Harborough
Encyclopedia
Harborough is a local government district
of Leicestershire
, England
, named after its main town, Market Harborough
. Covering 230 square miles (595.7 km²), the District is by far the largest of the eight district authorities in Leicestershire and covers almost a quarter of the County.
The District extends south and east from the Leicester
urban area; on the east it adjoins the County of Rutland
; has a boundary on the north with the Boroughs of Charnwood
and Melton; on the south it has a long boundary with the County of Northamptonshire
comprising the Boroughs of Corby
, Kettering
and the District of Daventry
. To the west the boundary is with Warwickshire
and the Borough of Rugby
, a boundary formed for much of its length by the line of Watling Street
. The north-western boundary of the district adjoins Blaby
District and the Borough of Oadby and Wigston
. The villages of Thurnby
, Bushby
and Scraptoft
abut the suburbs of the City of Leicester.
The population of the District at mid 2007 was estimated as 82,300.
The principal centres of population are Market Harborough
(20,170), Lutterworth
(9,000) and Broughton Astley
(8,660). The District also has four large villages of over 3,000 population - Kibworth
(4,910); Fleckney
(4,910); Great Glen
(3,460) and Thurnby and Bushby
(3,160). The District has 17 parishes with populations between 500 and 3,000, 40 parishes with populations between 100 and 500 and 28 parishes with populations of below 100 (mid 2004 population estimates).
. It was a merger of Market Harborough urban district, Market Harborough Rural District
, Billesdon Rural District
and Lutterworth Rural District
.
Situated in the south of East Midlands but linking to Northamptonshire and the South East Region, and between the West Midland and East of England Region with access to three national transport routes - the M1 motorway
the Midland Mainline
railway and the A14 East West national trunk road, the district has always occupied an important strategic position.
South Leicestershire consists of gentler country around Lutterworth and Kibworth. Low hills swell out of shallow valleys and villages are pinpointed by church spires peeping above dark spinneys. Near Foxton and Gumley the Laughton Hills tumble down to the Grand Union Canal and Welland Valley, forming one of the best landscapes in this part of the district.
High Leicestershire consists of the tract of land between Market Harborough, Tilton On The Hill and towards Melton Mowbray and forms some of the loneliest countryside in the Midlands. Many villages were deserted centuries ago and remote hills such as Robin-a-Tiptoe in the parish of Tilton peer out over pastures and the occasional farmhouse.
The infant River Avon and River Welland
form the southern border of the district with Northamptonshire with sources at Naseby
and Sibbertoft
respectively.
The Grand Union Canal (old)
cuts across the district from Husbands Bosworth to Newton Harcourt with a spur to Market Harborough
which leaves the Canal at Foxton
.
South East Leicestershire Treasure: More than 5,000 silver and gold coins, around 2,000 years old, were found at a site near Harborough around 2002. The finds are to be exhibited at Harborough Museum
in Autumn 2009.
The Eyebrook Reservoir
straddles along the Harborough District's border with the county of Rutland. The reservoir serves as a popular trout fishing area and bird watching area, with nearby Eye Brook Valley Woods as a beautiful and natural small forest area for walking. The Reservoir and woods are cared for by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust
and are SSSIs.
and is the base for the Fernie Hunt. Although hunting wild animals with dogs has stopped following the Hunting Act 2004
, the Fernie Hunt continues to operate under the three principal exemptions to the Act - trail hunting, hound exercise and flushing coverts to a bird of prey
. A historical account of fox hunting in the Harborough District (when the hunt was known as Mr Fernie's Billesdon Hunt) is available in the book "Annals of the Billesdon hunt (Mr. Fernie's) 1856-1913 : notable runs and incidents of the chase, prominent members, celebrated hunters and hounds, amusing stories and anecdotes" by F. Palliser de Costobadie/ Also see an earlier guide to the fox hunting country north of Market Harborough published in 1882.
The Harborough District Sport and Activity Alliance aims to make sport and physical activity accessible for all people throughout the Harborough District enabling them to fulfil their potential through sport and physical activity.
Market Harborough
is unparished.
Heritage and attractions
Sporting and social
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
of 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...
, 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...
, named after its main town, Market Harborough
Market Harborough
Market Harborough is a market town within the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England.It has a population of 20,785 and is the administrative headquarters of Harborough District Council. It sits on the Northamptonshire-Leicestershire border...
