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LEICESTERSHIRR 



LEICESTERSHIRE. 



488 



Trinity Monday. Bdvoir, at the north-eastern angle of the county, is 

 noticeable on account of Belvoir Castle, the magnificent seat of the 

 Duke of Rutland. The castle and a large part of the park are in 

 Leicestershire. Belvoir village is in Lincolnshire. Belvoir Castle 

 occupies nearly the summit of a hiU, on the southern slope of which 

 are terraces and shrubberies. It surrounds a quadrangular court, and 

 has undergone many alterations during the present century ; in its 

 situation and general appearance it bears some resemblance to 

 "Windsor Castle. It contains a very fine collection of paintings. 

 BoUeaford is on the river Devon, in the picturesque Vale of Belvoir : 

 population, 1374. The village is on the road from Grantham to 

 Nottingham. The church is cruciform, of the perpendicular style, 

 with a tower and a lofty ornamental spire j it has been recently 

 restored at a great expense. In th» interior are several handsome 

 monuments of the earls of Rutland of the Manners family. Four 

 dukes of Rutland are buried here, but have no monuments. There 

 are chapels for Wesleyan and Primitive Methodists, Independents, 

 and Baptists, an Endowed Free school, and almshouses for 17 poor 

 men and 6 women. Burhage, 13 miles S.W. from Leicester ; popu- 

 lation of the chapelry 1894, mostly frame- work knitters. The church, 

 a fine old building, was repaired at a great expense in 1843. There 

 are chapels for Wesleyan and Primitive Methodists and Independents, 

 and a Free school for boys and girls. Coleorlon, 17 miles N.W. from 

 Leicester, 2 miles E. from Ashby-de-la-Zouch : population, 549. The 

 chief object of interest here ie Coleorton Hall, which was the seat of 

 Sir George Beaumont. Sir George's choice collection of paintings, which 

 he munificently presented to the nation, formed the nucleus of our 

 National Gallery. Coleorton Hall is a neat Grecian building. In the 

 beautiful grounds are inscriptions by Wordsworth, whose taste con- 

 tributed to the laying out of the grounds. In the church are a rich 

 painted glass window, and a painting by Alston, both presented by 

 Sir George Beaumont. Countetthorpe, 7 miles S. from Leicester, [lopu- 

 lation of the chapelry 949, is a large straggling village ; the inhabit- 

 ants are mostly frame-work knitters. It has a church, rebuilt, except 

 the tower, in 1842 ; chapels for Primitive Methodists, Independents, 

 and Baptists ; and a station of the Midland railway. Croxton Keyrial, 

 on the Lincolnshire bonier, 3 miles S. by E. from Belvoir Castle, 

 population 621, is chiefly celebrated for its races, held in Croxton 

 Park, a seat of the Duke of Rutland, which annually attract large 

 nmnbers of vimtors. Besides the church there are a Wesleyan 

 Methodist chapel and a National schooL Detford, 8 miles W. from 

 Leicester, population 1025, is a station on the Leicester and Swan- 

 nington railway. The church, which is ancient, is large and has a 

 Teiy lofty spire. There are meeting-houses for Baptists and Primitive 

 Methodists, and a National school. Earl Skilton, 9 miles S.W. 

 from Leicester : popnlation, 2864. Besides the parish church 

 there are chapels for Wesleyan and Primitive Methodists, Indepen- 

 dents, and Baptists, and a Free school. Petty sessions are held here. 

 Frame-work knitting employs many of the inhabitants. Enderhy, 

 Smiles S.S.W. from Leicester; population 1335, mostly employed 

 in frame-work knitting. The church contains some interesting 

 monuments. There are an Independent chapel and a Free school. 

