View source for Warwickshire

{{short description|County of England}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox English county
| official_name          = Warwickshire
| other_name             = 
| image_main             = {{multiple images
|border=infobox
|perrow=1 2
|total_width=270px
| image1 = Kenilworth_Castle_(cropped).jpg
| image2 = George Eliot statue cropped 6.19.jpg
| image3 = Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon - geograph.org.uk - 3112763.jpg
                              }}
| image_caption          = [[Kenilworth Castle]]; statue of [[George Eliot]], [[Nuneaton]]; and [[Royal Shakespeare Theatre]], [[Stratford-upon-Avon]]
| flag_link              = Flag of Warwickshire
| arms_link              = 
| locator_map            = {{Switcher
| [[File: Warwickshire UK locator map 2010.svg|250px]]<br />''Ceremonial Warwickshire within England''<hr />
| Ceremonial Warwickshire
| [[File:Warwickshire - British Isles.svg|250px]]<br />Historic Warwickshire in the British Isles<hr />
| Historic Warwickshire
}}
| coordinates            = 
| region                 = [[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands]]
| established_date       = [[Ancient counties of England|Ancient]]
| established_by         = 
| preceded_by            = 
| origin                 = 
| lord_lieutenant_office = Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire
| lord_lieutenant_name   = Timothy Cox
| high_sheriff_office    = High Sheriff of Warwickshire
| high_sheriff_name      = Sophie Elizabeth Hilleary<ref>{{cite web |url=https://highsheriffs.com/warwickshire/ |title=Warwickshire 2023/2024 |publisher=High Sheriffs' Association of England and Wales |access-date=17 February 2024}}</ref> (2023–24)
| area_total_km2         = 1975
| area_total_rank        = 31st
| ethnicity              = 92.8% White<br />4.6% Asian<br />1.5% Mixed<br />0.8% Black<br />0.4% Other<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/rft-table-ks201ew.xls |format=XLS |title=2011 Census: Key Statistics for local authorities in England and Wales |website=Ons.gov.uk |access-date=19 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160224143452/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/rft-table-ks201ew.xls |archive-date=24 February 2016 |url-status=live  }}</ref>
| county_council         = [[Warwickshire County Council]]
| unitary_council        = 
| unitary_council1       = 
| government             = 
| joint_committees       = 
| admin_hq               = [[Warwick]]
| area_council_km2       = 1975
| area_council_rank      = 22nd
| iso_code               = GB-WAR
| gss_code               = E10000031
| nuts_code              = TLG13
| districts_map          = [[File:Warwickshire numbered districts.svg|150px]]
| districts_list         = 
# [[North Warwickshire]]
# [[Nuneaton and Bedworth]]
# [[Borough of Rugby|Rugby]]
# [[Stratford-on-Avon District|Stratford-on-Avon]]
# [[Warwick District|Warwick]]
| MPs                    = [[List of parliamentary constituencies in Warwickshire|6 MPs]]
| police                 = 
| website                ={{URL|https://warwickshire.gov.uk}} 
| largest_town           = [[Nuneaton]] (new boundaries)<br/>[[Birmingham]] ([[Historic counties of England|historic county]])
}}
'''Warwickshire''' ({{IPAc-en|audio=En-warwickshire.ogg|ˈ|w|ɒr|ɪ|k|ʃ|ər|,_|-|ʃ|ɪər}};  abbreviated '''Warks''') is a [[Ceremonial counties of England|ceremonial county]] in the [[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands]] of England. It is bordered by [[Staffordshire]] and [[Leicestershire]] to the north, [[Northamptonshire]] to the east, [[Oxfordshire]] and [[Gloucestershire]] to the south, and [[Worcestershire]] and the [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands county]] to the west. The largest settlement is [[Nuneaton]].

The county is largely rural, with an area of {{convert|763|sqmi|km2|abbr=on}} and an estimated population of {{English cerem counties|POP=Warwickshire}} in {{English cerem counties|TXT=Year}}. It contains a number of towns, including Nuneaton and [[Bedworth]] in the north-east, [[Rugby, Warwickshire|Rugby]] in the east, [[Stratford-upon-Avon]] in the south-west, and [[Warwick]] and [[Leamington Spa]] adjacent to each other in the centre. For [[Local government in England|local government]] purposes, Warwickshire is a [[non-metropolitan county]] with five [[Non-metropolitan district|districts]]. The county [[Historic counties of England|historically]] included the city of [[Coventry]] and the area to its west, including [[Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield|Sutton Coldfield]], [[Solihull]] and the [[Birmingham city centre|city centre]] of [[Birmingham]].

Warwickshire is a flat, lowland county, but its far south contains part of the [[Cotswolds]], which have been designated a [[national landscape]]. The [[River Avon, Warwickshire|River Avon]], a major tributary of the [[River Severn|Severn]], flows through the south of the county.

The region was part of [[Roman Britain]] and later the Roman road called [[Watling Street]] became the boundary between the [[Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain|Anglo-Saxon]] kingdom of [[Mercia]] and the [[Danelaw]]. The county was relatively settled during the rest of the Middle Ages and Early Modern period; Coventry developed as a major centre of the textiles trade. The playwright [[William Shakespeare]] was born in [[Stratford-upon-Avon]] in 1564, living much of his life there, and the [[Gunpowder Plot]] of 1605 was planned near [[Snitterfield]]. During the Industrial Revolution, the [[Warwickshire Coalfield|Warwickshire coalfield]] was exploited and Coventry and the west of the county became manufacturing centres; Leamington Spa developed as a tourist resort at the same time. The Victorian novelist Mary Ann Evans, better known as [[George Eliot]], was born just outside Nuneaton in 1819.

==Geography==
Warwickshire is bordered by [[Leicestershire]] to the northeast, [[Staffordshire]] to the northwest, [[Worcestershire]] and the [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands]] to the west, [[Northamptonshire]] to the east and southeast, [[Gloucestershire]] to the southwest and [[Oxfordshire]] to the south. The northern tip of the county is only {{convert|3|mi|km|0}} from the [[Derbyshire]] border. An average-sized English county covering an area of {{convert|1,975|km2|sqmi|sigfig=2|abbr=on}},<ref>{{cite web|title=Warwickshire {{!}} county, England, United Kingdom|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Warwickshire|access-date=14 June 2021|website=Encyclopedia Britannica}}</ref> it runs some {{convert|56|mi|km}} north to south.

The majority of Warwickshire's population live in the north and centre of the county.<ref>{{cite web|last=Plumplot|title=Warwickshire population stats in maps and graphs.|url=https://www.plumplot.co.uk/Warwickshire-population.html|access-date=14 June 2021|website=www.plumplot.co.uk}}</ref> The market towns of northern and eastern Warwickshire were industrialised in the 19th century, and include [[Atherstone]], [[Bedworth]], [[Coleshill, Warwickshire|Coleshill]], [[Nuneaton]], and [[Rugby, Warwickshire|Rugby]]. Major industries included [[UK Coal|coal mining]], [[textiles]], [[engineering]] and [[cement]] production, but heavy industry is in decline, being replaced by distribution centres, light to medium industry and services. Of the northern and eastern towns, Nuneaton and Rugby (as the birthplace of [[rugby football]]) are best known outside of Warwickshire. The prosperous towns of central and western Warwickshire, including [[Leamington Spa]], [[Warwick]], [[Stratford-upon-Avon]], [[Kenilworth]], [[Alcester]], [[Southam]] and [[Wellesbourne]], harbour tourism, gaming and services as major employment sectors.

