Abbey Fields Timeline
Further details can be found in my book, The Abbey Fields
30,000 BC The valley is formed at the end of the ice age
c1120 The Priory of St Mary is established and includes the land immediately around it
1447 The Priory’s status is raised to that of an Abbey
1538 The Abbey’s downfall is sealed under the 1534 Act of Supremacy. The Abbey had 20 acres of land enclosed by a wall
c1650 The Abbey Lake is drained; it becomes the Oxpen Meadow
1700 The Abbey is a ruin
1753 The land ownership passes to Thomas Villiers, later the 1st Earl of Clarendon of the second creation. By now, the fields are rented out for grazing livestock
1834 Floods carry away part of the Abbey’s mill-dam in the centre of the fields
1840 St Nicholas churchyard is extended into the fields leading to an archaeological investigation in that area
1858 2,000 of the town’s 3,700 inhabitants sit down to a meal in the Abbey Fields to celebrate Queen Victoria passing through the town
1860 The iron bridge in the centre of the fields is mentioned; its age is unknown
1866 A further churchyard extension leads to the building of a wall alongside its western boundary
1879 Annual winter flooding of the Oxpen Meadow creates an ice-skating rink. This particular year over 500 skated on one day
1879 A well-established pastime of youths bathing naked in the Abbey Fields brook is becoming more frowned upon; there are calls for a proper bathing place to be created for them
1881 The St Nicholas churchyard needs extending again, but the Earl of Clarendon says no
1882 Late in 1882 the Earl of Clarendon puts the entire Abbey Fields estate up for sale as building land
1884 On 12th May the Abbey Fields is sold in three sections; the central 40 acres to the Local Board for a park who take out a loan to pay for it, 13 acres to a group of 18 Preservationists who wish to keep the view from their Abbey Hill and Rosemary Hill houses, and four areas around the outside to a Syndicate for building purposes. Grazing continues, the rents are used to pay off the loan
1884 On 28th November, the Preservationists convey their 13 acres to the St Nicholas churchwardens but allow the Local Board to use the land as part of their park
1885 The churchyard is extended again, using part of the Syndicate’s land. On the day of its dedication, 28th May, ‘indecent youths’ were again bathing in the brook
1885 June; the provision of a swimming bath, a cricket pitch and a lake in the park is discussed but nothing happened
1885 July; a new footpath is created from the central iron bridge to Forrest Road
1886 – 1890 Burials in the latest churchyard extension are delayed by an archaeological investigation
1889 On 14th March, for £400 the Local Board buy from the Syndicate 3 acres or so around the churchyard to add to the park, which increases to about 57 acres
1891 Questions are asked as to why the Board has not created any facilities in the park
1894 The Local Board is replaced by the new Kenilworth Urban District Council (KUDC)
1895 On the back of election promises, a swimming pool in the park is planned
1896 On 1st June, the swimming pool is opened; it is 75ft long and varies in depth from 2ft 6ins to 5ft
1897 A new footpath from Bridge Street to the swimming pool is made
1897 The first set of park bye-laws is made, organised ball games are not allowed but cycling on the paths is
1902 An avenue of trees is planted on the path from Bridge Street to St Nicholas church. During the next two years the swimming pool path and the diagonal path from Abbey Hill to Bridge Street also become avenues. Residents complain that there are too many trees and the views across the park are being ruined
1902 The first mention of seats being provided in the park
1904 A swimming club is formed, primarily to teach boys to swim
1908 A footpath from the swimming pool, alongside the brook to the Castle Ford, is created by simply fencing off a narrow strip of land
1909 On Friday 13th August, pool attendant Henry Trunkfield is murdered after the pool is closed for the day; his wife finds his body floating in the shallow end
1910 The first record of an organised football match being allowed in the park
1913 On 26th April the bowling green is opened. It has been constructed by a newly formed club who pay rent to the KUDC, on condition that it is open at all times for the public to play on
1916-18 Several areas of the park are used for the growing of food, including an area of allotments
1917 Gertrude Evans donates 27,739 sq yds of her land alongside Forrest Road to add to the park. It was purchased in 1884 by her father as part of the syndicate
1920 A captured German field-gun is put on display in the park
1920 The children’s play area is opened with swings, a trapeze and a giant stride
1922 On 26th February, the new war memorial is dedicated; it is built not in the park as such but on a widened area of the road to circumnavigate the covenant that prevents all structures
1922 On 22nd March, excavations in the park of the Abbey ruins begins largely to provide work for some of the many unemployed. It continues for about 18 months
1923 On 7th May, the first two tennis courts, of grass, are opened and are run by the bowls club
1923 In December, the town’s first public conveniences are built in the park just north of the swimming pool
1925 The number of grass tennis courts is increased to 6
1925 A new swimming club is formed, the original having closed during the Great War
1925 The German field gun is moved – to a new position alongside the War Memorial! It is thought that it was eventually scrapped during the WW2 drive for metal
