﻿LEJCBSTKR8HIKE. 



LBICE8TEB8HIRR. 



I pwtly of • rtuml, MMi partly of the rivar Soar made naTigable, 

 tartida from Lnni^hboruugh to Leioeater, about II milr*. The 



■ aixl MrltAD MowbnT NarinUon, aloo 1 1 milea, commencea 

 •t tka juuctioD of the rirer Wreak with the Lcioe*t«r NaTuatioD, and 

 it earned alone the cbannpU of the Wreak and Eye, which are thiu 

 mad* iwTigafaM to Helton. The Leioeatorahire and Northampton- 

 •hire Unkm Canal extonda from the Laeeater Navigation at Leicester, to 

 Foztoo n«w llarket Harborongti, with a cut from Foxton to Harborough. 

 Ita leBg:th ia about 17 mil**; or, including the branch to Harborough, 

 SI mile«. The Qrasd Union Canal forma a communication between the 

 Grand Junction Canal, at Long Bockby in Northunptonnhire, and the 

 Laicwterphire and Northamptonahire Union Canal at Foxton. It* course 

 b aboat 8 mile* in L<-ioe*t«rBhire. The Oakham Canal ran* fh>m Oakham 

 in Rutlandshire to Melton Mowbray, where it unites with the Leicester 

 and Melton Mowbray NaTigation. Its whole length is about 15 miles, 

 of which more than half is in lyeicestemhire. The Aahby-dela- 

 Zoiich Canal commence* in the Coventry Canal, about 8 miles from 

 Nuneaton in Warwickshire, and runs to the coal-field south-west of 

 Ashby. Its whole length is above 26 miles, of which the greater part 

 ia in Leicestershire, There are three railways connected with this 

 canal at the Ashby end ; one from the Ticknall lime-workx, 8^ miles 

 long ; a sroond branching off from this to the Cloudliill lime-works, 

 4| mile* long, with two short branches ; and a third from a colliery 

 iMar Moin, half a mile long. Ashby ia connected with the canal by 

 • tram-road about 2 milea long. 



The south branch of the Midland railway enten Leicestershire 

 about 3 mile* W. &om Lutterworth, and runs north by east past 

 Leicester, 6 miles beyond which the main line turns north-west, and 

 quits the county near Loughborough, while the Syston and Peter- 

 borough branch turns north-east to Melton Mowbray, where it turns 

 round east, and near Wymondham south-east; soon after which it 

 enters Rutlandshire. The old goods railway from Leiceater to Swan- 

 nington has been converted into a pai-senger line. It runs in a 

 aomewhat serpentine, but generally west-north-west direction past 

 Ashby-de-la-'Zouch to Burton ; but quits the county soon after it 

 passes Ashby. The Rugby and Stafford railway enters the county 

 near Lnttarworth, which town it passes, but soon after enters 

 Northamptonshire, though it runs for some distance along the borders 

 of Leicectershire. 



The principal coach roads through the county are as follows : — The 

 Chester and Liverpool road ent«re the county from Northamptonshire, 

 near the village of North Kilwortb, and runs through Lutterworth 

 and Hinckley to the neighbourhoo<l of Atbi-rstone, where it enters 

 Warwickshire. The Leeds road enters the county from Rutlandshire, 

 and nms through Melton Mowbray into Nottinghamshire. The Halifax 

 road enters the county from Northamptonshire, and passes by Market 

 Harborough, Leicester, and Loughborough into Nottinghamshire. 

 The Carli^e and Manchester road coincides with the Halifax road as 

 far as Loughborough, from which town it runs by Kegworth to Derby. 

 Roads lead from Leicester by Melton Mowbray to Qrantham ; by 

 Bingham in Nottinghamshire to Newark; by Ashby-de-la-Zouch to 

 Burton on-Trent; to Hinckley; to Lutterworth; and to Uppingham 

 in the adjoining county of Rutland. 



