Ancestral Locations - Hidden Heritage
Photographs and information on local history in Warwickshire and Leicestershire.
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Ancestral Locations - Hidden Churches of Leicestershire
All Saints, Newtown Linford
Bordering Bradgate Park, the church is believed to date from the 14th century. It was extended in the 19thcentury with the addition of the north aisle and chancel. The Royal Arms of George I are displayed on the chancel beam with shields displaying the arms of the Earls of Stamford, the title held by the Grey family. The stained glass east window was installed in 1915 as a memorial to Lady Jane Grey of Bradgate, Queen of England for 9 days in the mid-16th century.
Ancestral Locations - Hidden Churches of Leicestershire
St. Peter's, Higham on the Hill.
St. Peter's has a long association with the Fisher family who were Rectors here for many years. Their most famous member, Geoffrey Fisher, was brought up at the local Rectory, his father, Henry, being the Rector of the Parish for 40 years. Geoffrey served as Bishop of London throughout World War II. In 1945 he was appointed the 99th Archbishop of Canterbury, officiating at the marriage of Princess Elizabeth and her later coronation as Queen Elizabeth II.
Ancestral Locations - Hidden Churches of Leicestershire
St. Bartholomew, Foston
The isolated church, serving a widespread rural congregation, has its origins in the 10th century. The village of Foston was deserted by 1622 after the land was enclosed by the local squire, depriving the villagers of their livelihood.
Ancestral Locations - Hidden Churches of Leicestershire
Bardon Park Chapel.
Believed to be one of the oldest non-conformist institutions in Leicestershire the chapel dates from around 1694 though it was altered in 1830 and further subject to remodelling in 1877. There were further alterations around the beginning of the 20th century. The main construction is of rubble. The building is Grade II listed. It is believed to have originated as a Presbyterian place of worship but is now used for both URC and Christian Fellowship congregations.
Ancestral Locations - Hidden Churches of Leicestershire
Congregational Chapel, Newton Burgoland
A small chapel set in a row of cottages in a picturesque location. The church was established in the village in 1790, with the present buiding dating from the beginning of the 19th century.
Ancestral Locations - Hidden Churches of Leicestershire
Former United Baptist Church, Leicester
This magnificent building lies somewhat unnoticed, amongst more modern buildings, in the centre of Leicester. It was designed in a classical style by the architect Joseph Aloysius Hansom, creator of the original Hansom Cab, and erected in 1845. Sadly it no longer functions as a church being declared redundant in 1939. It became part of the Leicester College of Adult Education in 1950.
Ancestral Locations - Hidden Churches of Warwickshire
St. Mary's Chapel, Wibtoft.
Occupying a small plot of land overlooking the A5 (Watling Street), its full title is The Chapel of the Assumption of Our Lady The Blessed Virgin Mary. The chapel is linked with St. Peter's at Claybrooke and St. Nicholas at Frolesworth, both in Leicestershire.
St. Mary's was rebuilt, with red brick, in the 18th and 19th centuries. A short distance away along the A5 is High Cross, the point where the two great Roman roads, Watling Street and Fosse Way, meet.
Ancestral Locations - Hidden Churches of Warwickshire
St. Mary The Virgin, Whitchurch
The church is all that remains of the old mediaeval village of Whitchurch. It serves the hamlets of Crimscote and Wimpstone which are in the civil parish of Whitchurch. Its only neighbour is a tithe barn which has been converted to a modern dwelling. The settlement at Whitchurch was depopulated by Edward Belknap, after he became Lord of the Manor in 1490.
Ancestral Locations - Hidden Churches of Warwickshire
St. Edith's Monks Kirby
This imposing church is most often seen in a fleeting glance, from a distance, by travellers on the road between Pailton and Brinklow. Indeed, viewing from a distance probably gives a better appreciation of its size. The presence of such a large building in a small village is explained by the fact that it was the church of the priory, established here in the 11th century, from which the village gets its name.
Ancestral Locations - Hidden Churches of Warwickshire
St. John The Baptist, Lea Marston
The church overlooks what was once the estate of Hams Hall, the home of the Adderley family. The most famous member of the family was Charles Bowyer Adderley, the first Baron Norton, who helped to found the constitution of New Zealand and was involved with the 1867 Act which created the Dominion of Canada. He was a Member of Parliament for over 30 years. He was an advocate of colonial self-government and free education.
Ancestral Locations - Hidden Churches of Warwickshire
St. Johns Church, Copston Magna
This beautiful little church, with its well tended churchyard in a sylvan setting, forms part of the benefice of Wolvey but at one time was a chapel within the parish of Monks Kirby. The present building dates from 1849 when it replaced a previous church on the site.
The church has a nave, chancel, south vestry, south porch and bell-gable. Constructed of sandstone rubble, a visit on a sunny day will enable the red and purple hues to be fully appreciated.
Ancestral Locations - Hidden Churches of Warwickshire
The Church of The Assumption of Our Lady, Ashow
The church is situated at the end of the attractive village of Ashow, hidden away behind trees and hedges. It is approached along a short footpath. The first view of the church shows that it occupies one of the most picturesque settings of any church in Warwickshire, being on the banks of the River Avon. It is thought that the church originally served both Ashow and the now disappeared hamlet of Bericote, on the opposite bank of the river.
Ancestral Locations - Hidden Churches of Warwickshire
St. Mary, Astley
This large church. in the hamlet of Astley. serves a parish that is large in area with a widespread population. The old school, facing the main road, dates from 1871. It once served as a sculptor's studio but this closed in 1997. Also close to the church is Astley Reading Room, dating from 1914.
ANCESTRAL LOCATIONS - HIDDEN CHURCHES OF WARWICKSHIRE
The Church of St. Lawrence, Barton on the Heath
Located at the high point of the village, this is a fine, old, stone church featuring a saddleback tower. The interior contains several memorials and an interesting old font. The highlight, however, is a truly magnificent stained glass window, installed in the north wall of the nave in 1995. This modern version of an ancient craft is a tremendous attraction.
ANCESTRAL LOCATIONS - HIDDEN CHURCHES OF WARWICKSHIRE
St. Theobald and St. Chad, Caldecote
This delightful church is one of Warwickshire's treasures. It is approached, on foot, along a drive lined with mature trees and interesting dwellings. The nave and chancel date from the 13th century, with major restoration work of 1873. The history of the village of Caldecote and its church is linked with that of Caldecote Hall. In 1642, during the English Civil War, the Hall was besieged by Prince Rupert and Prince Maurice, accompanied by 18 troops.
ANCESTRAL LOCATIONS - HIDDEN CHURCHES OF WARWICKSHIRE
St. Bartholomew, Little Packington
Standing, forlorn and deserted, in a small plot on the Packington Estate of Lord Aylesford, St. Bartholomew's was a sad example of a place of worship suffering from a diminishing congregation. Set amongst farmland, with few dwellings nearby, the church drew from a parish with a small population dispersed throughout a rural area. The parish was once known as Packington Piggott.
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