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Employments of the males in Leicestershire, in 1851, upwards of 20 years of age, .... 138 needle manufacturers....
Employments of the males, in Leicestershire in 1871, of all ages...................... ..119 needle manufacturers.
LEICESTERSHIRE
by James Pigot 1835
Leicestershire is an inland County, situate nearly in the middle of England: hourfded on the north by the counties of Nottingham and Derby; on the west by the latter county and that of Warwick; on the south by the county of Northampton; nn the east by the county of Rutland; aud on the north-east by the county of Lincoln. To the north, the Trent and Soar form part of its boundary; the famous Roman road, callc.-d Walling Street, and the small river Ankor (or Ankre), being its limits on the Warwickshire side; and the rivers
Avon and Weyland separating it from Northamptonshire. The shape of the county is very irregular, and extends itself, from bo1·tb to south, about thirty miles, anrl about twenty-five from east to west; being nearly one hundred miles in circumference ; its area comprises 804 square miles or 514,560 statute acres. In size Leicester tanks as the twc.-nty-eighth county in England, and in population as the twenty-sixth.
NAME and ANCIENT HISTORY.-This county takes its name from its principal town, which was built long before the time of the Roman invasion; and the variations of its name prove that it has passed througha long !luccession of time,-its first appellation being Caer Leon, or Lerion; afterwards Lege Cestria, Leogora, Legt>oce!lter, and in the Saxon annals Ledcelterscyre and Legeocester; whence, with some tJitling alterations subsequently, its present name is derived: the Saxon word Ledcesterscyre having reference to the situation of the town or castle on the river Leir or Liere, now the Soar. Previous to the Roman invasion this part of the country was inhabited by the Coritani, but was afterwards called FLAVIA C..ESARIEMSIS: in
the Saxon Heptarchy it belonged to the kingdom of .Mercia. Some authors have maintained that the town
of Leicester was founded by King Lear, or Leir, 850 years bt'fore the Christian era; and this versonage has
also bad the rt>putation a:-cribed to him of erecting the great Temple of Janus, which fm·merly stood near the
town, on the banks of the then Leir. This county, and especially the vicinity of its principal town, has been
the arena of early and desperate contention, and more recently of civil strife. Leicester castle was often times
battered down and rebuilt, but scarcely any thing remains of it now but an artificial mound or earth-work of
the keep. The remains of the rich ahhey also, which bad, in monastic times, such extensive posst-.;;sions in•
this lieighbourhood. are now nearly all levelled with the earth which covers the ashes of its ancient inhabitants: this abbey afforded accommodation and lodJ;(ment to several of the kings of England, on their excursions to and from the north ; and it was within its walls that the great and ambitious Cardinal Wolsey died.
on the 29th of November, 1530, on his journey from York to London, having just before been stripped of JJis
dignities and ill-acquired propt-rty by his unprincipled royal master. In was in this county (near Markea
Bosworth) that the memorable' Battle of Bosworth Field • was fought, by which the ruthless Ricl~ard Ill.
lost his crown and life together, fighting against the Earl of Richmond, afterwards Heury VII. In the
civil war of Charles I, this county took a decided position against that. monarch, and on the lst July, 1644,
a skirmish took place upon the celebrated field of Bosworth, between the Royali~ts and a detachment of
Lord G1·ey's hor~e, when the former wert! defeated. In the following year the parliamentarians sustained
two defeats in this county; one between j:larborough and Leicester; the other near Melton Mowbray; and on
the 31st May, in the same year, the town of Leicestt~r was stormed, and taken by the King and P1·ince Rupert.
