47:
31:
629:
775:(SiD) was set up as an independent organisation by Desford Parish Council (DPC) in 1988 and it became a Registered Charity (No.: 1100319) in 2003. DPC acquired the 5 acre plot on Peckleton Lane from Caterpillar UK in 1988 and SiD has developed what was a derelict site ever since, including the building of the double storey clubhouse, the new Scout Hall (funded by DPC) and the extra tennis court.
54:
615:
station and the Blue Bell Inn in the centre of the village. The building of the
Roebuck can still be seen but is now a private residence. The Red Lion was redeveloped as part of a small exclusive development - there is a plaque on the wall commemorating the site of the former Red Lion Inn. The White Horse Inn is now a branch of the popular Italian tapas chain "Pesto".
827:
568:
The 19th century was a time when coal mining became a large scale industry in west
Leicestershire. In 1875 an unsuccessful attempt was made to sink a coalmine in the parish, at Lindridge. This failed due to constant flooding. In the present century the nearest coal mine, Desford Pit, only two miles
614:
Over the years
Desford has possessed a number of inns and pubs including The Blacksmiths Arms, The Blue Bell, The Bulls Head, The Red Lion, The Lancaster, The Roebuck, The Wheel and the White Horse. Of these the only ones surviving as public houses are the Lancaster near to the site of the old
560:
by Act of
Parliament in 1759 . Prior to the Industrial Revolution the cottage industry of stocking or framework knitting developed in the village, the first reference being in 1704. This continued well in to the 19th century, with over a hundred framework knitters being recorded in the
768:
shops, an independent store which is now also the post office as well as a Fish and Chip takeaway and an Indian takeaway, Little India. There is a take away and eat in café called the "Food Room" situated in the centre of the village in one of the oldest buildings.
428:
In 1261, the manor of
Desford was held by Simon De Montfort until he was killed at the Battle of Evesham in 1265. All his lands, which included Desford, were then given by Henry III to his own son, Edmund Grouchback, who was Earl of Lancaster until his death in 1297.
238:
515:
in 1912. St. Martin's is a Grade II* listed building. The first rector of St Martin’s was recorded in 1246 as Brian de Walton. It is believed a rood-screen once stretched across the chancel arch and above the screen was an image of Christ impaled on the cross.
839:
416:
up to 13 yards (12 m) wide enclosing an area about 115 yards (105 m) by 127 yards (116 m). In the 19th century it was temporarily drained and six early 14th century pottery vessels were found. A building such as a
1277:"Woodhouse, Vernon Kerslake, (died 12 June 1936), journalist and dramatist; Assistant Editor, The Bystander, 1929; Dramatic Critic, The Bystander, 1929–32, and since 1934; Hon. Secretary of the Savage Club"
549:
Until the 1700s most of the residents were engaged in agriculture farming arable strips in four open fields in the parish and pasturing their animals on the low lying meadows by the streams.
597:
701:
parish, it is mentioned in "The
Bystander" in 1929. By 1936. It was a flying training school, with George E. Lowdell as its Chief flying Instructor. The majority of aeroplanes used were
787:
This open space was given to the village by
Councillor Pickard in the early 1900s for the use of young children. Consequently appropriate play equipment has been installed there.
569:
away, employed many
Desford people until it closed in 1984. To commemorate the pit’s closure a half winding wheel was erected in Lindridge Lane by the Desford History Society.
705:
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
503:
and therefore later: a window in the tower west wall is 14th century. The architect
Stockdale Harrison of Leicester restored St. Martin's in 1884. The tower has a
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In 1790, the little chapel of the Strict
Baptists was built in the High Street but only the graveyard with a few stones remains.
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This is a large grassed area near the Primary School which has space for Changing Rooms and 2 full size football pitches
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and a scattered settlement at Lindridge. The population at the 2021 census had increased to 4,592. Desford is in the
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carries only goods traffic. The larger houses in Station Road were built for middle-class commuters to Leicester.
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Desford has an Italian restaurant (Pesto, previously the White Horse), a public library and a sports club.
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has a large factory. The officers mess was located on what is now the Sport in Desford site.
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384:. Situated on a hill approximately 400 feet above sea level, the parish includes the
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Post 1945 RAF No 1969 AOP Flight was stationed here. Reid and Segrist developed the
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was built through the parish in 1832 initially to haul coal from the coalfields to
299:
217:
441:
30:
747:, two in Desford: the Blue Bell, Lancaster Arms and the Greyhound in Botcheston.
