Editing Rugby, Warwickshire (section)

==Notable buildings and landmarks==
[[File:Hillmorton radio masts.jpg|thumb|upright|right|[[Rugby Radio Station]] (now&nbsp;demolished)]]
One of the most notable landmarks around Rugby was, until August 2007, the '''[[Rugby Radio Station]]''', a large radio transmitting station just to the east of the town. The station was opened in 1926, at its height in the 1950s it was the largest radio transmitting station in the world, with a total of 57 radio transmitters, covering an area of 1600 acres. Traffic slowly dwindled from the 1980s onwards, and the site was closed between 2003 and 2007.<ref name="OWRRS">{{cite web|title=RUGBY RADIO STATION A short history|url=https://www.ourwarwickshire.org.uk/content/article/rugby-radio-station-2|publisher=Our Warwickshire|access-date=24 October 2018}}</ref> Several of the masts were decommissioned and demolished by explosives in 2004, although a few, including four of the biggest masts remained until 2007. (Firing the explosive charges was delayed by [[rabbit]]s gnawing the wires).<ref>{{cite news | title= Rabbits delay masts' demolition | url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/3823335.stm | work= BBC News | date= 20 June 2004 | access-date= 15 September 2007 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20040719105152/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/3823335.stm | archive-date= 19 July 2004 | url-status= live | df= dmy-all }}</ref> The remaining four 'tall' masts were demolished on the afternoon of 2 August 2007 with no prior publicity. The site is now being developed as a new housing development known as [[Houlton, Warwickshire|Houlton]] <!-- <ref>[http://www.radiostationvision.com Radio Station Vision Website]</ref> -->

'''Rugby Cement''' works, is to the west of the town. The main tower of the cement works stands at {{convert|400|ft|m}} tall,<ref>{{cite news|title=Chance to climb Rugby's Cemex tower |url=https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/chance-climb-rugbys-cemex-tower-3079147 |work=Coventry Telegraph |access-date=23 September 2021 |date=31 August 2009}}</ref> and can be seen from as far away as the [[Cotswolds]] and the [[Malvern Hills]] in [[Worcestershire]].<ref name="RCPhillpot">{{cite news |title=Bright lorries and growing anger in New Bilton - former Advertiser reporter remembers Rugby Portland Cement |url=https://www.rugbyadvertiser.co.uk/news/people/bright-lorries-and-growing-anger-new-bilton-former-advertiser-reporter-remembers-rugby-portland-cement-3113646 |work=Rugby Advertiser |access-date=4 August 2021}}</ref> The landmark is controversial; in 2005 it came in the top ten of a poll of buildings people would like to see demolished on the [[Channel 4]] television series [[Demolition (television)|Demolition]].<ref>{{cite web |title= The dirty dozen |url= http://www.channel4.com/life/microsites/D/demolition/worst2.html |publisher= Channel 4 |format= [[HTTP]] |access-date= 15 September 2007 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071108220440/http://www.channel4.com/life/microsites/D/demolition/worst2.html |archive-date= 8 November 2007 |url-status= live |df= dmy-all}}</ref>  In October 2006, the owners of the Rugby Cement works, [[Cemex]], were fined £400,000 for excessive pollution after a court case brought by the [[Environment Agency]].<ref>{{cite web | title= EA Court Case details | url= http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/news/1483240?lang=_e&region=Midlands%20Region | publisher= Environment Agency | access-date= 15 September 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927183927/http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/news/1483240?lang=_e&region=Midlands%20Region <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 27 September 2007}}</ref>
[[File:WWEstatue 700.jpg|thumb|upright|William Webb Ellis' statue]]

The town has statues of three famous locals: [[Rupert Brooke]], [[Thomas Hughes]] and [[William Webb Ellis]]. The Rupert Brooke statue is situated at the forked junction of Regent Street on the green and commemorates his contribution to poetry. Thomas Hughes' statue stands in the gardens of the Temple Reading Rooms (the central library of Rugby school) on Barby Road. Since England won the [[Rugby World Cup]] in 2003, the William Webb Ellis statue outside Rugby School is one of the most visited parts of the town.

