Keresley

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Keresley is a village and civil parish in the City of Coventry, West Midlands, England, about 5 miles (8 km) north of Coventry city centre. According to the 2001 census, the parish had a population of 791. Keresley and Keresley End are two separate areas; Keresley is in the West Midlands, while the more rural Keresely End, also known as Keresley village or Keresley Newlands, is in Warwickshire.

1 History
2 Etymology
3 St Thomas' Church
4 Famous residents
5 References
6 External links

[edit] History

For most of its history, Keresley was a combination of two further villages: Keresley Green was the most northerly and first to exist, but it was Keresley Heath to the south which was developed the most with the building of schools and the church of St. Thomas. However, in 1911 the construction of a colliery by the Warwickshire Coal Company near to Keresley Green brought the focus of development back to that area.^[1] It wasn't until 1974 that the two parts of Keresley lost their separate identities and became united, with the closure of the colliery following in 1996.^[2]

[edit] Etymology

The etymology of the word Keresley suggests that it is Saxon in origin, meaning that the name could originate from the 7th century, although the village was not cited in the Domesday Book of 1086.

The -ley suffix is shared by many villages in the country, and means a clearing in the woods. This means that Keresley was clearing in the Forest of Arden. And the Keres- suffix is thought to either be a corruption of the Saxon word for cress or someones name, meaning together either: The cress clearing, or 'Mr.' Cress's Clearing.

[edit] St Thomas' Church

St Thomas' Church is situated just off the Tamworth Road (B4098) in Keresley and is a Grade II* listed building. Built in 1847, it was designed by Benjamin Ferrey in the Early English style.^[3]