461

GARTREE HUNDRED

Forms the south-eastern portion of the county, and is all in the Southern Parliamentary Division of , except it11 detached members of Baggrave, Burrough, Knossington, 1\Iarefield, Pickwell-cum-Lees­ thorpe, Ouston, and Newbold-Saucey, which are in the Northern Division. Exclusive of these detached parishes, Gartree Hundred is of a triangular figure, whose three sides average about 17 miles in length. Its north-west angle joins the Borough of . It is bounded, on the west, by Guthlaxton Hundred; on the north, by East Goscote Hundred; on the east, by part of Rutlandshire; and on the ,;outh, by Northamptonshire. It forms the Deanery of Gart1·ee, in the Archdeaconry of Leicester, and is a fertile, well-drained, and highly cultivated district, beautifully diversified with hills and valleys, and watered by many rivulets, most of which flow to the 'rive1 Welland, which traverses the whole of its southern boundary, except its south­ west an~ le, which is bounded by the Avon, near w· elford. A few of its rivulets turn westward in their route to the Soar. The Leicester­ shire and 1Yo1·thamptonshire and the Gmnd Union Canals traverse, in very circuitous courses, the south-western parts of the Hundred, from Newton Harcourt to , Husband's Bosworth, &c. The projected South Midland, or the Leicester and Bedford Railway, will pass through this Hundred to Market Harborough. The latter is the only market town in Gartree Hundred; but most of the farmers attend the Leicester markets. This Hundred is noticed in Domesday Book by the namPs of Gartree and Gm·etrev; and nearly in itA centre is a place called GartreeB'ush, where, till the beginning of last century, the Hunured Court was held. The great turnpike road from London to Manchester, &c, passes nearly in a direct line from Market Bar­ borough to Leicester; but the principal road was formerly more to the east, in the long and straight lane called Gm·tree Road, and sup­ posed to be in the track of the Roman J7ia Devann, which entered this county at Bringhurl'lt, and pursued a direct course, north-west, to Ratce, or Leicester. Near Medbourn, are the earthworks of an en­ campment,· and between Cranoe and Glooston is a large tumulus. Neither lime nor coal are found in the Hundred, but good builuing stone is obtained in various parts of it, and excellent clay, for making bricks, is very abundant. Nearly all its parishes are within the limits of the Cou'l'ls of Request, held at Leicester, Oakham, and Upping­ ham. (Seep. 72). The CHIEF CoNSTABI.ES are, Messrs. Wm. Cooke and George Bryan; and Mr. John Limbert, of Leicester, is Slleri.ft's Officer, or Bailiff of the Hundred. PETTY SEsSIONS are held at Lei­ cester, Market Harborough, and East Norton. GARTREE HuNDRED comprises about 18,000 inhabitants, and up­ wards of 80,000 acres of land, divided into 65 parishes, &c., of which the following is an enumeration, shewing their ten·iturial etvtent, their pop~tlation in 1841, and the annual1mlue of their lanus and buildings, as asses,:ed to the county rate in 1838; with subjoined notes, shew­ ing the Unions to which they respectively belong.