As the main growth of Rugby occurred in the 19th century. The central area of Rugby, is known for its many fine examples of [[Victorian architecture]], these include:
[[File:St Andrew's Church, May 18.jpg|thumb|left|St Andrew's Church]]
'''[[St Andrew's Church, Rugby|St Andrew's Church]]''', in the town centre, is Rugby's original [[Church of England]] [[parish church]]. A church has stood on the site since 1140. The oldest surviving part of the church is the 22&nbsp;metre high west tower which bears strong resemblance to a [[castle]] turret, the west tower was possibly built during the reign of [[King Henry III of England|Henry III]] (1216–1272) to serve a defensive as well as religious role, and is Rugby's oldest building. The church has other artefacts of medieval Rugby including the 13th-century parish chest, and a medieval [[baptismal font|font]]. The church was extensively re-built and expanded in the 19th century, designed by [[William Butterfield]]. The expanded church included a new east tower, added in 1895 which has a [[spire]] {{convert|182|feet|metres}} high.<ref name="RGOAT"/> The church is [[grade II* listed]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Church of Saint Andrew A Grade II* Listed Building in Rugby, Warwickshire |url=https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101183695-church-of-saint-andrew-rugby |publisher=British Listed Buildings |access-date=12 December 2018}}</ref> Very unusually, both of the church towers have [[Change ringing|ringable bells]], the main peal of bells (all cast in 1896 by [[Whitechapel Bell Foundry|Mears & Stainbank]], [[London]]) being located in the eastern tower, and the old peal (all cast in 1711 by Joseph Smith of [[Edgbaston]]) located in the western tower.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://warksbells.co.uk/index.php/p-r/rugby|title=Rugby|website=warksbells.co.uk|access-date=20 February 2019}}</ref>
[[File:St Maries Church, Rugby 3.19.jpg|thumb|upright|St Marie's Church]]
'''[[St Marie's Church, Rugby|St Marie's Church]]''' on Dunchurch Road, is Rugby's main [[Roman Catholic]] church. It is one of the town's most well-known landmarks as it is quite dominant on the skyline. The church was first opened in 1847, designed by [[Pugin]] in the [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic revival]] style, it was enlarged in 1864, and in 1872 the current tall and slender spire was added, which is nearly {{convert|200|ft|m|abbr=off}} tall.<ref name="RGOAT"/><ref name="Rughistim"/> The church is also grade II* listed.<ref>{{cite web|title=Roman Catholic Church of St Marie A Grade II* Listed Building in Rugby, Warwickshire |url=https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101365006-roman-catholic-church-of-st-marie-rugby |publisher=British Listed Buildings |access-date=12 December 2018}}</ref>
[[File:Rugby School buildings from Warwick Street 9.21 (2).JPG|thumb|280px|left|Rugby School, (from left to right) New Quad Buildings, Chapel and War Memorial Chapel.]]
[[Rugby School#Buildings and architecture|The buildings of '''Rugby School''']] are major landmarks mostly dating from the 18th and 19th century with some early 20th Century additions. The oldest buildings are the Old Quad Buildings and the School House the oldest parts of which date from 1748, but were mostly built between 1809 and 1813 by [[Henry Hakewill]], these are [[Grade II* listed buildings in Rugby (borough)|grade II* listed]].<ref>{{NHLE |desc=OLD QUAD BUILDINGS AT RUGBY SCHOOL |num=1035021 |access-date=3 September 2019}}</ref><ref>{{NHLE |desc=SCHOOL HOUSE AT RUGBY SCHOOL |num=1183930 |access-date=3 September 2019}}</ref> Most of the current landmark buildings date from the [[Victorian era]] and were designed by [[William Butterfield]]: The most notable of these is the chapel, dating from 1872, which is topped by an octagonal tower {{convert|138|ft|metre}} tall, and is [[grade I listed]].<ref>{{NHLE |desc=CHAPEL AT RUGBY SCHOOL|num=1183714|access-date=8 June 2021}}</ref><ref name="Pernell"/> Butterfield's New Quad buildings are grade II* listed and date from 1867 to 1885. The War Memorial chapel designed by [[Sir Charles Nicholson, 2nd Baronet|Charles Nicholson]] is a later addition dating from 1922.<ref>{{NHLE |desc=NEW QUAD BUILDINGS AT RUGBY SCHOOL |num=1035020 |access-date=3 September 2019}}</ref><ref>{{NHLE |desc=WAR MEMORIAL CHAPEL AT RUGBY SCHOOL|num=1365005 |access-date=3 September 2019}}</ref> 

There are two further [[grade I listed]] buildings in Rugby, although these are not in the town centre, one of these is [[St Botolph's Church, Newbold-on-Avon|St Botolph's Church]] in [[Newbold-on-Avon]],<ref>{{NHLE|desc=CHURCH OF ST BOTOLPH |num=1183970|accessdate=16 May 2024}}</ref> the second is [[Bilton Hall, Warwickshire|Bilton Hall]] in [[Bilton, Warwickshire|Bilton]].<ref>{{NHLE|desc= BILTON HALL |num=1035049|accessdate=16 May 2024}}</ref>

[[File:Rugby_Clock_Tower_9.22.jpg|thumb|upright|Jubilee Clock Tower]]
Rugby's '''Jubilee Clock Tower''' in Market Place is one of the town's best known landmarks, which traditionally marks the centre of Rugby. The clock tower dates from 1887, and was built to celebrate [[Queen Victoria]]'s jubilee. It is {{convert|43|ft}} tall, built of Derby Dale stone, and was designed by Goodacres of Leicester. The clocks were donated by Evans and Sons of Birmingham. It is grade II listed.<ref>{{cite web|title=Rugby's Jubilee Clock Tower |url=https://www.ourwarwickshire.org.uk/content/article/rugbys-jubilee-clock-tower |publisher=Our Warwickshire |access-date=1 January 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Jubilee Clock Tower, Market Place, Rugby |url=https://www.ourwarwickshire.org.uk/content/catalogue_her/jubilee-clock-tower-market-place-rugby |publisher=Our Warwickshire |access-date=8 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{NHLE |desc=CLOCK TOWERL|num=1300276|access-date=8 June 2021}}</ref>

===Places of interest===
Places of interest in the town include:
*The [[Rugby School Museum]], which has audio-visual displays about the history of Rugby School and of the town.
*The combined [[Rugby Art Gallery and Museum]]. The art gallery contains a nationally recognised collection of contemporary art. The museum contains, amongst other things, [[Roman Empire|Roman]] artefacts dug up from the nearby Roman settlement of [[Tripontium]].
*The [[Webb Ellis Rugby Football Museum]], where traditional [[Rugby football|rugby]] balls are handmade. It contains much rugby football memorabilia.
*The [[Benn Hall]], a conference, seminar, exhibition and party venue.
* [[Newbold Quarry Park]], nature reserve
*[[Swift Valley Nature Reserve]]
*[[Rainsbrook Valley Railway]], miniature railway
Places of interest around Rugby include:
*[[Brandon Marsh nature reserve|Brandon Marsh]]
*[[Brinklow Castle]]
*[[Coombe Abbey]]
*[[Dunchurch]] – Historic village
*[[Draycote Water]] – Reservoir and nature reserve
*[[Garden Organic]]
*[[Oxford Canal]]
*[[Stanford Hall, Leicestershire|Stanford Hall]]