SOIL and CLIMATE, PJWDUCE and MANUFACTURES.-The soil of this COUnty is various, but for the most
part strong and stiff, comnosed of clay and marl: it affords a great extent of grazing lnnd, and is also
peculiarly fitted fm· the culture of beans and wheat, for which it is proverbially noted. The ~m·face in
most parts is varied and uneven : towards the north-west, the Bardon Hill;; rise to a considerable height ;
and in their neighbourhood lies Cbarnwood, or Chorley Forest, a rough and open tract. Faa·ther to the
north-west ate valuable coal-mines, which supply the country round to a great distance. The uorth·east
paa·t feeds vast numbers of sheep-a principal source of the wealth of the inhabitants. The Leicestet·shire
sheep are of a very large size, without horns, and clothed with thick long Hakes of soft wool, particular}¥
l'luited to the worsted manufactures. The east and south-east part of the county is a rich grazing trac~, which
breeds- numbers of cattle of large size to supply the London and other markets. This county, indeed, has
long been famous for its large black horses aud horned cattlt•, as wdJ as its sheep ; and its reputation ha•
lately: been much extended by the skill and attention of SE"veral wealthy and spiritt'd persons of the courtty,
who have bred every species ut domestic quadruped to the utmost perfc.-ction of form and l!ize. The breed of
l'lheep called the new Leicester, has In great measure takenflace of the old breed, and is dispersed thronglr
most com1ties in the kingdom. A considerable weight o cheese is made on the west side of the county,
about Leicester Forest aud some other parts-the rich kind callc.-d Stilton, is made in the villages round
Melton Mowbray. This part is also much celebrated as being the residence of many noblemen and gentlemt:n of distinction during the hunting season. The rivers supply the towns with many sorts of fish,..
particularly the best kind of salmon, which comes from the Trent into the Soar. The MANUFACTURES ofthis
coumy, though not so varied as those of some others, are neverthele!ls of great importance, and indeed
commensurate with its population and extent. The manufacture of hosierY", and :nany other articleS'
produced from the fleece, is very considerable, the chief st-at of which is in the county town, where are
also made machine net and lace to some e"ttent, and ribbons, sewing cottons, &c. The MINERAL produc-·
tions of this county are iron-stone, lime-stone, free-stone, coal, slate, and lead. Iron-stone is plentifully
tound upon Ashby Wolds ~ lead ore at Staunto.n Harold; coal is worked at Cole Orton, Ashby Wolds,
and other place~; slate, of a thick hea1·y quality, at Swithland, to the east of Charnwood Forest; free-stone
is found in many parts of the county, as is time-stone-that at Barrow-upon-Soar is celebrated for its
l'lUperior cementing properties in the construction of works under water. The CLIMATE is in general mild'
and remprrate, as tht're are no mountains or bogs : the highest gro11nd in the county is some of the peaksin Charowood Forest,-these have the true mountain appearance of bare and barren rocks, projectingabruptly from the surface ; the elevation of these hills is not more than nine hundred feet above the levt'r
of the sea, and consequently within a temperate region of the atmosphere: the air of the whole county
may therefore be pronounced mild, temperate and bealthful, and its aspect fertile and pleasing. 1
RIVERS and CANALs.-The principal rh·ers of Leicestershire are the SoAR. (or SoURE, anciently the
Liere) and 'lle WREKE. The Soar ri~es in the snuth-west border, and runs to Leicester; after which it re.J.
eeives the Wreke, from the north-east, and then turns to Mount Soar and Loughborough-watcring in its.
t:our!!e meadows of uncommon beauty and fertility, till it falls into the Trent, not far fmm Cavendish Bridge.
The Soar has, by recent Acts of Parliament, been made navi11able from Leicester to the town of Loughborough, and from thence to its junction with the Trent; and the latter is made navi~able, by an act obtained'
nearly at the same period, to Melton Mowbray, where it is joined by the Oakham canal. The western ))artS'
are watered by the two head bmnche, of the river Aukre, which go from hence into Warwickshire. The
chief communications afforded by inland navigation through this county are by the • Leicester• and ' LouJ!hborough' canals, the~ Leicester and l\1elton Mowbrdy canal,' and the • Oakbam canal.' The Leicester canal
'commences at the town of Leicester, and after running nearly two miles joins the Soar, near Bt>lgra,·e;
Irom whence, as has been observed, it is rendered navigable to the commencement of the Loughborough
canal, which takes place a little below Gracedieu Brook ; and the latter canal then takes a straight course to
the Bushes, at Loughborough : this navigation, althonRh so short, has been found wery beneficial to the inhabitants of Loughborough, as it brings a regular lm(!ply of coal, at a cheaper rate; and by means of the
Soar it enjoys an uninterrupted connection wilh the Trent,-and, by that nver, and by the rt.cent improved
navigations to Leiceste-r, Melton Mowbray, &c., with all the •arious and importantd\nals in the interior of
tbe kingdGm. By the Leicester :tnd l\lelton Mowhray caru~l, the rivers Wreke and Eye form a communication with the Soar; and the former rivl'rs, by the addition of cnt!9 and deviat\unli were necessary, are made
navigable to Melton Mowbrav, where the Oakham canal commences.
