About the area:
Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, 18 km (11 miles) south of Coventry and 4 km (2.5 miles) west of Leamington Spa, with a population of 25,434 (2001 census).
Warwick hosts annual festivals ranging from the Spoken Word to Classical and Contemporary Music to a Folk Festival and the Victorian Evening, held in late November or early December. Warwick Chamber of Trade helps to promote the town for visitors, residents and businesses. The town is also famous for Warwick Castle, the construction of which began in 1068. The town centre is also known for its historic architecture, and contains a mixture of Tudor and 17th-century buildings. In recent years, several high-profile national and international companies have set-up large office complexes in and around Warwick, notably National Grid and IBM.
Warwick is also known for Warwick Racecourse, near the west gate of the medieval town which hosts several televised meets a year. Within the racecourse is a small golfcourse. Warwick Hospital, Royal Leamington Spa Rehabilitation Hospital and St Michael's Hospital (a psychiatric that superseded Central Hospital, Hatton) are situated within the town.