Ingarsby
Encyclopedia
Ingarsby is one of the best preserved deserted medieval village
s in England
. It is situated about six miles to the East of Leicester
, and a little to the North of Houghton on the Hill
. The majority of the site, which is situated on a West facing slope and lies on both sides of the Houghton to Hungarton
road, is now a scheduled monument.
The settlement was probably founded by a Danish individual named Ingwar, and as such was referred to as "Ingwar's village". This places it origins at some point in the 9th or 10th century. By Norman times, the settlement had grown to a substantial village for the Domesday Book
of 1086 reports 32 heads of households present. When the majority of the manor, at that time owned by the Daungervills, was granted to Leicester Abbey
in 1352, a dozen families lived in the village.
Desertion occurred in 1469 when the abbey enclosed
the whole of the land and converted most of it to sheep and cattle pastures. It was by far the most valuable grange property in Leicestershire when it was sold at the Reformation in 1540.
On the dissolution of Leicester Abbey
, the Cave family had a large share in the plunder for the impropriate Rectory of Hungerton and the Manor of Ingarsby which were granted to Sir Brian Cave, Sheriff
of Leicestershire
and his wife Margaret Throckmorton, daughter of Sir George Throckmorton
, by the Crown in 1540. Ingarsby Old Hall which was built by Brian Cave when he acquired the manor after the Dissolution, moated on three sides originally the oldest fabric dates to the 1540's in the east range, another range was added by Sir Robert Bannister who bought the manor in 1621.
All that remains now are well delineated rectangular mounds that mark the house-sites of the arable farmers that were driven out, and the hollow ways where the village streets and lanes once ran.
Deserted medieval village
In the United Kingdom, a deserted medieval village is a former settlement which was abandoned during the Middle Ages, typically leaving no trace apart from earthworks or cropmarks. If there are fewer than three inhabited houses the convention is to regard the site as deserted; if there are more...
s in 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 is situated about six miles to the East of Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
, and a little to the North of Houghton on the Hill
Houghton on the Hill
Houghton 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....
. The majority of the site, which is situated on a West facing slope and lies on both sides of the Houghton to Hungarton
Hungarton
Hungarton is a small village in the county of Leicestershire, England. It is about north-east of Leicester and south-west of Melton Mowbray...
road, is now a scheduled monument.
The settlement was probably founded by a Danish individual named Ingwar, and as such was referred to as "Ingwar's village". This places it origins at some point in the 9th or 10th century. By Norman times, the settlement had grown to a substantial village for the Domesday Book
Domesday 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...
of 1086 reports 32 heads of households present. When the majority of the manor, at that time owned by the Daungervills, was granted to Leicester Abbey
Leicester Abbey
Leicester Abbey, the Abbey of Saint Mary de Pratis , standing about a mile north of the city of Leicester in the riverside meadows on the west bank of the River Soar, was built under the patronage of Robert le Bossu, Earl of Leicester. It was founded as a community of Augustinian Canons, the...
in 1352, a dozen families lived in the village.
Desertion occurred in 1469 when the abbey enclosed
Enclosure
Enclosure or inclosure is the process which ends traditional rights such as mowing meadows for hay, or grazing livestock on common land. Once enclosed, these uses of the land become restricted to the owner, and it ceases to be common land. In England and Wales the term is also used for the...
the whole of the land and converted most of it to sheep and cattle pastures. It was by far the most valuable grange property in Leicestershire when it was sold at the Reformation in 1540.
On the dissolution of Leicester Abbey
Leicester Abbey
Leicester Abbey, the Abbey of Saint Mary de Pratis , standing about a mile north of the city of Leicester in the riverside meadows on the west bank of the River Soar, was built under the patronage of Robert le Bossu, Earl of Leicester. It was founded as a community of Augustinian Canons, the...
, the Cave family had a large share in the plunder for the impropriate Rectory of Hungerton and the Manor of Ingarsby which were granted to Sir Brian Cave, Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
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...
and his wife Margaret Throckmorton, daughter of Sir George Throckmorton
George Throckmorton
Sir George Throckmorton of Coughton Court was an English politician and a member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII...
, by the Crown in 1540. Ingarsby Old Hall which was built by Brian Cave when he acquired the manor after the Dissolution, moated on three sides originally the oldest fabric dates to the 1540's in the east range, another range was added by Sir Robert Bannister who bought the manor in 1621.
All that remains now are well delineated rectangular mounds that mark the house-sites of the arable farmers that were driven out, and the hollow ways where the village streets and lanes once ran.