Desford

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Desford
St martins church desford 31l07.JPG
St. Martin's parish church
Desford is located in Leicestershire
Desford
Desford
 Desford shown within Leicestershire
Population 3,676 (2001 census)[1]
OS grid reference SK4703
Civil parish Desford
District Hinckley and Bosworth
Shire county Leicestershire
Region East Midlands
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town Leicester
Postcode district LE9
Dialling code 01455
Police Leicestershire
Fire Leicestershire
Ambulance East Midlands
EU Parliament East Midlands
UK Parliament Bosworth
Website Desford parish council
List of places
UK
England
Leicestershire

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Desford is a village and civil parish in the Hinckley and Bosworth district, 7 miles (11 km) west of the centre of Leicester. The parish includes the hamlets of Botcheston and Newtown Unthank and a scattered settlement at Lindridge.

Manors

At Lindridge about 1 mile (2 km) north of the town is a rectangular moat up to 13 yards (12 m) wide enclosing an area about 115 yards (105 m) by 127 yards (116 m).[2] In the 19th century it was temporarily drained and six early 14th century pottery vessels were found.[2] A building such as a manor house is likely to have stood on the island created by the moat. The moat is a scheduled monument.[2]

There are records of a manor at Desford from at least the 15th century.

The Old Hall or Old Manor House in Desford High Street is a gable-roofed building with an irregular front of four bays,[3] dating from about 1600[4] or a few years thereafter.[3] It is built of brick in English bond with stone quoins[4] and has a timber frame.[3] The house has a two-storeyed porch[4] whose upper storey is jettied.[3] Attached to the house is an early 18th-century service wing built of brick in Flemish bond.[3] The Manor House and its attached buildings are Grade II* listed buildings.[3]

Churches

The Church of England parish church of Saint Martin has a Norman font[5] but the present building appears to be late 13th century.[6] The chancel includes two lancet windows.[5] There is a south aisle with an arcade that seems to be late 13th century.[5] The west tower and spire are Perpendicular Gothic[5] and therefore later: a window in the tower west wall is 14th century.[6] The architect Stockdale Harrison of Leicester restored St. Martin's in 1884.[6] The tower has a ring of six bells, all cast by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough in 1912.[7] St. Martin's is a Grade II* listed building.[6]

St. Martin's parish[8] is part of a united benefice with St. Mary Magdalene, Peckleton.[9]

Desford has a free church, which is a member of the Baptist Union of Great Britain.[10]

Economic history

Desford's common lands were enclosed by Act of Parliament in 1759.[11]

The Leicester and Swannington Railway was built through the parish in 1832. It passes within 0.6 miles (1 km) of the town and Desford railway station was built at Newtown Unthank to serve the parish. The Midland Railway took over the line in 1845 and had extended it to Burton-on-Trent by 1848. British Railways withdrew passenger services in 1964 and today the Leicester to Burton upon Trent Line carries only goods traffic.

Caterpillar Inc. is now a significant employer in the parish (see below).

Aerodrome

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. South of the town, Reid and Sigrist had created Desford Aerodrome on Carts Field plus land in the adjoining Peckleton parish by 1936. It was a flying training school, with George E. Lowdell as its Chief flying Instructor. The majority of aeroplanes used were De Havilland Tiger Moth single engined biplanes. An early form of flight simulator was also used and was visible from the public road. Leicester Aero Club used the aerodrome until it moved to nearby Ratcliffe Aerodrome. Early in 1939 Lowdell flew the first flight of the New Malden-built Reid and Sigrist R.S.1 Snargasher from Desford.

The aerodrome has been redeveloped as an industrial site where Caterpillar Inc. has a large factory.

Amenities

The parish has three public houses, two in Desford: the Blue Bell,[12] Lancaster Arms[13] and the Greyhound[14] in Botcheston.[15]

Desford has a community primary school [16] and a secondary school, Bosworth Academy.[17]

Desford has an Italian restaurant (Pesto, previously the White Horse), a post office, a public library[18] and a sports club. Tropical Birdland, a visitor attraction exhibiting many bird species, is at Desford.

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Pevsner 1960, p. 95
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Pevsner 1960, p. 94
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ St Martin's Church Desford
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Desford Free Church
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Everards: The Blue Bell
  13. ↑ Everards: The Lancaster Arms
  14. ↑ The Greyhound, Botcheston
  15. ↑ Recent closures of all but two in the village
  16. ↑ Desford Community Primary School
  17. ↑ Bosworth Academy
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Sources and further reading

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External links

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