1868 The National Gazetteer, Nuneaton

Nuneaton, a parish, post, and market town, in the Atherstone division of the hundred of Hemlingford, county Warwick, 5 miles South of Hinckley, 18 North by East of Warwick, and 96½ North West of London. It has a junction station at Bond-End on the Trent Valley railway, where the Nuneaton and Coventry line branches off, also on the Birmingham and Leicester section of the Midland railway.

It is situated on the river Anker, which is here crossed by three bridges, and near the Coventry canal. The parish comprises the hamlets of Attleborough and Stockingford, which are separate curacies.

It is a polling-place for the northern divisions of the county. Its name is derived from the small river Ea, and from a priory founded in Stephen’s time by Robert Earl of Leicester, for nuns of the order of Fontevrault in Picardy. Its prioress received the grant of a weekly market from Henry III., and at the time of the Dissolution its revenue amounted to £290 15s. 0½d. The ruins are still traceable, including some arches.

The town, which consists principally of one long street, with a cross street leading to the market place, contains some modern houses, interspersed with cottages of more ancient date. It is well built and lighted with gas, and contains a bank, newsroom, gas works, prison, market-house, and townhall.

The new county court is held monthly, and the Local Board of Health on the first Wednesday of every month in the townhall, which is a modern edifice of brick. Petty sessions are held every alternate Saturday at the “Newdegate Arms”. Three constables are annually elected at the court leet for the town and hamlets, and there is also a permanent constable.

The manufacture of ribbons is carried on to a considerable extent, and a good trade is also done in framework knitting, hat making, iron founding, edge-tools and implements, and elastic web making.

In the vicinity of the town are a large corn-mill, malting establishments, collieries, quarries of freestone, and brickfields. In some parts of this parish a fine clay for pottery and manganese have been found. Nuneaton is the head of a Poor-law Union, embracing eight parishes, the poor-house being at Coton, and of new County Court and superintendent registry districts. The living is a vicarage* in the diocese of Worcester, value £902, in the patronage of the crown.

The church, dedicated to St. Nicholas, has a square embattled and pinnacled tower, containing six bells. The interior of the church contains a marble monument to Sir Marmaduke Constable, also others to the Stratford and Trotman families.

There are also two district churches, viz: at Stockingford and Attleborough, the livings of which are perpetual curacies*, value £120 and £170 respectively. The parochial charities produce about £551 per annum. There are almshouses in the churchyard for four aged persons. An English free school was founded and endowed in 1712 by Richard Smith for the instruction of fifty boys and thirty girls. There are also a National school for both sexes, and infant schools. The Primitive and Wesleyan Methodists, General Baptists, and Independents, have each a place of worship. The Roman way, Watling Street, passed about 2 miles distant from the town. Market day is Saturday. Fairs are held on February 18th, May 14th, July 1st, and October 7th. October 31st for horses and cattle.”

Transcribed from original source.
The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868). London: Virtue & Co.