The north of the county, bordering Staffordshire and Leicestershire, is mildly undulating countryside (rising to 178m / 581&nbsp;ft near [[Hartshill]]) and the northernmost village, [[No Man's Heath, Warwickshire|No Man's Heath]], is only {{convert|34|mi|km}} south of the [[Peak District National Park]]'s southernmost point.

The south of the county is largely rural and sparsely populated, and includes a very small area of the [[Cotswolds]], at the border with northeast Gloucestershire. The plain between the outlying Cotswolds and the [[Edge Hill, Warwickshire|Edgehill]] escarpment is known as the [[Vale of Red Horse]].<ref name=pcnfc>''Proceedings of the Cotteswold Naturalists' Field Club'', v.14, (1903), p.217</ref> The only [[town]] in the south of Warwickshire is [[Shipston-on-Stour]]. The highest point in the county, at {{convert|261|m|ft|abbr=on}}, is [[Ebrington Hill]], again on the border with Gloucestershire, {{gbmapping|SP187426}} at the county's southwest extremity.<ref>{{cite book| last=Muir|first=Jonny |title=The UK's County Tops: Reaching the top of 91 historic counties |publisher=Cicerone |year=2011 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mk6k8LtfV2kC&q=ebrington+hill&pg=PA52| isbn= 9781849655538}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last= Bathurst |first= David |year= 2012 |title= Walking the county high points of England |location= Chichester |publisher= Summersdale |isbn= 978-1-84-953239-6 |pages= 98–104}}</ref>

There are no cities in Warwickshire since both [[Coventry]] and [[Birmingham]] were incorporated into the West Midlands county in 1974 and are now metropolitan authorities in themselves. According to the [[2011 United Kingdom census]], the largest towns (+20,000 pop.) in Warwickshire were: Nuneaton (pop. 81,900), Rugby (70,600), Leamington Spa (49,500), Bedworth (32,500), Warwick (30,100), Stratford (25,500) and Kenilworth (22,400)<ref>{{cite web|title=2011 Census – Office for National Statistics|url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/bulletins/keystatisticsandquickstatisticsforlocalauthoritiesintheunitedkingdom/2013-10-11|access-date=14 June 2021|website=www.ons.gov.uk}}</ref>

=== Arden and Felden ===
Much of western Warwickshire, including the area now forming part of Coventry, Solihull and Birmingham, was covered by the ancient [[Forest of Arden]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Where was Shakespeare's Forest of Arden?
|url=https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/where-was-shakespeares-forest-of-arden-|access-date=11 June 2021|website=National Trust}}</ref> (most of which was cut down to provide fuel for industrialisation). Thus the names of a number of places in the central-western part of Warwickshire end with the phrase "-in-Arden", such as [[Henley-in-Arden]], [[Hampton-in-Arden]] and [[Tanworth-in-Arden]]. The remaining area, not part of the forest, was called the Felden – from ''[[wiktionary:fielden|fielden]] -'' and is now an undulating and agricultural landscape, through which the rivers Avon and Leam flow.<ref>{{cite web|last=www.abcounties.com|date=22 April 2021|title=Warwickshire Day – 23rd April|url=https://abcounties.com/featured/warwickshire-day-23rd-april/|access-date=11 June 2021|website=Association of British Counties}}</ref>

===Historic county boundaries===
[[File:Birmingham-Skyline-from-the-West.jpg|thumb|right|Much of [[Birmingham]], presently the UK's second-largest city, was historically in Warwickshire]]
Areas [[Historic counties of England|historically part]] of Warwickshire include [[Coventry]], [[Solihull]], [[Sutton Coldfield]], and much of [[Birmingham]] including the [[Birmingham city centre|city centre]], [[Aston]], [[Castle Bromwich]], [[Digbeth]], [[Edgbaston]], [[Erdington]], [[Hodge Hill]], [[Ladywood]], [[Nechells]], [[Saltley]], [[Shard End]], [[Sheldon, Warwickshire|Sheldon]], [[Small Heath]] and [[Sparkbrook]]. Other areas historically in Warwickshire, all now in the [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands county]] following  [[Local Government Act 1972|local government re-organisation in 1974]], include [[Marston Green]], [[Meriden, Warwickshire|Meriden]], [[Chelmsley Wood]], [[Kingshurst]], and [[Smith's Wood]].

In 1986 the [[West Midlands County Council]] was abolished and Birmingham, Coventry, and Solihull became effective [[unitary authority|unitary authorities]]. However, the West Midlands county name has not been altogether abolished, and still exists for [[Ceremonial counties of England|ceremonial purposes]]. Since 2016, it has been used as part of the [[West Midlands Combined Authority]], with powers over transport, economic development and regeneration. Some organisations, such as [[Warwickshire County Cricket Club]], which is based in [[Edgbaston]], in Birmingham, observe the [[Historic counties of England|historic county]] boundaries.<ref>{{cite web|title=Warwickshire County Cricket Club|url=https://www.ourwarwickshire.org.uk/content/article/warwickshire-county-cricket-club|access-date=14 June 2021|website=Our Warwickshire}}</ref>

The [[Flag of Warwickshire|flag of the historic county]] was registered in October 2016. It is a design of a [[Bear and Ragged Staff|bear and ragged staff]] on a red field, which is long associated with the county.<ref>{{cite web|year=2016|title=UK Flag Registry- Warwickshire|publisher=Flag Institute|url=http://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/flags/warwickshire/|access-date=27 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107113604/https://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/flags/warwickshire/|archive-date=7 November 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|year=2016|title=British County Flags – Warwickshire|publisher=British County Flags|url=https://britishcountyflags.wordpress.com/2016/09/06/warwickshire-flag/|access-date=27 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161014075829/https://britishcountyflags.wordpress.com/2016/09/06/warwickshire-flag/|archive-date=14 October 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Flag of Warwickshire.svg|left|thumb|The flag of the historic county of Warwickshire]]
[[Coventry]] is effectively in the centre of the Warwickshire area, and still has strong ties with the county. Coventry and Warwickshire are sometimes treated as a single area and share a single [[Chamber of Commerce]], [[Local enterprise partnership|Local Enterprise Partnership]] and BBC Local Radio Station ([[BBC CWR]]).

[[Coventry]] was administered separately from the rest of Warwickshire between 1451 and 1842. It formed the [[County of the City of Coventry]],  a [[county corporate]] from 1451. In 1842 the county corporate of Coventry was abolished and remerged with the rest of Warwickshire.

The town of [[Tamworth, Staffordshire|Tamworth]] was historically divided between Warwickshire and [[Staffordshire]], but since 1888 has been fully in Staffordshire.

===Green belt===
{{main|West Midlands Green Belt}}
Warwickshire contains a large expanse of [[Green belt (United Kingdom)|green belt]] area, surrounding the [[West Midlands conurbation|West Midlands]] and [[Coventry/Bedworth Urban Area|Coventry]] conurbations, and was first drawn up from the 1950s.{{clarify|date=August 2023}} All the county's districts contain some portion of the belt.

