Leicestershire county page

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Leicestershire Towns & Parishes

Nearby places

Gopsall (Gopsall Hall)

Description in 1887:
"Gopsall, par., S. Leicestershire, 4½ miles NW. of Market Bosworth, 600 ac., pop. 24; contains the seat of Gopsall Hall."
John Bartholomew's "Gazetteer of the British Isles," 1887

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. The whole index is available on microfiche. The society has also published it in print.
  
  
• The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
  
  

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Church History

• The Anglican parish church is dedicated to Saint John.
  
  
• The church was restored in 1866.
  
  
• The church seats 160.
  
  

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Church Records

• The Anglican parish register dates from 1635.
  
  
• The church is in the rural deanery of Framland (third portion).
  
  
• A Wesleyan Methodist chapel was built here in 1892.
  
  

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Civil Registration

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

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Description and Travel.

Gopsall is a parish which lies in the Wold Hills about 115 miles north of London, 6 miles north-west of Market Bosworth and 2 miles west of Shackerstone. The parish covers about 729 acres (but was once much smaller) and includes the hamlet of Brascote.

There is no village as such, just a scattering of houses and the Hall. If you are planning a visit:

• Check with the tourist office in Market Bosworth for directions. Ask for directions to "Gopsall Hall".
  
  
• The parish has a website at Leicester Villages with some photographs.
  
  

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History

• Stilton cheese was made in this parish.
  
  
• Many of the inhabitants of this parish were graziers.
  
  

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Manors

• Gopsall Park was the seat of the Earl HOWE.
  
  
• Gopsall Park was a large building built in 1750 and set in 600 acres.
  
  
• It was at Gopsall Park that Handel composed the "Messiah" in 1741-42.
  
  
• By 1952 most of the buildings were demolished.
  
  
• Saxelby Park in this parish was the property of Charles Wm. WRIGHT, J.P. in 1912.
  
  

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Maps

• The national grid reference is SK 3405.
  
  
• You'll want an Ordnance Survey Explorer map, which has 2.5 inches to the mile scale.
  
  
• See our Maps page for additional resources.
  
  

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Politics and Governance

• For centuries, this place was an extra-parochial area. In 1858 it was made a Civil Parish.
  
  
• The parish is in the ancient East Goscote Hundred in the eastern division of the county.
  
  
• The parish has also been reported to be in the ancient Sparkenhoe Hundred .
  
  
• In April, 1935, this parish was abolished and merged into Twycross Civil Parish.
  
  
• You can contact the local Parish Council regarding civic or political matters, but they are not staffed to assist with family history research.
  
  
• The district council is Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council.
  
  

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Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

• As a result of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act, this parish became part of the Market Bosworth Poorlaw Union.
  
  

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Population

Year	Inhabitants
1801	4
1841	7
1851	41
1871	76
1881	24
1891	25
1901	22
1911	35
1921	14
1931	13

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Schools

• A Public Elementary School was built here in 1867 to hold 46 children. Average attendance in 1911 was 39..
  
  

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