Warwickshire

Warwickshire is a traditional county in western and southern-central England England. The county borders Staffordshire and Leicestershire to the north, Northamptonshire to the east, Oxfordshire to the south east, Gloucestershire to the south west and Worcestershire to the west. Most of the boundary with Leicestershire (specifically the length between Atherstone and Catthorpe) follows the Roman road Watling Street, as does a short section of the border with Northamptonshire.

The county town is Warwick, known for the impressive Collegiate Church of St Mary. By far the largest settlement in Warwickshire is the city of Birmingham, with a population of around 1.15 million, although some mainly suburban areas of Birmingham are in Staffordshire and Worcestershire, due to urban expansion in the 19th century. Coventry is another large city in Warwickshire. Among Warwickshire's most famous towns is Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare (1564-1616). The large town Rugby, in the east of the county, lends its name to rugby football, having reputedly first been played in 1823 at Rugby School there. Other notable Warwickshire towns include Bedworth, Kenilworth, Leamington Spa, Nuneaton, Solihull and Sutton Coldfield.

The county is highly varied in its geography and built environment. For example, parts of the north and west of the county are heavily urbanised, especially around Birmingham, whereas the south west of the county includes a small area of the Cotswolds, a range of rolling hills known for its handsome stone-built villages.