About the village

The beautiful village of Radway is a village and civil parish of approximately 250 residents in Stratford-on-Avon District, Warwickshire. It nestles largely at the foot of the escarpment of Edgehill and lies just within the north-eastern part of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The village is surrounded by fields, woodland and hedgerows. 

The origins of the village lie in Saxon times when the ‘Church of Coventry’ owned the land and the name Radway is believed to be a corruption from Redweii or Radweis, meaning “red way or road”, probably referring to the red-coloured soil.

Radway is concentrated in two parts, separated by the grounds of Radway Grange. The larger part is to the east, but the original focus of the village was Westend, where you will find the site of the original Saxon church and its graveyard as well as many early headstones.

Radway Information pack

Our comprehensive guide to the village, detailing everything covered in this website and more. Printed copies are available from the Parish Council or download a copy here.

Radway Grange, originally a farm belonging to the Cistercian monks of Stoneleigh, has an illustrious list of previous residents, including George Washington’s great grandfather, the architect Sanderson Miller, and Field Marshall Earl Haig.

Radway is located at the foot of Edgehill and is notable for the Battle of Edgehill, the first engagement of the English Civil War, which was fought in fields and lanes of Radway on 23rd October 1642. The site of the battle is now on Ministry of Defence land and is not accessible to the public, but a monument can be found on the Kineton-Banbury Road where a wreath is laid each year by the Sealed Knot on the anniversary.

At weekends and in the holiday season, numerous walkers pass through Radway as they enjoy one of the many long walks that skirt the village. The most notable of these is the Battlefields Trail, which naturally leads visitors to the award-winning permanent exhibition on the Battle of Edgehill in St Peter’s Church: www.battleofedgehillexhibitionradway.org.uk

Radway in our own words –
An oral history of our village

A spoken history of eight people who have lived some or all of their lives in the village of Radway in Warwickshire, recalling their memories of the years between the World Wars in this small rural community.