Leicestershire Victoria County History Trust VCH News I n s i d e t h i s i s s u e I s s u e 7 Summer 2016

Whitwick’s 2 Big Dig In Search of the Poor

Our first 3 paperback give bread relief provided. Paupers from book to Markfield, Stanton, Bardon individuals and Ratby, for instance, who 4 or provide were made to go to the and almshouse workhouse in Market Sewstern in accommo- Bosworth durin g the the Middle dation for nineteenth century, could be Ages the elderly. given brandy as medicine. In O t h e r s Rothley in 1795, most people Out and 5 aimed to received poor relief for About with end the illnesses or payments for the VCH cycle of food and accommodation, poverty by but John Brown obtained 600 million 5 Archival research for the offering education and help from local officials after years in the Charnwood Roots project apprenticeships for the somebody shot him whilst he making continues. Dr Joe Harley, young. was visiting Barrow. In the Archival Research Intern, same parish a few months Most focussed their help on Landscape 6 writes about the social later, pauper Mary Woolerton people they thought were of detectives history research he has was given medicine after a ‘decent’ character, and undertaken with a team of ‘Mad Dog’ bit her! some actively encouraged Wikipedia 7 Charnwood Roots ‘decency’ by giving Bibles. In case you were wondering, Edit-o-thon volunteers … both John Brown and Mary Alongside this research, Woolerton appear to have Hear more 7 volunteers have also been made a full recovery. about our Poverty was a common and studying archival sources, Research enduring part of many such as workhouse people’s lives. Over the past admission registers and How you can 8 few months, volunteers poor relief account books, help have been assessing to understand how poor Images: Keith Foster and historical records which relief was administered in Kay Christison researching allow us to understand how Charnwood, and how each poverty and charity records people made ends meet in parish used financial Charnwood. There were a a s s i s t a n c e number of organisations and relief in which helped people over kind to help the centuries. parishioners.

Our research has uncovered The research evidence of over 450 has identified charities in Charnwood s o m e during the past 500 years. c o l o u r f u l No two charities were the examples of same. Some were set up to the poor P a g e 2 Whitwick’s Big Dig

Our heroic volunteers braved the appalling conditions and collectively shifted 20 tonnes of soil and uncovered more than 1,350 datable artefacts. Responses ranged from There were some beautiful finds including a clay pipe the effusive: adorned with a hare “How exciting! (below), a 18th-century Will it be like shoe buckle, locally-made bottles and a prehistoric ?” Whitwick Scouts ‘relaxing’ in their test-pit flint blade and prehistoric to the gloomy: piercer. We also found a For three consecutive historical research. My job “You won’t find plastic pig and the remains summers, our Charnwood was made significantly of a pond … ‘owt ‘ere! Coal Roots project has easier thanks to the help The weekend finished with mebbe!” organised a community and support of members of archaeological dig in one of the Whitwick Historical a barbeque at the Hare and Charnwood’s villages. Group who, I am sure, Hounds pub. We may not Finds from the 2016 dig in twisted a few arms on my have uncovered everything the village of Rothley were behalf. that we hoped we would still being analysed as we find, but we certainly found Fortunately, twenty-five more than just coal! went to print. Here Project homeowners, St John the Manager Dr Julie Attard Baptist Primary School and Two short films showing writes about the 2015 dig, Whitwick Parish Council highlights from Whitwick’s in Whitwick .. agreed to participate. After Big Dig can be seen on months of planning, on YouTube: Saturday 25th July 2015 a When I first mooted the https://www.youtube.com/ group of 150 volunteers of watch?v=COHwWsAeqvo Twenty-five idea of a community all ages gathered at the archaeological dig with https://www.youtube.com/ homeowners, Hermitage Leisure Centre local residents in Whitwick, to be briefed on how to watch?v=_na5JJilI00 St John the responses ranged from the excavate a test-pit. Baptist effusive: “How exciting! Will it be like Time Team?” The volunteers dug under Primary to the gloomy: “You won’t t h e c l o s e School and find ‘owt ‘ere! Coal mebbe!” supervision of a t e a m o f Whitwick Armed with maps showing archaeologists Parish previous archaeological from the University finds in the parish, I talked Council of Leicester. to everyone I met in the agreed to streets, clubs, pubs and Glorious sunshine participate schools of the former on the Saturday got mining village to try to the Big Dig off to a persuade them that it good start but we awoke on Sunday would be worth their while An unusual clay pipe to sacrifice a small one- to driving rain metre square patch of the which did not their garden in the name of abate all day.

