Breedon-on-the-Hill

[sylcec]

I have found listed on Google Books: "History of Breedon-on-the-Hill: Church & Village with views" by F Taylor, pub. 1906, by Bemrose & Sons Ltd of Derby & London.  I have not yet been able to find a digitised copy. Would anyone have a copy of this or be able to consult one for me?  (I am in Sydney, Aus).  Thanks in anticipation.

[diddymiller]

I looked around last week when post went up & couldn't trace a copy so left it a week incase anyone else could help.

so - copies not available as far as i can see but have you seen this site:

http://www.rutlandchurches.co.uk/#/breedon-on-the-hill-leicesters/4536538499

there are also other books available it seems. see also:

http://www.benefice.org.uk/breedon_church/the_breedon_story/index.php  v. detailed!

Diddy

[sylcec]

Thank you so much for taking the trouble to report these links to me.  Indeed as Brian Williams states, there are few people who write about Leicestershire who fail to mention Breedon on the Hill.  However, they all write about antiquities, destruction of the priory or the wonderful church. 

What I am hoping to find is more a bit of social & occupational history from the 17th to 19th centuries.  A recent contact has a letter written in 1846 by my ancestor to his sister (her husband's ancestor) which I have transcribed.  In the last sentence he says: "... Houses at Breedon are of very little value - Kinseys house now stands empty besides a many others Breedon has become a very poor place as the Lime trade is about done away with."
Sylvia

[diddymiller]

Hi Sylvia, british historical newspapers online has some little snippits ie about a soup kitchen / horticultural society with winners names / liberal meeting about home rule/ Barrow Hill lodge sale /family announcements etc.

do you have any particular names i can check?

also next time in L'boro library i can see what books /pamphlets they have.

Diddy

[carolmc]

Hi
 I lived in Breedon for ten years and have some old photos. As I understand it, the Shields family came from Scotland with just a handcart and started the lime kilns. the family is still in the area with David Shields (1 of 4 brothers) owning a large gareden centre in the village, the Shields family started to quarry limestone which has some unique properties, they went on to own most of the property in the village from Breedon hall to small cottages. We bought our cottage from 1 of the brothers.
There was a pub called the Lime Kiln, another called the 3 Horseshoes and one called the Hollybush.

Our house appeared on the enclosure map circa 1750 which is in the church. the church is on the top of the hill above the village. It was said that everytime the villagers tried to build the church at the bottom of the hill, the devil carried the stones to the top.The church is quite famous being of norman origin, there are ancient earthworks around the hill and that witches used to meet up there! it is said that there is nothing between the church and moscow and on a clear day you can see for miles.

Breedon quarry is now owned by Bardon Hill Quarries, there is a large hole with a cliff face some 200 feet high. there have been suicides from the top.

Although the village is in Leicestershire, the post code is Derby DE73. I recently visited the leics record office and some of the surrounding parishes of Worthington and Cole orton are tied in with Breedon if you are searching records.

There are also stories of lay lines that cross in the village, where there have been some nasty road accidents .

There are people in the village who may  be able to help you more, but I shouldn't put their names in the public domain.

hope I haven't waffled
Carolmc

[sylcec]

Diddy and Caroline - thank you both for your messages.
1)   I do have a subscription to the British Newspaper Archives, and through the auspices of the National Library of Australia and State Library of NSW, I also have on-line access to their e-resources which include subscriptions to many other newspaper and journal digitisations. (Far more than many folk in the UK get - we are very fortunate here!)

2)  Family name was LEAWOOD - a friend went to the LRO and photographed some wills, admons and inventories.  Edmund, who died 1718 seemed to be quite a well off farmer, inventory valued at almost 380 pounds. This seems to have dwindled by mid century, and the Leawoods are not mentioned as owning land in the 1759 Enclosure Act, though Joseph stands for parliament in 1775.  Also have on order from Notts Uni archives decd estate docs for John Leawood, who d. Notts 1783.

3) I believe that all descendents bearing the name are through the natural son of JL who d.1800.  Family moved to Castle Donington.

Caroline - your 'waffle' was fine - from such do we find our family histories. As you can see, if you had the energy to read all above, I too can waffle on!  I think I need to find and view a copy of the enclosure map.  Is this on-line, do you know?

Cheers, Sylvia

[carolmc]

Hi

I lived in Breedon 1984/1994, the enclosure map was in the church then, knowing how the church feels about artifacts, I guess its still there. There is a junior school (St.Bardolphs) in the village, but prior to that there was a Victorian school for boys which was a business making coffins when we left. Behind our house, a little up the hill was another school building, now a private house.

You could try writing to the Parish Council.............

Try Ebay, there are quite a few postcards of Breedon, including the lock-up.

regards Carol in somerset

[diddymiller]

Hi. will have a look in the library - if they don't have map/copy there may be something in one of the breedon books.

Diddy

[diddymiller]

Leics library catalogue online has:

Leicestershire Enclosure Acts Volume 1;: Arnesby 1794; Baresby & South Croxton 1794; Bruntingthorpe nd; Breedon Tonge & Wilson 1759; Billeswell (Bill) 1786; Barkby (Bill) 1778; Billesdon 1764; Belgrave and Barkby (Thurmaston) 1762; Burton Overy 1765; Croft 1779; Dunton Bassett 1796; Diseworth 1794

book availalbe at Record office. so if i don't find a copy of map you might be able to get them to PC you a copy of map.

Diddy