Warwickshire Tourist Guide - Articles

Like Alcester, Atherstone is Roman town which sits on the old Roman Road -- Watling Street -- and is now a bustling small market town with many attractive old buildings. It is also the home of the infamous Atherstone Ball Game, which has been played in the town for over 800 years.

It was once a thriving felt hat producing town and it is reputed to be where the phrase "as mad as a hatter" (as in the 'mad hatter' character in 'Alice in Wonderland' by Lewis Carroll) originated. This is a factual example of an early industrial disease cause by the use of a mercury compound in the hat-making process. This caused an amazing range of nasty problems, including: kidney & brain damage, trembling (known as 'hatter's shakes'), loose teeth, slurred speech, irritability, loss of memory, depression, anxiety, and other personality changes - making the victims appear mad. This was known as 'mad hatter syndrome'.

Over recent years, the town has developing as a book town, similar to Hay-on-Wye, with several specialist book shops.

HOTELS IN ATHERSTONE
Branagans
Chapel House Hotel
The New Dolphin Inn
The Old Red Lion Hotel

NEARBY HOTELS
Curzon Arms Hotel at Twycross.





Hotels in Atherstone