1814 The Beauties of England, Atherstone

This town is situated on the Roman Watling Street, and is, in regard to parpchial arrangement; a hamlet to Mancester. Atherstone was a small place of small consideration at the time of the Conquest, and was bestowed at an early period, to the monks of Bec, in Normandy, by Hugh, Earl of Chester. The monks procured a weekly market and a yearly fair; and to their patronage the town appears indebted for its first steps towards prosperoty. The market, when once established, rapidly augmented in traffic; “but the monks shared the fate attending most alien religious institutions, and surrendered their possessions in the reign of Henry IV.

The town of Atherstone chiefly consist of one street, in which are some commodious and substanial dwellings. An eligible market-house has lately been erected, with a spacious room in the upper division.

This place attains much interest, in an historical view, from its connection with the celebrated battle that ended the war of the rival Roses. Atherstone is not more than nine miles distant from the tract of land usually termed Bosworth Field; and the troops of the Earl of Richmond entered this town on the 20th of August 1845, and halted here for the night. They were encamped on a meadow to teh north of the church, since denominated, from that circumstance, the Royal Meadow. It was during this busy and portentous night that a meeting took place at Atherstone, between Richmond and the two Stanleys,* in which such measures of co-operation were concerted, as occasioned the overthrow of King Richard in the ensuing battle. The Battle of Bosworth Field was fought on Monday, the 22nd of August, 1485.

A religious house for Friar-Hermits of St. Augustin, was founded at Atherstone, in the 49th year of Edward III.; but these mendicant friars met with little encouragement, and their possessions, at the Dissolution, in the time of Henry VIII. were valued only at 30s. 3d. per ann. On the site of the friary a residence was constructed by SIr John Repington, Knt. and the property being afterwards purchased by the Bracebridge family, the old buildings were taken down, and a handsome mansion was erected, which is now possesssed by Abraham Bracebridge,* Esq.

The church belonging to teh friary was completed in the reign of Richard II. After the Dissolution, the nave, or Wwestern end of this church was granted to the inhabitants of Atherstone, as a chapel of ease to the parish of Mancester. And as such it remains at thepresent day. But a south aisle has been added, and some other alterations made, which have detracted much from the summetry and real beauty of the original structure, though they may have added to its convenience.

A free grammer school was founded at Atherstone by Sir William Devereux (then residing at Merevale) and two other benevolent persons, in the year 1573. The chancel of the friary church was appropriated to the use of this seminary; and it is still dedicated to the same purpose.

Atherstone has a weekly market, and four annual fairs. The manufacture of hats is cultivated here to some extent; and the town derives considerable advantage from the canal immiediately proceeding from Coventry to Fazely, which touches its border on the north-west.

The number of houses and inhabitants is thus stated in the returns under the populatio act for 1811: houses inhabited, 591; houses uninhabited, 10; total of persons, 2,921.

At Atherstone was born, in 1607, Obadiah Grew, D. D. who was many years minister of St. Michael’s, Coventry. During the troubles of the 17th century, Dr. Grew sided with the Presbyterians, and took the covenant; but his amiable deportment, and exemplary discharge of his clerical duties, rendered him respectable in the view of all parties. On the Restoration, he was ejected from his preferment, as he refused to conform, but remained at Coventry, where he died, in the year 1689. He published two volumes of sermons, delivered at Coventry.

*Richmond is supposed to have fixed his quarters at the ancient inn, known by the sign of the Three Tuns. The secret conference is said to have taken place in a Little Close, on the confines of the town; but tradition fails to point out the precise spot. For many curious particulars regarding these events, see Mr. Hutton’s Descriptive Account of Bosworth Field.

The Beauties of England and Wales. By J. Britton, J. Norris Brewer, Rev. J. Hodgson, and F. C. Laird. Published 1814