 Euderby Hall is a handsome mansion. HaUaton, 16 miles E..S.E. 

 from Leicester : population, 691. The church, which is ancient, has 

 a lofty spire. Some curious Norman carving is built np in the walls ; 

 in the interior of the church are sedilia and some mteresting old 

 monumenta The Independents have a chapel, and there are a Free 

 ■chool and some almshouses. Hallaton was formerly a market-town ; 

 the market-cross is still standing. Two cattle fairs and a statute fair 

 are held 'in the course of the year. Ibttock, 18 miles W.N.W. from 

 Leicester: population of the township, 1188. Besides the church 

 there are chapels for Wesleyan Methodists and Baptists, and National 

 and British schools. Many of the inhabitants are employed in the 

 Ibstock collieries, to which there is carried a branch from the 

 Leicester and Swannington railway. Krgworth, 19 miles N.N.W. from 

 Leicester, on the road from Loughborough to Derby, and on the 

 Midland railway : population of the town.'ihip, 1782. There was for- 

 merly a market here. The church is a handsome cruciform structure : 

 there are chapels for Wesleyan Methodists, Independents, and Bap- 

 tista ; a National and a Free school. Four fairs are held during the 

 year. Framework-knitting and lace-working afford the chief occupa- 

 tions. Malting is carried on, and there are flour-mills. Kibvorth, 8 

 milea S.S.EI from Leicester, population 1752, was formerly a market- 

 town. The church is a spacious and handsome building. The Indo- 

 pendento, Baptists, and Primitive Miithodists have places of worship. 

 The Free Grammar school has an income from endowment of about 

 ZOOL a year, and had 39 scholars in 1852 ; there are also a National 

 and an Infant schooL The inhabitants are chiefly frame-work knitters. 

 Oadby, 3 miles S.E. from Leicester, population 1196, consists of a long 

 Rtree^t on the road to Market Harborough. Besides the church, which 

 ii ancient and contains some interesting monuments, there are a 

 Baptist chapel, a National and an Infant schooL The inhabitants are 

 moatly frame-work knitters. Packington, 15 miles S.W. from Leicester, 

 is partly in an outlying part of Derbyshire : population of the township, 

 644. Besides the parish church there are a Wesleyan Methodist and a 

 Baptist chapel, and a Free, a National, and an Infant school. A market 

 was formerly held here. Quomdon, 8 milea N. by W. from Leicester, 

 popnlation of the townahip 1870, is a busy village on the navigable 



branch of the Soar, with a station on the Midland railway. The 

 inhabitants are employed in frame-work knitting, lace- and glove- 

 making, and tanning. Besides the church, which ia ancient, there are 

 chapels for AVesleyan and Primitive Methodists and Baptists, and 

 National and Infant schools. Quorndon has some celebrity as the 

 head-quarters of the Quomdon or Quom hunt. Some good mansions 

 are in the neighbourhoml. Ratby, 5 miles W. by N. from Leicestei', 

 population of the townahip 719, is a large irregularly-built village, 

 near the Leicester and Swannington railway. Besides the church, 

 which is a large old building, thire are a Primitive Methodist meeting- 

 house and an Infant school. Frame-work knitting ia carried on. 

 Ruthlty, 54 miles N. from Leicester, population of the township 98,^, 

 many of whom are frame-work knitters. On the green is an ancient 

 manorial court-house. Besides the church there are chapels for 

 Wesleyan and Primitive Methodists and Baptists, a Free school for 1 5 

 poor boys, a National and an Infant school. The mechanics institute 

 had 80 members in 1851, with a library of 190 volumes. Sheepahed, 

 4 miles W. from Loughborough, on the edge of Charnwood Forest : 

 population, 3759. The stocking manufacture is the chief employment ; 

 glove-making and needle-making are also carried on. In the middle 

 of the village is a stone crosi^, consisting of a single shaft, standing on 

 steps. Be^iides the church there are chapels for Baptists and Roman 

 Catholics. SUeby is 74 miles N. from Leicester on the Midland rail- 

 way, which has a station here : population 1660, chiefly fiame-work 

 knitters. The church is a fine example of the perpendicular style. 