585:
473:
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and has a timber frame. The house has a two-storeyed porch whose upper storey is
404:
origin. Another suggestion is that it means 'ford frequented with wild animals'.
400:
of 1086 but the name itself is older than that meaning Deor's Ford suggesting an
393:
790:
There is also a pleasant grass area surrounded by trees and spring bulb planting
452:. Attached to the house is an early 18th-century service wing built of brick in
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440:, dating from about 1600 or a few years thereafter. It is built of brick in
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1239:"An Act for dividing and enclosing the Open and Common Fields of Desford"
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is likely to have stood on the island created by the moat. The moat is a
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At Lindridge about 1 mile (2 km) north of the town is a rectangular
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710:
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1450:
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The Parish Council maintain the following open spaces in the parish:
698:
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534:, built in 1866 at the top of Chapel lane, which is a member of the
524:
377:
205:
200:
1420:
628:
717:
Snargasher from Desford. During World War Two the aerodrome was an
449:
381:
828:"Area selected: Hinckley and Bosworth (Non-Metropolitan District)"
499:
that seems to be late 13th century. The west tower and spire are
484:
182:
1577:
1546:. Leicester: City of Leicester Publicity Department. p. 16.
376:
district of England, 7 miles (11 km) west of the centre of
750:
Desford has a community primary school and a secondary school,
731:
The aerodrome has been redeveloped as an industrial site where
934:"Moat site 440m south west of Lindridge Fields Farm (1017053)"
483:
but the present building appears to be late 13th century. The
772:
432:
The Old Hall or Old Manor House in Desford High Street is a
993:"Attached barn and service block Old Manor House (1074078)"
413:
718:
606:
is now a significant employer in the parish (see below).
580:. It passes within 0.6 miles (1 km) of the town and
1184:
584:
was built at Newtown Unthank to serve the parish. The
709:. Early in 1939 Lowdell flew the first flight of the
1061:
987:
928:
797:
596:withdrew passenger services in 1964 and today the
588:took over the line in 1845 and had extended it to
456:. The Manor House and its attached buildings are
1594:
806:Play equipment is for younger and older children
728:as a trainer aircraft for use after the war.
1532:
1421:"Home | Desford Community Primary School"
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1410:Recent closures of all but two in the village
1283:, Oxford University Press, 1 December 2007,
1485:Libraries in Hinckley and Bosworth District
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832:Neighbourhood Statistics: Full Dataset View
657:. Unsourced material may be challenged and
1309:"Desford flying sites - UK Airfield Guide"
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697:on Carts Field plus land in the adjoining
924:
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677:Learn how and when to remove this message
436:building with an irregular front of four
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519:St. Martin's parish is part of a united
1550:
1538:
1156:"Welcome To St Martin's Church Desford"
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1461:from the original on 26 February 2021
1136:from the original on 27 November 2020
1114:
1289:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u219434
1257:from the original on 26 October 2012
1100:Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers
875:from the original on 17 January 2021
655:adding citations to reliable sources
622:
1201:from the original on 5 October 2012
854:
598:Leicester to Burton-upon-Trent Line
544:
13:
1495:from the original on 19 April 2012
1126:"Past Times: A History of Desford"
1072:National Heritage List for England
998:National Heritage List for England
939:National Heritage List for England
14:
1624:
1571:
1431:from the original on 2 March 2021
1166:from the original on 3 March 2021
1124:Tomlin, Arthur (2 October 2016).
1093:Dawson, George (8 October 2010).
574:Leicester and Swannington Railway
380:and around 7 miles north east of
1603:Civil parishes in Leicestershire
960:Past Times: A History of Desford
905:from the original on 2 July 2021
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1225:desfordfreechurch.chessck.co.uk
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1067:"Church of St Martin (1361378)"
798:The Kirkby Road Recreation Area
556:1000 acres of open fields were
470:Church of England parish church
53:
1544:The Heritage of Leicestershire
1360:"Everards: The Lancaster Arms"
953:
887:
869:www.desfordparishcouncil.co.uk
836:Office for National Statistics
820:
536:Baptist Union of Great Britain
1:
1515:"Recreation | Desford Vision"
1489:Leicestershire County Council
1187:"St Martins Desford, Desford"
1185:Archbishops' Council (2010).
