| |
The
Group | Membership |
Meetings |
A.G.M.
| Contact Details
| Our Constitution |
 |
|
| |
|
If you would like a high quality photograph [on the web site a
only 72 dpi is used to allow for quicker download times] please
e-mail us with the page and image you require, stating why you
want it and your contact details |
|
If you have any information
on these or any other image on the web site please get in touch
|
| London Road |
|
Willenhall as a hamlet has a history going back into the very
mists of time. Anyone travelling from the south would stop by
the two rivers [Avon and Sowe] to refresh themselves, before
continuing on their way up the hill and through the woods, on to
the town of Cofa’s tree. Even as early as Roman times, when
there was a fort at Baginton, the crossing of the river at this
point would have been well known, and during the building of the
A46 by-pass in 1987, a large amount of Saxon – Roman pottery was
found in the Willenhall Woods, Little Farm area.
Later a safe place to stay would have been the chapel of Saint
James, which was built around 1130, as a place of rest and
prayer on route to the Coventry Priory and Cathedral.
The
bridges over the Avon, at the southern boundary, and the Sowe,
appear in records dating from as far back as 1410. By 1535,
there was a stone bridge with five arches on the London Road
crossing the river Sowe. A line of banks west of the present
Dell Close, suggests that the stretch of this road which was
called Weeping Lane, ran up from the Willenhall Bridge to the
east of the present road and aligned with St James Lane. The
Turnpike Company laid out the modern road in 1724. In 1759, a Mr
I Eagle drew up a plan of the road, which also shows the
original route before the seconded turnpiking took place.
|
 |
 |
 |
| c1800 |
 |
 |
 |
| c1960 |
 |
 |
| Looking towards Whitley and Coventry |
 |
 |
| c1960 |
|
The road was to become
the source of continual arguments, between the Company, Coventry
Council [Leet], Foleshill Rural Council, Warwickshire Council
and the inhabitants of the village, due to the high costs of
upkeep and repair for which they were held responsible. This
road was the main route for the heavy traffic from London to the
port of Holyhead and all routes north. The road was therefore
subjected to many overloaded vehicles each day, and all would
have to stop at Toll Bar End, to pay the toll man the dues. The
position of toll collector was in later years auctioned
annually, so it appears to have been a profitable occupation. |
 |
| During the building of the 'Turnpiked road in
the 1790's the hill on which this cottage sits was lowered to
ease the problem of having to hitch more horses to the wagons,
just to get over the hump |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| the One great sorce of information about
Willenhall is the sale documents of Coombe estate |
 |
 |
| What is shown clearly on the map is the
'right of way' or access from the rear of the house, this
follows the ordinal route of the London Road prior to 1790 |
 |
| The map above clearly shows that the route of
the London Road changed when they Turnpiked it in 1795, today we
know the original route as Dell Close |
 |
| The two trees mark the old road route |
|
PICTURES INDEX |
|
|
 |
 |