Nuneaton is the largest town in Warwickshire, with a population in 2021 of 89,000. It was heavily bombed in the Second World War and rebuilt in typically unsympathetic post-war style. Its best-known landmark is Mount Judd (aka the "Nuneaton Nipple"), a 518-foot spoil heap.
Understand
[edit]"Eaton" means a settlement next to water, and the "nun" was added when a Benedictine nunnery was founded in the 12th century. In the 17th century, Nuneaton manufactured silk ribbons, and in the 19th century, it became a coal-mining town. That era was captured by George Eliot (penname of Mary Ann Evans, 1819 – 1880); born locally, her novels depict rural provincial life as it becomes challenged by the march of industry, and they refer to the town as "Milby".
Get in
[edit]Nuneaton is 20 mi (32 km) east of Birmingham.
By car
[edit]The town is close to the M6, M1 and M42 motorways, so is easy to reach by road from anywhere in England.
By train
[edit]- 1 Nuneaton station. On an important railway junction and is served by trains on the West Coast Main Line, the Birmingham-Leicester-Peterborough Line and the Nuneaton to Coventry branch line. Direct trains from London St. Pancras International and London Euston.
Get around
[edit]See
[edit]- 1 Nuneaton Museum and Art Gallery, Coton Road, Riversley Park, Nuneaton, CV11 5TU, ☏ +44 24 7635-0720, museums@nuneatonandbedworth.gov.uk. Permanent displays related to George Eliot and local history. Temporary and touring exhibitions.
Do
[edit]- 1 The Abbey Theatre, Pool Bank St, CV11 5DB. Theatre seating 248, opened in 1969, mainly run by volunteers.
- 2 Pingles Leisure Centre, Avenue Rd, CV11 4LX. Includes a gym and swimming baths.
- Coventry Canal passes through town. It courses 38 miles (61 km) from Coventry via Bedworth, Nuneaton, Atherstone, Polesworth and Tamworth to Lichfield and has a firm towpath for hiking or cycling. It has 13 locks and is navigable throughout for narrow-boats not exceeding 72 ft / 21.9 m length, 7 ft / 2.1 m beam and 6 ft 6 in / 1.98 m headroom. It has junctions with several other canals and forms part of the 106 mile circuit of the "Warwickshire Ring".
Buy
[edit]- 1 Ropewalk Shopping Centre, Chapel St, CV11 5TZ, ☏ +44 24 7664-1714, ropewalk@key-lime.co.uk. M–Sa 7AM–7PM Su 9:30AM–5:30PM. Multi-storey shopping centre that sells clothing, jewellery, food and electronics. .
- Buy market produce at the market in the town centre.
Eat
[edit]- 1 [dead link] Crossed Khukris Gurkha Restaurant, 115 Abbey St, CV11 5BX, ☏ +44 24 7634-4488.
Drink
[edit]- 1 The Felix Holt, 3 Stratford St, CV11 5BS, ☏ +44 24 7634-7785. Wetherspoon's pub with meals named after a character created by George Eliot.
- The Silk Mill Nuneaton, 42 Newdegate St, Nuneaton CV11 4EU, ☏ +44 24 7632-0589. Friendly pub that shows sports, and serves meals, unlike some pubs in Nuneaton. For those who don't drink, there's coffee.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Holiday Inn Express Nuneaton, The Bermuda Park, St Davids Way, CV10 7SD, ☏ +44 24 7635-7370.
- La Tavola Calda Hotel, 68 Midland Rd, Nuneaton CV11 5DY, ☏ +44 20 8089-8579. Cheap hotel in quite a central location, next to the quarry. Nice cooked breakfast and does Italian food in evenings.
Connect
[edit]As of May 2024, Nuneaton and its approach roads have 4G from Vodafone, and 5G from EE, O2 and Three.
Go next
[edit]Routes through Nuneaton |
Lichfield ← Tamworth ← | NW SE | → Rugby |
END ← | SW NE | → Hinckley → Leicester |