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King's Norton

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Description in 1871:
"KINGS-NORTON, a township and a parish in Billesdon district, Leicester. The township lies 2½ miles SW of Billesdon, and 4 N by E of Kibworth r. station; and took its name from being held, for some time, by William the Conqueror. Real property, £1,537. Pop., 71. Houses, 12.-The parish contains also the township of Little Stretton; and its post town is Billesdon, under Leicester. Acres, 1,990. Real property, £2,733. Pop., 154. Houses, 31. The manor belongs to the Earl of Stamford. The living is a vicarage, united with the chapelry of Little Stretton, in the diocese of PeterboroughValne, £150. Patron, Mrs. Heap. The church was built in 1783; suffered damage from lightning in 1843; was repaired in 1848; and has a narrow tower and sixteen pinnacles. Charities, £8."
John Marius Wilson's "Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales," 1870-72

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Caution: There is a King's Norton in Birmingham City. Make sure that you are researching the correct place.

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Census

  • The parish was in the Billesdon sub-district of the Billesdon registration district.
     
  • The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
     
Census
Year
Piece No.
1861R.G. 9/2254
1871R.G. 10 / 3228
1891R.G. 12 / 2494 & 2495
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Church History

  • There was a Christian church here in 1220 that was the "mother church" to a chapel at Little Stretton.
     
  • The older Anglican church here was in poor shape by 1633.
     
  • The Anglican parish church is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist.
     
  • The church was rebuilt of stone around 1770 (actually, between 1757 and 1775) on or near the site of the old church.
     
  • The church's west end was struck by lightening in February, 1843 and repaired about 1848.
     
  • The church spire was added in 1775 but was destroyed in a storm in May, 1850. The spire did a lot of damage to the rest of the church and was later removed.
     
  • The church seats 200.
     
  • John HOWCROFT has a photograph of St. John the Baptist's Church on Geo-graph, taken in February, 2017.
     
  • Richard CROFT has a photograph of St. John the Baptist's Church on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2011.
     
  • Richard CROFT has another photograph of St. John the Baptist's Church Tower on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2011.
     
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Church Records

  • The Anglican parish register dates from 1589 (Some sources say 1749).
     
  • The church is in the rural deanery of Gartree (second portion).
     
  • Churchwarden accounts exist for 1784 - 1834.
     
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Civil Registration

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

King's Norton is a small village, a township and a parish 7 miles east of Leicester city and about 2.5 miles south-west of Billesdon. The parish, which sits on a spur of the uplands, once covered about 1,990 acres, but was reduced around 1880 to 1,010 acres. The River Sence marks the northern boundary of the parish.

If you are planning a visit:

  • By automobile, take the A47 arterial road east out of Leicester city and turn right (south) after passing through Houghton on the hill. That county road should, after about a mile, bring you to Galby village. Turn right to King's Norton.
     
  • Mat FASCIONE has a photograph of the Village Sign on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2007.
     
You can see pictures of King's Norton which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

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History

  • Much of the parish land was used for grazing.
     
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Manors

The L-shaped manor house is next to the east end of the church. It was built around 1630.

Richard CROFT has a photograph of the Manor House on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2011.

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Maps

  • See our Maps page for additional resources.
     

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SK688005 (Lat/Lon: 52.597947, -0.985683), King's Norton which are provided by:

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Names, Geographical

  • The parish was held for many years by William the Conqueror, which gives us the "King's" portion of the name.
     
  • Although "King's Norton" was the official name, you will find the first name without the apostrophy or the parish referenced as "Norton by Galby".
     
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Politics & Government

  • This place was an ancient parish of the county and became a modern Civil Parish when those were established.
     
  • The parish also contained the township of Little Stretton (or Stretton Parva).
     
  • The parish was in the ancient Gartree Hundred (or Wapentake) in the eastern division of the county.
     
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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Bastardy cases would be heard in the East Norton petty session hearings the first Friday of each month.
     
  • In 1718 William WHALLEY left the rent-charge on the estate of Edward CRUMP, which was £7 and 10s added to the interest below and used to clothe two boys and two girls at Easter each year.
     
  • In 1791 Thomas BEAUMONT left the interest on £50, which was given to the poor at Christmas in the form of beef and bread.
     
  • As a result of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act, the parish became part of the Billesdon Poorlaw Union.
     
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Population

Population figures below are often just for the township and not the whole parish.

 YearInhabitants
1801157
1821199
1841172
187160
188152
189159
190132
191148
200169
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Schools

  • The children of this place attended school in nearby Gaulby.