Leicestershire VCH News I s s u e 7 P a g e 3 Our First Paperback Book

We are delighted to businesses to the parish, announce that our first which is now flourishing. paperback book, a history This new book, written by of Castle Donington, will Pamela Fisher and be available to buy from Michael Lee, is the first in March 2017. the VCH Leicestershire If you are familiar with series since 1964. It draws Leicestershire, you will together information from k n o w t h a t C a s t l e a wide range of sources, Donington is on the north- including archaeology, western border of the documents, photographs, county, alongside the river surviving architecture and Trent. It is home to East oral history. Midlands Airport, which It includes the history of runs across the south of the two subsidiary the parish, and also The forthcoming book settlements by the Trent at Donington Park, better away, the mills, river King’s Mills and known today for motor- trades and small-scale Cavendish Bridge, the racing and rock festivals industrialisation provided medieval town, Donington than as a former medieval an income for many Park and Hall, local hunting park. residents. In the 18th industries and the modern Detailed research has century, Castle Donington commercial estates. It will revealed new insights into was prospering. be of interest to local and the history of this former family historians as well as Unfortunately, the good medieval market town. those with specialist times came to an end with And what a fascinating interests in topics such as the collapse of the place it has proved to be. medieval towns and mechanised lace-making markets, the evolution of The manor of Castle industry in the early 19th settlements, the growth of Donington was held by a century. Depression and nonconformity and the series of non-resident outward migration changing fortunes of local lords whose interests lay followed. Largely as a industries. in national politics. Their result, there was little new attention to affairs of state building, and an earlier The book will be available resulted in weak local rich architectural heritage from Leicestershire VCH lordship, and fostered a remains. The 77 domestic Trust at £9.99, and from spirit of independence buildings listed by selected local outlets. For among residents. Historic include further details, and to take fine 18th-century town advantage of a special This often found houses and a small introductory offer, please expression through number of homes with contact us at the address religious organisations: a cores dating back to the on the final page of this guild was established in 15th century. Newsletter, or complete c.1300, Lollard views and return the enclosed ( r e j e c t i n g p r i e s t l y The 20th century saw a flyer. authority) were openly positive reversal of expressed in the 15th fortunes, beginning with The gallery to the right century, many chapels and the opening of the power features the village sign, meeting houses opened station in 1958 — then the the river Trent, the from the 17th century and largest in Europe. The M1 remains of the watermills, two nonconformist day motorway and East Dalbie House, the entrance Midlands Airport, which schools flourished in the porch at Donington Hall 19th century. both opened in 1965, have and the Wesleyan attracted logistics, Although the medieval Methodist Church of 1905. manufacturing and service market and fair faded P a g e 4 Buckminster and Sewstern in the Middle Ages

Much of the land in John of Jerusalem held Buckminster and the advowson? Sewstern (NE Leics.) was The grants also provide The cartulary owned by monastic some topographical houses in the Middle includes information. There was a Ages, especially the details of 125 green and a west green in Cistercian abbey of Valle Sewstern, a little dale, a land Dei in , moor and ‘lez transactions in otherwise known as waterforowes’, the latter Vaudey (15 miles SE of Buckminster perhaps indicating clay ) and Kirby soil which did not drain. and Sewstern Bellars priory, near Several of the furlong . names quoted survived as Many monastic records names of closes on the An extract from the cartulary were lost when the abbeys 1840 tithe map, enabling recording land transfers and priories were in Sewstern. Each marginal the approximate location dissolved in the 1530s, note indicates the start of Sewstern’s three but a cartulary has of a new entry. medieval open fields to be survived from Kirby identified. Bellars priory, which Wymondham (Leics.), Peaseland and Flaxland includes transactions in Billingborough, tell us of two crops that favour of Vaudey, which , Harlaxton were grown, and we catch leased its land in the (a ‘merchant’), Pinchbeck, a glimpse of the livestock parish to the priory in Many of the and Stroxton within gifts of pasture for 1323. previous (Lincs.). three hundred sheep by The cartulary contains the long hundred (360) Six deeds record payment owners lived details of 125 land and for 400 sheep ‘and of rent on St Botolph’s elsewhere, transactions in the use of other animals’. day (17 June). Could this Buckminster and including be an earlier dedication Truly a remarkable and Sewstern. Five were in for Buckminster church? very informative survival. parishes as far favour of Kirby Bellars St Botolph was the patron away as Long priory, 56 were to Vaudey saint of travellers, and the abbey (at least 33 of Clawson parish stands on the which were gifts, totalling ancient Sewstern (Leics.) and in excess of 840 acres), Lane. The dedication Pinchbeck and the rest were in since the later favour of earlier owners (Lincs.) medieval period has of the land. been to St John the This was not an isolated Baptist, but might community. Many of the this date from a transfers were by owners major rebuilding in who lived elsewhere, the late 13th century, including Long Clawson, when the Knights Perhaps this church was once Somerby and Hospitallers of St dedicated to St Botolph

