Hinckley
Encyclopedia
Hinckley is a town in southwest Leicestershire
, England
. It has a population of 43,246 (2001 census). It is administered by Hinckley and Bosworth
Borough Council. Hinckley is currently the second largest town in Leicestershire, after Loughborough
(Leicester
itself being a city which is not part of the non-metropolitan county of Leicestershire).
Although part of Leicestershire, it is situated in close proximity to the larger town of Nuneaton
in Warwickshire
, and comprises part of the Nuneaton Urban Area
.
in 1086, Hinckley was quite a large village, and grew over the course of the following 200 years into a small market town
—a market
was first recorded there in 1311.
To the west of Hinckley lies Saxon Paddock where in 2000 archaelogists from Northampton University
discovered a Romano-British settlement and later Saxon items.
industry, producing stocking
s and similar items. Hinckley played a prominent part in the English Civil War
. Its proximity to several rival strongholds—the royalist garrisons at Ashby de la Zouch and Leicester, those of the Parliamentarians at Tamworth
and Coventry
, and the presence of parties of troops or brigands occupying several fortified houses in nearby Warwickshire—ensured frequent visits by the warring parties. The local townsfolk were forced to decide whether to declare their allegiances openly or attempt to remain neutral—with the risk of having to pay levies, ransoms, and fines to both sides. In March 1644, Hinckley was occupied by a group of Royalist
troops, though they were soon driven out by a force of Parliamentarian
s, who took many prisoners.
The Civil War years were a particularly unsettled time for the clergy in and around Hinckley. Parsons with parliamentary leanings like Thomas Cleveland, the vicar of Hinckley, suffered sequestration by the Leicester County Committee
, like some of his "malignant" neighbours accused of visiting royalist garrisons or preaching against Parliament.
The town was visited by both parliamentary and royalists troops from the rival garrisons, particularly parliamentary troops from Tamworth, Coventry and Astley Castle
in Warwickshire. Troops from Coventry garrison were particularly active in the town, taking horses and "free quarter" and availing themselves of 'dyett and Beere', and taking some of the inhabitants hostage for ransom. Royalist troops raided the town to threaten those with parliamentary sympathies. The notorious Lord Hastings of Ashby de la Zouch is recorded to have "coursed about the country as far as Dunton and Lutterworth and took near upon a hundred of the clergymen and others, and carried them prisoners … threatening to hang all them that should take the Parliament's Covenant". Parliamentary newsheets record that on the night of 4 March 1644, Hastings' men brought in "26 honest countrymen from several towns" intending to take them to Ashby de la Zouch, along with a huge herd of cattle, oxen and horses from the country people and a minister named Mr Warner. These prisoners were herded into Hinckley church and asked "in a jeering manner, 'Where are the Round-heads your brethren at Leicester? Why come they not to redeem you?'"
The Parliamentarians responded in a memorable "Skirmish or Great Victory for Parliament". Colonel Grey with 120 foot soldiers and 30 troopers from Bagworth House rushed to Hinckley and re-took the town, routed the Royalists, rescued the cattle and released their imprisoned countrymen. No doubt the inhabitants of the town were as relieved as any when Ashby finally surrendered, as Vicars records, "a great mercy and mighty preservation of the peace and tranquillity of all those adjacent parts about it."
Castle Street is the first known location of 'Luddism', where disgruntled workers, replaced by machinery in their jobs, took sledgehammers to the machines. Joseph Hansom
built the first Hansom cab
in Hinckley in 1835.
under the Local Government Act 1894
, covering the ancient parish of Hinckley. In 1934, under a County Review Order
, Hinckley urban district expanded to include the ancient parishes of Barwell
, Burbage
and Earl Shilton
and most of Stoke Golding
. In 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972
the Hinckley urban district was abolished, becoming an unparished area
in the borough of Hinckley and Bosworth
. Since then, the civil parishes of Barwell, Burbage, Earl Shilton and Stoke Golding have been re-established. The core urban area remained unparished.
Hollycroft, Middlefield, and Wykin
are suburbs of Hinckley.
Burbage is often thought to be a suburb of Hinckley but is in fact separate. It is a large village merging with Hinckley to the south, separated by the railway line. Sketchley is another small village which has merged into Burbage.
industry. The first framework knitting
machine was brought here by Joseph Iliffe in the 17th century and by the 19th century Hinckley was responsible for a large proportion of Britain's hosiery production. Since the Second World War the hosiery industry has steadily shrunk in size although several textile firms remain in the area. Hinckley & District Museum, which is housed in a range of former framework knitters' cottages, tells the story of the hosiery industry and contains some examples of framework knitting machines.
Hinckley also has a history of engineering and is home to the Triumph Motorcycle
company.
Ultima Sports Ltd
, a manufacturer of sports cars is based in Hinckley as is Paynes Garages Ltd, one of the oldest family-owned Ford Motor Dealerships in the UK. Established by JA Payne in 1907, the firm became Ford Dealers in 1922. The business remains family owned with Nigel Payne, grandson of the founder, one of the current Directors.