 There are chapels for Wesleyan and Primitive Methodists and Baptists, 

 and a National school. Syston, 5 miles N. by E. from Leicester, near 

 the junction of the Midland and Peterborough railways, and of the 

 Soar and Wreak navigations : population, 1669. The village is large 

 and increasing ; it consists of sevei-al streets of shops, and there are 

 large coal-dep6ts by the railway. The church is a spacious building, 

 partly of Norman date. There are chapels for Wesleyan and Primitive 

 Methodists and Baptists ; and Free, National, and Infant schools. 

 Frame-work knitting is the chief source of employment. Malting, 

 brewing, tanning, needle-making, rope-making, and currying are 

 carried on. Walthatnon-the- Wolds is situated, as its name implies, in 

 the Wold district in the north-eastern angle of the county, 54 miles 

 N.N.E. from Melton Mowbray : population, 732. The church, a 

 handsome cruciform structure chiefly of the decorated style, was 

 restored within the last few years. There are a Wesleyan chapel and 

 a National school. An agricultural association is established here, 

 for whose meetings a neat Grecian building has been erected. Yearly 

 meetings are held for the exhibition of stock, awarding of prizes, &0. 

 A large cattle and horse fair is held on September 18th and 19th. 

 Wiijtton-Magna is a large village, 4 miles S. by E. from Leicester : 

 population, 2189. Wigston has grown into a small town within the 

 last few years. There are some extensive hosiery manufacturers in 

 the place, who employ many hands. There are two churches, 

 chapi'ls for Wesleyan and Primitive Methodists and Independents, 

 National and British schools, and almshouses for six poor persons. 

 Wymeraold, 18 miles N. from Leicester, on the Nottinghamshire 

 border of the county, population 1235, is a large and well-built village, 

 formerly a market-town. The inhabitants are employed in frame-work 

 knitting and lace-making. The handsome gothic church was lately 

 restored at a considerable expense. There are chapels for Wesleyan 

 and Primitive Methodists, and National schools. Wymondham, 7 

 miles E. from Melton Mowbray, near the junction of the county with 

 Lincolnshire and Rntlandshire, is a place of considerable antiqu.ty : 

 population, 800. The church is a handsome cruciform structure, with 

 a lofty spire. There are chapels for Wesleyan Methodists and Inde- 

 pendents, and a British schooL A Free Grammar school was founded 

 hero in 1687 by Sir John Sedley; its income from endowment is 

 about 1582. a year: in 1851 it had 40 scholars. 



Divuioru for Ecclaicutical and Legal Purpota. — This county is in 

 the diocese of Peterborough and in the ecclesiastical province of 

 Canterbury. It constitutes the archdeaconry of Leicester. Leicester- 

 shire is in the Midland Circuit ; the assizes and quarter sessions are 

 held at Leicester. By the Poor-Law Commissioners Leicestershire is 

 dividedinto 11 Unions : — Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Barrow-on-Soar, Billesdon, 

 Blaby, Hinckley, Leicester, Loughborough, Lutterworth, Market 

 Bosworth, Market Harborough, and Melton Mowbray. These Unions 

 include 325 parishes and townships, with an area of 508,684 acres, 

 and a population in 1851 of 235,494. County courts are held at 

 Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Hinckley, Leicester, Loughborough, Luttei-worth, 

 Market Bosworth, Market Harborough, and Melton Mowbray. Lei- 

 cestershire formerly returned four members to Parliament, namely, 

 two for the county, and two for the borough of Leicester. By the 

 Reform Act the county was divided into a northern and a southern 

 division, each division returning two members. The borough of 

 Leicester still returns two members. 



Hittory, Antir/uilia,<tc. — Leicestershire was anciently comprehended 

 in the territory of the Coritani : and when the Romans had sub- 

 jugated Britain and divided it into provinces, it was included in the 

 province of Flavia Cccsariensis. The Romans established several 

 stations within or near upon the limits of the county : Rata) (Lei- 

 cester) ; Vemometum, near Willoughby (on the road from Leicester 

 to Newark) ; Manduessedum (Mancester, near Atbcrstone) ; Beuona), 

 or Venonffi (High Cross, between Lutterworth and Hinckley) ; and 



