Keresley

Keresley is a suburban village and civil parish in the City of Coventry, West Midlands, England, about north of Coventry city centre and southwest of Bedworth. According to the 2001 census, the parish had a population of 791 falling to 713 at the 2011 Census, although the 2018 population was estimated at 783. Keresley and Keresley End are two separate areas; Keresley is in Coventry, while the slightly more rural Keresley End, also known as Keresley Village or Keresley Newlands, is in Warwickshire, with the exception of Thompsons Road in the village, which lies within the Coventry boundary. The village features two grocers shops, two bus stops, a beauty salon, primary school, doctors surgery, a fish and chip shop, a small church, a post office, library, park, garden centre and community centre. Keresley is located to the northwest of the city and lies within the Bablake ward, bounded by the Woodlands, Whoberley, Sherbourne, Radford and Holbrook wards. Neighbouring villages include Corley, Corley Moor, Ash Green and Brownshill Green. For most of its history, Keresley was a combination of two further villages: Keresley Green was the most northerly and first to exist, but it was Keresley Heath to the south which was developed the most with the building of schools and the church of St. Thomas. However, in 1911 the construction of Coventry Colliery by the Warwickshire Coal Company near to Keresley Green brought the focus of development back to that area. It was not until 1974 that the two parts of Keresley lost their separate identities and became united. The closure of the colliery followed in 1991. Keresley parish is largely rural and contains some beautiful ancient woodland. Coventry City Council's wildlife surveys which include Keresley parish, have classified much of the area as an "A" grade - "An area of very high natural history value, containing several varied habitats and a wide diversity of plants and animals". The area has a lot of footpaths which make it accessible to the public and is probably one of the few areas of Coventry where you can hear skylarks.