Located between Birmingham and Coventry, Meriden is often regarded as the "centre of England". More modern calculations have placed the centre in Leicestershire but Meriden still has it's monument which is supposed to denote the centre (though it has been moved anyway!)
Meriden has Saxon origins, being listed in the Domesday Book as Alspath and was the property of Lady Godiva. Alspath was a settlement atop a hill where the parish church is now, with Meriden settlement at the foot of the hill. Over time the settlement at the foot of the hill overtook Alspath in importance especially due to the Chester road passing through it.
Meriden was identified as the centre of England in 1829 with a sandstone cross built to mark the exact point. It has been moved a couple of times since then.
