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Congerstone

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Description in 1871:
"CONGERSTON, a parish in Market-Bosworth district. Leicester; on the river Anker and the Ashby-de-la-Zouch canal, 3 miles NW of Market-Bosworth, and 7 NNE of Atherstone r. station. Post town, Twycross, under Atherstone. Acres, 1,020. Real property, £1,226. Pop., 250. Houses, 57. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Peterborough. Value, £218. Patron,-Earl Home. The church is ancient, and has a tower. There are a Baptist chapel, a national school, and alms-houses."
[John Marius Wilson's "Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales," 1870-72]

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Cemeteries

The churchyard closed for new burials in 1987. The Crown Estates sold two strips of agricultural land adjacent to both Churchyards, and the Parish Council was able to open two new cemeteries in 1993. As civil burial grounds they were dedicated (not consecrated) by the Assistant Bishop for new burials and are administered by the Parish Council.

John SALMON has a photograph of St. Mary's churchyard on Geo-graph, taken in April, 2003.

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Census

  • The parish was in the Market Bosworth sub-district of the Market Bosworth Registration District.
     
  • The 1851 Census for Leicestershire has been indexed by the Leicestershire & Rutland Family History Society. Volume 2 includes Congerston which has been published on microfiche only.
     
  • The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
     
Census
Year
Piece No.
1841H.O. 107 / 600
1861R.G. 9 / 2264
1871R.G. 10 / 3240
1891R.G. 12 / 2506
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Church History

  • The Anglican parish church was dedicated to Saint Mary the Virgin.
     
  • The church was listed in 1841 as a small old building with a low tower and 5 bells. It was rebuilt by 1912.
     
  • The church seats 300.
     
  • Tom GLOVER also has a photograph of St. Mary's Church on Geo-graph, taken in April, 1994.
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Church Records

  • The Anglican parish register dates from 1593 (some sources give 1793, others 1756).
     
  • The church was in the rural deanery of Sparkenhoe (first portion). Later this was the Akeley rural deanery (southern division).
     
  • The Baptists had a chapel built here by 1841.
     
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Civil Registration

  • The parish was in the Market Bosworth sub-district of the Market Bosworth Registration District.
     
  • Civil Registration began in July, 1837.
     
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Description & Travel

Congerstone is a village and a parish which sits 3 miles north-west of Market Bosworth, 7 miles north of Atherstone and 8 miles south of Ashby-de-la-Zouch. The parish covered 1,020 acres in 1881, but was reduced to 814 acres by 1891.

The village is on the River Sence and the Ashby-de-la-Zouch Canal. The river loops around the village, passing from the west, flowing north, then it turns and flows east just north of the village where it empties into the Canal up near Shackerstone. If you are planning a visit:

  • By automobile, take the A444 north out of Nuneaton and, just past the B858 intersection, turn right for Congerstone.
     
  • Trevor RICKARD has a photograph of the Main Street at Congerstone on Geo-graph, taken in May, 2010. Slow Down! and watch for swans crossing the road.
     
  • Mat FASCIONE has a photograph of the village sign on Geo-graph, taken in August, 2008.
You can see pictures of Congerstone which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

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History

  • This was farm country with some light brickmaking as well.
     
  • Mat FASCIONE has a photograph of the Horse & Jockey Inn on Geo-graph, taken in August, 2008
     
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Manors

  • There is no mention of Congerstone manor house in the old directories.
     
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Maps

  • The national grid reference is SK 3605.
     
  • You'll want an Ordnance Survey Explorer map, which has 2.5 inches to the mile scale.
     
  • See our Maps page for additional resources.
     

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SK368054 (Lat/Lon: 52.645097, -1.457548), Congerstone which are provided by:

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Military History

  • In 1922 a cross was erected in the churchyard in memory of those who fell in the Great War, 1914-1918.
     
  • Mike W. HALLETT has a photograph of the War Memorial on the Village Green on Geo-graph, taken in June, 2009.
     
  • Trevor RICKARD has another view of the War Memorial (from behind) on Geo-graph, taken in May, 2010.
     
  • In 2013 volunteers carefully cleaned the monument to make the ten names legible again.
     
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Politics & Government

  • Congerstone was an ancient parish in Leicester county and became a modern Civil Parish when those were established.
     
  • The parish lies in the Sparkenhoe Hundred (Wapentake) in the southern or western division of the county.
     
  • On 24 March, 1884, this Civil Parish gained portions of Market Bosworth Civil Parish.
     
  • On 25 March, 1886, this Civil Parish gained portions of Nailstone and Shackerstone Civil Parishes.
     
  • On 1 April, 1935, this Civil Parish was abolished and all 814 acres merged with Shackerstone Civil Parish.
     
  • You may contact the Shackerstone Parish Council regarding civic or political issues. They are NOT staffed to help you with family history questions.
     
  • District governance is provided by the Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council.
     
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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • The parish maintained almshouses in nearby Shackerstone parish to assist 4 poor people.
     
  • As a result of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act, this parish became part of the Market Bosworth Poorlaw Union.
     
  • Bastardy cases would be heard in the Market Bosworth petty sessional hearings.
     
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Population

 YearInhabitants
1801230
1841267
1851298
1871222
1881200
1891205
1901216
1911195
1921223
1931209
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Schools

  • A National School (later called a Public Elementary School) and an Infant School were built here by 1841. This school served Congerstone, Shackerstone and Bilston parishes.