Bardon
Encyclopedia
Bardon is a civil parish and former village in North West Leicestershire
about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) southeast of the centre of Coalville
. The parish includes Bardon Hill
, which at 912 feet (278 m) above sea level is the highest point in Leicestershire
.
about 12 metres (39.4 ft) wide and 1.5 metres (5 ft) deep. It encloses an area measuring about 65 metres (213.3 ft) by 75 metres (246.1 ft), and the island thus created is raised about 1.5 metres (5 ft) above the level of the surrounding land. The site is a scheduled monument.
The moat island is the site of the old Bardon Hall, which was demolished in about 1840 after the current Bardon Hall
was completed further up Bardon Hill. The latter is a Tudor revival house designed by the architect Robert Lugar
and completed in about 1837.
Granite was being quarried from Bardon Hill by 1622. In 1832 the Leicester and Swannington Railway
was opened, passing close to the then village of Bardon. A branch was built to the quarry and continues to carry granite from the quarry to this day. Bardon Hill railway station
was near the parish church. The station was closed in the 20th century but the railway through it remains open for freight as part of the Leicester to Burton upon Trent Line
.
In 1921 Bardon had a population of 511 and a public house
called the Birch Tree. However, in the 1990s the village was demolished to allow the quarry to be expanded.
of Saint Peter
was designed by the architect J.B. Everard (1844–1923) and built in 1899. St. Peter's was built in memory of two members of the Everard family who were co-owners of the quarry, and the architect also is buried in the churchyard. The church is built of granite, and its exterior masonry is not coursed
but laid like crazy paving
.
The tower has a saddleback
roof topped by a flèche
. It has three bells, all cast by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough
in 1899.
St. Peter's parish is now part of a single benefice with Christ Church, Coalville
and St. Michael and All Angels, Ravenstone
. Bardon's ecclesiastical and civil parishes are not coterminous. St. Peter's church is about 330 yard outside the civil parish, in the civil parish of Coalville.
is a 17th century nonconformist chapel in the southernmost part of the parish, close to the main A50 road
between Leicester and Coalville. It was built in about 1694 and altered in about 1830, 1877 and about 1900. A number of original 17th century features survive, including the roof trusses and the wooden pulpit
, which is octagonal and has fluted Doric
pilaster
s. A wooden screen and doors date from the remodelling of about 1830. The chapel has always been galleried, but the original gallery which had wooden Doric columns was replaced in the remodelling of about 1900 with the present gallery on iron columns. The chapel is part of the United Reformed Church
.
North West Leicestershire
North West Leicestershire is a local government district in Leicestershire, England. Its main towns are Ashby-de-la-Zouch and Coalville.The district contains East Midlands Airport, which operates flights to the rest of Britain and to various places in Europe...
about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) southeast of the centre of Coalville
Coalville
Coalville is a town in North West Leicestershire, England, with a population estimated in 2003 to be almost 33,000. It is situated on the A511 trunk road between Leicester and Burton upon Trent, close to junction 22 of the M1 motorway where the A511 meets the A50 between Ashby-de-la-Zouch and...
. The parish includes Bardon Hill
Bardon Hill
Bardon Hill is a hill in the civil parish of Bardon near Coalville, Leicestershire. It the highest point in Leicestershire and the National Forest, above sea level. The hill has two very distinct faces – one half preserved as a site of special scientific interest , the other removed by Bardon Hill...
, which at 912 feet (278 m) above sea level is the highest point in Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
.
History
At the foot of the south side of Bardon Hill is an oval moatMoat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
about 12 metres (39.4 ft) wide and 1.5 metres (5 ft) deep. It encloses an area measuring about 65 metres (213.3 ft) by 75 metres (246.1 ft), and the island thus created is raised about 1.5 metres (5 ft) above the level of the surrounding land. The site is a scheduled monument.
The moat island is the site of the old Bardon Hall, which was demolished in about 1840 after the current Bardon Hall
Bardon Hall
Bardon Hall is a mid-19th century house in the civil parish of Bardon, Leicestershire. It is a Tudor revival house designed by the architect Robert Lugar for Robert Jacomb Hood, and built in about 1840....
was completed further up Bardon Hill. The latter is a Tudor revival house designed by the architect Robert Lugar
Robert Lugar
Robert Lugar , was an English architect and engineer in the Industrial Revolution.Although born in Colchester, England, Lugar carried out much of his most important work in Scotland and Wales, where he was employed by several leading industrialists to design grand houses such as Balloch Castle and...
and completed in about 1837.