The town's central location and good links to the UK motorway network have made it a popular location for distribution warehouses. Hammonds Furniture, a family owned nationwide fitted furniture company, was established in the town in 1926 by Thomas Hammonds, and currently employs over 850 people in its two Hinckley factories.
. The M69 links Hinckley to the nearest cities, Coventry
, and Leicester
, and the M1
and M6
motorways.
Hinckley railway station
is on the Nuneaton
–Leicester
section of the Birmingham to Peterborough Line
and has regular services between Birmingham
and Leicester
via Narborough
and Nuneaton
. Journeys to London can be made via the West Coast Main Line
through Nuneaton or the Midland Main Line
via Leicester. The terminus of the Midland route is London St Pancras which has become the home of Eurostar
international services since November 2007.
The nearest airports are Coventry
, East Midlands and Birmingham International
.
The town is equidistant (19 km/12 miles) from Coventry
and Leicester
and 8 km (5 mi) to the east of Nuneaton
. The small town of Ibstock
is 18 km (11.2 mi) to the north on the A447.
The A447 was by-passed around the town during the early 1990s when the Northern Perimeter Road (Normandy Way) was completed. As well as relieving congestion in the town centre, new commercial developments have been built along the route.
no longer publishes a Hinckley edition. The free (advertising-funded) Hinckley Herald & Journal is distributed to most houses. Hinckley has its own community website and online news resource. take5 community news is a full colour gloss community magazine distributed free to homes and businesses.
There is a 400 seat theatre located near the centre of the town in Stockwell Head (Concordia Theatre
), which holds regular productions. Further, the local council holds an annual 'Proms in The Park' event.
, who compete in the Conference North. Hinckley United was formed in 1997 from the amalgamation of Hinckley Town and Hinckley Athletic, and is known as the Knitters — a nickname
that comes from the town's history as a textile-producing centre. In 2006, a Hinckley United player, Matt Gadsby
, died during a match against Harrogate Town.
The only rugby club, Hinckley Rugby Football Club, was formed in 1893 and has been based at the Leicester Road Sports ground since 1968. Hinckley RFC have been involved in league rugby since 1987, during which time the first team has been as high as National League 3 North (level 4). They currently reside in Midlands 1 (level 5).
The town's largest school, John Cleveland College
, is noted for its many achievements on the rugby field and has produced many professional players, many of whom have gone on to play for England
.
These include England and Leicester Tigers
legends Graham Rowntree
and Dean Richards, as well as current pros Ollie Smith
, Sam Vesty
and Manu Tuilagi
. Vesty is the most recent ex-JCC man to make his international bow, coming on as sub against Argentina
at Old Trafford
in June 2009.
There is also one basketball team—the Hinckley 69ers; a name derived from the town's proximity to the M69 motorway. It was founded in 1974 and has involved some staff, ex-students and current students of John Cleveland College, as well as other interested, local players, throughout most of its history. The team play in Division 2 of the Leicestershire men's amateur league, having been promoted in the 2007/08 season. The 2007/08 season was one of the team's best performances, with a cup win too. The team are based at John Cleveland College and have home games and training there every Friday at 7:00 pm.
Hollycroft Park, in the centre of Hinckley is recognised as a great area for sports—the park contains two tennis courts, a golf pitch n putt and a lawn bowls green with pavilion.
Hinckley has one high performance Gymnastics Club based at Clarendon Park. In its 30 years of existence, it has never failed to have a number of its members competing for their home nations or for Great Britain.
Hinckleys longest established priviate fitness club is Empire Fitness (formally John's Gym), www.EmpireFitness.net
Hinckley Ladies Netball Club is based at Redmoor High School and has four senior teams in the Coventry and Warwickshire Netball League.
) and Hastings (in Burbage
)—all feeder schools for John Cleveland College
, the main college in the town for Years 10 and 11. JCC
also includes a Sixth Form
, as does North Warwickshire & Hinckley College, a Further Education
college. The only other major college in the area is William Bradford (Earl Shilton
).
with Le Grand-Quevilly
, France, and joined with Herford
, Germany in the early 1970s. Hinckley is also twinned with Midland, Ohio
, United States
.
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...
. It has a population of 43,246 (2001 census). It is administered by Hinckley and Bosworth
Hinckley and Bosworth
Hinckley and Bosworth is a local government district with borough status in south-western Leicestershire, England, administered by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council. Its only towns are Hinckley, Earl Shilton and Market Bosworth...
Borough Council. Hinckley is currently the second largest town in Leicestershire, after 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...
(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...
itself being a city which is not part of the non-metropolitan county of Leicestershire).
