Hillfields in Victorian Times

The early history of Hillfields

In 1844 an Act of Parliament enabled the city to buy the ancient mills that obstructed the Sherbourne and caused it to flood and to demolish them. When this was done the Ford Street and Lower Ford Street area could be developed and the old city joined to hte new town. The city adopted the Health of Towns Act 1848 and established a Local Board of Health in 1849 and surveyed the city in 1850. New Building Regulations were laid down by the Board: two storey houses had to be 40ft from each other and 3 storey houses 60ft. from each other. Road had to be 40ft wide, including footpaths. Between 1841 and 1861 the majority of the 2000 houses built in Coventry were built in Hillfields - the ribbon weaver's new town. The standard of living of those moving to Hillfields were much higher than those remaining in the slums of the city. Hillfields became the home, not only of many of the upper class of freemen weavers, but of his cottage factory, while the old city became the home of the lower class of weavers and of the factory. 

Postwar Hillfields

This page was last updated 07/04/02