Shearsby
Encyclopedia
Shearsby 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
.
In the early 17th Century the Vicar of St Mary Magdelene, and also Rector of Knaptoft
was Puritan
John Moore, who wrote A Mappe of Man's Mortalite in 1617 and often struggled to maintain his principles against the authorities within the Church of England. In November 1604 he was brought before the ecclesiastical court for nonconformity, refusing to wear the surplice, and summoned a further four more times in 1605. He was finally discharged by the court in 'hope of conformity'.
on the road south and west of the village – between the main Leicester-Northampton road (now the A5199
) and Bruntingthorpe – was converted into a spa
that was popular during the first half of the nineteenth century. The waters were held to be efficacious in treating skin diseases, indigestion, rheumatism, bilious and nervous disorders. Analysis of the mineral content revealed the major constituents to be sodium sulphate and sodium chloride
. As early as 1855 it was reported to have fallen out of popularity. Nonetheless the 'Bath Hotel and Shearsby Spa' remains in business at its site.
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...
county 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...
.
It is in the Harborough
Harborough
Harborough is a local government district of Leicestershire, England, named after its main town, Market Harborough. Covering , the District is by far the largest of the eight district authorities in Leicestershire and covers almost a quarter of the County....
district around nine miles due south of Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
and north east of 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....
.
In the early 17th Century the Vicar of St Mary Magdelene, and also Rector of Knaptoft
Knaptoft
Knaptoft 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...
was Puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
John Moore, who wrote A Mappe of Man's Mortalite in 1617 and often struggled to maintain his principles against the authorities within the Church of England. In November 1604 he was brought before the ecclesiastical court for nonconformity, refusing to wear the surplice, and summoned a further four more times in 1605. He was finally discharged by the court in 'hope of conformity'.
Shearsby Spa
A holy wellHoly well
A holy well, or sacred spring, is a small body of water emerging from underground and revered either in a Pagan or Christian context, often both. Holy wells were frequently pagan sacred sites that later became Christianized. The term 'holy well' is commonly employed to refer to any water source of...
on the road south and west of the village – between the main Leicester-Northampton road (now the A5199
A5199 road
The A5199 road is the direct road from Leicester to Northampton in England. It was formerly part of the A50 trunk road that ran from Bedfordshire to Lancashire...
) and Bruntingthorpe – was converted into a spa
Destination spa
A destination spa is a short term residential/lodging facility with the primary purpose of providing individual services for spa-goers to develop healthy habits. Historically many such spas were developed at the location of natural hot springs or sources of mineral waters...
that was popular during the first half of the nineteenth century. The waters were held to be efficacious in treating skin diseases, indigestion, rheumatism, bilious and nervous disorders. Analysis of the mineral content revealed the major constituents to be sodium sulphate and sodium chloride
Sodium chloride
Sodium chloride, also known as salt, common salt, table salt or halite, is an inorganic compound with the formula NaCl. Sodium chloride is the salt most responsible for the salinity of the ocean and of the extracellular fluid of many multicellular organisms...
. As early as 1855 it was reported to have fallen out of popularity. Nonetheless the 'Bath Hotel and Shearsby Spa' remains in business at its site.