== Places of interest ==
{{unreferenced section|date=August 2023}}
[[File:Warwick Castle May 2016.jpg|thumb|[[Warwick Castle]]]]
[[File:Chesterton Windmill, Chesterton.jpg|thumb|200x200px|[[Chesterton Windmill]]]]
{{div col|colwidth=17em}}
*[[Anne Hathaway's Cottage]]
*[[Arbury Hall]]
*[[Battle of Edgehill]]
*[[The Belfry]]
*[[Brinklow Castle]]
*[[British Motor Museum]]
*[[Burton Dassett Hills]]
*[[Caldecotte Park]]
*[[Charlecote Park]]
*[[Charlecote Water Mill]]
*[[Chesterton Windmill]]
*[[Compton Verney House]]
*[[Compton Wynyates]]
*[[Coombe Abbey]]
*[[Coombe Abbey|Coombe Country Park]]
*[[Coughton Court]]
*[[Coventry Canal]]
*[[Draycote Water]]
*[[Grand Union Canal]]
*[[Dunchurch|Guy Fawkes House]]
*[[Hartshill Hayes Country Park]]
*[[Hatton Country World]]
*[[Jephson Gardens]]
*[[Kenilworth Castle]]
*[[King Edward VI School, Stratford-upon-Avon|King Edward VI School]]
*[[Kingsbury Water Park]]
*[[Ladywalk Reserve]]
*[[Lunt Roman Fort]]
*[[Lord Leycester Hospital]]
*[[Lowsonford]]
*[[Mary Arden's House]]
*[[Midland Air Museum]]
*[[Newbold Quarry Park]]
*[[Nuneaton Museum & Art Gallery]]
*[[Oxford Canal]]
*[[Ragley Hall]]
*[[River Avon, Warwickshire|River Avon]]
*[[Rollright Stones]]
*[[Royal Pump Rooms]]
*[[Royal Shakespeare Theatre]]
*[[Rugby Art Gallery and Museum]]
*[[Rugby School]]
*[[Ryton Pools Country Park]]
*[[Shakespeare's Birthplace]]
*[[New Place|Shakespeare's New Place]]
*[[St Nicholas' Park, Warwick|St. Nicholas' Park]]
*[[Swift Valley Nature Reserve]]
*[[The Forest Hermitage]]
*[[University of Warwick]]
*[[Warwick Castle]]
*[[Warwick School]]
*[[Webb Ellis Rugby Football Museum]]
*[[Wellesbourne Wartime Museum]]
{{div col end}}

== Economy ==
Warwickshire has a strong and growing economy with the automotive industry being a major contributor. In the north, BMW's Hams Hall plant employs over 1,000 people,<ref>{{cite web|title=Careers|url=https://www.bmwgroup-werke.com/hamshall/en/careers.html|access-date=11 June 2021|website=www.bmwgroup-werke.com}}</ref> while Jaguar Land Rover and Aston Martin Lagonda have headquarters, including a giant advanced production creation centre,<ref>{{cite web|title=Jaguar Land Rover opens giant Advanced Production Creation Centre|url=https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/jaguar-land-rover-opens-giant-advanced-production-creation-centre|access-date=11 June 2021|website=Autocar}}</ref> at Gaydon in the south.

Warwickshire is also establishing a growing reputation as a global hub of the [[video game industry]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Kersley|first=Andrew|title=How a small town in the Midlands became a gaming powerhouse|magazine=Wired UK|url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/leamington-spa-games-industry|access-date=11 June 2021|issn=1357-0978}}</ref> One of Britain's oldest still-running game studios, [[Codemasters]], has operated out of [[Southam]] for decades; the greater "[[List of places with 'Silicon' names|Silicon Spa]]"<ref>{{cite magazine|date=13 January 2020|title=Leamington Spa: At the heart of the UK games industry|url=https://www.mcvuk.com/business-news/leamington-spa-at-the-heart-of-the-uk-games-industry/|access-date=11 June 2021|magazine=MCV/DEVELOP}}</ref> area, including Southam, [[Royal Leamington Spa]] and [[Warwick]], is now home to dozens of game studios which employ a combined total of over 2,000 highly skilled people, equating to more than 10% of the UK's games development workforce.<ref>{{cite web|title=home {{!}} Silicon Spa – Leamington Spa Gaming Cluster|url=http://backspaceuk.com/siliconspa/home-2.html|access-date=11 June 2021|website=backspaceuk.com}}</ref>

Increasingly the region is establishing itself as one of the leading areas in battery technology with major developments announced in 2021 that include a £130&nbsp;million UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC)<ref>{{cite web |title=Our Story |url=https://www.ukbic.co.uk/our-story |access-date=23 December 2025 |website=UKBIC}}</ref> based in Coventry.

Tourism is also a key area of employment with country parks, rural areas and historic towns across the county. It generates a total business turnover of over £1 billion to the local economy and supports almost 20,000 jobs.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tourism in South Warwickshire {{!}} Stratford-on-Avon District Council|url=https://www.stratford.gov.uk/business-investment/tourism.cfm|access-date=11 June 2021|website=www.stratford.gov.uk}}</ref>