Although part of Leicestershire, it is situated in close proximity to the larger town of Nuneaton
Nuneaton
Nuneaton is the largest town in the Borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth and in the English county of Warwickshire.Nuneaton is most famous for its associations with the 19th century author George Eliot, who was born on a farm on the Arbury Estate just outside Nuneaton in 1819 and lived in the town for...
in 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 comprises part of the Nuneaton Urban Area
Nuneaton Urban Area
The Nuneaton Urban Area is a conurbation in the West Midlands of England, based around the town of Nuneaton in Warwickshire. It had a population of 132,236 at the 2001 Census....
.
History
Hinckley has a history going back to Saxon times. By the time of the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
in 1086, Hinckley was quite a large village, and grew over the course of the following 200 years into a small market town
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
—a market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
was first recorded there in 1311.
To the west of Hinckley lies Saxon Paddock where in 2000 archaelogists from Northampton University
University of Northampton
The University of Northampton is a university in Northampton, Northamptonshire, England.-History:In 1924, Northampton Technical College was opened at St George's Avenue, site of the current Avenue Campus. A new building for the college was formally opened by the then Duke and Duchess of York in 1932...
discovered a Romano-British settlement and later Saxon items.
17th century
In the 17th century, the town developed a hosieryHosiery
Hosiery, also referred to as legwear, describes garments worn directly on the feet and legs. The term originated as the collective term for products of which a maker or seller is termed a hosier; and those products are also known generically as hose...
industry, producing stocking
Stocking
A stocking, , is a close-fitting, variously elastic garment covering the foot and lower part of the leg. Stockings vary in color, design and transparency...
s and similar items. Hinckley played a prominent part in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. Its proximity to several rival strongholds—the royalist garrisons at Ashby de la Zouch and Leicester, those of the Parliamentarians at Tamworth
Tamworth
Tamworth is a town and local government district in Staffordshire, England, located north-east of Birmingham city centre and north-west of London. The town takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through the town, as does the River Anker...
and Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, and the presence of parties of troops or brigands occupying several fortified houses in nearby Warwickshire—ensured frequent visits by the warring parties. The local townsfolk were forced to decide whether to declare their allegiances openly or attempt to remain neutral—with the risk of having to pay levies, ransoms, and fines to both sides. In March 1644, Hinckley was occupied by a group of Royalist
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
troops, though they were soon driven out by a force of Parliamentarian
Roundhead
"Roundhead" was the nickname given to the supporters of the Parliament during the English Civil War. Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I and his supporters, the Cavaliers , who claimed absolute power and the divine right of kings...
s, who took many prisoners.
The Civil War years were a particularly unsettled time for the clergy in and around Hinckley. Parsons with parliamentary leanings like Thomas Cleveland, the vicar of Hinckley, suffered sequestration by the Leicester County Committee
Committee for Compounding with Delinquents
In 1643, near the start of the English Civil War, Parliament set up two committees the Sequestration Committee which confiscated the estates of the Royalists who fought against Parliament, and the Committee for Compounding with Delinquents which allowed Royalists whose estates had been...
, like some of his "malignant" neighbours accused of visiting royalist garrisons or preaching against Parliament.
The town was visited by both parliamentary and royalists troops from the rival garrisons, particularly parliamentary troops from Tamworth, Coventry and Astley Castle
Astley Castle
Astley Castle is a ruinous moated fortified 16th century manor house in North Warwickshire. It has been listed as a Grade II* listed building since 1951 and as a Scheduled Ancient Monument since 1994...
in Warwickshire. Troops from Coventry garrison were particularly active in the town, taking horses and "free quarter" and availing themselves of 'dyett and Beere', and taking some of the inhabitants hostage for ransom. Royalist troops raided the town to threaten those with parliamentary sympathies. The notorious Lord Hastings of Ashby de la Zouch is recorded to have "coursed about the country as far as Dunton and Lutterworth and took near upon a hundred of the clergymen and others, and carried them prisoners … threatening to hang all them that should take the Parliament's Covenant". Parliamentary newsheets record that on the night of 4 March 1644, Hastings' men brought in "26 honest countrymen from several towns" intending to take them to Ashby de la Zouch, along with a huge herd of cattle, oxen and horses from the country people and a minister named Mr Warner. These prisoners were herded into Hinckley church and asked "in a jeering manner, 'Where are the Round-heads your brethren at Leicester? Why come they not to redeem you?'"
The Parliamentarians responded in a memorable "Skirmish or Great Victory for Parliament". Colonel Grey with 120 foot soldiers and 30 troopers from Bagworth House rushed to Hinckley and re-took the town, routed the Royalists, rescued the cattle and released their imprisoned countrymen. No doubt the inhabitants of the town were as relieved as any when Ashby finally surrendered, as Vicars records, "a great mercy and mighty preservation of the peace and tranquillity of all those adjacent parts about it."
