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Nailstone

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Description in 1887:
"Nailstone, par., township, and vil., Leicestershire, 3 miles NE. of Market Bosworth - par., 3806 ac., pop. 487; township, pop. 389; P.O."
[John BARTHOLOMEW's "Gazetteer of the British Isles," 1887]

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Cemeteries

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Census

  • 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 table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
     
Census
Year
Piece No.
1841H.O. 107 / 602
1861R.G. 9 / 2265 & 2267
1871R.G. 10 / 3241
1891R.G. 12 / 2507
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Church History

  • The Anglican parish church for Nailstone is dedicated to All Saints.
     
  • The church is considered "very old".
     
  • The church was restored in 1853.
     
  • The church tower and spire were renovated in 1898.
     
  • Trevor RICKARD has a photograph of All Saints Church on Geo-graph, taken in November, 2010.
     
  • J. THOMAS has a photograph of the Lych Gate on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2016.
     
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Church Records

  • The Anglican parish register dates from 1653.
     
  • The church is in the rural deanery of Sparkenhoe (first portion).
     
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Civil Registration

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

Nailstone is a village, a township and a parish about 118 miles north of London, 12 miles west of Leicester city, just 3 miles north of Market Bosworth. The parish covers just over 1,950 acres. A branch of the River Sence runs along the south side of the parish. The townships of Normanton-le-Heath and Barton in the Beans are in this parish.

If you are planning a visit:

  • By automobile, take the A447 south through Ibstock. That road passes through the heart of Nailstone.
     
You can see pictures of Nailstone which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

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History

  • Coal was discovered in this parish in 1863.
     
  • Trevor RICKARD has a photograph of the Nut and Squirrel pub on Geo-graph, taken in May, 2012.
     
  • J. THOMAS has a photograph of the Bulls Head pub on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2016.
     
  • The Bulls Head building was built during the 19th century as part of the Gopsall Estate.
     
  • These are the names associated with The Head Inn, considered a heritage asset, 88 Main Street, in various directories:
     
Year Person
1849Geo. WYLDE, farmer
1881John GARDNER
1912Jn. GARDNER, carpntr.
1925Coulson NEWTON
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Maps

  • See our Maps page for additional resources.
     

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SK417071 (Lat/Lon: 52.660025, -1.384918), Nailstone which are provided by:

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Military History

  • The Miners' Welfare and Memorial Institute, opened in 1924, was erected as a memorial to the men of this parish who gave their lives in the Great War.
     
  • Stone of Remembrance with two metal plaques. First plaque (and second?) appears to have been part of Miners Welfare and Memorial Institute opened 1921.
     
  • There is also a Stone of Remembrance with one metal plaques. The plate was moved from a 1944 B-17 crash site.
     
  • There are three Commonwealth War Graves in the churchyard. Two from World War I and one from World War II.
     
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Military Records

One of the metal plates in the Memorial Garden is for a B-17 that crashed in the parish on 27 Sept. 1944. All the crew members were lost.

These are the fallen in the Commonwealth War Graves (from www.cwgc.org):

NameRankUnitDiedFamily
W. COLEMANSrgt.83rd Btn Leicestershire Regt.08 Nov. 1918 
A. FINDLEYPrivate2/5 Btn Leicestershire Regt.23 Oct. 1939Son of Thomas and Mary Jane FINDLEY.
Stephen John JONESSrgt.2/4 Btn Leicestershire Regt.21 Dec 1918Age 27, son of Richard and Emily Annie JONES.
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Politics & Government

  • This place was an ancient parish in the county as well as a Civil Parish.
     
  • The parish was in the ancient Sparkenhoe Hundred in the southern division of the county.
     
  • On 18 August, 1882, the parish was reduced in size to enlarge Shackerstone Civil Parish.
     
  • On 25 March, 1886, the parish was reduced to enlarge Barton in the Beans Civil Parish and Township.
     
  • On 25 March, 1886, the parish was reduced to enlarge Congerstone Civil Parish.
     
  • As a result of the three actions above, the parish went from 2,486 acres to 1,954 acres.
     
  • You may contact the local Parish Council regarding civic or political issues, but they are NOT staffed to provide family history searches for you.
     
  • The Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council provides district governance.
     
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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Bastardy cases would be heard in the Sparkenhoe (Market Bosworth) petty session hearings each week, alternating between Hinckley and Market Bosworth.
     
  • As a result of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act, Nailstone became part of the Market Bosworth Poorlaw Union.
     
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Population

For the most part, these figures are for the township of Nailstone, not the parish as a whole.

 YearInhabitants
1801492
1841475
1871367
1881389
1891341
1901333
1911346
1921375
1931349
1951525
1961580
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Schools

  • A Public Elementary School (National School) was built here in 1828 for 111 children.
     
  • Trevor RICKARD has a photograph of the Old school building on Geo-graph, taken in November, 2010.