== Settlements ==
{{main|List of places in Warwickshire}}

{{further|List of Warwickshire towns by population}}
{{Location map+|Warwickshire|width   = 400
  |float   = right
  |caption = <br />[[File:Red pog.svg|12px]] 18 of the 20 largest settlements of Warwickshire, see the green section for Bidford and Wellesbourne. District centres in {{hilite|yellow}}. <br />[[File:Orange pog.svg|12px]] Cities which were historically in (or partially in) the county of Warwickshire.<ref>{{cite web |author=UKBMD |url=https://www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg/districts/birmingham.html |title=Birmingham Registration District |publisher=ukbmd.org.uk |access-date=6 March 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=UKBMD |url=https://www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg/districts/coventry.html |title=Coventry Registration District |publisher=ukbmd.org.uk |access-date=6 March 2025 }}</ref> &nbsp;– Orange.<br />[[File:Green pog.svg|12px]] Settlements which have recently been targeted for planned population growth to become larger, suburban villages/towns, across the current and historic county boundaries.<ref>{{cite news |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38486907 |title=Garden villages: Locations of first 14 announced |access-date=6 March 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Kenilworth Nub News |url=https://kenilworth.nub.news/news/local-news/where-are-the-12-potential-new-settlements-in-south-warwickshire-249572 |title=Where are the 12 potential new settlements in South Warwickshire? |publisher=kenilworth.nub.news |access-date=6 March 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=The Business Magazine UK |url=https://thebusinessmagazine.co.uk/property/stratford-upon-avons-garden-village-development-takes-shape/ |title=Stratford-upon-Avon's garden village development takes shape |publisher=thebusinessmagazine.co.uk |access-date=6 March 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Solihull Observer |url=https://solihullobserver.co.uk/news/balsall-common-villagers-planning-for-future-growth-by-60/ |title=Balsall Common villagers planning for future growth by 60% |publisher=solihullobserver.co.uk |access-date=6 March 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Bishop's Tachbrook Parish Council |url=https://bishopstachbrook.com/parish-council/local-initiatives/neighbourhood-plan/ |title=Bishop's Tachbrook Neighbourhood Plan |publisher=bishopstachbrook.com |access-date=6 March 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=The Business Magazine UK |url=https://thebusinessmagazine.co.uk/property/construction-underway-of-local-centre-in-bishops-tachbrook-warwickshire/?fbclid=IwY2xjawI1ynpleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHYbzIzH1KYqTXJgyO2B4KrP1QEYmaSkhfwnZZEJBBB0E26BoJd4cXoLhGg_aem_TJwqm9lY-hy-hpmVwtWsnw |title=Construction underway of local centre in Bishop's Tachbrook, Warwickshire |publisher=thebusinessmagazine.co.uk |access-date=6 March 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Wellesbourne Airfield |url=https://wellesbourneairfield.com/Wellesbourne%20West.pdf |title=Wellesbourne Airfield: Outline Proposals for a Sustainable Urban Extension to Wellesbourne |publisher=wellesbourneairfield.com |access-date=6 March 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Bidford-On-Avon Parish Council |url=https://bidfordonavon-pc.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Parish-Neighbourhood-Plan.pdf |title=Bidford-On-Avon Parish Neighbourhood Plan 2011–2031 |publisher=bidfordonavon-pc.gov.uk |access-date=6 March 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Bishop's Tachbrook.com |url=https://bishopstachbrook.com/south-warwickshire-local-plan-update-1/?fbclid=IwY2xjawI596BleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHfKdMna7lczFPMCYE5svB13eH1UpB7J91JgiNNVED6l6Sp13KV6BDqAF6A_aem_j4UdxN6Y31wnlOgcPK-5fw |title=South Warwickshire Local Plan – Update 1 |publisher=bishopstachbrook.com |access-date=9 March 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Warwick District Council |url=https://www.southwarwickshire.org.uk/swlp/latest-news.cfm/current/1/item/138408 |title=Interactive map published for SWLP Preferred Options Consultation |publisher=southwarwickshire.org.uk |access-date=9 March 2025 }}</ref> &nbsp;– Green.
  |places = 
     {{Location map~|Warwickshire
       |label   = [[Rugby, Warwickshire|Rugby]]
       |long    = -1.2607100
       |lat     = 52.370340
       |background = yellow
     }}
    {{Location map~|Warwickshire
       |label   = [[Royal Leamington Spa]]
       |long    = -1.5313864
       |lat     =   52.292859
       |position=right
       |background = yellow
       |label_width=15
     }}
    {{Location map~|Warwickshire
       |label   = [[Kenilworth]]
       |long    = -1.5803864
       |lat     =   52.342859
       |position=right
       |background = white
     }}
    {{Location map~|Warwickshire
       |label   = '''[[Warwick]]'''
       |long    = -1.5910348
       |lat     =   52.281755
       |position=left
       |background = yellow
       |label_size=105
     }}
    {{Location map~|Warwickshire
       |label   = [[Stratford-upon-Avon]]
       |long    = -1.7082915
       |lat     = 52.197414
       |background = yellow
       |position=bottom
     }}
    {{Location map~|Warwickshire
       |label   = [[Nuneaton]]
       |long    = -1.4644533
       |lat     = 52.521368
       |background = yellow
     }}
    {{Location map~|Warwickshire
       |label   = [[Polesworth]]
       |long    = -1.6124833
       |lat     = 52.619368
       |background = white
     }}
    {{Location map~|Warwickshire
       |label   = [[Bedworth]]
       |long    = -1.4718749
       |lat     = 52.478150
       |background = white
       |position=left
     }}
    {{Location map~|Warwickshire
       |label   = [[Atherstone]]
       |lat= 52.5787
       |long=-1.5462
       |background = yellow
     }}    
{{Location map~|Warwickshire
       |label   = [[Whitnash]]
       |lat=52.268
       |long= -1.524
       |background = white
      |position=right
     }}    
{{Location map~|Warwickshire
       |label   = [[Kingsbury, Warwickshire|Kingsbury]]
       | lat= 52.56143
       | long=-1.69165
       |background = white
       |label_size=85
       |position=right
     }}    
{{Location map~|Warwickshire
       |label   = [[Alcester]]
       |lat=52.215
       |long=-1.876
       |background = white
       |position=top
     }}
  {{Location map~|Warwickshire
       |label   = [[Southam]]
       |lat=52.252
       |long= -1.39
       |background = white
      |position=bottom
     }}
  {{Location map~|Warwickshire
       |label   = [[Coleshill, Warwickshire|Coleshill]]
       |lat= 52.499
       |long= -1.708
       |background = white
     }}
  {{Location map~|Warwickshire
       |label   = [[Studley, Warwickshire|Studley]]
       |lat=52.26961
       |long=-1.89151
       |background = white
     }}
  {{Location map~|Warwickshire
       |label   = [[Bulkington]]
       |lat= 52.47691
       |long= -1.424989
       |background = white
     }}
  {{Location map~|Warwickshire
       |label   = [[Bishop's Tachbrook]]
       |lat=52.240
       |long= -1.530
       |background = white
       |mark=Green pog.svg
       |position=left
     }}     
  {{Location map~|Warwickshire
       |label   = [[Wellesbourne]]
       |lat= 52.19434
       |long= -1.59472
       |mark=Green pog.svg
       |background = white
     }}
  {{Location map~|Warwickshire
       |label   = [[Bidford-on-Avon|Bidford]]
       |lat= 52.16438
       |long = -1.85668
       |background = white
       |mark=Green pog.svg
       |position=top
     }}
  {{Location map~|Warwickshire
       |label   = [[Long Marston, Warwickshire|Long Marston]]
       |lat= 52.13
       |long= -1.767
       |background = white
       |mark=Green pog.svg
       |position=bottom
     }}     
  {{Location map~|Warwickshire
       |label   = [[Balsall Common]]
       |lat     = 52.39
       |long    = -1.644
       |background = white
       |mark=Green pog.svg
       |position = left
     }}
  {{Location map~|Warwickshire
       |label   = [[Shipston-on-Stour]]
       |lat= 52.060
       |long= -1.623
       |background = white
       |position=right
     }}
  {{Location map~|Warwickshire
       |label   = [[Henley-in-Arden]]
       |lat     = 52.291
       |long    = -1.778
       |background = white
       |position = top
     }}
  {{Location map~|Warwickshire
       |label   = '''[[Birmingham Airport|BHX]]'''
       |long    = -1.7325
       |lat     = 52.45
       |position=bottom
       |background = 
       | mark = Airplane silhouette.svg
       |marksize = 18
     }}
    {{Location map~|Warwickshire
       |label   = '''[[Birmingham|Birmingham (part)]]'''
       |long    = -1.8750
       |lat     =   52.46
       |position=bottom
       |background = white
       |mark=Orange pog.svg
       |label_size=105
     }}
    {{Location map~|Warwickshire
       |label   = '''[[Coventry]]'''
       |long    = -1.5003
       |lat     =   52.41
       |position=top
       |background = white
       |mark=Orange pog.svg
       |label_size=105
     }}
 }}
Main Warwickshire towns and villages, with a population of at least 5,000:
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* [[Nuneaton]] (88,813)
* [[Rugby, Warwickshire|Rugby]] (78,117)
* [[Leamington Spa]] (50,923)
* [[Warwick]] (36,665)
* [[Bedworth]] (31,332)
* [[Stratford-upon-Avon]] (30,055)
* [[Kenilworth]] (22,538)
* [[Atherstone]] (11,259)
* [[Whitnash]] (10,489)
* [[Polesworth]] (9,913)
* [[Southam]] (8,114)
* [[Kingsbury, Warwickshire|Kingsbury]] (7,562)
* [[Wellesbourne]] (7,283)
* [[Coleshill, Warwickshire|Coleshill]] (6,900)
* [[Bidford-on-Avon]] (6,818)
* [[Alcester]] (6,421)
* [[Bulkington]] (6,080)
* [[Studley, Warwickshire|Studley]] (6,040)
* [[Shipston-on-Stour]] (5,849)
{{div col end}}

