Coven, Staffordshire

Coven
Coven
 Coven shown within Staffordshire
OS grid referenceSJ900060
DistrictSouth Staffordshire
Shire countyStaffordshire
RegionWest Midlands
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post town Wolverhampton
Postcode district WV9
Police Staffordshire
Fire Staffordshire
Ambulance West Midlands
EU Parliament West Midlands
List of places
UK
England
Staffordshire

Coordinates: 52°39′N 2°08′W / 52.65°N 2.14°W / 52.65; -2.14

Coven is a village in the district of South Staffordshire, England, near to the border with Wolverhampton. Together with Brewood it forms part of the parish of Brewood & Coven.[1]

Etymology

Coven derives from the Anglo-Saxon cofum, the dative plural of cofa, which means either 'a cove' or 'a hut'.[2]

History

The first record of Coven (as Cove) is in the Domesday Book (1086); when it was listed as being held by William de Stafford. Prior to the Norman Conquest it was held by the Saxon ceorl Alric.[3]

Iron-making was carried on at a furnace and two forges near to the village from the seventeenth century or earlier. 'The Homage' (circa 1679) is said to be the oldest brick-built house in Staffordshire. During the nineteenth century, John Smith operated a foundry in the village, where he produced stationary steam engines and locomotives.[4]

St Paul's Church, Coven was opened in 1857.

Communications

The village is located on the A449, and is also served by the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal.

References

  1. ↑ Brewood & Coven Parish Council. "Coven village web site". Brewood & Coven Community Web.
  2. ↑ Poulton-Smith, Anthony (1995). Staffordshire Place-Names (including The Black Country). Berkshire: Countryside. p. 38.
  3. ↑ White, Kevan. "Coven History". roman-britain.org.
  4. ↑ Robinson, Paul. Coven In Times Past. Penk Publishing, 2015, p. 167.
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