. Covering 230 square miles (595.7 km²), the District is by far the largest of the eight district authorities in Leicestershire and covers almost a quarter of the County.
The District extends south and east from the 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...
urban area; on the east it adjoins the County of Rutland
Rutland
Rutland is a landlocked county in central England, bounded on the west and north by Leicestershire, northeast by Lincolnshire and southeast by Peterborough and Northamptonshire....
; has a boundary on the north with the Boroughs of Charnwood
Charnwood
Charnwood may refer to:* Charnwood , a local government district in the county of Leicestershire, England* Charnwood , an electoral ward and administrative division of the city of Leicester, England...
and Melton; on the south it has a long boundary with the County of Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
comprising the Boroughs of Corby
Corby
Corby Town is a town and borough located in the county of Northamptonshire. Corby Town is 23 miles north-east of the county town, Northampton. The borough had a population of 53,174 at the 2001 Census; the town on its own accounted for 49,222 of this figure...
, Kettering
Kettering
Kettering is a market town in the Borough of Kettering, Northamptonshire, England. It is situated about from London. Kettering is mainly situated on the west side of the River Ise, a tributary of the River Nene which meets at Wellingborough...
and the District of Daventry
Daventry
Daventry is a market town in Northamptonshire, England, with a population of 22,367 .-Geography:The town is also the administrative centre of the larger Daventry district, which has a population of 71,838. The town is 77 miles north-northwest of London, 13.9 miles west of Northampton and 10.2...
. To the west the boundary is with Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
and the Borough of Rugby
Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
, a boundary formed for much of its length by the line of Watling Street
Watling Street
Watling Street is the name given to an ancient trackway in England and Wales that was first used by the Britons mainly between the modern cities of Canterbury and St Albans. The Romans later paved the route, part of which is identified on the Antonine Itinerary as Iter III: "Item a Londinio ad...
. The north-western boundary of the district adjoins Blaby
Blaby
Blaby is a village in central Leicestershire, England, some five miles south of Leicester city centre. It has population of around 6,240 , and its proximity to the city causes it to form part of the Leicester Urban Area....
District and the Borough of Oadby and Wigston
Oadby and Wigston
Oadby and Wigston is a local government district and borough in the English county of Leicestershire.-Geography:It is composed of the areas of Oadby, Wigston Magna and South Wigston. It is predominantly urban, and runs directly into Leicester, to the north-west...
. The villages of Thurnby
Thurnby
Thurnby is a village just east of Leicester's city boundaries, in the Harborough district.Thurnby village proper is set to the south of the A47, just after it leaves the city. A sister village, Bushby lies just to the East and merges into it such that the two have made one civil parish, Thurnby...
, Bushby
Bushby
Bushby is a village in Leicestershire, England....
and Scraptoft
Scraptoft
Scraptoft is a village in Leicestershire, England that is effectively a suburb of Leicester. It has a population of about 1,500. It lies north of the A47 road east of Leicester, and runs directly into the built up area of Thurnby and Bushby to the south...
abut the suburbs of the City of Leicester.
The population of the District at mid 2007 was estimated as 82,300.
The principal centres of population are Market Harborough
Market Harborough
Market Harborough is a market town within the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England.It has a population of 20,785 and is the administrative headquarters of Harborough District Council. It sits on the Northamptonshire-Leicestershire border...
(20,170), 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....
(9,000) and Broughton Astley
Broughton Astley
Broughton Astley is a large village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. It is situated in the south west of Leicestershire, about east of Hinckley and about from the centre of Leicester.- History :...
(8,660). The District also has four large villages of over 3,000 population - Kibworth
Kibworth
Kibworth is an area of the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England, that contains two civil parishes—the villages of Kibworth Beauchamp and Kibworth Harcourt . According to the 2001 census, Kibworth Beauchamp has a population of 3,798, and Kibworth Harcourt has a population of 990. The two...
(4,910); Fleckney
Fleckney
Fleckney is a village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, EnglandThe village appeared in the Domesday Book, and was a farming community until the 19th century, which saw development of industry, first bricks and then later hosiery.The population increased after the...
