Sitting to the east of Coventry city centre, Ball Hill occupies a stretch of Walsgrave Road within the Stoke district of the West Midlands. The road itself is one of the city’s main arterial routes, connecting central Coventry with Leicester and the north-east of England. Travelling east from the city centre, the road passes Gosford Green at roughly half a mile out, before reaching Ball Hill just over 200 yards further along.
The Commercial Strip
The name Ball Hill is most commonly used to describe the commercial frontage along Walsgrave Road, running from the crest of the hill eastwards to its junction with Clay Lane and Brays Lane. Before the early twentieth century, the hill was known as Stoke Knob and was predominantly residential. Over time, most of the houses along this stretch were converted into shops, giving the area its current character as a local high street.
History, Name, and Points of Interest
The origin of the Ball Hill name is most likely tied to the Old Ball Hotel, which still stands at the top of the hill. Also on Walsgrave Road are the 2-Tone Village and the Coventry Music Museum, both reflecting the city’s strong connection to the 2-Tone music movement that emerged from Coventry in the late 1970s. Together, these two attractions draw visitors with an interest in the music and cultural history of the city.