Higham on the Hill
Description in 1871:
"HIGHAM-ON--THE-HILL, a village and a parish in Hinckley district, Leicester. The village stands near the Ashby-de-la-Zouch canal, Watling street, the boundary with Warwickshire, and the Leicester and Nuneaton railway, 2½ miles NE of Nuneaton; and has a postoffice under Hinckley. The parish contains also the hamlets of Lindley and Rowden. Acres, 2, 880. Real property, £5, 245. Pop., 559. Houses, 123. The property is divided among a few. The manor belongs to the Rev. J. Fisher. Lindley Hall was occupied by John Hardwick, who led the Earl of Richmond to Bosworth field; was the residence of William Burton, the first historian of Leicestershire; and is now the seat of Vincent Eyre, Esq. Several Roman coins, three ornamental ancient rings, and a great many silver coins of Henry III. were found, in the early part of the 17th century, at or near Watling street. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Peterborough. Value, £552. Patron, the Rev. J. Fisher. The church is modern, with an ancient Norman tower. There are a national school, and charities £7."
John Marius Wilson's "Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales," 1870-72
- The parish was in the Hinckley sub-district of the Hinckley Registration District until 1936.
- In 1936, the parish was reassigned to 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 and Volume 6 covers the Burbage and Earl Shilton Sub-District which includes Higham on the Hill.
- The Anglican parish church was dedicated to Saint Peter.
- The church was built in Norman times.
- Civil Registration began in July, 1837.
- The parish was in the Hinckley sub-district of the Hinckley Registration District until 1936.
- In 1936, the parish was reassigned to the Market Bosworth Registration District.
Higham on the Hill is a village and a parish on a hill just north of Watling Street, 3 miles west of Hinckley, 2.5 miles north of Nuneaton, 99 miles north of London and 6 miles south of Market Bosworth. The parish covers 2,949 acres and includes the hamlets of Rowden and Lindley.
The Ashby Canal runs through the parish just east of the village. If you are planning a visit:
- By automobile, take the A5 west out of Hinckly and turn right (north) after about two miles to Higham on the Hill.
- Lindley Hall is about a mile northwest of the village and was the seat of Dempster HEMING in 1881.
- The national grid reference is SP 3895.
- You'll want an Ordnance Survey Explorer map, which has 2.5 inches to the mile scale.
- See our Maps page for additional resources.
- This place was an ancient parish of the county. It became a Civil Parish when those were established.
- The parish lies in the Sparkenhoe Hundred in the southern (or western) division of the county.
- In April, 1935, this Civil Parish was reduced by 29 acres to enlarge Caldecott Civil Parish (across Watling Street in Warwick).
- Also in April, 1935, this Civil Parish was reduced by 62 acres to enlarge Nuneaton Civil Parish (across Watling Street in Warwick).
- Finally, in April, 1935, this Civil Parish was enlarged by 389 acres with the abolition of Stoke Golding Civil Parish (to the northeast).
- As a result of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act, this parish became part of the Hinckley Poorlaw Union.
- Bastardy cases would be heard in the Market Bosworth petty sessional hearings.
| Year |
Inhabitants |
| 1841 |
556 |
| 1871 |
532 |
| 1881 |
445 |
| 1891 |
553 |
| 1901 |
525 |
| 1911 |
614 |
| 1921 |
553 |
| 1931 |
738 |
| 1951 |
674 |
| 1961 |
723 |
- A Public Elementary School (National School) was built here prior to 1881.
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[Created: 5-October-2009 - Louis R. Mills]