(4,910); Great Glen
Great Glen
The Great Glen , also known as Glen Albyn or Glen More is a series of glens in Scotland running 100 kilometres from Inverness on the Moray Firth, to Fort William at the head of Loch Linnhe.The Great Glen follows a large geological fault known as the Great Glen Fault...
(3,460) and Thurnby and Bushby
Thurnby and Bushby
Thurnby and Bushby, sometimes known as Thurnby is a civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England.According to the 2001 census it had a population of 3,147.-Position:...
(3,160). The District has 17 parishes with populations between 500 and 3,000, 40 parishes with populations between 100 and 500 and 28 parishes with populations of below 100 (mid 2004 population estimates).
History of the district
The district was formed in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
. It was a merger of Market Harborough urban district, Market Harborough Rural District
Market Harborough Rural District
The rural district of Market Harborough existed in Leicestershire, England, from 1894 to 1974. It covered the area around Market Harborough, but not including it. It was greatly extended by the abolition of Hallaton Rural District in 1935...
, Billesdon Rural District
Billesdon Rural District
Billesdon was a rural district of Leicestershire, England. It originates with the Billesdon Poor Law Union, formed in 1835. In 1894 the area became a rural district...
and Lutterworth Rural District
Lutterworth Rural District
The rural district of Lutterworth in Leicestershire, England existed from 1894 to 1974. It contained the following civil parishes:*Arnesby*Ashby Magna*Ashby Parva*Bittesby*Bitteswell*Broughton Astley*Bruntingthorpe*Catthorpe*Claybrooke Magna...
.
Situated in the south of East Midlands but linking to Northamptonshire and the South East Region, and between the West Midland and East of England Region with access to three national transport routes - 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...
the Midland Mainline
Midland Mainline
Midland Mainline was a British train operating company owned by the National Express Group and based in Derby. It was created after the privatisation of British Rail. Midland Mainline services operated from April 1996 to November 2007....
railway and the A14 East West national trunk road, the district has always occupied an important strategic position.
Topography and landscape
The landscape of the district comprises both pastoral and upland characters. Generally the A6 Market Harborough to Leicester Road forms the boundary between each. The lower pastoral landscape of South Leicestershire is found to the west of the A6 whilst the more undulating upland landscape of High Leicestershire is found to the east.South Leicestershire consists of gentler country around Lutterworth and Kibworth. Low hills swell out of shallow valleys and villages are pinpointed by church spires peeping above dark spinneys. Near Foxton and Gumley the Laughton Hills tumble down to the Grand Union Canal and Welland Valley, forming one of the best landscapes in this part of the district.
High Leicestershire consists of the tract of land between Market Harborough, Tilton On The Hill and towards Melton Mowbray and forms some of the loneliest countryside in the Midlands. Many villages were deserted centuries ago and remote hills such as Robin-a-Tiptoe in the parish of Tilton peer out over pastures and the occasional farmhouse.
The infant River Avon and River Welland
River Welland
The River Welland is a river in the east of England, some long. It rises in the Hothorpe Hills, at Sibbertoft in Northamptonshire, then flows generally northeast to Market Harborough, Stamford and Spalding, to reach The Wash near Fosdyke. For much of its length it forms the county boundary between...
form the southern border of the district with Northamptonshire with sources at Naseby
Naseby
Naseby is a small village in the District of Daventry in Northamptonshire, England.The village is 14 mi north of Northampton, 13.3 mi northeast of Daventry, and 7 mi south of Market Harborough. It is 2.4 mi from Junction 2 of the A14 road, giving it access to the national road system...
and Sibbertoft
Sibbertoft
Sibbertoft is a village and civil parish in the Daventry district of Northamptonshire in England. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population was 343 people....
respectively.
Built heritage
Stanford Hall, Leicestershire is located in the south west of the district. The village of Stanford on Avon is in Northamptonshire but the house and park are on the Leicestershire bank of the River AvonThe Grand Union Canal (old)
Grand Union Canal (old)
The Grand Union Canal was a canal in England from Foxton, Leicestershire on the Leicester and Northampton canal to Buckby on the Grand Junction Canal...
cuts across the district from Husbands Bosworth to Newton Harcourt with a spur to Market Harborough
Market Harborough
Market Harborough is a market town within the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England.It has a population of 20,785 and is the administrative headquarters of Harborough District Council. It sits on the Northamptonshire-Leicestershire border...
which leaves the Canal at Foxton
Foxton
Foxton is the name of several places in the world:New Zealand* Foxton, New Zealand, in the North Island* Foxton Beach, North IslandUnited Kingdom* Foxton, Cambridgeshire, England* Foxton, County Durham, England* Foxton, Leicestershire, England...
