Measham
Encyclopedia
Measham is a village in Leicestershire
, near the Staffordshire
and Derbyshire
border, located just off the A42
just south of Ashby-de-la-Zouch
, and within the National Forest
. Its name means the homestead on the River Mease
.
, it was dismissed by William Wyrley in 1596 as "a village belonging to Lord Shefield, in which are many coal mines, [but] little else worthy of remembrance." It was omitted altogether from Richard Blome's gazetteer
of market towns in 1673. Pevsner noted St Laurence parish church with a handsome 1730s West tower and 14th century windows elsewhere. Also Measham Hall, a mid-Georgian seven-bay house 1.25 miles east.
Nearby is the hamlet of Willesley
where there was once a stately home, the grounds of which are now a fishing lake, golf
course and Scout
campsite. Other local villages include Oakthorpe
, Donisthorpe
and Packington
.
The woman of letters Maria Jane Jewsbury was born here in 1800, as were her sister the novelist Geraldine Jewsbury
in 1812 and the Astronomer Royal
Sir Frank Watson Dyson
in 1868. Dyson noted for his work on solar eclipse
s and for inventing the six radio time pips.
. Wilkes, an entrepreneur during the early part of the Industrial revolution
, bought Measham manor from William Wollaston in 1777 and undertook the extensive industrial and agricultural development of the village, many signs of which are still visible today. An example of his work is evident in certain buildings within Measham. He used larger bricks (enlarged as twice the standard size) in much of his architecture in order to reduce the tax of manufacturing such bricks (tax was proportional to the number of bricks used in building).
A type of pottery known as Meashamware
is named after the village, although it was actually produced in Church Gresley
in Derbyshire. Until 1897 Measham was an exclave of Derbyshire
.
: see Battlefield Line Railway
(the last existing section of the ANJR) for more details. Currently (November 2007) Leicestershire County Council
is renovating the old station building as part of the Ashby Canal restoration.
have proposed development of an opencast
coal mining
pit on the outskirts of Measham. Measuring 1 miles (1.6 km) by 0.5 mile (0.80467 km), the proposal would extract 1250000 tonne of coal, and 250000 tonne of clay
. The proposed development is welcomed by local residents but opposed by some resident village folk, and shopkeepers, who remember that Measham is historically a mining village.
-->
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...
, near the Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
and Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
border, located just off the A42
A42 road
The A42 is a major trunk road in the East Midlands region of the United Kingdom. It links junction 23A of the M1 motorway to junction 11 of the M42 motorway. The A42 is in effect a continuation of the M42, and its junctions are numbered accordingly....
just south of Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Ashby-de-la-Zouch, — Zouch being pronounced "Zoosh" — often shortened to Ashby, is a small market town and civil parish in North West Leicestershire, England, within the National Forest. It is twinned with Pithiviers in north-central France....
, and within the National Forest
National Forest, England
The National Forest is one of England’s most ambitious environmental projects. Across parts of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire, are being transformed, blending ancient woodland with new planting to create a new national forest...
. Its name means the homestead on the River Mease
River Mease
The River Mease is a lowland clay river in the Midlands area of England. It flows through the counties of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire and forms the administrative border between these counties for parts of its length....
.
History
Originally a small market townMarket 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...
, it was dismissed by William Wyrley in 1596 as "a village belonging to Lord Shefield, in which are many coal mines, [but] little else worthy of remembrance." It was omitted altogether from Richard Blome's gazetteer
Gazetteer
A gazetteer is a geographical dictionary or directory, an important reference for information about places and place names , used in conjunction with a map or a full atlas. It typically contains information concerning the geographical makeup of a country, region, or continent as well as the social...
of market towns in 1673. Pevsner noted St Laurence parish church with a handsome 1730s West tower and 14th century windows elsewhere. Also Measham Hall, a mid-Georgian seven-bay house 1.25 miles east.
Nearby is the hamlet of Willesley
Willesley
Willesley is a place near Ashby-de-la-Zouch. It was in Derbyshire but is now part of Leicestershire. In the 19th century it had a population of about 60 and Willesley Hall was the home of the Abney and later the Abney-Hastings family. Willesley is so small that it would be a hamlet except that it...
where there was once a stately home, the grounds of which are now a fishing lake, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
course and Scout
The Scout Association
The Scout Association is the World Organization of the Scout Movement recognised Scouting association in the United Kingdom. Scouting began in 1907 through the efforts of Robert Baden-Powell. The Scout Association was formed under its previous name, The Boy Scout Association, in 1910 by the grant...
campsite. Other local villages include Oakthorpe
Oakthorpe
For the area in London, see Oakthorpe ParkOakthorpe is a village in the English county of Leicestershire.In 1086, Oakthorpe was in Derbyshire and was amonngst several manors in Derbyshire given to Nigel of Stafford by William the Conquereor. Until 1897 Oakthorpe, and its neighbours Measham and...
