ATHERSTONE, a market-town and chapelry in the
parish of MANCETTER, Atherstone division of the hundred
of HEMLINGFORD, county of WARWICK, 20 miles
(N. by E.) from Warwick, and 105 (N. W. by N.) from
London, on the road to Chester, containing 3434 inhabitants.
The name of this place, in Domesday-book
written Aderestone, is by Dugdale derived from Edred, or
Aldred, who possessed it in the time of the Saxons, and
thence called Edredstone, or Aldredstone; by others its
name is deduced from its situation near Mancester, or
Mancetter, the Manduessedum of the Romans, reckoning
from which station, here was the first, or nearest, milliarium
on the line of the Roman Watling-street, and
thence called Hither-stone, or Atherstone. In 1485, the
Earl of Richmond, previously to 'the battle of Bosworth
Field, entered this town on the 20th of August, encamped
his forces in a meadow, north of the church, still called
the Royal meadow, and took up his own quarters at an
ancient inn, now the Three Tuns, where he passed the
night:, here he had an interview with the Stanleys,
and concerted those measures which secured him the
victory in the celebrated battle that took place on
the 22nd, and terminated the war between the houses
of York and Lancaster. In 1376, Ralph, Lord Basset,
of Drayton, founded a convent of Augustine friars, the
church of which is now the parochial chapel; part of
it is appropriated to the use of the free grammar school,
and part to an endowed charity school. The town
consists of one principal street, containing many ancient
and several very respectable modern houses, from which
another, branching off, leads to the market-place. It
is paved, well lighted, and amply supplied with water:
there is a subscription library and news-room; and
assemblies are held occasionally in the town hall, a
neat brick building on piazzas. The manufacture of
hats is carried on to a considerable extent, and that
of ribands upon a smaller scale. The Coventry and
Fazely canal passes on the north-western extremity
of the town, where extensive coal and lime wharfs
have been constructed. The market is on Tuesday:
fairs are held on April 7th and July 18th, for cattle;
September 19th, 20th, and 21st, for cattle, cheese,
and pedlary, on the Tuesday after which is a statute
fair; and on December 4th is a great show fair for
cattle, &c. The county magistrates hold a petty ses-
sion weekly; the hundred court is held here alternately
with other towns; and a court leet annually, at which
constables and other officers are appointed.
The living is a perpetual curacy, in the archdeaconry
of Coventry, and diocese of Lichfield and Coventry, and
in the patronage of the Vicar of Mancetter. The chapel,
dedicated to St. Mary, and originally belonging to the Augustine
priory, is a cruciform structure, in the early
and decorated styles of English architecture, with an
octagonal tower rising from the centre, but its original
character has been impaired by additions. There areplaces
of worship for Wesleyan Methodists and Unitarians.
The free grammar school, founded by Sir
William Devereux, of Merevale, and others, and endowed
with estates now producing £600 per annum,
is under the management of trustees, who appoint the
master} there is at present only one scholar on the
foundation. Here is also an endowed charity school,
in which thirty boys are instructed in reading, writing,
and arithmetic. The infant school, a handsome modern
building near the church, is well supported; and there
is another upon a smaller scale. The self-supporting
dispensary, upon the plan of Mr. Smith, of Southam,
established in 1825, affords relief to a considerable
number of patients. Drayton, the poet, and one of
the earliest topographical writers, whose works were
published by the learned Selden, was born here.