Wellesbourne

The name was first recorded in 862 as Wallesburam. It was later referred to as Waleborne in the Domesday Book. In May 1140 Wellesbourne was hit by a tornado – one of the earliest recorded in the British Isles. It damaged several buildings and killed a woman. Wellesbourne was once two villages – Wellesbourne Mountford and Wellesbourne Hastings, the two villages being divided by the River Dene; the former lying to the south of the river, and the latter to the north. In 1947 the two parishes were merged, and are now considered to be a single village. For these historical reasons Wellesbourne has two village centres, Chestnut Square and the Precinct respectively. The Chestnut Square area no…

Outside the village is Warwick Crop Centre which is part of the University of Warwick. It was originally established in 1949 as the National Vegetable Research Centre. It became Horticulture Research International in 1990, which was bought by the university in 2004. The establishment, which covers 472 acre is recognised internationally for its research in sustainable agriculture, horticulture and food security. Chedham's Yard, a historic agricultural building with blacksmith's and wheelwright's workshops, won BBC TV's Restoration Village competition in 2006.