Cn'IL and ECCLEsiASTICAL lllVISIONS, and REPRESENTATION,-Leicestersbirt- is ·in the Pl'OVinee of
Canterbury, and diocese of L.incoln; is included in the midland circuit, and divided into the ~ix hundreds of
}'aAMLAND, GARTRE.&, EAST GoscoTE, WEsT GoscoTB, GuTHLAXTON and SPARKE!'iHoE; which are sobdivided into two hundred and sixteen parisbell, collecrin•ly containing one borough and county town (Leicester), and ten odit~r market towns. By the Reform Bill, two additional members have been given to the
county, so that the whole shire returns si:c representarivt-s to parliament• viz. two for the borough ot Leicester, andfour for the countv. The new Boundar!l Act divides the county into two parts, respectively named
the Northern Division and tbe Soutl1ern Division,-tbe former comprises the hundreds of West Goscote, East
Goscote, and l<~ramlaud, and also those two detached portions of the hundred of Gartree, which are situate
on the east of the hundred of Goscote; and the southern division includes the hundrrd of Gartree, except as
before-ntentioned, and the hund•·eds of Sparkenhoe and Guthlaxton, also the boron~:h of Leicestt>r and th12
libertie.'l ther~of. The election of members fur the northern division is held at LouGHBOROUGH, and for the
I!Oothern at LKICBSTER. B~side111 the place of electjun, the northern division polls at MELTON M OWBRAY
and AsHBY·DE.-LA-Zoucu; and the southern division (besides the plare of Plection), polls at Hn:cKLEY aud
MARKET HARBOROUGH. The members returned at thr general election in 1832 were, for the northern division, L01·d Robert Manners, and the Hon. Charle-s !\larch Phillips; and for the! southe•·n divi~;ion, Edward
Dawson and Henry Halford, Esquia·etz.
PoPULATION.-By the census for 1831 this county ('ontained 97,556 males. and 99,477 females-total~
197,0()3; ht>ing an increast-, $ince the returns made in the year 1821, ot 22,432 inhabitants; and fr<1m the
census of 1801 t<1 that of 1831, tbe augmentation amounted to 66,922 persons.
A
Ab Kettleby
Alexton
Anstey
Anstey Pastures
Appleby
Arnesby
Asfordby
Ashby Folville
Ashby Magna
Ashby Parva
Ashby de la Zouch
Ashby de la Zouch Holy Trinity
Aston Flamville
Aylestone
B
Bagworth
Bardon
Barkby
Barkby Thorpe
Barkestone
Barlestone
Barrow upon Soar
Barsby
Barwell
Beaumont Leys
Beeby
Belgrave
Belton
Belvoir Castle
Bescaby
Billesdon
Bilstone
Birstall
Bitteswell
Blaby
Blaston
Bottesford
Bradgate Park
Branston
Braunstone
Braunstone Frith
Breedon on the Hill
Bringhurst
Brooksby
Broughton Astley
Bruntingthorpe
Buckminster
Burbage
Burrough on the Hill
Burton Overy
C
Cadeby, Leicestershire
Carlton, Leicestershire
Carlton Curlieu, Leicestershire
Castle Donington, Leicestershire
Catthorpe, Leicestershire
Charley, Leicestershire
Church Langton, Leicestershire
Claybrooke, Leicestershire
Coalville, Leicestershire
Cold Overton, Leicestershire
Cole Orton, Leicestershire
Congerstone, Leicestershire
Cosby, Leicestershire
Cossington, Leicestershire
Coston, Leicestershire
Cotesbach, Leicestershire
Countesthorpe, Leicestershire
Cranoe, Leicestershire
Croft, Leicestershire
Croxton Kerrial, Leicestershire
D
Dadlington, Leicestershire
Desford, Leicestershire
Diseworth, Leicestershire
Dishley, Leicestershire
Dunton Bassett, Leicestershire
E
Earl Shilton, Leicestershire
East Norton, Leicestershire
Eastwell, Leicestershire
Eaton, Leicestershire
Edmondthorpe, Leicestershire
Elmersthorpe, Leicestershire