.
South East Leicestershire Treasure: More than 5,000 silver and gold coins, around 2,000 years old, were found at a site near Harborough around 2002. The finds are to be exhibited at Harborough Museum
Harborough Museum
Harborough Museum was opened in 1983 in a former mill building that also houses the Harborough District Council offices and is set in the historic market town of Market Harborough....
in Autumn 2009.
The Eyebrook Reservoir
Eyebrook Reservoir
Eyebrook Reservoir is a reservoir in the East Midlands of England. It straddles the border of Leicestershire and Rutland . It is located about 6 km northwest of Corby in Northamptonshire. Nearby villages are Stoke Dry, to the north, and Caldecott, to the south and near the dam.The reservoir...
straddles along the Harborough District's border with the county of Rutland. The reservoir serves as a popular trout fishing area and bird watching area, with nearby Eye Brook Valley Woods as a beautiful and natural small forest area for walking. The Reservoir and woods are cared for by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust
Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust
The Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust is a wildlife trust covering the counties of Leicestershire and Rutland, England. Founded in 1956, the trust now has 9,000 members helping care for over 30 nature reserves covering more than across the region...
and are SSSIs.
Social and sporting
The Harborough District has a long association with fox huntingFox hunting
Fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, chase, and sometimes killing of a fox, traditionally a red fox, by trained foxhounds or other scent hounds, and a group of followers led by a master of foxhounds, who follow the hounds on foot or on horseback.Fox hunting originated in its current...
and is the base for the Fernie Hunt. Although hunting wild animals with dogs has stopped following the Hunting Act 2004
Hunting Act 2004
The Hunting Act 2004 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The effect of the Act is to outlaw hunting with dogs in England and Wales from 18 February 2005...
, the Fernie Hunt continues to operate under the three principal exemptions to the Act - trail hunting, hound exercise and flushing coverts to a bird of prey
Bird of prey
Birds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as birds that primarily hunt vertebrates, including other birds. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh....
. A historical account of fox hunting in the Harborough District (when the hunt was known as Mr Fernie's Billesdon Hunt) is available in the book "Annals of the Billesdon hunt (Mr. Fernie's) 1856-1913 : notable runs and incidents of the chase, prominent members, celebrated hunters and hounds, amusing stories and anecdotes" by F. Palliser de Costobadie/ Also see an earlier guide to the fox hunting country north of Market Harborough published in 1882.
Community organisations
The Harborough Youth Council was set up in 2007 to represent the views of young people (aged 13–19) and aims to improve life for young people. It holds a District Youth Conference each year where young people give their views in front of district councillors. The HYC meets usually once per month, and sends representatives to CYCLe (County Youth Council Leicestershire).The Harborough District Sport and Activity Alliance aims to make sport and physical activity accessible for all people throughout the Harborough District enabling them to fulfil their potential through sport and physical activity.
Civil parishes
Map of Parishes- AllextonAllextonAllexton is a village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England.According to the 2001 census, the parish had a population of 58. In the 2011 Census the population is likely to be higher as five new houses have been built....
, ArnesbyArnesbyArnesby is a village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 343. The village is south of Leicester, on the Welford Road, between Kilby and Shearsby....
, Ashby MagnaAshby MagnaAshby Magna is a small English village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire. The parish had a population of 294 at the 2001 UK census. It is in the south of the county, and lies midway between junctions 20 and 21 of the M1...
, Ashby ParvaAshby ParvaAshby Parva is a village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. The parish had a population of 211 according to the 2001 census. The village is in the west of the district, west of the M1 motorway, and nearby Ullesthorpe, Leire and Bitteswell. It is about 3 miles... - BillesdonBillesdonBillesdon is a village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England, with a population of 745 according to the 2001 census. It is just off the A47, nine miles east of Leicester. The Billesdon bypass opened in October 1986...
, BittesbyBittesbyBittesby is a deserted village and civil parish in Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. It is on the A5 road, about three miles from Lutterworth. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 6....