19th century
At the time of the first national census in 1801, Hinckley had a population of 5,158: twenty years later it had increased by about a thousand. The largest industry in the early 19th century was the making of hosiery and only Leicester had a larger output of stockings. In the district, it was estimated ca. 1830 that 6,000 persons were employed in this work.Castle Street is the first known location of 'Luddism', where disgruntled workers, replaced by machinery in their jobs, took sledgehammers to the machines. Joseph Hansom
Joseph Hansom
Joseph Aloysius Hansom was a prolific English architect working principally in the Gothic Revival style, who invented the Hansom cab and was one of the founders of the eminent architectural journal, The Builder, in 1843....
built the first Hansom cab
Hansom cab
The hansom cab is a kind of horse-drawn cart designed and patented in 1834 by Joseph Hansom, an architect from York. The vehicle was developed and tested by Hansom in Hinckley, Leicestershire, England. Originally called the Hansom safety cab, it was designed to combine speed with safety, with a low...
in Hinckley in 1835.
Local government
Hinckley became an urban districtUrban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
under the Local Government Act 1894
Local Government Act 1894
The Local Government Act 1894 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales outside the County of London. The Act followed the reforms carried out at county level under the Local Government Act 1888...
, covering the ancient parish of Hinckley. In 1934, under a County Review Order
Local Government Act 1929
The Local Government Act 1929 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that made changes to the Poor Law and local government in England and Wales....
, Hinckley urban district expanded to include the ancient parishes of Barwell
Barwell
Barwell is a civil parish and large village in Leicestershire, England, with a population of around 8,750 people. The name literally translates as "Stream of the Boar" and is said to originate from a boar that used to drink from the well near a brook in Barwell. It was originally known as Borewell,...
, Burbage
Burbage, Leicestershire
Burbage is a civil parish in Leicestershire, England. It is a southern suburb of the town of Hinckley. According to the United Kingdom Census 2001 the parish had a population of 14,324.-History:...
and Earl Shilton
Earl Shilton
Earl Shilton is a small town in Leicestershire, England, some from Hinckley and about 10 miles from Leicester, with a population of around 9,000 .-History:...
and most of Stoke Golding
Stoke Golding
Stoke Golding is a village and civil parish in the Hinckley and Bosworth district of Leicestershire, England, which lies in the heart of England, in South West Leicestershire, close to the Warwickshire county border. According to the 2001 census the total population was 1,721, living in just over...
. In 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972
Local 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....
the Hinckley urban district was abolished, becoming an unparished area
Unparished area
In England, an unparished area is an area that is not covered by a civil parish. Most urbanised districts of England are either entirely or partly unparished. Many towns and some cities in otherwise rural districts are also unparished areas and therefore no longer have a town council or city...
in the borough of Hinckley and Bosworth
Hinckley and Bosworth
Hinckley and Bosworth is a local government district with borough status in south-western Leicestershire, England, administered by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council. Its only towns are Hinckley, Earl Shilton and Market Bosworth...
. Since then, the civil parishes of Barwell, Burbage, Earl Shilton and Stoke Golding have been re-established. The core urban area remained unparished.
Geography
Wykin
Wykin is a hamlet in the English county of Leicestershire.Wykin is located to the north-west of the town of Hinckley and is separated from it by the A47 Northern Perimeter Road....
are suburbs of Hinckley.
Burbage is often thought to be a suburb of Hinckley but is in fact separate. It is a large village merging with Hinckley to the south, separated by the railway line. Sketchley is another small village which has merged into Burbage.
Places of interest
- The site of the Battle of Bosworth, administered by Leicestershire County Council, includes an interpretation centre at Ambion HillAmbion HillAmbion Hill is the hill in Leicestershire, England near the town of Market Bosworth where, traditionally, the Battle of Bosworth Field is supposed to have been fought. This has been disputed by historians and research has been started to ascertain the truth about what was called, at the time, the...
, where Richard IIIRichard III of EnglandRichard III was King of England for two years, from 1483 until his death in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty...
encamped the night before the battle. St James's Church at DadlingtonDadlingtonDadlington is a hamlet administered by Hinckley and Bosworth District Council in Leicestershire, England. It is situated between Hinckley, Market Bosworth and Nuneaton.The village has a population of around 301 and contains a 13th century church Dadlington is a hamlet administered by Hinckley and...
is the place where many of the dead were buried and where a chantry was founded on their behalf. - Hinckley Museum is in a range of 17th century timber-framed framework knitters' cottages.
- Stoke GoldingStoke GoldingStoke Golding is a village and civil parish in the Hinckley and Bosworth district of Leicestershire, England, which lies in the heart of England, in South West Leicestershire, close to the Warwickshire county border. According to the 2001 census the total population was 1,721, living in just over...
has one of the most beautiful medieval churches in Leicestershire, with an exquisitely carved arcade and very fine 13th-century window tracery. - The Church of England parish churchChurch of England parish churchA 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 the Assumption of Saint Mary the VirginAssumption of MaryAccording to the belief of Christians of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, and parts of the Anglican Communion and Continuing Anglicanism, the Assumption of Mary was the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her life...
