II.

Land and Resources

The River Avon runs across the county from north-east to south-west, and divides it into two regions. North of the river is the region known as the “wood-land” or “Weldon”. In the north-east the Weldon is an area of flat meadows, while in the west is the Forest of Arden, the scene of the play As You Like It by William Shakespeare. The forest is now mostly meadowland; the trees were felled in the 17th century to provide fuel for the iron furnaces of Birmingham. Much of the territory north of the Avon is a plateau, with a height above sea level of 120 to 180 m (400 to 600 ft). South of the river is the “field-land” or “Feldon”, which is chiefly devoted to farming. It rises in the south to ranges of hills, some of which reach 245 m (800 ft). The countryside is mostly undulating, developed on sedimentary rocks, especially red sandstone.

The Avon is the main river in Warwickshire. Its tributaries include the Swift, the Sowe, the Alne, the Leam, the Itchen, and the Stour. In the north-west of the county are the rivers Blythe and Anker. The Grand Union Canal crosses the county.

The climate of Warwickshire is moderate. Average annual rainfall over the county is in the region of 635 to 760 mm (25 to 30 in).