| Description | In 1818, Rugby, and the parishes of Bilton, Hillmorton, Church Lawford, Long Lawford, Clifton upon Dunsmore, Kings Newnham, Leamington Hastings, Newbold on Avon, and Newton, formed a Union under Gilbert's Act of 1782. Gilbert's Act had made provision for groups of parishes to form unions so that they could share the cost of poor relief through poor houses [Workhouse], which were established for looking after only the old, the sick and the infirm. All able-bodied paupers were excluded from these poor-houses, instead they were to be provided with either outdoor relief or employment near their own homes. |