Blaby
Encyclopedia
Blaby is a village in central Leicestershire
, England
, some five miles south of Leicester
city centre. It has population of around 6,240 (2001 figures), and its proximity to the city causes it to form part of the Leicester Urban Area
.
Its name probably came Old Norse
Blábýr = "farmstead or village belonging to a man named Blár" (where the -r is a case ending). There seems to have been a dense patch of Viking
settlement in Leicestershire
, although some records in the Blaby Library indicate the origin of the village's name was from the first vicar. Twinned with the village of Villers-sous-Saint-Leu
in France.
; the other is in the surrounding area near the parish church.
between Leicester
to the north and Lutterworth
to the south. Fosse Park shopping centre and the M1 motorway
and M69 motorway
are just a few miles away.
and also to the Parliament
ary constituency
that was held by former Chancellor of the Exchequer
Nigel Lawson
between 1974 and 1992. Since 1992 its Member of Parliament
has been Andrew Robathan
.
There was a railway station
on the Birmingham to Peterborough Line
, but it closed in 1968.
The "Blaby Special
" heirloom tomato
variety originates from the Shoults' Tomato Farm, which was located in Blaby from circa 1908 until 1948: the variety was thought to be extinct but was revived from a seed bank
in 2005.
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...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, some five miles south of Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
city centre. It has population of around 6,240 (2001 figures), and its proximity to the city causes it to form part of the Leicester Urban Area
Leicester Urban Area
The Leicester Urban Area is a conurbation based around the city of Leicester in Leicestershire, England.While it has no formal definition as an administrative area, it is defined by the Office for National Statistics with a population of 441,213 at the time of the 2001 census...
.
Its name probably came Old Norse
Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
Blábýr = "farmstead or village belonging to a man named Blár" (where the -r is a case ending). There seems to have been a dense patch of Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
settlement 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...
, although some records in the Blaby Library indicate the origin of the village's name was from the first vicar. Twinned with the village of Villers-sous-Saint-Leu
Villers-sous-Saint-Leu
Villers-sous-Saint-Leu is a small village in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise.-References:*...
in France.
Buildings
While there are few buildings of outstanding historical or architectural interest, old Blaby is a conservation area. It contains some ancient and picturesque dwellings and has a charming 'olde worlde' feel. Old Blaby also contains The Baker's Arms, a thatched public house that dates back to 1485. The other public houses to be found in Blaby are The George, The Bulls Head, The Black Horse and The Tom Thumb. Demolition of The Queen began in March 2011. One of the two old schools in Blaby is Park (Parkwood) HousePark (Parkwood) House
Park House was a Victorian property in the village of Blaby, Leicestershire, up until the mid 1930s. The property still has the original extension from the late 19th century and stands hidden by the build-up of the village around it.- History :...
; the other is in the surrounding area near the parish church.
Parks
To the south of the Bakers Arms stands Bouskell Park, with a 19th-century ice house and car parking. There are also Northfield Park, used for football, cricket, fetes and fairs, and Oakfield Park, located off Hospital Lane.Shops
Most shops and amenities stand on the old A426 roadA426 road
The A426 road is a road in England which runs from the city of Leicester to the market town of Southam in Warwickshire via the towns of Lutterworth and Rugby.-History:...
between Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
to the north and Lutterworth
Lutterworth
Lutterworth is a market town and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. The town is located in southern Leicestershire, north of Rugby, in Warwickshire and south of Leicester. It had a population of 8,293 in the 2001 UK census....
to the south. Fosse Park shopping centre and the M1 motorway
M1 motorway
The M1 is a north–south motorway in England primarily connecting London to Leeds, where it joins the A1 near Aberford. While the M1 is considered to be the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the United Kingdom, the first road to be built to motorway standard in the country was the...
and M69 motorway
M69 motorway
The M69 is a lightly used dual three lane dual carriageway motorway in Leicestershire and Warwickshire, England connecting Leicester and Coventry. It opened in 1977.-History:...
are just a few miles away.
Surrounding area
Blaby gives its name to the Blaby districtBlaby (district)
Blaby is a local government district in Leicestershire, England.The district is named after the village of Blaby. It covers the civil parish of Blaby and 23 others. Among these are Cosby, Countesthorpe, Enderby, Huncote, Narborough , Sapcote, Stoney Stanton, and Wigston Parva...
and also to the Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
ary constituency
Blaby (UK Parliament constituency)
Blaby is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
that was held by former Chancellor of the Exchequer
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
Nigel Lawson
Nigel Lawson
Nigel Lawson, Baron Lawson of Blaby, PC , is a British Conservative politician and journalist. He was a Member of Parliament representing the constituency of Blaby from 1974–92, and served as the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the government of Margaret Thatcher from June 1983 to October 1989...
between 1974 and 1992. Since 1992 its Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
has been Andrew Robathan
Andrew Robathan
Andrew Robert George Robathan is a British Conservative politician, and Member of Parliament for South Leicestershire in Leicestershire...
.
There was a railway station
Blaby railway station
Blaby railway station was a railway station on the Birmingham to Peterborough Line that served Blaby in Leicestershire, England.The station was opened in 1864 by the South Leicestershire Railway, which was taken over by the London and North Western Railway in 1867. British Railways closed the...
on the Birmingham to Peterborough Line
Birmingham to Peterborough Line
The Birmingham to Peterborough Line is a cross-country railway line in the United Kingdom, linking Birmingham to Peterborough, via Nuneaton and Leicester....
, but it closed in 1968.
The "Blaby Special
Blaby Special (Tomato)
The Blaby special cultivar is a red fruited tomato grown in the village of Blaby in Leicestershire until just after World War II. It was the main tomato cultivar supplied through England during the war. The cultivar ceased to be cultivated when the Shoult's Tomato Farm was closed after the war...
" heirloom tomato
Heirloom tomato
An heirloom tomato is an open-pollinated heirloom cultivar of tomato. Heirloom tomatoes have become increasingly popular and more readily available in recent years...
variety originates from the Shoults' Tomato Farm, which was located in Blaby from circa 1908 until 1948: the variety was thought to be extinct but was revived from a seed bank
Seed bank
Seed bank may refer to:*Seedbank, a repository of preserved seeds*The store of viable plant seed in an ecosystem; for example:** Soil seed bank, the viable seed present in the soil;...
in 2005.