Glen Parva

Glen Parva
Leicestershire
Glen Parva Manor
Location
Grid reference:	&y=&z=120 SP 570994
Location:	52°35’12"N, 1°9’42"W
Data
Local Government
Council:	Blaby
Parliamentary constituency:	Blaby

Glen Parva is a village in Leicestershire which has become deeply affected by the swelling suburbs of Leicester, and now sits on the edge of that townscape, nestled up against the suburb of Eyres Monsell, and just north of Blaby, which lies across the meadows of the River Sence.

The parish population is over 5,000. To the north it runs into Aylestone, and to the east Eyres Monsell and South Wigston. To the south and west it is not immediately surrounded by development.

It is a largely residential area with no main shopping or leisure centres, although it is situated next to Fosse Shopping Park, which is one of Britain's largest out-of-town shopping parks. There are a few small shops located in Glen Parva itself, mainly being located at 'Carvers Corner'. Here there is a Newsagent, Off Licence, Post Office, Chemist, Barbers, Baker's and Accountant. In the surrounding area there is a beautician and another off licence as well as a working men's club which is for members only.

History

The original settlement was undoubtedly near The Ford by the River Sence, which is known locally as Glen Ford; and there is strong evidence of the existence of a mediæval village in this area. Glen Parva ("Little Glen") is so called to distinguish it from Great Glen, also in Leicestershire and on the same river, but not otherwise connected.

Glen Parva Barracks, which became an important military installation in the 1960s, were opened in 1881.

Carver's Corner is named after the Carver family, specifically Stephen James Harold Carver & his eldest son Stephen Graham Carver, who owned the row and ran the Post Office & newsagent until the late 1980s.

Amenities

On the local park there are several facilities including recreational equipment, an astroturf pitch with a football goal and basketball hoop, a library and a recently extended and modernised memorial hall. The hall can now host parties, wedding receptions and other events with its improved facilities. There is also a Scout hut located around the back of the hall which is home to the local 62nd Leicester Scout group.

The village has two nurseries and Glen Hill Primary School, which was once split into two campuses: One based at Cork Lane and the other on Featherby Drive, but it was decided that they would be combined on the Featherby site, and Cork Lane's was sold off for housing development.

The village has a young offenders' institute, HMYOI Glen Parva, separated from the main village by the Birmingham to Peterborough Railway Line and which can only be accessed from Tigers Road in South Wigston. The Knightsbridge Road estate was built as accommodation for the prison officers working at HMYOI Glen Parva but it now has nothing to do with the prison and the houses are all privately owned. There is still a footbridge over the railway, which can be accessed via an overgrown footpath behind the houses at the end of Knightsbridge Road. This bridge was used to access the prison from the estate but it is no longer in use and has a locked security gate halfway across preventing access to the prison's perimeter fence.

About the village

The Grand Union Canal and the River Sence both pass to the south of the village. To the west is the River Soar. The Great Central Railway used to pass through Glen Parva. The route has now been made into a paved Shared path, being part of the National Cycle Network - route 6 which leads directly into Leicester's city centre, which is popular for walking and cycling and is also used by horse riders.

Glen Parva Local Nature Reserve is east of the village.

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Glen Parva)

• Glen Parva Parish Council