, in the centre of Hinckley, is 13th-century. There is a local folk tale that a tombstone in the churchyard marking the grave of Richard Smith, a young saddler murdered in the Market Place in 1727, "bleeds" every April. - The Great Meeting of 1722, hidden away behind old hosiery factories, is a notable early example of nonconformist architecture with a galleried interior.
- Britannia (Burbage) Scout HQ: the home of 1st Britannia Scout Group is a specially designed and built scout hall.
- Parks Hollycroft Park was donated by the notable local Atkins family to the people of Hinckley in 1934, the park has two tennis courts, a bowling green, golf course, band stand and gardens. The park is the base for some of the towns biggest events including the Proms and Worldfest music events.Due to the high standards achieved within Hollycroft park it has been awarded with Green Flag status for both 2010/1 and 2011/2.
- Brodick Park in the west of Hinckley was recently the subject of controversy between local people and the Council which had wanted to sell the park for housing, however following a recent change in administration, this sale has been cancelled.
- The Ashby Canal, the longest contour canalContour canalA contour canal is an artificially-dug navigable canal which closely follows the contour line of the land it traverses in order to avoid costly engineering works such as boring a tunnel through higher ground, building an embankment over lower ground, or constructing a canal lock to change the...
in England, passes through the town. - The award-winning public toilets in Station Road by St Mary's car park. Operated by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, they are open during daytime hours.
- Hinckley has two former quarries, quite close to one another, called the Little Pit and Big Pit. The Little Pit is now designated a Site of Ecological Interest (SINC)Site of Nature Conservation InterestSite of Nature Conservation Interest is a designation used in many parts of the United Kingdom to protect areas of importance for wildlife and geology at a county scale...
, and has been transformed by a local community group into an angling club to preserve the area of water and surrounding wildlife. The Big Pit remains the subject of controversy between local residents and developers. - Shopping Centres: Hinckley's biggest shopping centre, Britannia Centre on Castle Street has more than 12 stores and stalls. Hansom Court on Stockwell Head has a number of stores. The Edwards Centre located on Regent Street is a small row of about six stores.
Industry
Hinckley is a traditional centre of the hosieryHosiery
Hosiery, also referred to as legwear, describes garments worn directly on the feet and legs. The term originated as the collective term for products of which a maker or seller is termed a hosier; and those products are also known generically as hose...
industry. The first framework knitting
Stocking frame
A stocking frame was a mechanical knitting machine used in the textiles industry. It was invented by William Lee of Calverton near Nottingham in 1589...
machine was brought here by Joseph Iliffe in the 17th century and by the 19th century Hinckley was responsible for a large proportion of Britain's hosiery production. Since the Second World War the hosiery industry has steadily shrunk in size although several textile firms remain in the area. Hinckley & District Museum, which is housed in a range of former framework knitters' cottages, tells the story of the hosiery industry and contains some examples of framework knitting machines.
Hinckley also has a history of engineering and is home to the Triumph Motorcycle
Triumph Motorcycles Ltd
Triumph Motorcycles Ltd is the largest surviving British motorcycle manufacturer, which was established in 1984 by John Bloor after the original manufacturer Triumph Engineering went into receivership...
company.
Ultima Sports Ltd
Ultima Sports
Ultima Sports Ltd. is a sports car manufacturer currently based in Hinckley, Leicestershire, England. Founded in 1992 by Ted Marlow, Ultima manufactures the components to construct cars derived, as road going versions, from the Noble Motorsport Ltd originated Ultima racing cars designed by Lee...
, a manufacturer of sports cars is based in Hinckley as is Paynes Garages Ltd, one of the oldest family-owned Ford Motor Dealerships in the UK. Established by JA Payne in 1907, the firm became Ford Dealers in 1922. The business remains family owned with Nigel Payne, grandson of the founder, one of the current Directors.
The town's central location and good links to the UK motorway network have made it a popular location for distribution warehouses. Hammonds Furniture, a family owned nationwide fitted furniture company, was established in the town in 1926 by Thomas Hammonds, and currently employs over 850 people in its two Hinckley factories.
Transport links
Hinckley is served by the A5 and the M69M69 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:...
. The M69 links Hinckley to the nearest cities, Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, and 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...
, and the M1
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 M6
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
motorways.
Hinckley railway station
Hinckley railway station
Hinckley railway station serves the town of Hinckley in Leicestershire, England. The station is owned by Network Rail and managed by East Midlands Trains Train Operating Company ....
is on the Nuneaton
Nuneaton
Nuneaton is the largest town in the Borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth and in the English county of Warwickshire.Nuneaton is most famous for its associations with the 19th century author George Eliot, who was born on a farm on the Arbury Estate just outside Nuneaton in 1819 and lived in the town for...