, BitteswellBitteswellBitteswell is a small village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire in England. It is close to Lutterworth, and situated just to the north of that town, and in the 2001 census had a population of 454. It was recorded in the Domesday Book as Betmeswelle.It was the site of...
, BlastonBlastonthumb|right|Blaston parish churchBlaston is a village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire. It is a small parish with a population of 54 according to the 2001 census. The village is near Nevill Holt, Medbourne and Hallaton. The parish church of St Giles was rebuilt in 1878...
, BringhurstBringhurstBringhurst is a small village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire. It is in the south-east of the county, close to the borders with Northamptonshire and Rutland...
, Broughton AstleyBroughton AstleyBroughton Astley is a large village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. It is situated in the south west of Leicestershire, about east of Hinckley and about from the centre of Leicester.- History :...
, BruntingthorpeBruntingthorpe, LeicestershireBruntingthorpe is a village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. According to the census the parish had a population of 398...
, Burton OveryBurton OveryBurton Overy is a civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, about nine miles south-east of Leicester city centre, and not far from Great Glen... - Carlton CurlieuCarlton CurlieuCarlton Curlieu is a small village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, about eleven miles south-east of Leicester city centre, and not far from Kibworth. According to the 2001 census, the parish had a population of 30....
, CatthorpeCatthorpeCatthorpe is a village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. It is close to the A5 road which forms the border with Warwickshire - the nearest town is Rugby, about four miles south-west. The parish had a population of 179 according to the 2001 census. The parish...
, Claybrooke MagnaClaybrooke MagnaClaybrooke Magna is a village in South West Leicestershire, England, close to the A5 trunk road.-External links:*...
, Claybrooke ParvaClaybrooke ParvaClaybrooke Parva is a village in South West Leicestershire, England close to Claybrooke Magna. The village is the site of a church which is thought to originally be part Anglo Saxon with Norman and Medieval additions.-External links:*...
, Cold NewtonCold NewtonCold Newton is a small hamlet and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire. It is situated about two miles from Tilton on the Hill and two miles north of Billesdon. Some above sea level, it overlooks the Wreake valley. For administrative purposes the village is linked with Lowesby...
, CotesbachCotesbachCotesbach is a village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. The nearest town is Lutterworth, about to the north. The parish had a population of 212 according to the 2001 census.-External links:...
, CranoeCranoeCranoe is a small village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. The parish had a population of 35 in 2001.-The Village:... - DraytonDrayton, LeicestershireDrayton is a village in Leicestershire, England in the district of Harborough. It was formerly in the Parish of Easton along with the nearby villages of Bringhurst and Great Easton. It has one of the smallest churches in England...
, Dunton BassettDunton BassettDunton Bassett is a small village in the Harborough District of Leicestershire. It lies between Leicester and Lutterworth, and close to Broughton Astley, Ashby Magna & Leire...
, East LangtonEast LangtonEast Langton is a village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. The parish also includes Church Langton. It is near Kibworth and Market Harborough, and the parish according to the 2001 census had a population of 351...
, East NortonEast NortonEast Norton is a small village and parish located in the east of Leicestershire, adjoining the A47 Leicester to Uppingham road. According to the 2001 Census, it had a population of 94 in 37 households. East Norton is situated in the Tilton Ward in the Rural East area of the Harborough District ,... - FleckneyFleckneyFleckney is a village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, EnglandThe village appeared in the Domesday Book, and was a farming community until the 19th century, which saw development of industry, first bricks and then later hosiery.The population increased after the...
, FoxtonFoxton, Leicestershirethumb|Foxton parish churchFoxton is a village in Leicestershire, England, to the north-west of Market Harborough. It is on the Grand Union Canal and is the site of the Foxton Locks and Foxton Inclined Plane.-External links:****...
, FrisbyFrisby, LeicestershireFrisby is a hamlet, deserted medieval village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 26. The modern hamlet is situated between Gaulby and Billesdon, the ancient village site is nearby to the south-east, and is a...
, FrolesworthFrolesworthFrolesworth is a small village and parish four miles north of Lutterworth, three from Broughton Astley and eighteen miles west of Market Harborough.... - GaulbyGaulbyGaulby is a village in East Leicestershire, England, 7 miles east of the city of Leicester. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 131....
