbers of tourists from around the world. The town centre is also known for its historic architecture, and contains a mixture of Tudor style Tudor and 17th century 17th-century buildings. Warwick School is an independent school for boys which claims to be the third-oldest surviving school in England. The actual date of its founding is unknown, although 914 has been quoted in some cases. For some years the school honoured the fact that King Edward the Confessor (c.1004-1066) chartered it, although there is no direct evidence for this, and King Henry VIII re-founded the school in 1545. Whatever the truth of the matter, there is no doubt that there has been a grammar school in the town of Warwick since before the Norman Conquest, and its successor, the present school, has been on its current site south of the River Avon since 1879. Warwick School is part of the Warwick Schools Foundation along with The King's High School For Girls and Warwick Preparatory School. Other secondary schools in Warwick include Myton School and Aylesford School, both state run co-ed. The University of Warwick is named after the county of Warwickshire, rather than the town, and is in fact some miles away on the southern outskirts of Coventry. Warwick is also known for Warwick Racecourse, near the west gate of the medieval town which hosts several televised meets a year. Within the racecourse is a small golfcourse.

History
Image:Lord Leycester hospital, Warwick 1.jpg right|thumb|right|200px|[[Lord Leycester hospital by the west gate, Warwick]] According to tradition, Warwick was founded on the banks of the River Avon in the year 914 AD, when Ethelfleda, sister of Mercian king Edward the Elder built defences against Denmark Danish (Viking) invaders; these were to be the basis of Warwick Castle. The name 'Warwick' means "dwellings by the weir". In 1016 the Danes invaded Mercia and burned down much of Warwick, including the nunnery (which stood on the site of the present day St Nicholas Church). Image:Mill Street, Warwick.jpg thumb|left|200px|Mill Street in Warwick Its fortifications led Warwick to become an important administrative centre within the Mercian kingdom. In the early 11th century Anglo-Saxon England was divided into administrative areas known as ''shires'', and the shire administered from Warwick became known as Warwickshire. By the time of Domesday Book, Warwick was a royal borough. In medieval times, Warwick remained under the control of various Earl of Warwick Earls of Warwick, mostly of the Beauchamp family, and became a walled town. Today the only remains of the town walls are the east and west gatehouses. The Eastgate now serves as part of the King's High School, a sister institution to Warwick School. Warwick was not incorporated as a town until 1545. Image:Warwick gatehouse.jpg thumb|right|200px| The Eastgate, Warwick In 1694 a great fire destroyed much of the town, and as a result most of the buildings in the town centre are of 17th and 18th century origin, although a number of older medieval buildings survive, especially around the edges of the town centre. The fire burnt down much of the medieval St. Mary's Church, Warwick church of St Mary; both the chancel and the Beauchamp Chapel, however, survived, the latter having been built between 1443 and 1464 according to the wishes of Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick (who had died in Rouen in 1439). A full size reclining copper gilt effigy of the Earl lies upon his Purbeck marble tomb - a fine piece of medieval metalwork cast in 1459.

Transport
Warwick is near the M40 motorway and the A46 road A46 trunk road. The town also has good railway rail links, with direct services to London, Birmingham and Stratford-upon-Avon provided by Chiltern Railways from the original railway station station in the town and also from Warwick Parkway, a new out-of-town station opened in 2000 a few miles from the town. The other rail operator serving Warwick is Central Trains (to Birmingham and Stratford). The Grand Union Canal and the River Avon, Warwickshire River Avon also pass through the town.

Administration
Population growth has led to Warwick becoming joined to its larger neighbouring town Leamington Spa with which it forms a small conurbation. Both towns are now administered as part of the Warwick (district) Warwick District, which has its headquarters in Leamington, although each retains a separate town council. Warwickshire County Council remains based in Warwick itself.

Associations
J. R. R. Tolkien seems to have been much influenced by Warwick (where he was married) and by its Mercian connections: Lynn Forest-Hill, in an article in the ''Times Literary Supplement'' (TLS 8 July 2005 pp 12-13) argues cogently that two important settlements in Tolkien's work were modelled on Warwick - Edoras closely on the early town, and Minas Tirith more remotely on the Norman; and that aspects of the plot of the Lord of the Rings are paralleled in the romance known as Guy of Warwick. Warwick and its historic buildings have featured in a number of television series, including the BBC's drama series ''Dangerfield'', the period dramas ''Pride and Prejudice'' and ''Tom Jones (film) Tom Jones'' and Granada Television's ''Moll Flanders''. Warwick has many, long established sports clubs including [http://www.warwickhockey.co.uk Warwick Hockey Club] which was founded in 1920 and Racing Club Warwick F.C. founded a year earlier.

Landmarks
* Warwick Castle * Lord Leycester hospital * Lord Leycester hotel * The Warwickshire Museum * Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick Collegiate Church of St Mary

External links

- Warwick Town Council
- A collection of photos of Warwick
- Warwick School
- Warwickshire web directory Category:Towns in Warwickshire Category:English county towns de:Warwick (England) eo:Warwick es:Warwick sv:Warwick

*** Shopping-Tip: Warwick