–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...
section of 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....
and has regular services between Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and 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...
via Narborough
Narborough, Leicestershire
Narborough is a village south of Leicester, England. It lies in the Blaby district of Leicestershire. Its name originally meant 'North Stronghold'.Surrounding villages include Enderby, Whetstone, Littlethorpe, Cosby, and Huncote.-Location:...
and Nuneaton
Nuneaton
Nuneaton is the largest town in the Borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth and in the English county of Warwickshire.Nuneaton is most famous for its associations with the 19th century author George Eliot, who was born on a farm on the Arbury Estate just outside Nuneaton in 1819 and lived in the town for...
. Journeys to London can be made via the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
through Nuneaton or the Midland Main Line
Midland Main Line
The Midland Main Line is a major railway route in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system.The present-day line links London St...
via Leicester. The terminus of the Midland route is London St Pancras which has become the home of Eurostar
Eurostar
Eurostar is a high-speed railway service connecting London with Paris and Brussels. All its trains traverse the Channel Tunnel between England and France, owned and operated separately by Eurotunnel....
international services since November 2007.
The nearest airports are Coventry
Coventry Airport
Coventry Airport is located south southeast of Coventry city centre, in the village of Baginton, Warwickshire, England, and about outside Coventry boundaries...
, East Midlands and Birmingham International
Birmingham International Airport (UK)
Birmingham Airport , formerly Birmingham International Airport is an airport located east southeast of Birmingham city centre, at Bickenhill in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull within the West Midlands, England...
.
The town is equidistant (19 km/12 miles) from Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
and 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...
and 8 km (5 mi) to the east of Nuneaton
Nuneaton
Nuneaton is the largest town in the Borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth and in the English county of Warwickshire.Nuneaton is most famous for its associations with the 19th century author George Eliot, who was born on a farm on the Arbury Estate just outside Nuneaton in 1819 and lived in the town for...
. The small town of Ibstock
Ibstock
Ibstock is a village and civil parish about south of Coalville in North West Leicestershire, England. The village is on the A447 road Between Coalville and Hinckley....
is 18 km (11.2 mi) to the north on the A447.
The A447 was by-passed around the town during the early 1990s when the Northern Perimeter Road (Normandy Way) was completed. As well as relieving congestion in the town centre, new commercial developments have been built along the route.
Media and culture
The local radio station, Gem 106, serves the town and the surrounding area. The main local newspaper is the weekly Hinckley Times, which has its own website. The daily Leicester MercuryLeicester Mercury
The Leicester Mercury is a British regional newspaper, owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust, for the city of Leicester and the counties of Leicestershire and Rutland...
no longer publishes a Hinckley edition. The free (advertising-funded) Hinckley Herald & Journal is distributed to most houses. Hinckley has its own community website and online news resource. take5 community news is a full colour gloss community magazine distributed free to homes and businesses.
There is a 400 seat theatre located near the centre of the town in Stockwell Head (Concordia Theatre
Concordia Theatre
Concordia Theatre is a theatre in Hinckley, England, located in the centre of the town. The theatre opened in 1972.- About Concordia Theatre :...
), which holds regular productions. Further, the local council holds an annual 'Proms in The Park' event.
Sport
Hinckley has one football team, Hinckley UnitedHinckley United F.C.
Hinckley United Football Club are an English football club, from Hinckley, Leicestershire currently playing in the Conference North. Formed only in 1997, the club has risen from the Southern League Midland/West Division to the Conference North in those 14 years...
, who compete in the Conference North. Hinckley United was formed in 1997 from the amalgamation of Hinckley Town and Hinckley Athletic, and is known as the Knitters — a nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
that comes from the town's history as a textile-producing centre. In 2006, a Hinckley United player, Matt Gadsby
Matt Gadsby
Matthew John Gadsby was an English professional footballer. Born in Sutton Coldfield, he played for Walsall, Mansfield Town, Kidderminster Harriers, Forest Green and Hinckley United as a defender and midfielder....
, died during a match against Harrogate Town.
The only rugby club, Hinckley Rugby Football Club, was formed in 1893 and has been based at the Leicester Road Sports ground since 1968. Hinckley RFC have been involved in league rugby since 1987, during which time the first team has been as high as National League 3 North (level 4). They currently reside in Midlands 1 (level 5).
The town's largest school, John Cleveland College
John Cleveland College
John Cleveland College is a state Comprehensive school in Hinckley, Leicestershire, England.-Admissions:The school also comprises a sixth form with approximately 470 students, and a nursery with around 50 infants...
, is noted for its many achievements on the rugby field and has produced many professional players, many of whom have gone on to play for England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
.
These include England and Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
legends Graham Rowntree
Graham Rowntree
Graham Christopher Rowntree is a former English rugby union player. He played loosehead prop for Leicester Tigers and England. He was capped 54 times for England, despite having to compete for his position with the world's second most capped player, Jason Leonard.Rowntree was born in...
and Dean Richards, as well as current pros Ollie Smith
Ollie Smith
Oliver James Smith is an English rugby player who plays for Harlequins F.C. Rugby Club as of next season and England usually at outside centre and occasionally inside centre or wing. He sees himself as a centre who has enough pace to deliver on the wing if required. Smith is 6'1" and weighs...
