The present town is based on the top of a sandy ridge between Dunsmore Heath and Hillmorton.To the south and north are river valleys, early ploughs could not cope with the heavy clay soils so settlement concentrated on the lighter soils making Dumsmore heath and Avon Valley ideal areas.

It is thought that originally Rugby may have been in the Kingdom of Mercia on or near the border with Dane Law . In 886 AD King Alfred agreed a treaty with the Danes which put Rugby in England.

However their were a number of place names that were corrupted by the Danes Rugby being one of them. The berie of the Domesday book is a corruption of the Anglo Saxon bury (a defended place).

After about 920 AD the English had regained control of all area’s south of the Humber it was at this time that the Wessex system of Shires was introduced, this led to Rugby being in Warwickshire.

Rugby is mentioned in the Domesday book as Rochberie (Roch meaning stone and berie meaning important place).

The first market charter for Rugby is 1255.
The manor of Rugby was worth half a knights fee.
It was part of the Earl of Warwick’s lands from before 1086 until around 1500.
In 1086 it was held from the Earl by Edwulf and his family they remained Lords of the Manor until 1310. This line included two Henry de Rokeby’s.

The granddaughter of the second Henry was married to the Gobaud family and the manor was given as part of her dowery, they obtained the right of Frankpledge in 1327, they then sold the tenancy to the Earl of Stafford in 1349

In 1421 it was given to the son of the Duke of Buckingham, the Dukes fell out with the crown and all lands were forfit around 1500.

The crown granted the manor to Sir Gilbert Talboys it then passed to Ambrose Dudley by marriage around 1556 later the Earl of Warwick. However in 1560 he sold the rights to the Manor to the Wyrley family.

Rugby School was founded in 1567 by Lawrence Sheriff.
It then moved to its present site in 1750
Canals arrived with the Oxford Canal around 1773 up until this point only local industry survived corn milling and blacksmithing for example.
The area had limestone this led to the development of the cement industry in the mid 19th century.

Railways started, Rugby being on the first trunk line between London and Birmingham the line was opened in1838. In 1840 a line to Nottingham and Derby was opened making Rugby a major junction. At its height lines came from 9 directions.

English Electric was formed in 1919 and became a prime employer in the town.
The first Gas works were opened in Gas Street in the 1830’s.
A water tower was opened in Barby lane in 1851.

In 1887 the Clock Tower in the centre of Rugby was commissioned to celebrate the anniversary of the crowing of Queen Victoria but was not finished until 1889.

In 1823 the game of Rugby was invented by William Webb Ellis.

In 1842 Gilberts started making Rugby footballs and still continue to this day.

1801 census population 15,000 approx
1901 census population 37,000 approx
2001 census population 87,000 approx.

With the  best of intention all of the above information is true, correct and given in good faith, however, we cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions contained within the above.

Equally we recommend that should you need or want to find out more you should conduct more detailed independant research.