Nevill Holt
| Nevill Holt | |
| Leicestershire | |
|---|---|
 Nevill Holt Hall | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SP817931 |
| Location: | 52°31’48"N, -0°47’48"W |
| Data | |
| Postcode: | LE16 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Harborough |
Nevill Holt is a tiny hamlet in Leicestershire, on a hilltop above the valley of the River Welland to the south, which marks the Northamptonshire border. Larger than the hamlet itself is the estate of Nevill Holt Hall.
This hamlet is found about six miles north-east of Market Harborough, five miles north-west of Corby and close to the borders with Northamptonshire and Rutland.
According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 28. At the 2011 census the population remained less than 100 and was not separately recorded.
Bradley Priory was an Augustinian priory in the parish. The name of the village is from the Nevill family who owned the estate from the 15th century until 1876.
Church
The church forms a group of buildings with the Hall. Dedicated to St Mary it dates largely from the 13th century but has had many perpendicular features added. The south porch was added in 1635. It was restored in 1865 to designs by architects Goddard & Son and again in 1878.[1]
Nevill Holt Hall
- Main article: Nevill Holt Hall
The great house of the hamlet is Nevill Holt Hall, a Grade I listed building, dating back to before 1300.[2] The Nevill family owned the estate and hall from the 15th century until 1876. The French abbess Ann Nevill was born here in 1605.[3]
The Cunard shipping family owned the estate from 1876 to 1912. From 1919 to 1998, the hall was a private preparatory school. In 2000, the Hall was bought and restored by David Ross.
Quarrying
Two attempts were made to quarry the south side of the hill for iron ore in the 19th century. Between 1861 and 1868 small amounts of iron ore were probably taken away by horse and cart. Another attempt was made between 1871 and 1874. In 1873 a self-acting incline was constructed to take the ore to the London and North Western Railway's Market Harborough to Peterborough line. The quarry and traces of the incline remain. Further up the hill limestone was quarried from 1942.[4]
Events
In the summer, Nevill Holt hosts the Nevill Holt Opera festival.[5] A new 400-seat opera house in the stable block by architects Witherford Watson Mann opened 14 June 2018.[6] The 2021 festival was held in the open air. The two operas performed were La Traviata and Don Giovanni.[7]
References
- ↑ Pevsner, Nikolaus; Williamson, Elizabeth (1992). Leicestershire and Rutland (2nd with revisions of 1992 ed.). London: Pevsner. p. 329. ISBN 0-14-071018-3.
- ↑ National Heritage List 1001433: Nevill Holt (Grade I listing)
- ↑ "Who were the Nuns?". https://wwtn.history.qmul.ac.uk/search/nsearch.php?uid=GB168"e=no&surname=neville&variants=on&place=.
- ↑ Tonks, Eric (1992). The Ironstone Quarries of the Midlands Part 9: Leicestershire. Cheltenham: Runpast Publishing. ISBN 1-870-754-085.
- ↑ About Nevill Holt Opera
- ↑ Nevill Holt Opera Opens a New Theatre 19th June 2018
- ↑ Morrison, Richard (6 August 2021). "Country house opera goes rogue". The Times: p. 10 (Section 2:Arts).