==History==
{{main|History of Warwickshire}}

[[File:Warwickshire Administrative 1832.png|right|240px|thumb|Warwickshire in 1832]]
[[File:StratfordAvon20040717.jpg|right|thumb|[[Stratford-upon-Avon]]]]
[[File:Kenilworth Castle gatehouse landscape.jpg|thumb|right|[[Kenilworth Castle]]]]
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 ''Wæringscīr,'' named after [[Warwick]]. The prefix ''wara-'' is the [[Genitive case|genitive]] [[plural]] of the [[Old English]] [[noun]] ''waru'', which means "those that care for, watch, guard, protect, or defend". It was used as an [[endonym]] by both [[Goths]]{{efn|[[Warmia]] and [[Warsaw]].}} and Jutes.{{efn|[[Meonwara]].}}  The suffix ''-wick'' is an [[Old English]] [[cognate]] (''-wic'') for the [[Latin]] word for village, ''vicus''. Near [[Warwick]] are the villages of [[Long Itchington]] and [[Bishop's Itchington]] along the [[River Itchen, Warwickshire|River Itchen]].{{efn|''Itchen'' derives from ''Ytene'', the [[genitive plural]] of ''Yte'' the [[exonym]] of "Jute", i.e. "of the Jutes".<ref>{{cite book |last=Stenton |first = F.&nbsp;M. |year=1971 |title = Anglo-Saxon England|edition =3rd  |publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-280139-5 |page=23}}</ref> Various place-names identify locations as Jutish. These include [[Bishopstoke]] (''Ytingstoc''), the [[River Itchen, Hampshire|River Itchen]] (''Ytene'') and the [[River Meon|Meon Valley]] (''Ytedene'').}}

During the [[Middle Ages]] Warwickshire was dominated by [[Coventry]], at the time one of the most important cities in England because of its prominence in the textiles trade. Warwickshire played a key part in the [[English Civil War]], with the [[Battle of Edgehill]] and other skirmishes taking place in the county. 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.

===Boundary changes===
[[File:St Mary's church in Church Street, geograph 6862602 by Steve Daniels.jpg|thumb|[[Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick]] from Church Street]]
*1844: The [[Counties (Detached Parts) Act 1844#Warwickshire|Counties (Detached Parts) Act]] transferred a township to, and two parishes from, the county.
*1888: Those parts of the town of [[Tamworth, Staffordshire|Tamworth]] lying in Warwickshire were ceded to Staffordshire.
*1891: [[Harborne]] became part of the County Borough of Birmingham and thus was transferred from Staffordshire to Warwickshire by the [[Local Government Board's Provisional Order Confirmation (No. 13) Act 1891]] ([[54 & 55 Vict.]] c. clxi) (local act).
*1891: The district of [[Balsall Heath]], which had originally constituted the most northerly part of the Parish of [[King's Norton]] in Worcestershire, was added to the [[County Borough of Birmingham]], and therefore Warwickshire, on 1 October 1891.
*1909: [[Quinton, Birmingham|Quinton]] was formally removed from Worcestershire and incorporated into the County Borough of Birmingham, then in Warwickshire, on 9 November 1909.
*1911: The [[Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland)|Urban District]] [[Handsworth, West Midlands|of Handsworth]], in Staffordshire, and the [[Rural District]] [[Yardley, Birmingham|of Yardley]] along with the greater part of the [[Urban District of King's Norton and Northfield]], both in Worcestershire, were absorbed into Birmingham, and thus Warwickshire, as part of the ''Greater Birmingham Scheme'' on 9 November 1911.
*1928: [[Perry Barr]] [[Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland)|Urban District]] was ceded to Birmingham from Staffordshire.
*1931: The boundaries between Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire were adjusted by the Provisional Order Confirmation (Gloucestershire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire) Act which transferred 26 parishes between the three counties, largely to eliminate [[List of county exclaves in England and Wales 1844 - 1974|exclaves]]. The town of [[Shipston-on-Stour]] was gained from Worcestershire and several villages, including [[Long Marston, Warwickshire|Long Marston]] and [[Welford-on-Avon]], from [[Gloucestershire]], while the parish of [[Ipsley]] was ceded from [[Alcester]] Rural District to [[Redditch]] Urban District in Worcestershire.
*1969: [[Matchborough]] was ceded to Worcestershire as part of the [[New towns in the United Kingdom|new town]] development of Redditch.
*1974: Under The [[Local Government Act 1972]], Birmingham, [[Coventry]], [[Solihull]] and [[Sutton Coldfield]] were ceded to the new [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands county]], with Sutton Coldfield becoming part of Birmingham.

==Local government==
[[File:Arms of Warwickshire County Council.svg|left|thumb|275x275px|The coat of arms of Warwickshire County Council]]
Like most English shire counties, Warwickshire has a two-tier [[Local government in England|local government]] of a [[county council]], and five [[Non-metropolitan district|districts]] each having a district or borough council. These districts are: [[North Warwickshire]], [[Nuneaton and Bedworth]], [[Borough of Rugby|Rugby]], [[Stratford-on-Avon (district)|Stratford]], and [[Warwick District|Warwick]] (see map). The county and district councils are responsible for providing different services.

[[Atherstone]] is the headquarters of the North Warwickshire district, [[Nuneaton]] is headquarters of the Nuneaton and Bedworth District and [[Leamington Spa]] is the headquarters of the Warwick district.

[[Warwickshire County Council]], based in [[Warwick]] is elected every four years. The [[2021 Warwickshire County Council election|election on 6 May 2021]] resulted in a Conservative majority. The county council operates a [[cabinet-style council]]. The county council is made of 57 councillors, who decide upon the budget and appoints the council leader. The council leader selects 8 councillors and together they form the cabinet. The Leader assigns portfolios on which cabinet members make decisions. Key decisions are made by the whole cabinet while others are made only by the portfolio holders for relevant areas.<ref>{{cite web
 |url          = http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/Web/corporate/pages.nsf/Links/34FF93A8C745ABD480256CA70053C6F7
 |title        = How the County Council makes decisions
 |publisher    = Warwickshire County Council
 |access-date   = 5 May 2010
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20100411002437/http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/Web/corporate/pages.nsf/Links/34FF93A8C745ABD480256CA70053C6F7
 |archive-date = 11 April 2010
 |url-status     = dead
}}</ref>

In addition many small towns and villages have their own [[town council]] or [[Parish councils in England|parish council]] as the most local tier of local government.

Warwickshire is policed by the [[Warwickshire Police]]. The force is governed by the elected [[Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner]].

