Pathways to the Past

At the core of the Pathways to the Past project is a simple message: our past is something we should both enjoy and feel authority over. History isn’t just for obscure journals or the semi-popularised books of institutional historians. As Hilda Kean and Paula Ashton note, everyone is an ‘active agent in creating history’ – making it difficult to distinguish the historian from ‘their publics.’ We are all products of the thoughts, words, and actions of our predecessors; therefo

This year, the University of Warwick rebranded. The iconic purple ‘W’ was out, replaced with a logo more closely resembling the University’s coat of arms. In the bottom-right corner of both sits the bear and ragged staff – a familiar symbol of Warwickshire. Yet the new logo features a bold change: the bear has turned its back on the staff. Has the University bastardised this iconic emblem of the county, or merely updated it for the modern age? Here, I look back at the history

The Industrial Revolution constituted a pivotal shift in Britain’s socio-economic structure, propelling the nation from a predominantly rural economy into the age of urban-industrial power. Central to this shift were technological innovations and changing production patterns. By the late eighteenth century, Britain had established itself as a preeminent commercial and industrial power. A microhistorical examination of local industrial communities provides a more nuanced und

Historically, Warwickshire is no exception when it comes to witchcraft and ‘magic’. Nor is it unique in the specific beliefs and taboos surrounding these subjects, ranging from the phantasmal black dogs said to haunt Meon Hill – a place already steeped in sinister reputation – to the widespread practice of witches using particular ingredients in potions for various purposes. However, where Warwickshire stands apart is in the witchcraft-related events that occurred long after

1642 marked the volatile split between King and Parliament. Only war would decide the victor. England became staunchly divided along tribal loyalties, and Warwickshire was no exception. It was in this county that the first battle of what became known as the English Civil War took place: Edgehill. Drawing up battle lines near Kineton, both forces – each around 14,000 strong – were eager for battle. King Charles I, largely a nominal figurehead, delegated command to the Earl of

The Battle of Bosworth in 1485 is often remembered as a defining moment in English history, representing a climactic clash between good and evil. It is the moment the deformed tyrant Richard III was slain while the noble saviour, Henry Tudor, was crowned king — ending the Wars of the Roses and marking the start of the Tudor dynasty. However, popular beliefs surrounding the battle are rooted less in historical reality and more in myth: dramatised storytelling carefully constru

During World War Two, the town of Kenilworth was largely seen as a safe haven for those in the line of danger – away from the nearby industrial cities of Coventry and Birmingham which were enduring heavy bombing raids. Kenilworth’s surrounding pastures and historic past presented an ideal location to evacuate children to, and consequently, Kenilworth’s evacuee population was one of the highest in the region. Nevertheless, the early hours of the 21st of November 1940 brought t

Nestled within the open fields at the heart of Kenilworth lie the remains of a medieval priory. Just a ten-minute stroll from Kenilworth Castle – the other striking medieval landmark in the area – St Mary’s Abbey stands as a potent reminder of the complex religious history of the British Isles. The most significant impression upon visiting is the toll religious upheaval has taken on this monastic house. What was once a thriving spiritual centre is now a shattered ruin, with o

Introduction Located in the heart of Warwickshire lies Kenilworth Castle – a fortress with a complex history. Since its construction in the early twelfth-century, the castle has gone from a symbol of military strength, to the hallmark of royal power. The Castle has also seen the shaping of culture and festivities, as well as an Elizabethan romance that has very much shaped the ruins that remain to this day. The castle was once home to the longest siege in England’s histo

In 1895, Warwick Castle hosted one of the grandest balls ever to take place within its walls – a fancy-dress party inspired by pre-revolutionary French aristocracy, attended by no fewer than four hundred of England’s wealthiest. The event was so extravagant it overwhelmed every high-end hairdresser and costumer in London. Its purpose? To welcome the 5th Earl of Warwick and his wife to their newly inherited estate. But while it was Francis Greville who assumed his father’s tit

In the turbulent mid-seventeenth century, England witnessed the collapse of the monarchy, the rise of revolutionary politics, and a surge of radical religious expression. Amidst this upheaval, Warwickshire produced one of the period’s most notorious and enigmatic figures: Abiezer Coppe (1619–1672). A preacher, writer, mystic – and to many, a heretic – Coppe’s life exemplifies the wild, visionary spirit of the English Civil War, with his story beginning right here in Warwick.