Leicestershire VCH News I s s u e 7 P a g e 5

Out and About with the VCH

Research continues in a small research findings attracted much which is managed for us by post- number of parishes outside interest. graduate students (Liz Round in Charnwood, and we continue to 2015/16, and currently Diane In July, volunteer Carol Cambers, employ a variety of methods and Strange). If you use either who has researched and written a media to raise awareness. Facebook or Twitter, please ‘like’ parish history of Leire for us, led a or ‘follow’ us and help to spread Dr Pam Fisher has given talks in walk round the village, Pam Fisher the word about our research. Lutterworth, Nether Broughton led two tours of St Edward’s and Evington. Our talk on ‘Little- church in Castle Donington, and known records for parish history’ both Pam and Carol joined an is personalised for the parish archaeology day at Lutterworth concerned, and has been very well museum, where we displayed the received. If you are involved with a results of our research on the local history group who would like history of Lutterworth. such a talk, please get in touch (our We regularly post pictures and contact details are on page 8). comments about the county’s Pam also attended a Cold War history on Twitter (@Leicsvcht). History event at Buckminster in Snippets from our research are April, where our display of also posted on our Facebook page, Our Lutterworth display before the doors opened to the public

600 Million Years in the Making

Could you distinguish between a To celebrate the completion of his past are still clearly visible, if you breccia and a tuff, an inclusion and research and to share what he had know where to look. a deformation? Geology volunteer learnt with other volunteers, Alan Alan Briggs can and he has been led three guided geo-walks around Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the steadily researching the geological Bradgate Park. walks and agreed that they would histories of each of the Charnwood never look at Charnwood in quite Roots parishes on our behalf. In The area that we know as the same way again. May, some eighteen months after Charnwood Forest has, in its 600 he first started, Alan completed his million year history, final parish. This is a tremendous resembled the volcanic achievement and we are extremely island of Montserrat, grateful to him for his work and the deserts of Saudi dedication. Arabia and the mountainous landscape It is important research because of Yosemite National Charnwood’s underlying geology Park, in the United has shaped the landscape that we States. know today. It has influenced everything from habitats and The remnants of each of agriculture to the local economy these phases of Viewing the ‘Swiss roll’ at the and vernacular buildings. Charnwood’s geological Sliding Stone slump breccia P a g e 6

Landscape Detectives

“The landscape is a record of these management Triumphant cries would be of our roots and the practices can be found in heard from the growth of civilization. the form of banks and undergrowth as some well- Each individual historic ditches, now concealed in hidden earthwork was wood, heath etc. is the undergrowth. suddenly revealed! uniquely different from every other, and each has It has been a joy to observe Slowly we began to something to tell us." some of the early patterns distinguish the different Oliver Rackham, The of woodland management, types of earthwork, to History of the Countryside illustrated by Rackham, relate features to one (1986) during our recent fieldwork another, and to ‘read’ the in Martinshaw Wood. landscape.

Between April and June, a The ground verification The death of ecologist and small but dedicated group process adds considerable landscape historian Oliver of landscape survey detail to the results Rackham prompted me to volunteers met each week provided by the LiDAR reread his wonderful to locate and record survey, as well as ensuring History of the archaeological features that no false positives, such Countryside, a book which uncovered during our as fallen trees or bracken opens the reader’s eyes to earlier LiDAR survey. covered fences, are added the many traces left behind mistakenly to the by those who previously Over the weeks they archaeological record. lived and worked the became adept at navigating English landscape. to each of the features, The team has now verified seeking out subtle all of the one hundred As an important economic earthworks by approaching features in the wood. resource, woodland has them from different angles been carefully managed for and at different points Julie Attard centuries and the remnants along their length.