===Proposed local government reorganisation===
In August 2020 Warwickshire County Council put forward proposals for the five district and borough councils in the county to be abolished and replaced with a single county-wide [[unitary authorities of England|unitary authority]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Local councils in Warwickshire could be scrapped |url=https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/local-councils-warwickshire-could-scrapped-18801354 |work=Coventry Telegraph |access-date=26 September 2020 |date=23 August 2020}}</ref> This prompted a backlash from the district and borough councils who commissioned their own report, which argued in favour of Warwickshire being split into two unitary authorities, one for the north of the county, covering the current districts of North Warwickshire, Nuneaton and Bedworth and Rugby, and one for the south of the county, covering Warwick and Stratford districts.<ref>{{cite web |title=Warwickshire could be split into north and south councils |url=https://www.rugbyadvertiser.co.uk/news/people/warwickshire-could-be-split-north-and-south-councils-2978365 |publisher=Rugby Advertiser |access-date=26 September 2020 |date=21 September 2020}}</ref> In September 2020, it was agreed that both proposals would be sent for consideration to the [[Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government]].<ref>{{cite web |title=After a seven-hour long meeting, councillors decide on the next step for the future of local councils in Warwickshire |url=https://www.rugbyadvertiser.co.uk/news/politics/council/after-seven-hour-long-meeting-councillors-decide-next-step-future-local-councils-warwickshire-2980296 |publisher=Rugby Advertiser |access-date=26 September 2020 |date=22 September 2020}}</ref>

==Education==
{{See also|List of schools in Warwickshire}}
In the state sector, children start school in the school year in which they turn five. They stay at primary school for seven years (although this varies even within the county, as some people have previously gone for four years and then spent another four years at a 'middle school') until they are eleven. Warwickshire is one of [[List of grammar schools in England|36 local authorities]] in England to still maintain the [[grammar school]] system in two districts: Stratford-on-Avon and Rugby. In the final year of primary school, children are given the opportunity of sitting the [[eleven-plus exam|11-plus]] exam to compete for a place at one of the 5 grammar schools: [[Stratford-upon-Avon Grammar School for Girls]]; [[King Edward VI School, Stratford-upon-Avon|King Edward VI School]], a boys' school from year 7–11 with a mixed Sixth-Form; [[Lawrence Sheriff School|Lawrence Sheriff Grammar School for Boys]]; [[Rugby High School for Girls]] and [[Alcester Grammar School]] (mixed). The Warwickshire 11+ selection test consists of two papers, each containing a mixture of verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning and non-verbal reasoning multiple-choice questions.<ref>{{cite web|last=Tuckwell|first=Paul|title=About the 11+ test|url=https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/grammar-schools-11-test/11-test/1|access-date=14 June 2021|website=Warwickshire County Council}}</ref>

Warwickshire contains four colleges of further education: [[North Warwickshire and Hinckley College|North Warwickshire & Hinckley College]], King Edward VI Sixth Form College (K.E.G.S) in Nuneaton, [[Stratford-upon-Avon College]] and the [[WCG (college)|Warwickshire College Group]] an institution made up of six main separate colleges that have merged (Leamington Centre, Rugby Centre, Moreton Morrell Centre, Pershore College, Henley-in-Arden Centre and the Trident Centre in Warwick).

There are also six independent senior schools within the county, namely: [[Rugby School]], [[Warwick School]], [[Princethorpe College]], [[Kingsley School]], [[Arnold Lodge School]] (both in [[Leamington Spa]]), and [[the King's High School For Girls]] (in [[Warwick]]).

A number of the Warwickshire grammar and independent schools have historical significance. [[King Edward VI School, Stratford-upon-Avon]] still uses 13th century school buildings and is the likely school of [[William Shakespeare]], [[Rugby School]] was founded in 1567 and [[Warwick School]] was founded {{circa|914 AD}}, which makes it the oldest surviving boys' school in the country. [[Rugby School]] is one of nine schools that were defined as the "great" English public schools by the [[Public Schools Act 1868]], and is a member of the [[Rugby Group]]. [[Rugby School]], [[Princethorpe College]] and [[Warwick School]] are [[Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference|HMC]] schools, with the Headmaster from each school attending the [[Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference]].

There are no universities per se in Warwickshire, though the [[University of Warwick]] forms part of the border with Warwickshire on the southern edge of the city of Coventry. Some areas of the University of Warwick are within the boundaries of Warwickshire including Lakeside Village and Warwick Business School<ref>{{cite web|url=https://warwick.ac.uk/services/estates/transport/taxis|title=Taxis to and from campus &#124; University of Warwick|website=warwick.ac.uk}}</ref> The university has a small campus near Wellesbourne which houses the Warwick Horticultural Research Centre and an Innovation Centre.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wellesbourne Innovation Campus|url=https://warwick.ac.uk/business/wellesbourne/|access-date=14 June 2021|website=warwick.ac.uk}}</ref>

==Transport==
===Roads===
Several major [[motorway]]s run through Warwickshire; these are:

*The [[M40 motorway]], which connects [[London]] to [[Birmingham]], runs through the centre of the county; it serves Leamington Spa, Warwick and Stratford.
*The [[M6 motorway]], which connects [[North West England]] and the West Midlands to the [[M1 motorway]] (and then on to London), runs through the north of Warwickshire; it serves Rugby, Nuneaton and Bedworth on its way to Birmingham.
*The [[M69 motorway|M69]] Coventry to Leicester motorway serves Nuneaton.
*Other motorways pass briefly through Warwickshire including the [[M45 motorway|M45]] (a short spur south of Rugby connecting to the M1), the southern end of the [[M6 Toll]] and the [[M42 motorway|M42]]; it passes through the county at several points.

Other major trunk routes in Warwickshire include:
* [[A45 road|A45]] takes a route through Birmingham, Coventry and Rugby, then east into Northamptonshire
* [[A46 road|A46]] connects the M40 to the M6 via Warwick, Kenilworth and Coventry 
* [[A452 road|A452]] Leamington to Birmingham route
* [[A5 road (Great Britain)|A5]] passes through [[Atherstone]] and then east of Nuneaton, and then east of Rugby, it marks the county boundary with Leicestershire. 
* A444 goes through Nuneaton and Bedworth.

===Railway===
{{see also|Category:Railway stations in Warwickshire}}

[[File:Rugby railway station MMB 23 390XXX.jpg|thumb|The West Coast Main Line at Rugby]]

====Main line routes====

Two main railway lines pass through Warwickshire:

* The [[Chiltern Main Line]] takes the former [[Great Western Railway]] route from [[Marylebone station|London Marylebone]] to {{rws|Birmingham Snow Hill}}. It passes through the centre of Warwickshire on a route similar to the M40 motorway and has stations at {{rws|Leamington Spa}}, {{rws|Warwick}}, {{rws|Warwick Parkway}}, {{rws|Hatton|Warwickshire}} and {{rws|Lapworth}}. Services are provided by [[Chiltern Railways]] and [[West Midlands Trains]] (Birmingham to Leamington only). There are also two branches off the Chiltern line: the [[Coventry to Leamington Line|Leamington to Coventry]] and [[Leamington to Stratford Line|Leamington-Stratford]] lines.
* The [[West Coast Main Line]] (WCML) runs through Warwickshire. At {{rws|Rugby}}, the WCML splits into two parts: one runs west through to [[Coventry railway station|Coventry]] and [[Birmingham New Street railway station|Birmingham]], and the other the [[Trent Valley Line]] runs north-west towards {{rws|Stafford}}, North West England and [[Scotland]]. This section has stations at {{rws|Nuneaton}}, {{rws|Atherstone}} and {{rws|Polesworth}} (northbound services only). There is one branch off the WCML from [[Coventry to Nuneaton Line|Nuneaton to Coventry]], with there are stations at {{rws|Bermuda Park}}, {{rws|Bedworth}} and {{rws|Coventry Arena}}.

