Bagworth
Description in 1877:
"BAGWORTH is a village, township, and chapelry, in Thornton parish, 10 miles W. N. W. of Leicester, on the south side of the Leicester and Burton Railway, on which it has a station. It contains 505 inhabitants and about 2141 acres of land, forming a picturesque district of hill and dale, watered by several small rivulets, and including the scattered farms of Merry Lees (300 acres), Bagworth Park and Heath, Lindrich, &c. A large colliery, for many years worked by the late Viscount Maynard, now belongs to the Bagworth Colliery Co."
White's "History, Gazetteer and Directory of the Counties of Leicester and Rutland. 3rd Edition 1877"
- The parish was in the Ibstock sub-district of the Market Bosworth Registration District.
- The 1851 Census for Leicestershire has been indexed by the Leicestershire & Rutland Family History Society. The whole index is available on microfiche. The society has also published it in print.
- The Anglican parish church is dedicated to The Holy Rood.
- The church construction date remains unknown, but the church is refered to in directories as "a very old building, with a very low tower".
- The church was thoroughly restored in 1873.
- The church seats 200.
- The two ancient church buidlings had to be demolished due to subsidence, The current building is a plain concrete structure.
- The Anglican parish register dates from 1560.
- The church is in the rural deanery of Akeley (southern division).
- The Society of Genealogists holds copies parish records from 1559 - 1778 included along with those of Thornton and Stanton under Barton which can be studied at their library in London.
- The Primitive Methodists built a chapel here in 1904.
- Civil Registration began in July, 1837.
- The parish was in the Ibstock sub-district of the Market Bosworth Registration District.
Bagworth is a village, a township, a chapelry and a parish which lie about 115 miles north of London, 1 mile west of Thornton and 12 miles north of Leicester city. The parish covers about 2,240 acres.
If you are planning a visit:
- Take some time to enjoy Bagworth Heath Woods on Heath Road. It is 1/2 miles south of Bagworth village on the location of the former Desford Colliery. There are several walks maintained for your enjoyment.
- There are a vew photos of the parish at the Parish Council site.
- By automobile, take the M1 toward Coalville. The parish is just off to the west as you near Coalville.
- By bus, check the Arriva Bus schedule.
- Bricks were made here in the 1800s.
- Much of the land was used for pasture.
- Coal was mined here and two large colliers dominated the parish in the late 1800s. Bagworth Colliery is in the Guiness Book of Records for its coal production per man-shift. The Bagworth Colliery closed in February, 1991. The Desford Colliery closed in 1984.
- There is a mention of Bagworth Hall in 1912, but no description.
- The national grid reference is SK 4408.
- You'll want an Ordnance Survey Explorer map, which has 2.5 inches to the mile scale.
- Multi Media Mapping have a current map showing the location of Bagworth.
- See our Maps page for additional resources.
- This ancient Chapelry was incorporated as a Civil Parish in late 1866.
- The parish is in the ancient Sparkenhoe Hundred in the western division of the county.
- In March, 1886, the parish was reduced by transferring a detached portion to Newbold Verdon Civil Parish.
- In April, 1935, the parish was amalgamated with Thornton (gaining 2,092 acres) and became Bagworth and Thornton Civil Parish.
- The parish stared out in 1881 at 3,930 acres, then shrunk to 2,156 by 1891. In 1901 it was 2,244 acres unitl 1935. The combined parishes then totalled 4,336 acres.
| Year |
Inhabitants |
| 1841 |
569 |
| 1871 |
505 |
| 1881 |
604 |
| 1891 |
642 |
| 1901 |
631 |
| 1911 |
1,419 |
| 1921 |
1,481 |
| 1931 |
1,568 |
| 1951 |
2,103 |
| 1961 |
1,869 |
| 2001 |
1,836 |
- A school was founded here by Viscount MAYNARD in 1760.
- A Public Elementary School (National School) replaced the school above, probably around 1875.
The parish has its own Bagworth Historical Society, which formed in 2001. They meet at Bagworth Working Mens Club every 2nd Tuesday of each month at 7.30pm. They have at least three publications you may be interested in.
Follow this link to find help, report problems or contribute information.
[Re-written: 10-August-2009 - Louis R. Mills]
