Berkswell

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Berkswell
The approach to St John the Baptish Church
Berkswell shown within the West Midlands
Population	2,843 (2001)
OS grid reference	SP246790
Metropolitan borough	Solihull
Metropolitan county	West Midlands
Region	West Midlands
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
European Parliament	West Midlands
List of places: UK • England • West Midlands

Coordinates: 52°24′31″N 1°38′23″W / 52.40846, -1.6398

Berkswell is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, county of West Midlands, England.

1 Geography
2 History and places of interest
3 Famous residents
4 Gallery
5 External links

[edit] Geography

It is in the east of the borough, and borders Coventry, and is about 7 miles west of Coventry city centre.

[edit] History and places of interest

According to the United Kingdom Census 2001 the parish had a population of 2,843.

The civil parish includes a number of hamlets apart from Berkswell village itself. Berkswell railway station serves the village, but is actually closer to Balsall Common than to Berkswell village.

Berkswell took its name from a 16-feet deep, stone-walled water well just outside the churchyard of the 12th century parish church of Saint John the Baptist. It is said to have been used for baptisms by immersion and can still be seen today.

The village has a village green and the stocks were used for punishing petty offenders. It is claimed that these were especially built for a one-legged ex-soldier and his two drinking companions as there are only five leg holes.

The Bear Inn dates from the 16th century. The local history society run a small museum in a 17th century cottage near the church.

On Windmill Lane is the protected and restored Berkswell Windmill, a fine example of a tower mill with its original machinery. There are several 16th and 17th century houses in the village.

Local features include Marsh Lane Nature Reserve. There is also a small Church of England primary school located close to the church on Church Lane.

[edit] Famous residents

Famous people from Berkswell include the actor Jeremy Brett, famous for his TV role as Sherlock Holmes, tennis player Maud Watson - the first Ladies Singles Champion in 1884 at The Championships, Wimbledon and Bob Wyatt (R.E.S.), England Cricket Captain for a number of years from 1934. The Beastie Boys famously stayed in the village for two weeks in 1988, writing the B-side "Jubbsy's Treasure".

[edit] Gallery

Berkswell village green	The well	Church of St. John Baptist, with its unusual wooden porch	War memorial site inside the grounds of St. John Baptist church
Front view of Berkswell Church of England School	The stocks in the village green