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HOUGHTON on the HILL Entry in WI Villages Book

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HOUGHTON on the HILL Entry in WI Villages Book HOUGHTON ON THE HILL (Written by Carol Davis and printed in the 1989 publication The Leicestershire and Rutland Village Book) Houghton on the Hill lies six miles east of Leicester on the main Leicester to Uppingham (A47) road and is about 525 feet above sea level. In the Domesday entry of 1086 the name is spelt ‘Hohton’ meaning ‘spur of a hill’. The site of the village is believed to be a converging of two Bronze Age ridgeways. Part of an old Saltway from Holyhead to the Wash is believed to have forked here, the other branch going toward the Bristol Channel. Houghton stands on an island of sand and gravel in a clay area and this determined the long and narrow layout of the old village. Houghton was based on seven springs, the water from one was believed by the Victorians to be good for the eyes. The village pump can still be seen at the bottom of Scotland Lane, but the site of the village well is now covered by the telephone box! In 1086 there were about 50 inhabitants with nearly 1000 acres under plough in three ‘open fields’. Villagers made the journey to neighbouring villages or towns very rarely and the dirt tracks through the ‘open fields’ only remain as footpaths. The oldest surviving building is St Catharine’s Church. Parts of the present ironstone building date from the 13 th Century. The earliest surviving houses are part timber-framed. The old Manor house (now called Church Farm) has a timber-framed back wing on an ironstone base with a brick front added in 1718. There are three houses dating from the 16 th Century, or earlier, with their original cruck trusses (two retaining thatched roofs). After the Enclosure Award in 1765 the old Houghton to Leicester track ceased to be used (and only remains as a footpath) and the turnpick road (A47) was established. Some brick houses in the Main Street were built in the 18 th Century and by 1801 the population had increased to nearly three hundred. Most of the houses in Main Street were built in the early 19 th Century, small clusters of ‘one-up, one-down’ cottages and other larger dwellings, and the population fluctuated between three and four hundred to the end of the Second World War. After 1765 more land became pasture and by 1936 there was only 9 acres being ploughed. There would have been a variety of livestock but records show that in 1896 the village sheepwasher collected 16s 8d for dipping 4,000 sheep. In 1851 49% of the population were farmers, graziers or agricultural workers. The village was very self-contained with two carpenters, wheelwrights, butchers, bakers, blacksmiths, shopkeepers; a miller, bricklayer, mole catcher, toll collector; and three framework knitters and shoemakers, and four tailors. There were also three public houses, and two carriers who would journey to and from Leicester each week to transport villagers and supplies. It is noted in the 1851 census that over half the population were born in Houghton and less than ten percent were born outside Leicestershire. The Stamford coaches now stopped daily along the turnpike road and the original tollgate boards (Houghton Side Gate) still exist. A ladened horse or mule paid three halfpence; dogs, goats, and other animals pulling barrows 6d; cows and meat cattle, 10d a score; an empty carriage four halfpence; a ladened carriage 9d. The population rose to nearly six hundred in 1951 but major development in the 1970s dramatically increased the population to 1703 in 1981 (with approximately 1900 today). Main Street is now a Conservation Area to try to conserve the character of the village but most of the small ‘one-up, one-down’ cottages have been converted into larger dwellings. Today, agriculture has gone full circle and most of the land is again ploughed, there are now only 400 sheep in the parish. Less than 2% of the population are farmers, graziers or agricultural workers and village facilities now include a playing field, village hall, and school; two garages, public houses, and general stores, and a post office. Although there are a number of local craftsmen (builders, plumbers, etc) the majority of people living in the village are professionals (doctors, teachers, managers, etc) working in Leicester and the surrounding area. Before the easy travelling of today most entertainment had to be generated within the village. Most festivals celebrated village and national events. In 1772 five bells were hung in the church tower and celebrated with a Feast Sunday on November 29 th . This probably became an annual event as in the 1800s the Houghton Feast was always held on the first Sunday after the 29 th September. Any excuse for a party was Brew Day. Mr William Ward of Manor Farm brewed beer in a large copper and Brew Day was held once a year just before haymaking, unfortunately this custom ended in 1923. The event of the year then became an Annual Fete held on the first Saturday in August. This became so popular that in August 1950 the Midland Red Bus Company had to provide numerous buses to transport from Leicester most of the 1800 people who attended. The village is still a thriving community with the Village Hall (built in 1921) booked every day of the week by local clubs and societies. The first Saturday in August is now a Petticoat Lane Sale raising funds for the Church and Village Hall. Items collected from the village take a week to sort and the two day sale raised over £2000 in 1988. Houghton has been associated with a number of well-known Leicester families. The Herrick family lived here in the late Middle Ages and much in the church is commemorated to various members of this family. Thomas of Wyggeston (brother of William) was a rector here, as was Michael Newton (grandfather of Alderman Gabriel Newton). Houghton was also the birthplace of John Glover (1767-1849), the Lichfield artist. These are people of the past; hopefully, there will be many more in the future. .
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