Permission granted for a blue plaque to commemorate Stoneleigh craftsman and inventor

Plans to install a blue plaque on a property in Stoneleigh to commemorate a craftsman and inventor have been given the green light.

The plaque will be installed on The Forge, a Grade II listed building also known as the Old Smithy, for Edward Langley Fardon.

Edward used to occupy the building, which dates back to the 1800s.

He was a metalworker and is thought to have been involved with inventing the first version of the safety bicycle.

According to the planning documents, Edward “carried out many commissions for gates to the various the Rothschild family homes throughout Europe as well as creating a design for a safety bicycle”.

It adds that “it is considered that he is a notable figure within the village’s history”.

Warwick District Council recently gave the plans the go ahead and the plaque will be installed on a ‘blind’ window of the property.