Otology, MinfTalogy,Ac. — Some portions of the east side of Leices- 

 tershire are occupied by the formations which constitute the third or 

 lowest system of ooUtM, The Oreat Oolite extends over the summit 

 of the sandy bills which overiumg the Vale of Belvoir, From beneath 

 the Oreat Oolite the beds which intervene between it and the lias crop 

 out ; they skirt the Vale of Belvoir and occupy the border of the 

 county towards Rutlandshire. The Lias occupies the rest of the eastern 

 side of the county, skirting the valley of the Soar at the distance of 

 2 to 3 miles eastward from that river. The rest of the county, with 

 the exception of Chaniwood Forest, the coal-fields near Ashby-de-la- 

 Zotieh, and some isolated bill* of mountain limestone to the north- 

 weat of Chamwood Forest, is occupied by the new red or saliferous 

 ■aodstone. The Ashby coal-fields lie to the north-east and the south- 

 wast of Ashby, and extend into Derbyshire. The south-western field 

 is of an oblong figure, extending north-west and south-east about 

 11 milea. The strata dip in different directions. More than 20 coal- 

 works have been opened in this field. One of the coal-beds has a 

 thickness of 17 to 21 feet The other coal-field is also oblong, and 

 extends in the same direction a* that just mentioned : its length ia 

 about 6 or 7 mile*. The isolated beds of mountain limestone are 

 qnarried at the village of Osgathorpe, near Ashby, at a spot near the 

 road from Ashby to Loiighlxwough, and in other pUoes, Chamwood 

 Forest district is oooupied by rocks of the transition series, sienite, 

 greenstone, and alate. Some of these rooks are quarried under the 

 aama of granite. This district yields coarse sUte for roofing and 

 other oonunon purpose*. Qypsum is quarried near Leicester; and 

 limcatone, which makei excellent cement for works under water, at 

 B*rrow-U{>oD-Saar. Freestone for building and clay for bricks are 

 procnrsd in several part* of the coimty. 



CUmaU, Soil, AgricuU*ri.—'V\M olimato of Leicestershire is mild 

 and genial, without being so moipit as in those countias which lie 

 nearar the Atlaotio. There are few high hills to intercept the clouds. 

 The soil is loam^, without tho extremes of stiff cUy, loose sand, or 

 chalk. It varies m fertility. The moat fertile soil* are generally kept 

 in putuTC^ for whish Uii* ovialtj ii pt»«iiiiMnt; Uie poorer and 



thinner aoib only being kept in arable cultivation. Out of above 

 500,000 acrea of surface, fully one-half is in permanent grass. The 

 quantity of woods or wast<'S is very small. There are many large 

 landed pro|>rietors who have family s<-ats in this county, and they 

 have in general some portion of tlieir domains in hand. By employing 

 intelligent bailiffs they greatly contribute to the improvomaat of 

 husliau'lry. Orazing ana the breeding of cattle and sheep ars the 

 chief objects of the Leioeatershii% farmers, ami they have succeeded 

 admirably both with oxen and aheep. The arable land has however 

 not been neglected ; and the quantity of stock kept, for which artificial 

 food must be provid>-d in winter, has not only supplii-d abundant 

 manure to recruit the land, but also made the cultivation of green 

 crops more general and extensive than in many other countiea. The 

 natural meadows along the banks of the rivers are considerable, and 

 most of them of exoell <nt quality. The uplsnd meadows are also 

 good. There are considerable dairiea, especially on the borders of 

 Derbyshire, and very good cheese is made there. The cheese known 

 by the name of Stilton is chiefly made in Leicestershire. 



The principal breed of cattle in Leicestershire is the improved long 

 horn, which bears a venr high character. The sheep, for which thia 

 county ia also renowned, are large, with very long wool, and fiitten 

 very readily at an early age. As fox-hunting is followed with great 

 eagerness in this county msny good horses are bred, and the rich 

 (HLsture favours the rearing of this useful and nuble animal. 