====Other lines====
Other railway lines in Warwickshire include:

* Birmingham-Nuneaton section of the [[Birmingham to Peterborough Line]], which continues east of Nuneaton towards [[Leicester railway station|Leicester]] and [[Peterborough railway station|Peterborough]]. Nuneaton has direct services to Birmingham and Leicester on this line; there are two intermediate stations at {{rws|Water Orton}} and [[Coleshill Parkway railway station|Coleshill]] in the extreme north-west of the county.
* [[North Warwickshire Line]] from Birmingham to {{rws|Stratford-upon-Avon}}. This line used to continue southwards to [[Cheltenham]], but is now a dead-end branch. There is an intermediate station on this line at {{rws|Henley-in-Arden}} and at several small villages. Stratford also has direct rail services to London via the branch line to Warwick.

Between 1965 and 2018, the only major town in Warwickshire without a station was [[Kenilworth]]. The Leamington to Coventry line passes through the town, but the station was closed as part of the [[Beeching cuts]]. [[Kenilworth railway station]] was rebuilt and opened in April 2018,<ref>{{cite web|title=Kenilworth gets its first train service in more than half a century as new station opens {{!}} West Midlands Rail Executive|url=https://www.wmre.org.uk/news/kenilworth-gets-its-first-train-service-in-more-than-half-a-century-as-new-station-opens/|access-date=11 June 2021|website=www.wmre.org.uk|archive-date=11 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611163559/https://www.wmre.org.uk/news/kenilworth-gets-its-first-train-service-in-more-than-half-a-century-as-new-station-opens/|url-status=dead}}</ref> with an hourly service to Coventry and to Leamington provided by [[West Midlands Trains]].

====High Speed 2====
[[File:HS2 construction near Leamington Spa, aerial 2021 (3), geograph 6947416 by Chris.jpg|thumb|upright=0.70|HS2 construction near Leamington Spa in August 2021]]

The new [[High Speed 2]] (HS2) line is a long-distance route that is being constructed through Warwickshire; however, there will be no stations in the county. It will pass south of [[Southam]], then between Kenilworth and Coventry, before running into the West Midlands towards Birmingham.<ref>{{cite web |title=The route of Phase 1 of the HS2 using an Ordnance Survey map |url=http://www.thehs2.com/phase1/maps/showmap.php?type=Google |publisher=TheHS2 |access-date=2 February 2023}}</ref>

===Air===
[[Coventry Airport]] is located in the Warwickshire village of [[Baginton]].

===Canals and waterways===
[[File:Oxford Canal from Napton.jpg|thumb|220px|right|The Oxford Canal at [[Napton-on-the-Hill]]]]

[[Canal]]s and navigable waterways in Warwickshire include:
*The [[Coventry Canal]], which runs through the north of the county from [[Coventry]] through [[Bedworth]], [[Nuneaton]], [[Atherstone]] and [[Polesworth]], and then onwards to [[Tamworth, Staffordshire|Tamworth]].
*The [[Ashby-de-la-Zouch Canal]] passes briefly through Warwickshire from a junction with the Coventry Canal at [[Bedworth]].
*The [[Oxford Canal]] runs from near Coventry, then eastwards around Rugby and through the rural south of the county towards [[Oxford]].
*The [[Grand Union Canal]] runs through Leamington and Warwick, then onwards to Birmingham.
**The restored [[Saltisford Canal Arm]] is close to the centre of Warwick and is now a short branch of the Grand Union Canal. The arm is the remains of the original terminus of the Warwick and Birmingham Canal; it dates back to 1799. 
*The [[Stratford-upon-Avon Canal]] runs from the Grand Union west of Warwick to Stratford, where it joins the Avon.
*The [[River Avon, Warwickshire|River Avon]] runs through Warwickshire on a south-west to north-east axis, running through Stratford, Warwick and Rugby. It is navigable for {{convert|47|mi|km}} from the [[River Severn]] at [[Tewkesbury]] to [[Alveston, Warwickshire|Alveston]] [[weir]] just east of Stratford-upon-Avon, making it the only navigable river in Warwickshire.<ref name="ANT">{{cite web |title=Avon Navigation Trust |url=https://www.avonnavigationtrust.org/maps/ |access-date=31 August 2021}}</ref> There have been proposals to extend the Avon navigation {{convert|13|mi|km}} to Warwick.<ref>{{cite news |title=Plans to restore River Avon boat route to Warwick |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-28261364 |work=BBC News |access-date=31 August 2021 |date=11 July 2014}}</ref> However, as of 2019, these plans look unlikely to proceed.<ref>{{cite web |title=Avon Navigation Scheme fails to win district council support |url=https://www.stratford-herald.com/news/avon-navigation-scheme-fails-to-win-district-council-support-9133806/ |publisher=Stratford-upon-Avon Herald |access-date=31 August 2021 |date=11 February 2019}}</ref>

==Media==
===Television===
The county is covered by [[BBC West Midlands]] and [[ITV Central]] from its studios in [[Birmingham]]. Television signals are received from either the Lark Stoke or [[Sutton Coldfield transmitting station|Sutton Coldfield]] TV transmitters.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Lark_Stoke|title=Full Freeview on the Lark Stoke (Gloucestershire, England) transmitter|date=1 May 2004|website=UK Free TV|accessdate=16 February 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Sutton_Coldfield|title=Sutton Coldfield (Birmingham, England) Full Freeview transmitter|date=1 May 2004|website=UK Free TV|accessdate=16 February 2024}}</ref>

===Radio===
[[BBC Local Radio]] for the county is served by [[BBC CWR]] which broadcast from its studios in [[Coventry]]. However, the [[North Warwickshire]] area is served by [[BBC Radio WM]]. County-wide commercial radio stations are [[Capital Mid-Counties]], [[Hits Radio Coventry & Warwickshire]], [[Fresh (Coventry & Warwickshire)]], [[Heart West Midlands]] and [[Greatest Hits Radio Midlands]].

==Sport ==

=== Cycling ===
Warwickshire's rural roads, canal towpaths and historic towns are increasingly popular with cycling enthusiasts.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cycling in Warwickshire {{!}} Cycling UK|url=https://www.cyclinguk.org/cycle/cycling-warwickshire|access-date=11 June 2021|website=www.cyclinguk.org}}</ref> Its reputation as a major cycling destination has been bolstered in recent years having hosted a stage of the Women's Tour since 2016<ref>{{cite web|title=Stage Three|url=https://www.womenstour.co.uk/stages/stage-3/|access-date=11 June 2021|website=The Women's Tour}}</ref> and the Men's Tour of Britain in 2018 and 2019.<ref>{{cite web|date=13 August 2019|title=Warwick Racecourse hosts OVO Energy Tour of Britain in September|url=https://www.tourofbritain.co.uk/warwick-racecourse-hosts-ovo-energy-tour-of-britain-in-september/|access-date=11 June 2021|website=Tour of Britain}}</ref>

In 2022, St Nicholas Park in Warwick hosted the ''Elite Men's and Women's Road Race'' as part of the [[Commonwealth Games]] that took place in Birmingham.<ref>{{cite web|date=29 September 2020|title=Warwick's St Nicholas Park to host start and finish of cycling road race at 2022 Commonwealth Games|url=https://www.stratford-herald.com/news/warwicks-st-nicholas-park-to-host-start-and-finish-of-cycling-road-race-at-2022-commonwealth-games-9131073/|access-date=11 June 2021|website=Stratford Herald}}</ref>

===Association football===
Warwickshire has no [[English Football League|Football League]] clubs. As of the 2022–23 season, the highest-placed team is [[Leamington F.C.|Leamington]], who play in the [[National League North]], the sixth tier of English football. A level below, in the [[Southern Football League]] Premier Division Central, are [[Nuneaton Borough F.C.|Nuneaton Borough]] and [[Stratford Town F.C.|Stratford Town]]. Other clubs include [[Rugby Town F.C.|Rugby Town]], [[Bedworth United F.C.|Bedworth United]], [[Southam United F.C.|Southam United]], [[Racing Club Warwick F.C.|Racing Club Warwick]], [[Coleshill Town F.C.|Coleshill Town]], [[Atherstone Town F.C.|Atherstone Town]] and [[Nuneaton Griff F.C.|Nuneaton Griff]]; all of these are affiliated to the [[Birmingham County Football Association|Birmingham FA]].

