Rugby
The town of Rugby is located in the heart of the Warwickshire countryside, and as the name would suggest lays claim to being the home of the sport of Rugby Football. Many of the attractions that you find here are related to the sport which makes it a great place to visit for those with a love of it. Lovers of the sport will be able to visit the place where it all started, namely Rugby School’s Close where the hallowed turf on which the game was first played still grows. Rugby School in itself has a very proud heritage with the invention of Rugby Football playing only a relatively small part in the history of the school.
The long history of the school is brought to life in the Rugby School museum where you will learn about the sport that was developed here along with some of the more noted pupils that attended. The building where rugby balls have been manufactured since 1842 is home to the Webb Ellis Rugby Football Museum and lovers of the sport will be able to trace the development of the ball from the early days through to the use of modern space age materials. They will also be able to chart how the game has developed over the years.
There is More to Rugby than Rugby!
There is actually much more to the town than the sport that was born here. The town has strong links to a number of famous literary figures such as Rupert Brooke and Lewis Carroll. Though it is true that many fans of the sport of Rugby make something of a pilgrimage to the town, to view the spot where Webb Ellis, a young school boy first picked up the football and ran with it, there is a much older history and heritage for you to discover. You will find that the museums offer exhibits from the times of the ancient Romans as well as the history of the sport of rugby. The town is also home to a fabulous collection of British artwork of the 20th century too. Rugby Art Gallery offers some wonderful exhibits in their archaeological gallery, while the social and industrial heritage of the town can be viewed on the Social History Gallery.
Rugby School
The school was originally founded in 1567 and over the centuries has seen many famous alumni walk through its doors. With such a long and distinguished history behind it, the school houses many unique treasures. Although the school buildings and the school museum are not freely open to the public, it is possible to book a place on a guided tour. Bookings need to be made in advance of your visit though. Aside from the historical exhibits the school also has its own art gallery. The Lewis Gallery was created through joining a couple disused squash courts together to create a unique exhibition space which not only displays the work of the schools arts and crafts students, it also holds regular exhibitions throughout the year from a number of outside sources.