DiruiouM, Totnu, Jec. — Leiceaterahire is divided into six hundreds, 

 as follows : — West Qoscote, north-west and central ; East Goacote, 

 central ; Framland, north-east ; Oartree^ south-east ; Outhhuiton, 

 south ; Sparkenhoe, west It contains the borough, market and 

 county town of Leicester ; the market towns of Asubt-de-la-Zocoh, 

 BoswoBTH, Market HARBOBoraH, Lutiebwortb, Meltok Mowbrat, 

 Mount Sorrel, and Whitwick, and the town of Castle Donington. Tho 

 last three we notice here ; the other towns are described under their 

 respective titles. 



Ca»tU Donington, 21 miles N.W. from Leicester, population 2729 in 

 1851, is on the border of the county, on the road from Ashby-de-la^ 

 Zouch to Nottingham. There are remain* of an old castle, from 

 which the place has its name ; also a noble park and mansion, the 

 residence of the Marquis of Hastiogs, which contains a valuable 

 collection of paintings and an extensive library. The church ia a 

 venerable edifice with a lofty spire. The Wesleyan Methodists, Inde- 

 pendents, Baptists, and Quakers have place* of worship, and there is 

 a Wesleyan school Banket-making, frame-work knitting, and the 

 making of silk stockings, lace, and glovee, give employment to tho 

 inhabitants. Tanning and brick-muking are carried on. A customary 

 market is held on Saturday ; fairs are held on March 18th, Thursday 

 in Whitsun-week, and Michaelmas Day. 



Mount Sorrel, '!\ miles N. by W. from Leicester, on the rood to 

 Loughborough, population 1597 in 1851, stands in a romantic situation 

 on the left bank of tho Soar. The extremity of a range of hills 

 extending from Chamwood Forest overhangs the town, presenting a 

 steep slope ; it is called Castle Hill, from a fortress which anciently 

 crowned it The principal street is pavod with red granite, as it is 

 termed, from the adjacent rocks of the Chamwood Forest group. 

 Many bouses are built of the same stone. The Wesleyan and Asso- 

 ciation Methodists and Baptists have places of worship ; and there 

 are National, Infant, and Free schools. A small market-house stands 

 on the site of an ancient cross. The principal manufacture is of 

 stockings ; bobbin-net lace is also made. The market is on Monday, 

 but is very onalL A fair is held on July 29tb. j, 



WkUwidc, on the border of Chamwood Forest, 13 miles N.W. from 

 Leicester, population 2836 in 1851, is a place of considerable antiquity. 

 Of ^^^litwick Castle there are now few remains. The church is an 

 ancient gothio building, which has been recently restored. There are 

 places of worship for Wesleyan and Primitive Methodist^ Baptista, 

 and Roman Catholics. There am a Free and an Infant school. In 

 Chiimwood Forest is a Trappean monnstary called St IVrnard's 

 Abbey. In the neighbourhood of Whitwick are extensive cuUieries. 

 Tho market, which was for many years disused, has been revived, and 

 is held on Wednesday. 



The following are soma of the more important villages ; the popu- 

 lations are those of the parishes in 1851 : — 



Ametby, 8 milea S. from Leicester, population 667, was once a 

 market-town. The village is pleasantly situated at the foot of the 

 Siuldington Hills. It has a fine old church and a B^tist chapeL A 

 Mutual Improvement Society here had SO memben in 18S1. Frame- 

 work knitting employs some of the iuhabitanta. Babrow-dpon-SoaB, 

 BiLLXSDON, and Blaiit being the seats of Poor Law Unions are noticed 

 under their respective titles. Bantell, 11 miles S.W. from Leicester, 

 population 1613. Beside* the parish church, which is ancient, there 

 are places of worship for Wesleyan and Priuiitive Methodist*, and a 

 Free school The inhabitant* are chiefly engaged in frame-work 

 knitting, or dependent upon agriculture. Bdgrave, a mile and a half 

 from Leicester : population, 1898. There are here an ancient church, 

 chapels for Wesleyan and Primitive Methodists and Baptists, and a 

 National school. Frame-work knitting and brick -making give some 

 employment Jtdlon, 17 miles N.W. from Leicmter, population 751, 

 baa a hau'lsome old church, a Wesleyan Methodist oixl n iiuptist 

 dupel, and a National school. A great bix for hones ia held here on 



