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Hearsall Common (looking east)

Hearsall common is located in Earlsdon, Coventry in the West Midlands, central England.^[1]

The common consists of a large grassy area with a smaller partly tarmacadamed area on one side of Hearsall Common Road,^[2] and a wooded nature reserve on the other side.^[2][3] It is free to enter and open to the public 24 hrs a day;^[1] however, after several years of residents complaining about itinerant or nomadic travellers using the common, an embankment was built alongside the roads to prevent vehicles from driving onto the common.

Wooded area in the nature reserve

The first detailed survey of the common land and waste ground in and around Coventry was made in 1423.^[4] These areas have been important for centuries as common land for grazing animals.^[4] In the 18th century, when Coventry was much smaller than it is now, the western areas of Hearsall Common fell within Coventry's boundaries, while the eastern areas extended far beyond them.^[4]

The Coventry Corporation Act of 1927 reassigned Whitley Common, Hearsall Common, Barras Heath, and Radford Common as recreation grounds, and ended all the remaining traditional commoning rights on waste ground in Coventry, and the "freemen" of the city, who had been allowed to have up to three animals grazing on the these areas since 1833, received an annual sum of £100 as compensation.^[4]

Twenty one acres of the common had been developed as sports pitches by 1954.^[4]

Hearsall Common (partly tarmacked area on the right and area of cut grass on the left)

The section of Hearsall Common which is partly covered with rough grass and partly covered with tarmac or gravel is used by fairs or circuses and their associated heavy vehicles.^[5] The Moscow State Circus, which gave performances for five days in November 2004,^[6] is one of many circuses that have visited the common over the years.

The larger eastern section of the common is a large open area of mowed grass that attracts dog walkers,^[2] sunbathers, kite flyers.^[5] and by local children to play football.^[3] On the north side of the road near to the woods there is a cycle race track that is used for cycle competitions.^[7][8]

Recently the Earlsdon Festival moved from being based predominantly in Earlsdon Street to the common. The festival usually takes place on the May Day bank holiday weekend.

After a lot of rain in the summer of 2007, the Donkey Derby which was scheduled to take place in the War Memorial Park, Coventry was held at Hearsall Common.^[9]

The plaque (close up)

Frank Whittle, the aerospace engineer and jet pioneer, was born in Earlsdon,^[10] and the house in Newcombe Road that he grew up in, which has a commemorative plaque on it, is about half a mile from the common. He was apparently inspired to pursue a career in engineering after seeing an aircraft land on Hearsall Common in 1916, from which grew the urban myth that the aircraft blew his hat off and this in particular inspired him, as a young boy, to become involved in aeronautics.^[10] A plaque on the common features this story.

The cycle track

Hearsall Common (view to the east)

The plaque commemorating Frank Whittle's inspiration

Hearsall Common (partly tarmacked area on the other side of the road)

• Coventry & Warwickshire website