Warwickshire-The Heart of England

by Paula Kay Hodges
(Coventry, Warwickshire, England)

Warwickshire County is landmarks, legends,hauntings and lore amidst the greenest of rolling hills.If you divided England in half, Warwickshire would be the center, so it is the heart of the country. The trees shed their leaves in the Autumn like in America, but if you stay here long enough you soon realise that the grass remains the same lovely green colour year-round. It does not shrivel up and and turn brown as does grass in the Midwestern US.

King Offa of Mercia, The old name for the Midlands, which covers most of Warwickshire, built Offa's Dyke to keep the marauding Welsh out of England. This was in The Dark Ages.(Before the light bulb)

Lady Godiva also came from The Midlands, from the city of Coventry(my City). She protested against her husband's taxes, by riding a horse through the streets of Coventry, totally naked except for her long hair. Her husband, who was a Lord,said if anyone looked at her, he would chop off their heads! I don't think anyone looked(except for peeping Tom!)
Mary Ann Evans, also known as George Eliot,was born and raised in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, and was a famous Author. The local hospital is even named in her honour.
Warwickshire is the home of not one, but two castles, both of which are pictured here. Warwick castle is the most beautiful Medieval castle in all of England. Kennilworth Castle is in ruins, but is much older. It is from the 1100s, and is, as you can see, lovely in it's own right.
It has recently been restored.

Our Shire, or County is famous for being Shakespeare's birthplace. He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon,a picturesque little place nestled beside the river Avon.

There are also many unmarked Landmarks you may come upon while walking. My husband, Chris and I were walking once in Nuneaton, a neighbouring town to ours. We happened upon this very old church from the 1400-1500s. There was a tiny remains of a wall beside the church,and many bricks scattered all around it helter-skelter, as if someone had been in a big hurry. As it turned out, this was the remains of a monastery, destroyed by Henry the VII's men. He sent his men to detroy every nunnery and monastery in the country(and steal their religious artifacts, especially the gold!) when the Pope opposed his marriage. The bricks were laying exactly where they had been thrown all those centuries before. Incredible! I was amazed.


There are many breathtaking nature walks,like to places pictured, into the delightful countryside. The walks are designed for all age-ranges, and all levels of difficulty. For example: If you can only walk a short distance or if you want a rigorous hike, there are walks to fit either of your preferences and abilities.

People come from four corners of the World to see Warwick Castle, and Shakespeare's birthplace, but search the net or email me at graciesdream@yahoo.com and I can tell you about some of the not so famous, but equally wonderful landmarks, haunted pubs, the church I mentioned,legend and lore that you should not miss when you come. Just tell me what period of history you are interested in, and I will try and suggest some places to visit while you are here.
By the way, A word to Americans,the beer is warm(meaning it is not ice cold) and the people are warm and friendly, also.:)*