, Donisthorpe
Donisthorpe
Donisthorpe is a village in the East Midlands of England, administered as part of the Leicestershire district of North West Leicestershire.The historic county boundary between Leicestershire and Derbyshire is the River Mease, which runs through the village, with the village centre being on the...
and Packington
Packington
Packington is a village and civil parish in the district of North West Leicestershire. It is situated close to the A42 road and the town of Ashby de la Zouch. The population of Packington according to the 2001 UK census is 738...
.
The woman of letters Maria Jane Jewsbury was born here in 1800, as were her sister the novelist Geraldine Jewsbury
Geraldine Jewsbury
Geraldine Endsor Jewsbury was an English novelist and woman of letters.-Life and family:Jewsbury was born in Measham, then in Derbyshire, now in Leicestershire. She was the daughter of Thomas Jewsbury , a cotton manufacturer and merchant, and his wife Maria, née Smith,...
in 1812 and the Astronomer Royal
Astronomer Royal
Astronomer Royal is a senior post in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. There are two officers, the senior being the Astronomer Royal dating from 22 June 1675; the second is the Astronomer Royal for Scotland dating from 1834....
Sir Frank Watson Dyson
Frank Watson Dyson
Sir Frank Watson Dyson, KBE, FRS was an English astronomer and Astronomer Royal who is remembered today largely for introducing time signals from Greenwich, England, and for the role he played in testing Einstein's theory of general relativity.- Biography :Dyson was born in Measham, near...
in 1868. Dyson noted for his work on solar eclipse
Solar eclipse
As seen from the Earth, a solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, and the Moon fully or partially blocks the Sun as viewed from a location on Earth. This can happen only during a new moon, when the Sun and the Moon are in conjunction as seen from Earth. At least...
s and for inventing the six radio time pips.
Industrialisation
A figure prominent in the history of Measham was Joseph WilkesJoseph Wilkes
Joseph Wilkes was an 18th-century English industrialist and agricultural improver born in the village of Overseal in Derbyshire but more commonly associated with the village of Measham in Leicestershire....
. Wilkes, an entrepreneur during the early part of the Industrial revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
, bought Measham manor from William Wollaston in 1777 and undertook the extensive industrial and agricultural development of the village, many signs of which are still visible today. An example of his work is evident in certain buildings within Measham. He used larger bricks (enlarged as twice the standard size) in much of his architecture in order to reduce the tax of manufacturing such bricks (tax was proportional to the number of bricks used in building).
A type of pottery known as Meashamware
Mason Cash
Mason Cash & Co is a kitchenware brand, with items such as mixing bowls, pudding basins and petware. The ceramics manufacturing company, based in Woodville, Swadlincote, Derbyshire is a part of The Rayware Group. They make earthenware mixing bowls and baking ware...
is named after the village, although it was actually produced in Church Gresley
Church Gresley
Church Gresley is a village and former civil parish in the South Derbyshire district of Derbyshire, England. The village is very close to the town of Swadlincote, between the town and Castle Gresley. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 4,805.The toponym "Gresley" is derived...
in Derbyshire. Until 1897 Measham was an exclave of Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
.
Transport
The railway came to Measham 1873 in the guise of the Ashby and Nuneaton Joint RailwayAshby and Nuneaton Joint Railway
The Ashby and Nuneaton Joint Railway was a pre-grouping railway company in the English Midlands. It was jointly owned by the Midland Railway and the London and North Western Railway and linked Nuneaton and Coalville....
: see Battlefield Line Railway
Battlefield Line Railway
The Battlefield Line Railway is a heritage railway in Leicestershire, England. It runs from Shackerstone to Shenton , via Market Bosworth, a total of...
(the last existing section of the ANJR) for more details. Currently (November 2007) Leicestershire County Council
Leicestershire County Council
Leicestershire County Council is the county council for the English non-metropolitan county of Leicestershire. It was originally formed in 1889 by the Local Government Act 1888. The county is divided into 52 electoral divisions, which return a total of 55 councillors. The council is controlled by...
is renovating the old station building as part of the Ashby Canal restoration.
Minorca opencast
UK CoalUK Coal
UK Coal plc is the largest coal mining business in the United Kingdom. The Company is based in Harworth, in Nottinghamshire. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a former constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-History:...
have proposed development of an opencast
Opencast
Opencast is a term to describe audio and video content, primarily in an academic context. It combines the terms "Open" for Open Source and/or Open Access and "Broadcast"...
coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
pit on the outskirts of Measham. Measuring 1 miles (1.6 km) by 0.5 mile (0.80467 km), the proposal would extract 1250000 tonne of coal, and 250000 tonne of clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
. The proposed development is welcomed by local residents but opposed by some resident village folk, and shopkeepers, who remember that Measham is historically a mining village.
Sport
Measham's local football team is called Measham Imperial, nicknamed "The Imps". They currently play in the North Leicestershire Windmills League Division Three. Measham Welfare Junior Football Club fields a variety of teams also and offers football to local children from 6-16 years of age.External links
-->