813:
895:"Key to English Place-names"
738:
618:
7:
1533:Sources and further reading
1386:"The Greyhound, Botcheston"
1221:"Community Website Builder"
1160:www.stmartinsdesford.org.uk
782:The Pickard Recreation Area
463:
91:OS grid reference
18:Human settlement in England
10:
1629:
1608:Villages in Leicestershire
1556:Leicestershire and Rutland
507:of six bells, all cast by
458:Grade II* listed buildings
35:St. Martin's parish church
1334:"Everards: The Blue Bell"
523:with St. Mary Magdalene,
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1560:The Buildings of England
1425:www.desford.leics.sch.uk
809:Some seating is provided
793:Some seating is provided
1313:www.ukairfieldguide.net
1253:: 496–509. 2 May 1759.
703:De Havilland Tiger Moth
582:Desford railway station
715:Reid and Sigrist R.S.1
300:Desford parish council
213:Postcode district
1613:Hinckley and Bosworth
899:kepn.nottingham.ac.uk
743:The parish has three
374:Hinckley and Bosworth
131:Hinckley and Bosworth
1340:on 28 September 2011
842:on 24 September 2012
766:Co-Operative Society
651:improve this section
509:John Taylor & Co
501:Perpendicular Gothic
191:Sovereign state
1491:. 4 February 2011.
707:Ratcliffe Aerodrome
689:South of the town,
491:. There is a south
344: /
1451:"Bosworth Academy"
1095:"Desford S Martin"
871:. 21 August 2016.
721:training centre.
423:scheduled monument
279:UK Parliament
225:Dialling code
1578:Tropical Birdland
1566:. pp. 94–95.
1562:. Harmondsworth:
1552:Pevsner, Nikolaus
1481:"Desford Library"
1366:on 28 August 2011
1195:Church of England
1191:A Church Near You
759:Tropical Birdland
695:Desford Aerodrome
687:
686:
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590:Burton-upon-Trent
368:is a village and
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141:Shire county
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1392:on 28 March 2012
1388:. Archived from
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1371:
1362:. Archived from
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1336:. Archived from
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838:. Archived from
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773:Sport in Desford
752:Bosworth Academy
733:Caterpillar Inc.
691:Reid and Sigrist
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604:Caterpillar Inc.
594:British Railways
545:Economic history
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348:52.625°N 1.295°W
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865:"Brief History"
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394:Newtown Unthank
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1572:External links
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726:R.S.3 Desford
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1045:, p. 94
1043:Pevsner 1960
1026:, p. 95
1024:Pevsner 1960
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467:
454:Flemish bond
442:English bond
434:gable-roofed
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370:civil parish
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107:Civil parish
81:3,676 (
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1589:for Desford
1586:Map sources
1281:Who Was Who
563:1851 Census
532:free church
444:with stone
419:manor house
402:Anglo Saxon
351: /
83:2001 census
1597:Categories
814:References
711:New Malden
552:Desford's
390:Botcheston
336:52°37′30″N
78:Population
1542:(1972) .
1465:25 August
1435:25 August
1247:: 1756–60
1170:25 August
909:25 August
739:Amenities
699:Peckleton
667:July 2011
638:does not
619:Aerodrome
592:by 1848.
578:Leicester
525:Peckleton
378:Leicester
339:1°17′42″W
263:Ambulance
206:Leicester
201:Post town
1554:(1960).
1493:Archived
1459:Archived
1429:Archived
1318:3 August
1294:3 August
1255:Archived
1199:Archived
1164:Archived
1134:Archived
903:Archived
873:Archived
558:enclosed
521:benefice
495:with an
464:Churches
382:Hinckley
287:Bosworth
123:District
1520:6 March
1499:21 July
1396:21 July
1370:21 July
1344:21 July
1261:21 July
1205:21 July
1140:6 March
1106:21 July
1078:21 July
1004:21 July
945:21 July
879:6 March
846:21 July
713:-built
659:removed
644:sources
485:chancel
450:jettied
386:hamlets
372:in the
366:Desford
320:England
296:Website
183:England
177:Country
114:Desford
60:Desford
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497:arcade
478:Norman
476:has a
446:quoins
408:Manors
239:Police
159:Region
98:SK4703
493:aisle
229:01455
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1501:2011
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642:any
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