, Sam Vesty
Sam Vesty
Samuel Brook Vesty is an English rugby union footballer who plays utility back for Bath Rugby.Vesty is the fourth generation of his family to play for the Tigers...
and Manu Tuilagi
Manu Tuilagi
Manu Samoa Tuilagi is a Samoan born British professional rugby union player who currently plays for Aviva Premiership side Leicester Tigers...
. Vesty is the most recent ex-JCC man to make his international bow, coming on as sub against Argentina
Argentina national rugby union team
The Argentina national rugby team, nicknamed Los Pumas, represents Argentina in international rugby union matches. The team, which plays in sky blue and white jerseys, is organised by the Argentine Rugby Union .Argentina played its first international rugby match in 1910 against a touring British...
at Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
in June 2009.
There is also one basketball team—the Hinckley 69ers; a name derived from the town's proximity to the M69 motorway. It was founded in 1974 and has involved some staff, ex-students and current students of John Cleveland College, as well as other interested, local players, throughout most of its history. The team play in Division 2 of the Leicestershire men's amateur league, having been promoted in the 2007/08 season. The 2007/08 season was one of the team's best performances, with a cup win too. The team are based at John Cleveland College and have home games and training there every Friday at 7:00 pm.
Hollycroft Park, in the centre of Hinckley is recognised as a great area for sports—the park contains two tennis courts, a golf pitch n putt and a lawn bowls green with pavilion.
Hinckley has one high performance Gymnastics Club based at Clarendon Park. In its 30 years of existence, it has never failed to have a number of its members competing for their home nations or for Great Britain.
Hinckleys longest established priviate fitness club is Empire Fitness (formally John's Gym), www.EmpireFitness.net
Hinckley Ladies Netball Club is based at Redmoor High School and has four senior teams in the Coventry and Warwickshire Netball League.
Education
The main primary schools in the area are Battling Brook CP, Holliers Walk, Richmond, St. Peters Catholic, St. Mary's Church of England, Westfield Infant/Junior and Sketchley Hill Primary School. The high (secondary) schools include Mount Grace, Redmoor, St. Martins (in Stoke GoldingStoke Golding
Stoke Golding is a village and civil parish in the Hinckley and Bosworth district of Leicestershire, England, which lies in the heart of England, in South West Leicestershire, close to the Warwickshire county border. According to the 2001 census the total population was 1,721, living in just over...
) and Hastings (in Burbage
Burbage, Leicestershire
Burbage is a civil parish in Leicestershire, England. It is a southern suburb of the town of Hinckley. According to the United Kingdom Census 2001 the parish had a population of 14,324.-History:...
)—all feeder schools for John Cleveland College
John Cleveland College
John Cleveland College is a state Comprehensive school in Hinckley, Leicestershire, England.-Admissions:The school also comprises a sixth form with approximately 470 students, and a nursery with around 50 infants...
, the main college in the town for Years 10 and 11. JCC
John Cleveland College
John Cleveland College is a state Comprehensive school in Hinckley, Leicestershire, England.-Admissions:The school also comprises a sixth form with approximately 470 students, and a nursery with around 50 infants...
also includes a Sixth Form
Sixth form
In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...
, as does North Warwickshire & Hinckley College, a Further Education
Further education
Further education is a term mainly used in connection with education in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is post-compulsory education , that is distinct from the education offered in universities...
college. The only other major college in the area is William Bradford (Earl Shilton
Earl Shilton
Earl Shilton is a small town in Leicestershire, England, some from Hinckley and about 10 miles from Leicester, with a population of around 9,000 .-History:...
).
Cultural associations
- Famed FrenchFrench peopleThe French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
organistOrganistAn organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
and composerComposerA composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
Louis VierneLouis VierneLouis Victor Jules Vierne was a French organist and composer.-Life:Louis Vierne was born in Poitiers, Vienne, nearly blind due to congenital cataracts, but at an early age was discovered to have an unusual gift for music. Louis Victor Jules Vierne (8 October 1870 – 2 June 1937) was a French...
stayed briefly in Hinckley while on a tour of England, and later wrote a carillonCarillonA carillon is a musical instrument that is typically housed in a free-standing bell tower, or the belfry of a church or other municipal building. The instrument consists of at least 23 cast bronze, cup-shaped bells, which are played serially to play a melody, or sounded together to play a chord...
piece for organ called "The Bells of Hinckley", inspired by a carillon of bells he heard there. It is the last movement of his fourth suite of Vingt-quatre pièces de fantaisie. - The town is mentioned in Shakespeare'sWilliam ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
Henry IV, Part 2Henry IV, Part 2Henry IV, Part 2 is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed written between 1596 and 1599. It is the third part of a tetralogy, preceded by Richard II and Henry IV, Part 1 and succeeded by Henry V.-Sources:...