1926 The still-surviving tennis and bowls pavilion is built
1926 Putting greens are created behind the tennis courts
1926 The field between Luzley Brook and The Bungalow (now Ford House) is prepared for use as a playing field; the pupils from School Lane are the first known to make use of it
1927 The carnival, in its second year, is allowed to make use of the park for the first time
1929 The Working Men’s Club team are the first known to make use of a new permanent football pitch is the park
1932 The Friends of Kenilworth Abbey and its Surroundings is formed and carry out much work looking after the ruins and churchyard
c1932 Two hard surface tennis courts are added to the 6 grass courts
1934 A drinking water fountain is built alongside the swimming pool path
1934 In September the swimming pool is closed for public health reasons
1935 In June, the new ‘Kenilworth Lido’ is opened, it is more than twice the size of the original pool and has thatched changing rooms matching the tennis Pavilion
1935 The bye-laws are amended to allow the playing of games on Sundays; the children’s play area is also now open on Sundays, the equipment having previously been locked up
1936 At least two permanent football pitches are provided alongside the Luzley Brook
1938 On 22nd October, Gertrude Evans donates a second area of land, alongside High Street, to add to the park. The total area is now 64 acres 2634 sq yds. A narrow path is created diagonally across it by cows walking nose to tail to the next gate; it becomes known as the Cow Path
1938 In the autumn, air-raid trenches are dug across the park. In May 1939 three are made into concrete shelters
1940 The Oxpen Meadow is left to fill to provide a ready water supply should it be needed after air raids. The brook is also dammed and the Victorian steam fire engine placed alongside it to be at the ready
1940 11 acres of the park are ‘under the plough’; other areas are used as allotments
1945 Only one grass tennis court is in a usable condition
1946 Two more hard tennis courts are laid, 2 grass courts are retained
1947 ‘No cycling’ notices appear around the park for the first time
1948 The last two grass tennis courts are replaced by an 18-hole putting green
1948 The Agricultural Society holds their annual show on the Oxpen meadow for the first time
1949 A refreshment kiosk is opened at the corner of the swimming baths in an existing building and is run privately under licence
1949 There are moves to end grazing in the fields now that the loans for purchase have been paid off; rationing and a national food shortage ensures that grazing continues
1950 An area of the park is lost as part of Abbey Hill is widened due to congestion caused by buses; the widening includes a bus lay-by and in 1951 a ‘park shelter’ that doubles as a bus shelter is added
1951 A new swimming club is started, the previous one having ceased during WW2
1951 Three football pitches are in use
1952 A temporary car park is created off Bridge Street specifically for park users
1953 As part of the coronation celebrations, a climbing frame, large slide and extra swings are put up
1954 The Agricultural Show moves to the bottom of the Memorial Field where the ground is levelled. This area is still used for shows today
1957 Catering at the kiosk is taken over by the Council
1959 Plans for the future of the park are drawn up; they include making a lake, rebuilding the swimming pool, new conveniences, a new kiosk, a new road from Abbey Hill to access a car park at the swimming pool, and to build flower beds and a rockery
1960 The annual temporary bridge for the fairground people to cross the brook near to Bridge Street is adopted by the Council and becomes permanent
1962 The Kenilworth Society suggest the proposed lake should not be for boating but for wildfowl, or, as the KWN called it, a ‘high class duck pond’
1962 A Pitch and Putt course is laid out on the slope up to Abbey Hill
1962 In October, Punch, the Council’s last cart horse and resident in the park, dies, ending the Council’s need for grazing land
1963 On 25th March, all grazing in the park is ended
1963 The football pitches are used on Sundays for the first time
1963 The 50-year-old bowling club is down to 12 members; the Council finally take over the green and its maintenance
1963 Due to the dangers of the roads, there are calls for children cycling to school to be allowed to cycle through the park. The idea is refused
1964 In September, the rebuilding of the swimming pool changing rooms begin
1966 Gertrude Evans dies; she is buried with the rest of her family in the churchyard extension her father sold to the church in 1884. The grave overlooks the High Street land she donated to the park
1966 Castle farm is chosen as a long-term replacement for football pitches in the park
1968 The income from the Pitch and Putt course is one and a half times that of the tennis courts
1968 ‘Heat the Pool’ movement is started by swimming club members
1970 The pool is heated for the first time; dangerous overcrowding sees numbers limited to 400 at a time‼
1971 The original 1923 conveniences are replaced
1973 The Kenilworth History Society starts to list the relics stored in the Abbey Fields barn
1973 The Agricultural Society move their show from the park; the Lions Club hold their first
1974 The KUDC purchase a 1.42 acre field behind Little Virginia to add to the park, having tried unsuccessfully several times since 1914; it is known as The Paddock