, GilmortonGilmortonGilmorton, a village in South Leicestershire, England with a population of over 900, is near to Ashby Magna & Lutterworth. The town's Anglo-Saxon origin is shown by its appearance in the Domesday book compiled in 1086. with a population of about 140...
, GloostonGloostonGlooston is a small village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 54....
, GoadbyGoadbyGoadby is a village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England, about 8 miles north of Market Harborough. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 43....
, Great BowdenGreat BowdenGreat Bowden is a village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. It is north-east of and a suburb of Market Harborough, although originally the parish of Great Bowden included Harborough. The population is around 1,000, with approximately 50% of that consisting of...
, Great Easton, Great GlenGreat Glen, LeicestershireGreat Glen , also known as Glen Magna, is a village and civil parish in Leicestershire, England, about seven miles south-east of Leicester. Its name comes from the original Iron Age settlers who used the Celtic word glennos meaning valley, and comes from the fact that Great Glen lies in part of the...
, GumleyGumleyGumley is a village in Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom. The closest town is Market Harborough.The name Gumley is a contraction of the Anglo-Saxon “Gutmundesleah” – meaning Godmund’s clearing.- History :The village is first mentioned in 749... - HallatonHallatonHallaton is a village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 523....
, HorningholdHorningholdHorninghold is a small village and parish seven miles north-east of Market Harborough in the county of Leicestershire.Following the Norman Conquest in 1066 the village was given to Robert de Todeni, Lord of Belvoir. In about 1076 he gave the parish to the priory of Belvoir where it remained until...
, Houghton on the HillHoughton on the HillHoughton on the Hill is a village lying six miles to the east of Leicester in the East Midlands in England.An entry for Houghton on the Hill is recorded in the Domesday Book....
, HungartonHungartonHungarton is a small village in the county of Leicestershire, England. It is about north-east of Leicester and south-west of Melton Mowbray...
, Husbands BosworthHusbands BosworthHusbands Bosworth is a large crossroads village in South Leicestershire on the A5199 road from Leicester city to Northampton and the A4304 road from Junction 20 of the M1 motorway to Market Harborough.... - Illston on the HillIllston on the HillIllston on the Hill is a small village and parish seven miles north of Market Harborough in the county of Leicestershire. It has a small, struggling local pub as well as a village hall available for rent. In the summer it hosts two events; the Village Fete and 'Onion Sunday'.The current holder of...
- KeyhamKeyham, LeicestershireKeyham is a village situated in Leicestershire, approximately east of Leicester.Mention of Keyham can be found as early as the 11th century. The village includes All Saints Church, a village hall and the "Dog and Gun" public house.-External links:*...
, Kibworth Beauchamp, Kibworth Harcourt, Kimcote and WaltonKimcote and WaltonKimcote and Walton is a parish situated in Leicestershire, approximately 4 miles north east of Lutterworth. The villages of Kimcote and Walton combine to form one parish, with all Saints Parish Church being situated in Kimcote. The parish was the base for many stockingers during the 19th Century....
, King's Norton, KnaptoftKnaptoftKnaptoft is a civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England, with a population of around 50. It is also a deserted village in this parish. Knaptoft just off the A5199 near Husbands Bosworth. Knaptoft House Farm nearby is bed and breakfast accommodation and a stud farm... - LaughtonLaughton, LeicestershireLaughton is a small village and parish situated in Leicestershire, approximately 5 miles west of Market Harborough. Old buildings dominate Laughton with currently only two modern buildings situated in the village. There is a row of cottages opposite the church that has parts dating back to medieval...
, LaundeLaundeLaunde is a civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, bordering Rutland. The parish is the site of Launde Abbey. It gives its name to an electoral division of Leicestershire that stretches all the way from Scraptoft, Thurnby and Stoughton, near Leicester, to the border with...
, LeireLeireLeire is a village in Leicestershire, England. The name is thought to originate from the old British name for the river Soar, which has a tributary with a source south of the village.Present day Leire has a population of around 500....
, Little StrettonLittle Stretton, LeicestershireLittle Stretton is a small village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire.Within the parish, to the west of Little Stretton village, lies a deserted medieval village called Stretton Magna ....
