West Leake
| West Leake | |
| Nottinghamshire | |
|---|---|
 Main Street | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SK526264 |
| Location: | 52°49’59"N, 1°13’13"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 143 (2011) |
| Post town: | Loughborough |
| Postcode: | LE12 |
| Dialling code: | 01509 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Rushcliffe |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Rushcliffe |
West Leake is a small village Nottinghamshire, in the south of the county. It sits on the winding country road from East Leake to Sutton Bonington and has a very simple plan of one main street. The village is surrounded by agricultural land, with the village of Sutton Bonington further to the west and East Leake to the east. To the south runs the A6006.
Neighbouring parishes include Gotham, to the north; East Leake, to the east; Normanton on Soar and Sutton Bonington, to the south; and Kingston on Soar, to the west.
Name
The origin of Leake appears to be the Old Norse Læke, meaning a brook or stream: this is consistent with West Leake's position near the Kingston Brook.
History
The Domesday Book records Leake as Leche. It lists four holdings which encompass what are today East and West Leake. The was held by Henry de Ferrers from the King, with 16 villagers. 16 freemen. 1 priest, with land for 6 ploughlands; 4 lord's plough teams and 17 men's plough teams. The second estate was held by Roger of Bully (Busli) with his lord Arnold (de Bully) with include 2 villagers, land for half a ploughland, 2 lord's plough teams, half a men's plough team, and with 8 acres of meadow. The third estate was that of Count Robert of Mortain and the last listing with a petty taxable value , with 2 freemen, land for half a 5 ploughland, 1 men's plough team.
John Throsby, writing during 1790 in his new edition of Robert Thoroton's Antiquities of Nottinghamshire, describes West Leake:[1]
THE Lordship of the former contains 2000 acres of land, old inclosure. The principal proprietors are Lord Middleton, and — Bird, Esq. The former I believe is lord of the manor. The village consists of about 34 dwellings, one of which is the remains of an old manor-house, a part of it only is inhabited by a villager. The last family, I am told, who lived in it, was that of Chadwick.
White's Directory of Nottinghamshire, written in 1853, describes West Leake:[2]
Leake (West) is a small village and parish, one mile west of East leake, and ten miles south south west of Nottingham. It has 190 inhabitants and 1,380 acres of land, all belonging to Lord Middleton, except the rectory house, with ten acres of glebe.
From around the mid-18th century until the early 20th century basket making took place in the village. Many of the baskets were sold in London, with some being sold to Parliament. The village, in the late 19th century, had a "blacksmith, butcher, joiner and stone mason". The village has also historically had two post offices; the first opened in 1891, but later closed. The second post office was opened in 1896, but closed in 1977.
Parish church
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The parish church is St Helena's.[3] The church is a Grade II* listed building.[4] The church's lychgate is a Grade II listed structure itself.[5] It was built in 1919 and serves as a First World War memorial.
A church has been located on the site of St. Helena's since Saxon times. The oldest part of the present church is the Norman north wall, which dates back to the 12th century. The chancel was enlarged and the south aisle built, to create a chapel, in the 14th century.
The church does not have a tower but does have a 19th century gabled west bellcote which houses two bells. The gabled south porch dates back to the 19th century. The church was extensively restored and the organ chamber rebuilt in 1878.
The church has a two manual pipe organ by J.M. Grunwell of Derby, dating from 1878.[6]
About the village
The Old Rectory is dated 1723; the emblem of the Stanhope family is thought to be visible on the west wall. White's Directory of Nottinghamshire, written in 1853, describes the rectory as "a pleasant mansion". When, in 1933, West Leake was united with Kingston on Soar and Ratcliffe on Soar, the rectory was sold into private ownership.
The nearest public house is The Star, which stands just outside the village, on the other side of the Kingston Brook on Melton Lane (and therefore in the parish of Sutton Bonington).[7] The Victoria County History for Sutton Bonington states that "[i]t was also known as Pit House because it was used by miners from the gypsum 'pits'."[8]
A dew pond is to be found on the hill above the village towards West Leake hills.
The Village Hall on Main Street serves as a social amenity. The hall is managed by a charity.[9]
Pictures
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The Star -
The lych gate of St Helena's -
St. Helena's Church -
The chestnut tree on the village green -
Fields surrounding West Leake
.jpg)
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about West Leake) |
References
- ↑ Parishes: Leke: Thoroton
- ↑ Information on West Leake from GENUKI
- ↑ Southwell and Nottingham Church History Project: St Helena West Leake
- ↑ National Heritage List 1242473: Church of St Helena, West Leake (Grade II* listing)
- ↑ National Heritage List 1242474: Lychgate at entrance to churchyard of Church of St Helena (Grade II listing)
- ↑ "The National Pipe Organ Register — NPOR". http://www.npor.org.uk/NPORView.html?RI=N01467.
- ↑ Beer in the Evening: The Star
- ↑ A Kegworth Walks Guide, David Jones 2000, page 86
- ↑ West Leake Village Hall - Registered Charity no. 522323 at the Charity Commission