(Act 5, Scene 1):
- Davy: Now, sir, a new link to the bucket must need be had: and, sir, do you mean to stop any of William's wages, about the sack he lost the other day at Hinckley fair?
- Hinckley resident Tony Alleyne has transformed his one bedroomed flat into a precise replica of a Star TrekStar TrekStar Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
ship. Although this was reported to have been sold in 2007 to a Star Trek fan from Birmingham for £425,000, the deal fell through and as of 2011 the flat is still in Alleyne's possession and is reported to not be for sale. - Actress Una StubbsUna StubbsUna Stubbs is an English actress and former dancer who has appeared extensively on British television and in the theatre, and less frequently in films. She is particularly known for her roles in the sitcom Till Death Us Do Part and Aunt Sally in the children's series Worzel Gummidge.-Film and...
was born in Hinckley - The Human LeagueThe Human LeagueThe Human League are an English electronic New Wave band formed in Sheffield in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s up to the present day.The only constant...
singer Phil Oakey was born in the town - Influential guitarist Davey GrahamDavey GrahamDavid Michael Gordon "Davey" Graham, originally spelled Davy Graham, , was a British guitarist and one of the most influential figures in the 1960s British folk revival...
was born in the town - Hinckley is mentioned by Monty Python in the "world hide and seek championships"
- Coronation StreetCoronation StreetCoronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
actor Graeme HawleyGraeme HawleyGraeme Hawley is an English actor known for his role as John Stape in the British soap Coronation Street.-Career:He graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University in 1996 with a degree in Drama before beginning his acting career in the theatre.He started his career off by performing on stage at...
(who plays John StapeJohn StapeJohn Stape is a fictional character from the British soap opera, Coronation Street, played by actor Graeme Hawley. He made his first on-screen appearance during the episode airing on 6 May 2007. The character departed on 3 June 2011 after four years on the show...
) lived in Hinckley and made his acting debut in the town's Concordia Theatre - Supercar manufacturer Ultima Sports Ltd are based in Hinckley. They claim to have set the fastest roadcar lap around the famous Top Gear test track with their GTR720 model, although it has never appeared on the programme
- The actress Lauren SamuelsLauren SamuelsLauren Samuels is an English singer/actress and was a contestant on the 2010 BBC UK TV series Over the Rainbow. Since appearing on the show she has gone on to appear in West End theatre, including playing the lead role of Sandy in Grease.-Background:Samuels was born Lauren Bonner...
trained at Hinckley's Speech and Drama Studio, and recently appeared in the BBC show Over the RainbowOver the Rainbow (2010 TV series)Over the Rainbow is a British television talent series which aired on BBC One from March to May 2010. It documents the search for a new, undiscovered musical theatre performer to play the role of Dorothy in the forthcoming Andrew Lloyd Webber stage production of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and a...
.
- Hinckley resident Tony Alleyne has transformed his one bedroomed flat into a precise replica of a Star Trek
Folklore
Hinckley was known to its residents for many years as "Tin 'At" (tin hat). It is reputed that, many years ago, one of the itinerant sheep drovers bragged that he could drink a hat full of ale. The local landlord put this man to the test by getting the local blacksmith to make a tin hat, which he then filled with ale. Thereafter, the town became known as "Tin 'At". Another explanation is that the people of Hinckley used to place buckets on water pumps to keep them clean and prevent the spread of illness, the bucket obviously being the "Tin 'At". A tin hat can be seen on top of the flag pole which sits on the roof of the building society at the corner of Castle Street and Market Place. There is also a pub called The Tin Hat.Twinning
Hinckley is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with Le Grand-Quevilly
Le Grand-Quevilly
- Heraldry :-Places of interest:* The ‘Zénith de Rouen’ concert hall.* The fifteenth century manor house at Grand Aulnay.* The church of St. Pierre, dating from the sixteenth century.-Notable people:* Laurent Fabius, politician....
, France, and joined with Herford
Herford
Herford is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, located in the lowlands between the hill chains of the Wiehen Hills and the Teutoburg Forest. It is the capital of the district of Herford.- Geographic location :...
, Germany in the early 1970s. Hinckley is also twinned with Midland, Ohio
Midland, Ohio
Midland is a village in Clinton County, Ohio, United States. The population was 265 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Midland is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
External links
- A listing of local events to Hinckley
- The official website for Hinckleys premier Hollycroft park
- Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers
- Collection of videos showing local bands of the area
- Descriptions of Hinckley
- Hinckley in the Civil War
- Official MET office weather forecast for Hinckley
- Some info on Burbage Common from the borough council website
- The Annual local Charity Carnival - supports local Hinckley area charities every year
- The Hinckley Times