New Bilton
History
The area was historically within the parish of Bilton (which has also been absorbed into Rugby) it emerged as a distinct settlement during the Victorian era, developing into a suburb primarily to house workers involved with the local cement industry and brick making industry; the cement industry still continues but the brick making industry has since died out. The area north of Lawford Road was entirely built-up by 1905, but the area south of the road was developed later in the 20th century.
In 1867 New Bilton became a separate ecclesiastical parish from Bilton, and the parish church of St Oswald on Lawford Road was consecrated, later being enlarged in 1881. In 2012, the church was renamed St Matthew and St Oswald's, after the nearby St Matthew church was closed.
Despite being directly adjacent to it, much of New Bilton (west of Bakehouse Lane) only became a part of Rugby in 1932 when the town's boundaries were expanded.
Features
New Bilton comprises a mixture of Victorian terraced housing, and some later 20th century former council housing and a number of semi-detached houses. Some modern housing has been built on the former GEC site to the rear of Avenue Road up to the limestone quarries of Cemex. New Bilton is served by two primary schools; St Matthew's Bloxam CE Primary School and St Oswald's C of E Primary School. The local community are served by two pubs; the Royal Oak and Holly Bush, a number of local shops, including a Co-op store, and a Post Office based in a petrol station on Lawford Road.
Webb Ellis Road in New Bilton is home to the grounds of Rugby Lions Rugby Football Club, Rugby Cricket Club and the Rugby Lawn Tennis Club.
The New Bilton area is visually dominated by the large Cemex (former Rugby Cement) works, which towers to a height of 400 feet (120 m), A large disused quarry associated with the cement industry is located off Parkfield Road. In 2020 plans were put forward for this quarry to be filled in with spoil from the construction of the High Speed 2 railway line, which would involve bringing a short section of the former Rugby to Leamington railway line into use to deliver the material by train.
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St Matthew and St Oswald's Church. -
Cemex cement works -
Parkfield Road disused quarry
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References
- ^ "NEW BILTON Ward in West Midlands". City Population. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- ^ "Roads J – Y". Rugby Local History Research Group. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
- ^ Rugby: Aspects of The Past, Volume 11. Rugby Local History Research Group. 2020. pp. 68–75.
- ^ "New Bilton History". Forebears.io. extract from Kelly's Directory of Warwickshire (1896). Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- ^ "New Bilton, Warwickshire Historical Description". UKGA.org. Transcribed from The Comprehensive Gazetteer of England & Wales, 1894–5. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- ^ "Our Heritage". stmatthews.org. Archived from the original on 20 April 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- ^ Rugby Advertiser, Friday, 1 April 1932, p. 5
- ^ "New Bilton Post Office closes doors despite concerns from residents and councillors". Warwickshire World. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
- ^ "Sports clubs and organisations – Rugby Cricket Club". Rugby Borough Council. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
- ^ "Sports clubs and organisations – Rugby Lawn Tennis Club". Rugby Borough Council. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
- ^ "Sports clubs and organisations – Rugby Lions Football Club". Retrieved 10 January 2023.
- ^ "Chance to climb Rugby's Cemex tower". Coventry Telegraph. 31 August 2009. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
- ^ "Dangerous quarry near Rugby town centre to be filled with rubble from HS2 – but there are concerns over disturbance to residents". Warwickshire World. 7 February 2020. Retrieved 10 January 2023.