, LoddingtonLoddingtonLoddington is a small village and civil parish north of Market Harborough and east of Leicester in the county of Leicestershire. It has a population of 77....
, LowesbyLowesbyLowesby is a small village in Leicestershire. The village once had Lowesby railway station on the way to Tilton on the Hill.-External links:...
, LubenhamLubenhamLubenham is a small rural village and civil parish west of Market Harborough, a market town in the south of Leicestershire, England. The first ever Grand National was held in Lubenham, on the grounds of what is now Thorpe Lubenham Hall....
, LutterworthLutterworthLutterworth 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.... - MarefieldMarefieldMarefield is a hamlet and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 20. It was also the birthplace of Wire drummer Robert Gotobed, and Thomas Hooker, one of the main founders of Connecticut, USA....
, MedbourneMedbourneMedbourne is a village in Leicestershire.Each year it competes with nearby Hallaton during the Bottle-kicking event on Easter Monday. It is believed that Medbourne, which lay on the Gartree Road was a large market settlement at the time of Roman Britain....
, Misterton with WalcoteMisterton with WalcoteMisterton with Walcote is a civil parish in the English county of Leicestershire.It forms part of the Harborough district. Of its two settlement Walcote is by far the larger, but Misterton has the parish church....
, MowsleyMowsleyMowsley, pronounced "mouseley" is a small village in the south part of Leicestershire. The modern village has just under 100 dwellings.-Entries in Domesday:... - Nevill HoltNevill HoltNevill Holt is a hamlet and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. It is situated at about northeast of Market Harborough and northwest of Corby and lies close to the borders with Northamptonshire and Rutland. It lies on the north side of the Welland valley...
, North KilworthNorth KilworthNorth Kilworth is a village in south Leicestershire, England, north of South Kilworth. Largely bypassed by the A4304 road, the village consists of a mix of old and new housing and includes a primary school and the parish church of St...
, NoseleyNoseleyNoseley is a village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. It is the seat of the Hazlerigg family, whose members include Sir Arthur Hesilrige, who was one of the five Members of Parliament whom Charles I unsuccessfully sought to arrest.In 2004 the parish had an... - Owston and NewboldOwston and NewboldOwston and Newbold is a hamlet and civil parish, west of Oakham in the county of Leicestershire, England.-External links:*****...
- Peatling MagnaPeatling MagnaPeatling Magna is a village in south Leicestershire near to Ashby Magna & Peatling Parva and is part of Harborough District.-Church:The church of All Saints is mainly of the 14th and 15th centuries and contains some fine examples of carved woodwork of different periods....
, Peatling ParvaPeatling ParvaPeatling Parva is a parish and village in south Leicestershire near to Ashby Magna & Peatling Magna, England, and part of Harborough District.-External links:******... - RollestonRolleston, LeicestershireRolleston is a parish and estate village near Billesdon in Leicestershire, England, and part of Harborough District.-External links:****...
- SaddingtonSaddingtonSaddington is a village in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. It is close to Smeeton Westerby, Gumley, Kibworth and Fleckney....
, ScraptoftScraptoftScraptoft is a village in Leicestershire, England that is effectively a suburb of Leicester. It has a population of about 1,500. It lies north of the A47 road east of Leicester, and runs directly into the built up area of Thurnby and Bushby to the south...
, ShangtonShangtonShangton is a parish and small village near Tur Langton in Leicestershire, England, and part of Harborough District.-External links:****...
, ShawellShawellShawell is a small village in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. Its population at the 2001 UK census was 126.It lies less than a mile from the M1 and M6 motorways...
, ShearsbyShearsbyShearsby is a rural village in the English county of Leicestershire.It is in the Harborough district around nine miles due south of Leicester and north east of Lutterworth....
, SkeffingtonSkeffingtonSkeffington is a village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. It is situated east of Leicester on the A47 Leicester to Uppingham road, between the parishes of Billesdon and Tugby and Keythorpe....
, SlawstonSlawstonSlawston is a village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England, north-east of Market Harborough. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 143. The parish includes the deserted Othorpe village at ....
, Smeeton WesterbySmeeton WesterbySmeeton Westerby is a village located approximately 9 miles south east from Leicester. Originally Smeeton and Westerby were two separate hamlets, but they merged some time ago to become the village that it is today...