Enderby, Leicestershire
Evington, Leicestershire
F
Fenny Drayton, Leicestershire
Fleckney, Leicestershire
Foston, Leicestershire
Foxton, Leicestershire
Freakes Ground, Leicestershire
Freeby, Leicestershire
Frisby, Leicestershire
Frisby on the Wreak, Leicestershire
Frolesworth, Leicestershire
G
Gaddesby, Leicestershire
Garendon, Leicestershire
Garthorpe, Leicestershire
Gaulby, Leicestershire
Gilmorton, Leicestershire
Gilroes, Leicestershire
Glen Magna, Leicestershire
Glen Parva, Leicestershire
Glenfield, Leicestershire
Glenfield Frith, Leicestershire
Glooston, Leicestershire
Goadby, Leicestershire
Goadby Marwood, Leicestershire
Gopsall, Leicestershire
Great Bowden, Leicestershire
Great Dalby, Leicestershire
Great Easton, Leicestershire
Great Wigston, Leicestershire
Grimston, Leicestershire
Gumley, Leicestershire
H
Hallaton, Leicestershire
Harby, Leicestershire
Harston, Leicestershire
Hathern, Leicestershire
Heather, Leicestershire
Higham on the Hill, Leicestershire
Hinckley Holy Trinity, Leicestershire
Hoby, Leicestershire
Holt, Leicestershire
Holwell, Leicestershire
Horninghold, Leicestershire
Hose, Leicestershire
Hoton, Leicestershire
Houghton on the Hill, Leicestershire
Hugglescote and Donington, Leicestershire
Humberstone, Leicestershire
Hungarton with Twyford and Thorpe Satchville, Leicestershire
Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire
I
Ibstock, Leicestershire
Ilston on the Hill, Leicestershire
Isley Walton, Leicestershire
K
Kegworth, Leicestershire
Keyham, Leicestershire
Kibworth Beauchamp, Leicestershire
Kibworth Harcourt, Leicestershire
Kilby, Leicestershire
Kimcote, Leicestershire
King’s Norton, Leicestershire
Kirby Bellars, Leicestershire
Kirby Frith, Leicestershire
Kirby Muxloe, Leicestershire
Kirkby Mallory, Leicestershire
Knaptoft, Leicestershire
Knighton, Leicestershire
Knipton, Leicestershire
Knoll and Bassett House, Leicestershire
Knossington, Leicestershire
L
Langley Priory, Leicestershire
Laughton, Leicestershire
Launde Abbey, Leicestershire
Leicester Abbey, Leicestershire
Leicester All Saints, Leicestershire
Leicester Augustine Friars, Leicestershire
Leicester Blackfriars, Leicestershire
Leicester Christ Church, Leicestershire
Leicester Forest East, Leicestershire
Leicester Forest West, Leicestershire
Leicester Frith, Leicestershire
Leicester Holy Trinity, Leicestershire
Leicester New Found Pool, Leicestershire
Leicester St George, Leicestershire
Leicester St Margaret, Leicestershire
Leicester St Martin, Leicestershire
Leicester St Mary, Leicestershire
Leicester St Nicholas, Leicestershire
Leicester the Castle View, Leicestershire
Leire, Leicestershire
Little Dalby, Leicestershire
Lockington, Leicestershire
Loddington, Leicestershire
Long Clawson, Leicestershire
Long Whatton, Leicestershire
Loughborough, Leicestershire
Loughborough Emmanuel, Leicestershire
Lowesby, Leicestershire
Lubbesthorpe, Leicestershire
Lubenham, Leicestershire
Lutterworth, Leicestershire
M
Market Bosworth, Leicestershire
Market Harborough, Leicestershire
Markfield, Leicestershire
Medbourne, Leicestershire
Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire
Merevale, Leicestershire
Misterton, Leicestershire
Monks Kirby, Leicestershire
Mountsorrel, Leicestershire
Mountsorrel Christ Church, Leicestershire
Mowsley, Leicestershire
Muston, Leicestershire
N
Nailstone, Leicestershire
Narborough, Leicestershire