[[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]], a [[Premier League]] team, and Football League clubs [[Birmingham City F.C.|Birmingham City]] and [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]] are located within the historic boundaries of Warwickshire; National League club [[Solihull Moors F.C.|Solihull Moors]] and Southern League Division One Central club [[Sutton Coldfield Town F.C.|Sutton Coldfield Town]] are also sited in this area.

=== Parkrun ===
There are six Saturday morning 5&nbsp;km parkruns in Warwickshire for all ages and abilities: Leamington, Stratford upon Avon, Rugby, Bedworth, Southam and Kingsbury. There are also three Sunday 2&nbsp;km junior events at Stratford upon Avon, Rugby and Warwick.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://findarace.com/parkruns/near-warwickshire |title=Find a Parkrun: Warwickshire |publisher=findarace Ltd. |access-date=11 April 2022}}</ref>

===Cricket===
[[Warwickshire County Cricket Club]] play at [[Edgbaston Cricket Ground]], Birmingham, which was historically part of Warwickshire. Notable English players for the side have been [[Eric Hollies]], [[M.J.K. Smith]], [[Bob Willis]], [[Dennis Amiss]], [[Jonathan Trott]], [[Ian Bell]], [[Moeen Ali]] and [[Chris Woakes]]. Overseas players have included [[Alvin Kallicharran]], [[Rohan Kanhai]], [[Brian Lara]], [[Allan Donald]] and [[Shaun Pollock]]. In 2014, the club partly severed its links to the county by renaming its [[Twenty20]] side the ''Birmingham Bears'', much to the chagrin of many supporters.<ref>{{cite news |first=Brian |last=Halford |url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/cricket/warwickshires-t20-birmingham-bears-name-6745754 |title=Warwickshire's T20 'Birmingham Bears' name is confirmed |newspaper=[[Birmingham Mail]] |date=25 February 2014 |access-date=19 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180109121820/http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/cricket/warwickshires-t20-birmingham-bears-name-6745754 |archive-date=9 January 2018 |url-status=live  }}</ref>

Other grounds in modern-day Warwickshire which have hosted [[First-class cricket|first-class cricket matches]] are:
*[[Griff and Coton Ground]], [[Nuneaton]] – 26 matches (most recently 1980)
*[[Leamington Cricket Club Ground|Arlington Avenue]], [[Leamington Spa]] – 4 matches (most recently 1910)
*[[Stratford-upon-Avon Cricket Club Ground|Swan's Nest Lane]], [[Stratford-upon-Avon]] – 3 matches (most recently 2005)
*[[Nuneaton Cricket Club Ground|Weddington Road]], [[Nuneaton]] – 3 matches (most recently 1914)

===Gaelic sports===
The Warwickshire County Board of the [[Gaelic Athletic Association]] (GAA) (or Warwickshire GAA) is one of the [[GAA county|county boards]] outside [[Ireland]] and is responsible for [[Gaelic games]] in Warwickshire. The county board is also responsible for the Warwickshire inter-county teams. They play their home games at [[Páirc na hÉireann, West Midlands|Páirc na hÉireann]].

===Polo===
The [[Dallas Burston Polo Club]] is a six-pitch [[polo (sport)|polo]] club located near [[Southam]].

===Water polo===
Warwick Water Polo club play in the Midland League, and train in Warwick, Banbury and Coventry.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.warwickwaterpolo.co.uk/ |title=Home page |publisher=Warwick Water Polo Club |access-date=8 February 2022}}</ref>

==Freedom of the county==
In March 2014 the freedom of the county was bestowed on the [[Royal Regiment of Fusiliers]]. The honour was officially bestowed following a parade through [[Warwick]] on 6 June 2014.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-26791911|title=Royal Fusiliers honoured with Freedom of Warwickshire|date=28 March 2014|work=[[BBC News]]|publisher=BBC|access-date=29 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140328230648/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-26791911|archive-date=28 March 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

==People==
{{further|:Category:People from Warwickshire}}
Warwickshire was the birthplace of [[William Shakespeare]] from [[Stratford-upon-Avon]]. Road signs at the county boundary describe Warwickshire as "Shakespeare's County". The county has produced figures such as [[Aleister Crowley]] (from [[Leamington Spa]]), [[George Eliot]] and [[Ken Loach]] (from [[Nuneaton]]), [[Rupert Brooke]] (from [[Rugby, Warwickshire|Rugby]]), and [[Michael Drayton]] (from [[Hartshill]]). The poet [[Philip Larkin]] lived in Warwick (born in nearby Coventry). Folk musician [[Nick Drake]] lived and died in [[Tanworth-in-Arden]]. [[Frank Whittle]] the inventor of the jet engine was born in Coventry and was closely associated with Warwickshire, growing up in Leamington Spa, and carrying out much of his work at Rugby.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sir Frank Whittle, Inventor of the Jet Engine|url=https://www.ourwarwickshire.org.uk/content/article/sir-frank-whittle-inventor-turbo-jet-engine|access-date=14 June 2021|website=Our Warwickshire}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Frank Whittle (1907–1996) |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/whittle_frank.shtml |website=History |publisher=BBC |access-date=14 June 2021}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire|List of Lord Lieutenants of Warwickshire]]
*[[High Sheriff of Warwickshire|List of High Sheriffs for Warwickshire]]
*[[List of English and Welsh endowed schools (19th century)#Warwickshire]]
*[[Custos Rotulorum of Warwickshire]] – List of Keepers of the Rolls
*[[Warwickshire (UK Parliament constituency)]] – List of MPs for Warwickshire constituency
*[[2007 Atherstone fire]]
*[[Warwickshire College]]
*[[W. W. Quatremain]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Sister project links|wikt=no|commons=yes|b=no|n=no|q=no|s=no|v=no|voy= Warwickshire |species=no|d=Q23140}}
{{Attached KML|display=title,inline|title=County outline}}
* [http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/home Warwickshire County Council]{{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060428164923/http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/home/ |date=28 April 2006 }}
* [http://www.wgcg.co.uk Warwickshire Geological Conservation Group (WGCG)]
* [http://www.hunningham.org.uk The Manor of Hunningham]
* [http://viewfinder.english-heritage.org.uk/search/results.aspx?index=0&mainQuery=&searchType=all&form=basic&theme=&county=WARWICKSHIRE&district=&placeName= Images of Warwickshire] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002095724/http://viewfinder.english-heritage.org.uk/search/results.aspx?index=0 |date=2 October 2012 }} at the [[English Heritage Archive]]

{{Warwickshire}}
{{West Midlands}}
{{England counties}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Warwickshire]]
[[Category:Non-metropolitan counties]]
[[Category:NUTS 3 statistical regions of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:West Midlands (region)]]
[[Category:Counties of England established in antiquity]]