Sileby
| Sileby | |
| Leicestershire | |
|---|---|
 St Mary's parish church | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SK604151 |
| Location: | 52°43’52"N, 1°6’22"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 7,835 (2011) |
| Post town: | Loughborough |
| Postcode: | LE12 |
| Dialling code: | 01509 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Charnwood |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Loughborough |
Sileby is a former industrial village and parish in the Soar Valley in Leicestershire, between Leicester and Loughborough. Nearby villages include Barrow upon Soar, Mountsorrel, Ratcliffe-on-the-Wreake, Seagrave and Cossington. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 7,835.[1]
The origins of the village date back to around AD 840 when the area was settled by the Danes - Leicestershire forming part of the Danelaw along with other counties in the vicinity. The name Sileby may in fact come from the Danish name 'Sighulf'.
The village lies at the bottom of an ancient valley created by the nearby River Soar, meaning that surrounding farmland is particularly prone to flooding during persistent or heavy rain.
History
One of Sileby's most distinguishing features is the Anglican church of St Mary founded around 1152. It is a Grade-II* listed building. The Gothic tower now houses a fine ring of 10 bells, which attract ringers from far and wide.
In more recent history Sileby was very much an industrial place. Like most towns and villages in the local area it had several hosiery and shoe factories until as recently as the 1980s, as well as a wallpaper manufacturer and several engineering companies. Nearly all of these have now disappeared and most of the factory premises have long since been demolished and replaced by new housing estates, essentially making it a modern commuter town for people who work throughout the East Midlands and even beyond with easy access to London and the North.
Transport
The village has a railway station on the Ivanhoe Line, and trains run hourly to Leicester, Loughborough, Nottingham and Lincoln.
The village has excellent links to major road transport networks via the nearby A6 and A46 linking directly to the M1 motorway which lies to the west. The A46 will take you to Lincoln in the north and ultimately provides a link to the east coast.
The proximity to the River Soar also means that Sileby has an active marina where some residents live on narrowboats and others store their pleasurecraft at the permanent moorings available. Boats can also be hired as well as minor repair work undertaken and boat supplies purchased at the small chandlery.
Amenities
Pubs include The Horse & Trumpet, The Free Trade Inn, and The White Swan. These pubs cater for all tastes. The Horse and Trumpet, located at the top of Mountsorrel Lane opposite St Mary's Church is a popular village drinking house offering frequent entertainment and open fires with a large well-appointed function room which is free to hire. Further towards the middle of the village on Swan Street is The White Swan, which offers excellent food in a restaurant style setting; it is more geared towards diners than drinkers. The Free Trade Inn stands at the junction of Cossington Road and Manor Drive. This is one of the oldest buildings in Sileby, dating back to the 15th century and is a traditional pub serving some basic food but is more of a ‘drinkers’ pub offering a variety of unique hand-pulled beer and lager. The village also has two private members' clubs – the Working Men’s Club on King Street (next to the Horse and Trumpet), and the Conservative Club on Cossington Road. Both clubs have separate function rooms.
The Working Men’s Club has a wide range of age groups amongst its membership, and holds traditional bingo nights.
The Conservative Club has many facilities on offer including a full-size snooker table, pool table, long-alley skittles and a private function room.
There are a number of takeaway food outlets, all situated within a few hundred yards of each other in the centre of the village. These include two chip shops, three Chinese takeaways, a kebab house/pizzeria and an Indian restaurant. "Yasmin's" Indian is the only place in the village for sit-down meals in a dedicated restaurant setting.
Sport
Sileby has a number of sporting clubs and facilities for cricket, football, tennis, lawn bowls, rugby, baseball and shooting, amongst others.
The local Sileby Town Rugby Football Club (also known as the Sileby Vikings) was established in 2006, using the facilities at Platts Lane Recreation Ground in the nearby village of Cossington.
Community
Sileby Community Centre is located on the High Street and has a large main hall with numerous ancillary rooms including a kitchen and bar, as well as a separate sports hall. The main hall contains a large stage area for performances, with an adjoining room where props can be stored and performers can get changed and access the stage. The Community Centre is housed in what was formerly a Wesleyan chapel that was given to the village some years ago and is now managed by the Parish Council.
There is an active Scout group which meets at its HQ on Brook Street and variously welcomes Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Beavers, Cubs and Scouts on almost every weekday evening.
Notable residents
- David Howe, speedway rider[2]
References
- ↑ "Civil Parish population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11128516&c=Sileby&d=16&e=62&g=6444086&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1466445817020&enc=1. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
- ↑ "Speedway: Leicester Lions fans get ready to roar at Rye House", Leicester Mercury, 19 March 2010, retrieved 2011-06-01
Outside links
 |
("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Sileby) |