Nether Broughton, Leicestershire
New Parks, Leicestershire
Newbold Verdon, Leicestershire
Newton Harcourt, Leicestershire
Newtown Linford, Leicestershire
Normanton le Heath, Leicestershire
North Kilworth, Leicestershire
North Thurmaston, Leicestershire
Norton juxta Twycross, Leicestershire
Noseley, Leicestershire
O
Oadby, Leicestershire
Old Dalby, Leicestershire
Orton on the Hill, Leicestershire
Osgathorpe, Leicestershire
Owston, Leicestershire
P
Packington, Leicestershire
Peatling Parva, Leicestershire
Peckleton, Leicestershire
Pickwell, Leicestershire
Plungar, Leicestershire
Potters Marston, Leicestershire
Prestwold, Leicestershire
Q
Queniborough, Leicestershire
Quorn, Leicestershire
R
Ragdale, Leicestershire
Ratby cum Groby, Leicestershire
Ratcliffe Culey, Leicestershire
Ratcliffe on the Wreake, Leicestershire
Ravenstone, Leicestershire
Rearsby, Leicestershire
Redmile, Leicestershire
Rolleston, Leicestershire
Rotherby, Leicestershire
Rothley, Leicestershire
Rothley Temple, Leicestershire
S
Saddington, Leicestershire
Saltby, Leicestershire
Sapcote, Leicestershire
Saxby, Leicestershire
Saxelby, Leicestershire
Scalford, Leicestershire
Scraptoft, Leicestershire
Seagrave, Leicestershire
Seal, Leicestershire
Sewstern, Leicestershire
Shackerstone, Leicestershire
Shangton, Leicestershire
Sharnford, Leicestershire
Shawell, Leicestershire
Shearsby, Leicestershire
Sheepshed, Leicestershire
Sheepy, Leicestershire
Shenton, Leicestershire
Shoby, Leicestershire
Sibson, Leicestershire
Sileby, Leicestershire
Skeffington, Leicestershire
Slawston, Leicestershire
Snarestone, Leicestershire
Snibston, Leicestershire
Somerby, Leicestershire
South Croxton, Leicestershire
South Kilworth, Leicestershire
Sproxton, Leicestershire
Stanton under Bardon, Leicestershire
Stapleford, Leicestershire
Stapleton, Leicestershire
Stathern, Leicestershire
Staunton Harold, Leicestershire
Stockerston, Leicestershire
Stoke Dry, Leicestershire
Stoke Golding, Leicestershire
Stonesby, Leicestershire
Stoney Stanton, Leicestershire
Stonton Wyville, Leicestershire
Stoughton, Leicestershire
Stretton Magna, Leicestershire
Stretton Parva, Leicestershire
Sutton Cheney, Leicestershire
Swannington, Leicestershire
Swepstone, Leicestershire
Swinford, Leicestershire
Swithland, Leicestershire
Syston, Leicestershire
T
Theddingworth, Leicestershire
Thornton, Leicestershire
Thorpe Acre, Leicestershire
Thorpe Arnold, Leicestershire
Thorpe Langton, Leicestershire
Thringstone, Leicestershire
Thrussington, Leicestershire
Thurcaston, Leicestershire
Thurlaston, Leicestershire
Thurmaston, Leicestershire
Thurnby, Leicestershire
Tilton on the Hill, Leicestershire
Tugby, Leicestershire
Tur Langton, Leicestershire
Twycross, Leicestershire
U
Ulverscroft, Leicestershire
W
Waltham on the Wolds, Leicestershire
Walton, Leicestershire
Walton le Wolds, Leicestershire
Wanlip, Leicestershire
Wartnaby, Leicestershire
Welby, Leicestershire
Welham, Leicestershire
West Langton, Leicestershire
Westrill and Starmore, Leicestershire
Whetstone, Leicestershire
Whitwick, Leicestershire
Wigston Parva, Leicestershire
Willoughby Waterless with Peatling Magna, Leicestershire
Wistow, Leicestershire
Withcote, Leicestershire
Witherley, Leicestershire
Woodhouse, Leicestershire
Woodhouse Eaves, Leicestershire
Woodville, Leicestershire
Worthington, Leicestershire
Wyfordby, Leicestershire
Wymeswold, Leicestershire
Wymondham, Leicestershire