Granite was being quarried from Bardon Hill by 1622. In 1832 the Leicester and Swannington Railway
Leicester and Swannington Railway
The Leicester and Swannington Railway was one of England's first railways, being opened on 17 July 1832 to bring coal from collieries in west Leicestershire to Leicester.-Overview:...
was opened, passing close to the then village of Bardon. A branch was built to the quarry and continues to carry granite from the quarry to this day. Bardon Hill railway station
Bardon Hill railway station
Bardon Hill railway station was a railway station in Leicestershire, England on the Leicester and Swannington Railway, which later became part of the Midland Railway's Leicester to Burton upon Trent Line....
was near the parish church. The station was closed in the 20th century but the railway through it remains open for freight as part of the Leicester to Burton upon Trent Line
Leicester to Burton upon Trent Line
The Leicester to Burton-Upon-Trent Line is a freight-only railway line in England linking the Midland Main Line south of to the Cross Country Route at...
.
In 1921 Bardon had a population of 511 and a public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
called the Birch Tree. However, in the 1990s the village was demolished to allow the quarry to be expanded.
Parish church
The Church of England parish churchChurch of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
of Saint Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
was designed by the architect J.B. Everard (1844–1923) and built in 1899. St. Peter's was built in memory of two members of the Everard family who were co-owners of the quarry, and the architect also is buried in the churchyard. The church is built of granite, and its exterior masonry is not coursed
Course (architecture)
A course is a continuous horizontal layer of similarly-sized building material one unit high, usually in a wall. The term is almost always used in conjunction with unit masonry such as brick, cut stone, or concrete masonry units .-Styles:...
but laid like crazy paving
Crazy paving
Crazy paving is a means of hard-surfacing used outdoors, most frequently in gardens. Paving stones of irregular size and shape are laid in a haphazard manner sometimes with mortar filling the gaps between...
.
The tower has a saddleback
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
roof topped by a flèche
Flèche
A flèche is used in French architecture to refer to a spire and in English to refer to a lead-covered timber spire, or spirelet. These are placed on the ridges of church or cathedral roofs and are usually relatively small...
. It has three bells, all cast by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough
Loughborough
Loughborough is a town within the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England. It is the seat of Charnwood Borough Council and is home to Loughborough University...
in 1899.
St. Peter's parish is now part of a single benefice with Christ Church, Coalville
Coalville
Coalville is a town in North West Leicestershire, England, with a population estimated in 2003 to be almost 33,000. It is situated on the A511 trunk road between Leicester and Burton upon Trent, close to junction 22 of the M1 motorway where the A511 meets the A50 between Ashby-de-la-Zouch and...
and St. Michael and All Angels, Ravenstone
Ravenstone, Leicestershire
Ravenstone is a small rural cluster village with a population of 2149, situated just off the A511 road between Coalville and Ashby-de-la-Zouch, in North West Leicestershire, and within the National Forest, England....
. Bardon's ecclesiastical and civil parishes are not coterminous. St. Peter's church is about 330 yard outside the civil parish, in the civil parish of Coalville.
Chapel
Bardon Park ChapelBardon Park Chapel
Bardon Park Chapel is a 300 year old Christian meeting house at Bardon, Leicestershire, England. It stands back from the A511 road, between Coalville and Markfield, about west of M1 junction 22.The chapel is a Grade II Listed building...
is a 17th century nonconformist chapel in the southernmost part of the parish, close to the main A50 road
A50 road
The A50 is a major trunk road in England. It runs from Warrington to Leicester; however, it was once a much longer route.-Current route:...
between Leicester and Coalville. It was built in about 1694 and altered in about 1830, 1877 and about 1900. A number of original 17th century features survive, including the roof trusses and the wooden pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
, which is octagonal and has fluted Doric
Doric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:...
pilaster
Pilaster
A pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....
s. A wooden screen and doors date from the remodelling of about 1830. The chapel has always been galleried, but the original gallery which had wooden Doric columns was replaced in the remodelling of about 1900 with the present gallery on iron columns. The chapel is part of the United Reformed Church
United Reformed Church
The United Reformed Church is a Christian church in the United Kingdom. It has approximately 68,000 members in 1,500 congregations with some 700 ministers.-Origins and history:...
.