Stapleton, Leicestershire
Encyclopedia
The hamlet of Stapleton is situated in south-west Leicestershire
, England
, about ten miles south-west of Leicester
city centre as the crow flies (seventeen miles by road) and is inhabited by 427 people (as of the 2001 census
).
Stapleton is built on part of a long ridge that begins in Barwell
to the south, and is followed by the A447 road
north, gaining height until it reaches Osbaston, where it descends into a tributary of the River Sence
. In terms of rivers, Stapleton's nearest major river is the River Sence, but on a more local level, the River Tweed is the closest waterway, a tributary of which rises in the north of the village. The River Tweed's main source rises from Brick Kiln Hill, just north-east of Hinckley
from where it flows north along the eastern edge of Barwell before turning west and continuing to travel in a north-easterly direction.
The village is centred around St. Martins church (built in about 1300 according to Pevsner
) which is to be found on Church Lane in the southern end of the village and was most probably established as a connection point for travellers journeying between Ashby-de-la-Zouch Castle and the areas around Coventry
, Warwick
and Kenilworth
.
The earliest known reference to the village appears in a charter from King of Mercia - Wiglaf
to the Abbot
of Crowland in Lincolnshire
written in 833, making grants of "two ploughlands in Stapleton and Sutton
". Stapleton is mentioned in the Domesday Book
as having a population of five or six families and being owned by Hugh de Grandmesnil
, who had been given most of West Leicester by William the Conqueror
after the Conquest
.
There are very few historical incidents recorded around Stapleton, all except for one day in August 1485 when King Richard III
arrived and camped at the Bradshaws just south of the village with his army in preparation for the momentous Battle of Bosworth Field
. The location of the battle is a hotly disputed local topic and many believe that it was not fought at Ambion Hill
at all, but about a mile south west at Redemore (so-called because of its then marshy condition).
Present day Stapleton consists of several small residential roads centred around the junction of Dadlington Lane and Main Street (A447). These include Church Lane, Chapel Street, Beale's Close, St Martins, Manor Crescent, Green Lane and School Lane. A recent addition is Mill Close, a development situated opposite Green Lane and containing several large, detached family homes.
The village does not possess a shop, yet is home to the Nags Head Inn on Main Street. Many of the residents travel to nearby Barwell
or Hinckley
to purchase food and other products. The village is also home to a cricket club.
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...
, about ten miles south-west 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...
city centre as the crow flies (seventeen miles by road) and is inhabited by 427 people (as of the 2001 census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
).
Stapleton is built on part of a long ridge that begins in 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,...
to the south, and is followed by the A447 road
A roads in Zone 4 of the Great Britain numbering scheme
List of A roads in zone 4 in Great Britain starting north of the A4 and south/west of the A5 .-Single- and double-digit roads:-Triple-digit roads:-Four-digit roads :-Four-digit roads :...
north, gaining height until it reaches Osbaston, where it descends into a tributary of the River Sence
River Sence
The River Sence is a river in Leicestershire, England. The tributaries of the Sence including the Saint and Tweed fan out over much of western Leicestershire from Charnwood Forest and Coalville in the north-east to Hinckley and almost to Watling Street in the south and south-west...
. In terms of rivers, Stapleton's nearest major river is the River Sence, but on a more local level, the River Tweed is the closest waterway, a tributary of which rises in the north of the village. The River Tweed's main source rises from Brick Kiln Hill, just north-east of Hinckley
Hinckley
Hinckley is a town in southwest Leicestershire, England. It has a population of 43,246 . It is administered by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council...
from where it flows north along the eastern edge of Barwell before turning west and continuing to travel in a north-easterly direction.
The village is centred around St. Martins church (built in about 1300 according to Pevsner
Nikolaus Pevsner
Sir Nikolaus Bernhard Leon Pevsner, CBE, FBA was a German-born British scholar of history of art and, especially, of history of architecture...
) which is to be found on Church Lane in the southern end of the village and was most probably established as a connection point for travellers journeying between Ashby-de-la-Zouch Castle and the areas around 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...
, Warwick
Warwick
Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, south of Coventry and just west of Leamington Spa and Whitnash with which it is conjoined. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 23,350...
and Kenilworth
Kenilworth
Kenilworth is a town in central Warwickshire, England. In 2001 the town had a population of 22,582 . It is situated south of Coventry, north of Warwick and northwest of London....
.
The earliest known reference to the village appears in a charter from King of Mercia - Wiglaf
Wiglaf of Mercia
Wiglaf was King of Mercia from 827 to 829 and again from 830 until his death. His ancestry is uncertain: the 820s were a period of dynastic conflict within Mercia and the genealogy of several of the kings of this time is unknown...
to the Abbot
Abbot of Crowland
The Abbot of Crowland was the head of Crowland Abbey, an English monastery built up around the shrine of Saint Guthlac by King Æthelbald of Mercia, and refounded as a Benedictine house circa 948. The last abbot was John Wells , who handed the monastery over to royal control and dissolution in...
of Crowland in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
written in 833, making grants of "two ploughlands in Stapleton and Sutton
Sutton Cheney
Sutton Cheney is a village in Leicestershire, England, close to the location of the Battle of Bosworth Field.Sutton Cheney Wharf on the Ashby Canal gives access to the battlefield and is a tourist destination in its own right...
". Stapleton is mentioned in 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...
as having a population of five or six families and being owned by Hugh de Grandmesnil
Hugh de Grandmesnil
Hugh de Grandmesnil , also known as Hugh or Hugo de Grentmesnil or Grentemesnil, is one of the very few proven Companions of William the Conqueror known to have fought at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Subsequently he became a great landowner in England.He was the elder son of Robert of...
, who had been given most of West Leicester by William the Conqueror
William I of England
William I , also known as William the Conqueror , was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II...
after the Conquest
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
.
There are very few historical incidents recorded around Stapleton, all except for one day in August 1485 when King Richard III
Richard III of England
Richard 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...
arrived and camped at the Bradshaws just south of the village with his army in preparation for the momentous Battle of Bosworth Field
Battle of Bosworth Field
The Battle of Bosworth Field was the penultimate battle of the Wars of the Roses, the civil war between the House of Lancaster and the House of York that raged across England in the latter half of the 15th century. Fought on 22 August 1485, the battle was won by the Lancastrians...
. The location of the battle is a hotly disputed local topic and many believe that it was not fought at Ambion Hill
Ambion Hill
Ambion 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...
at all, but about a mile south west at Redemore (so-called because of its then marshy condition).
Present day Stapleton consists of several small residential roads centred around the junction of Dadlington Lane and Main Street (A447). These include Church Lane, Chapel Street, Beale's Close, St Martins, Manor Crescent, Green Lane and School Lane. A recent addition is Mill Close, a development situated opposite Green Lane and containing several large, detached family homes.
The village does not possess a shop, yet is home to the Nags Head Inn on Main Street. Many of the residents travel to nearby 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,...
or Hinckley
Hinckley
Hinckley is a town in southwest Leicestershire, England. It has a population of 43,246 . It is administered by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council...
to purchase food and other products. The village is also home to a cricket club.