, South KilworthSouth KilworthSouth Kilworth is a village and civil parish in the southern part of Leicestershire, England, south of North Kilworth. The parish has a population of 430, according to the 2001 Census, and is part of the district of Harborough.-History:...
, StockerstonStockerstonthumb|right|Stockerston parish churchthumb|right|StockerstonStockerston is a village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England, located on the border with Rutland, by the Eye Brook. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 35.The two principle...
, Stonton WyvilleStonton WyvilleStonton Wyville is a small village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 21. The village is about eleven miles south east of Leicester...
, StoughtonStoughton, LeicestershireStoughton is a small village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire.It is just east of Leicester, and sits in countryside between two protusions of the Leicester urban area . The closest part of the city of Leicester is Evington...
, SwinfordSwinford, LeicestershireSwinford is a nucleated village and civil parish in the Harborough district of the English county of Leicestershire. It used to be on the former A427, which led under the M1, to Catthorpe. The local pub is The Chequers on the High Street. The parish church is All Saints.- External links :* *... - TheddingworthTheddingworthTheddingworth is a village and civil parish in Leicestershire, England. It lies at about west of Market Harborough on the road to Lutterworth. It is on the north bank of the River Welland and the Grand Union Canal passes within a mile...
, Thorpe LangtonThorpe LangtonThorpe Langton is a village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, about four miles north of Market Harborough. The parish had a population of 171 according to the 2001 census. Thorpe Langton is the home of the Baker's Arms pub and St...
, Thurnby and BushbyThurnby and BushbyThurnby and Bushby, sometimes known as Thurnby is a civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England.According to the 2001 census it had a population of 3,147.-Position:...
, TiltonTilton on the HillTilton on the Hill is a village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire. It lies 2 miles north of the A47, on the B6047 to Melton Mowbray. Halstead civil parish was merged with Tilton in 1935, while the deserted medieval village of Whatborough was merged in 1994...
, Tugby and KeythorpeTugby and KeythorpeTugby and Keythorpe is a parish comprising the village of Tugby and land surrounding Keythorpe Grange, Keythorpe Hall, Hall Farm and Lodge Farm in Leicestershire, England, part of Harborough District....
, Tur LangtonTur LangtonTur Langton is a small village in the heart of Leicestershire in England.-External links:**... - UllesthorpeUllesthorpeUllesthorpe is a small village in south Leicestershire, England. It has a population of 868.It is known for its windmill which is currently undergoing restoration. Its name comes from the Scandinavian personal name Úlfr...
- WelhamWelham, LeicestershireWelham is a small village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England, north-east of Market Harborough. The village is situated on the north bank of the River Welland, which forms the border with the neighbouring county of Northamptonshire.According to the 2001 census...
, West LangtonWest LangtonWest Langton is a civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. The main settlement in the parish is Langton Hall. It is near Kibworth and Market Harborough, and the parish according to the 2001 census had a population of 128....
, Westrill and StarmoreWestrill and StarmoreWestrill and Starmore is a civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. It has no settlement as such as is one of the least populated parishes in Harborough District, comprising farmland surrounding the track from Stanford Park to Walcote village in the parish of Misterton...
, Willoughby WaterleysWilloughby WaterleysWilloughby Waterleys is a village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. It is situated near the A426 Leicester to Lutterworth road. Nearby villages are Ashby Magna, Peatling Magna and Countesthorpe....
, Wistow Cum Newton Harcourt, WithcoteWithcoteWithcote is a small parish comprising a number of scattered dwellings in Harborough , a local government district of Leicestershire.-Buildings:Withcote Hall is on English Heritage's Heritage at risk register....
Market Harborough
Market Harborough
Market Harborough is a market town within the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England.It has a population of 20,785 and is the administrative headquarters of Harborough District Council. It sits on the Northamptonshire-Leicestershire border...
is unparished.
External links
Communities and organisationsHeritage and attractions
- Harborough Museum
- Harborough Coin Hoard
- The Via Devana or Gartree Road which runs from Leicester to the County border
- - Grand Union Canal - Leicester Line
- High Leicestershire and Rutland Cycle Routes
- The Leicestershire Round - Walking Route which runs from Claybrooke Magna to Owston in Harborough District
- Horse Riding in Leicestershire - The Midshires Way
Sporting and social