1974 A 150 by 100ft corner of his garden is donated to the park by Councillor Whiteman of High Street. These two additions bring the final total area of the park to 66 acres and 660 sq yds
1977 The now-named Kenilworth History & Archaeology Society opens the Barn as a museum
1984 After years of debate and arguments, a 25mtr indoor swimming pool is planned for the park; a poll shows only 34 per cent are in favour of the pool being sited in the park
1985 Organised football in the park ends with the opening of the Castle Farm facilities
1986 The indoor pool is opened
1989 The Kenilworth Inset Plan restricts ‘formal recreation’ to the area already in use for swimming, tennis, bowls, and play equipment, and that the Oxpen Meadow is to become a permanent lake. The Paddock is shown as part of the park
c1990 The First Boxing Day Duck Race is held by the Kenilworth Lions Club
1991 A wide-ranging consultation sees 600 respondents. Two-thirds say ‘leave the Abbey Fields as they are’; the other third is split half-and-half between careful change and returning the fields to their appearance as it was years before. At about this time, the popular Pitch-and-Putt course is closed
c1994 The Friends of Abbey Fields is formed by Jonathan Newey
1996 & 1997 WDC create a wildflower meadow; it is described as a shambles and that Kenilworth people did not want it; the area is mowed back to its normal state
1997 The decision is made to create a permanent lake on the Oxpen meadow after its drainage system fails, damaged during the swimming pool rebuilding
1998 Jonathan Newey dies and the Friends of Abbey Fields disbands
c2000 The old children’s play equipment is replaced
2002 A new Friends of Abbey Fields is formed by Sandra Whitlock
2003 The whole park area becomes a Scheduled Ancient Monument; the air –raid shelters have the same level of protection as the Abbey ruins. (The swimming pool, gravestones, play equipment, etc, are not included)
2005 WDC announce they will no longer maintain the bowling green due to its lack of use
2008 A broken drainage pipe is not repaired due to the £8,500 cost; it creates a marshland which is kept due to its biodiversity
2010 The Friends of Abbey Fields list 64 types of trees in the park
2011 WDC create another wildflower meadow; this time it is generally well-received
2013 Much of the play equipment installed a dozen years earlier has become dangerous; it is replaced with a much larger scheme costing £100,000 and also covers the bowling green
2013 The free car park becomes Pay and Display; during work a number of previously unknown walls associated with the Abbey are discovered, only the second such find in 90 years; they are not investigated
2013 A Town Council Action Plan survey has over 1500 respondents; 77 per cent said a cycleway through the park should be provided
2016 Plans for a cycleway are made public; despite claiming to ‘avoid impact on historic features of the park’ it includes the demolition of the ancient iron bridge
2017 On 1st June, Sports and Leisure Management (SLM), which trades as ‘Everyone Active’, takes over the running of the swimming Pool, and other WDC leisure activities.
2018 In a review of its leisure activities, WDC announce that the outdoor pool may be closed in favour of a second, smaller, indoor pool for teaching purposes. A ‘Save our Outdoor Pool’ protest group is formed.
August 2019 WDC confirm they have appointed idverde’s Greenspace Development Team to develop and produce a 10 year Management Plan for Abbey Fields. The Final Plan will be agreed in January 2020.
August 2019 WDC reveal their plans for the Abbey Fields swimming pool; they confirm the outdoor pool is to go.
Nov 2019 Having already decided to close the outdoor pool, WDC spend a month carrying out a ‘Consultation’ with the public.
Jan 2020 According to WDC’s Green Space Newsletter, the IdVerde 10 year Management Plan will be published in 2 weeks.
July 2021 Warwick District Council re-affirms the outdoor pool is to be closed and replaced with a second, smaller, indoor pool.
December 18th, 2021 Both swimming pools are closed in readiness for the rebuilding work (the outdoor pool had not been open during 2021, effectively closing in September 2020) . The new pool complex is due to be open in the winter of 2024.
February 2023 Warwick District Council announce their preferred option for a cycle path across the park is to upgrade existing paths. (See 2023 Cycling Documents)
September 2023 Historic England agree to new designs for the swimming pool, protecting the archaeology. What isn’t clear is if all are to be kept or if any are to be sacrificed.
To be continued…..
More Abbey fields articles:
How the land was acquired Full details on how each plot became part of the park between 1884 and 1974.
The Covenants Each plot came with a covenant and restrictions
Abbey Fields Cycle Path Always under discussion, a complete record of attempts for cycling to return to the park
The Swimming Pool The history of the pool from its origins in the 1890s until the present day, with a number of photographs
Car Parking in the Abbey Fields How the car park came about
Bye-laws The non-observance of bye-laws is often discussed, here you can see them all
Abbey Fields Archaeology A guide to the many archaeological explorations of the Abbey and its surroundings from 1840 to the present day
Abbey Fields Play Equipment Some aspects of the park play equipment, now established over a century
Abbey Fields, 1947 A look at the park as it appeared in the national aerial record of 1947
Return to Abbey Fields home page
See also my book: