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Atherstone has a long history going back to Roman times. An important defended Roman settlement named Manduessedum existed at Mancetter near the site of modern day Atherstone, and the Roman road, the Watling Street (now known as the A5) ran through the town. It is believed by some historians that the rebel Queen of the Britons Boudica was defeated at the Battle of Watling Street by the Romans in her final battle near Manduessedum.
The ancient St Mary’s chapel in Atherstone dates from the early
twelfth century when the monks of Bec made a donation of twelve acres
to a house of friars hermits, later referred to as “Austin friars”.
According to Nichols the chapel was granted to Henry Cartwright in
1542, then left abandoned and neglected until 1692 when Samuel
Bracebridge gent. settled a yearly sum for the parson of Manceter to
preach there every other Sunday in the Winter season
After this, St Mary’s chapel seems to have experienced something of
a revival, its square tower being rebuilt in the fashionable “Gothic”
style in 1782. This drastic alteration probably aroused some
controversy. although the fine architectural drawing of the chapel made
by Mr Schnebbelie in 1790 prompted Nichols to assert that “the new
tower provides a good effect”.
It is said that the Battle of Bosworth actually took place in the fields of Merevale above Atherstone. Certainly reparation was made to Atherstone after the battle, and not to Market Bosworth. n Tudor times Atherstone was a thriving commercial centre for
weaving and clothmaking. The town's favourable location laid out as a
long ‘ribbon development’ along Watling Street, ensured its growth as a
market town. While it remained an agricultural settlement in medieval
times, attempts were made to encourage merchants and traders through
the creation of burgage plots, a type of land tenure that provided them
with special privileges. A manuscript discovered by Marjorie Morgan
among the muniments of Cambridge’s Kings College (Ms. C9), refers to
the creation of nine new burgage strips from land belonging to seven of
the tenants in Atherstone vill.
By the late Tudor periods Atherstone had become a thriving centre
for leatherworking, clothmaking, metalworking and ale-brewing. Local
sheep farmers and cattle graziers supplied wool and leather to local
tanners and shoemakers, while metalworkers, locksmiths and nailers
fired their furnaces with local coal and the alemakers supplied thirsty
palates on market days.
The surviving inventories
from 16th century Mancetter provide a fascinating glimpse into
Atherstone’s Elizabethan merchants and traders, before the town was
economically overshadowed by the bustling city of Coventry. They show
Atherstone at this time as a typical midland market town, taking full
advantage of its location and agricultural setting.
Atherstone was once an important hatting town, and became well known for its felt
hats. The industry began in the 17th century, and at its height there
were seven firms employing 3000 people. Due to cheap imports, the trade
had largely died out by the 1960s, and ended completely in 1998. |