The Lord Leycester Hospital at its core was founded as a moral institution. It was established in 1571 by an Act of Parliament with the support of its first patron (and namesake), Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. Dudley was an influential member of the court of Queen Elizabeth I (who also played a role in the early days of the hospital, personally recommending some of the first Brethren). These influential political and aristocratic connections demonstrate that this was a we

In September 1973, Chilean President Salvador Allende’s elected government was overthrown in a coup led by General Augusto Pinochet, ushering in a dictatorship defined by repression, torture, and forced disappearances. Academics and students were among the hardest hit, as Chilean universities were dismantled and dissent harshly punished. In response, the UK-based NGO World University Service (WUS), with support from British universities including Warwick, created a programme

Brutalism is an architectural style that emphasises the literal expression of materials, rejecting traditional ideals of photographic beauty in favour of overt structural clarity. It is distinctly uncompromising and devoid of ornamentation, resulting in rough shapes with asymmetrical proportions composed of modern materials such as concrete, steel, glass, and brick. The movement holds particular historical significance in Coventry, although the city’s use of the style aligns

Destruction A heartland of the aircraft and munitions industries, Coventry was a strategic target during the Battle of Britain. During the Coventry Blitz, air raids escalated throughout 1940, culminating in Operation Moonlight Sonata, when more than five hundred Luftwaffe aircraft dropped high explosives, incendiary bombs, and landmines on Coventry’s compact commercial, industrial, and residential centres. Most striking was the destruction of the Cathedral Church of Saint Mic

In the grounds of Coventry Cathedral stands a modest brass sculpture: a man and a woman, kneeling and embracing. With your gaze naturally drawn upwards to appreciate the scale of the Cathedral’s destruction, you might miss the two figures entirely. But when I visited in 2024 they immediately caught my eye – I’d seen them once before, in another country entirely. Coventry’s Reconciliation is part of a much broader, international history than you might expect. Reconciliation wa

When walking along the cobbles of Bayley Lane in the heart of Coventry city centre, the ruins of the city’s Blitz-bombed cathedral loom large overhead. Shaping the street’s course, jutting into and hanging over the pavement, the physical imposition of what is perhaps the city’s most famous – and certainly most devastating – historical hour could quite easily subsume its surroundings. Yet nestled opposite, stone-built and comparatively unassuming, stands a medieval treasure th

Born in Leamington Spa on 13 October 1915, Sir Terry Frost would go on to become one of Britain’s most prominent abstract artists, with his work exhibited in galleries from New York to London. But who was the man behind the canvases? And what did his art truly represent? I’ll admit, abstract art has never really been my cup of tea. Like many, I’ve often found myself staring at colourful shapes and wondering if I’m missing something – or worse, if I’m being duped. At times, it

In the nineteenth century, Britain faced a series of devastating epidemics. Cholera, typhus, and scarlet fever claimed hundreds of thousands of lives during Queen Victoria’s reign. In this context, the supposed medicinal benefits of Leamington’s spa waters must have seemed especially appealing. What better place to escape the squalor of the industrial city? Yet this idyllic image was far from the reality. Cholera is a deadly disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, ty

In 1947, a cult leader named Aleister Crowley died alone in a Sussex boarding house, surrounded by occult objects and a large supply of heroin. Once a prominent figure in esoteric religious circles, Crowley’s unruly behaviour eventually led to him being ostracised from the very cults he helped to create. Of the numerous groups Crowley influenced, Scientology would prove to be the most enduringly infamous. In its early days, the religion’s founder, L. Ron Hubbard, maintained a