Robin recording earthworks in Martinshaw Wood

Leicestershire VCH News I s s u e 7 P a g e 7

Wikipedia Edit-o-thon

On 21 November we held our villages have a Wikipedia first ever Wikipedia Edit-o- page, but some include thon, as part of the very little information nationwide Being Human about the place, and Festival, which aims to show nothing about its history. how the humanities can Wikipedia encourages inspire and enrich everyday editors to cite reliable and life. A similar event was held accessible materials to give concurrently by our VCH authority to its colleagues in , who encyclopedia entries. helped with arrangements for our day. The group choose parishes i n s o u t h - e a s t Wikipedia is an online Leicestershire, and added encyclopedia where entries information and links to can be edited by anyone, and is one the morning patiently teaching our the online version of Leicestershire of the most visited websites in the group of nine volunteers, mostly VCH volume V, available at British world. An edit-a-thon is an event complete beginners, how to edit History Online. All our participants where people get together to write pages, and how to find and add found the day enjoyable, and went or improve articles on a specific online images with no copyright away having learned more about theme. restrictions. some Leicestershire villages, and helped to make Leicestershire’s Our two Wikipedia trainers, Doug The theme of our day was the local history, and the value of VCH Taylor and Roger Bamkin, spent history of Leicestershire. Most volumes, more widely known.

Thanking our Friends and Supporters

Leicestershire VCH began a November, to hear more about our -Castle Donington Town Book programme of research in March recent research and meet some of -Findings from our Community 2010, and was delighted to receive the people involved. Archaeological Dig in Rothley a grant from the Heritage Lottery -The creation of a model village: There will be a poster display of Fund to enable our Charnwood Buckminster 1793-1935 some of our research from 2pm. Roots programme to begin in -Charnwood in the Middle Ages The formal proceedings will summer 2013. commence at 2.30 pm and will The afternoon will conclude with None of this research would have comprise five short talks, each of 15 tea and cakes. been possible without the ongoing -20 minutes by VCH staff and The event will take place on the support of our Friends and the volunteers. These will focus on our main University of Leicester members of our 200 Club, to findings from the various parishes campus (see enclosed flyer for whom we are very grateful. we have been researching across details), and is free. Numbers are the county. We can only share a small part of required by 15 November for our findings through this The topics for our talks will be: catering purposes (email Newsletter. Come and join us on [email protected] or tel. 0116 252 -Poverty and Charity in the afternoon of Saturday 19 5722). Charnwood parishes How YOU can help

Leicestershire VCH Trust £20 would give us £25 to put legacy leaflet to find out more. receives no ongoing towards the cost of volunteer We would also welcome funding, and is dependant training, research and travel to practical assistance in a upon the donations of distant archive offices. number of areas. individual supporters, and We would welcome more on winning grants for If you would be interested in members to our 200 Club specific projects. volunteering for our Charnwood (£50 p.a.). This is a lottery Roots project, please contact us We have made steady progress scheme which gives donors a at [email protected]. to date, but could achieve far chance to win a cash prize in Our volunteering opportunities more with a wider base of our quarterly draws. on this project include tasks supporters and donors. Application forms for which can be done remotely. Every pound really does help. either of these schemes can We would also welcome Without the support of our be downloaded from volunteers with particular skills Friends (min. £20 p.a.) we www.victoriacountyhistory.ac.u or experience. We would would not have been able to k/leicestershire/, or write to us especially welcome interest from obtain our grant from the at the address below. people with experience in Public Heritage Lottery Fund for our If you are thinking of updating Relations, Marketing, Charnwood Roots project, or your will, your gift could make a Fundraising or IT. If that complete our Castle Donington big difference to our work and would interest you, then please book. We are able to claim Gift provide a lasting legacy of your get in touch with us at the Aid on eligible donations address below. through this scheme, so your generosity. Ask for a copy of our

Leicestershire Victoria County History Trust was launched in May 2009 to support and promote the Victoria County History project in Leicestershire. The Trust works with volunteers across the county to research and publish the history of Leicestershire towns and villages. Training and support is provided free of charge The Trust relies on charitable donations to support this work. Please consider joining our 200 Club, becoming a Leicestershire Victoria Friend of the Trust or making a donation to support County History Trust ongoing work in Leicestershire. More information is Marc Fitch Historical available on our website, at Institute www.victoriacountyhistory.ac.uk/leicestershire, or you can contact us at the address shown in the panel to the left. 5 Salisbury Road Leicester Leicestershire Victoria County History Trust is a LE1 7QR registered charity (No. 1128575) and a registered company (No. 6683052).