Iron in Leamington – Coal-hole Covers

There are many artefacts made of iron in Leamington ranging from balconies and street railings to covers in the pavements. This page illustrates some of the coal-hole covers which can be found in the footpaths; they allowed coal to be delivered directly to houses into the coal stores which were beneath the pavement. It is curious that the examples found in Leamington are square whereas most of those seen elsewhere in the country, and indeed the world, are circular. The history of these covers and may other iron artefacts in Leamington and the people and businesses which made them can be found in a book that the Leamington History Group published with the Warwickshire Industrial Archaeology Society entitled “The Ironmen of Leamington”; more detail of this book can be found HERE.