Odstone (Odestone)
Description in 1871:
"ODESTONE, a hamlet in Shackerstone parish, Leicester; on an affluent of the river Anker, and on the Ashby-de-la-Zouch canal, 3¼ miles N by W of Market-Bosworth. Acres, 733. Real property, £2,988. Pop., 184. Houses, 38. The manor belongs to Earl Howe."
John Marius Wilson's "Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales," 1870-72
- 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. |
| 1861 |
R.G. 9 / 2265 |
| 1891 |
R.G. 12 / 2507 |
- For centuries there was no Anglican church here and residents had to go to the parish church at Thornton.
- For present Anglican parish church was built of local granite in 1908.
- For church is dedicated to Saint Mary and All Saints.
- The church seats 120.
- The Anglican parish register dates from 1560.
- The church is in the rural deanery of Akeley (southern division).
- The Wesleyan Methodists built a chapel here before 1849.
- The Congregational chapel was built in 1833 and could seat 100.
- Civil Registration began in July, 1837.
- The parish was in the Ibstock sub-district of the Market Bosworth Registration District.
Odstone is a village, a chapelry and a parish which lie about 115 miles north of London and 3 miles north of Market Bosworth. The parish covered about 1,097 acres.
Most of the houses in the village are constructed of red brick. If you are planning a visit:
- There is still a railway line to the village, but passenger service may have been abandoned.
- Visit Bardon Quarry to check out the local wildlife and the billabarra reserve.
- By automobile, take the M1 north out of Leicester city to the #22 intersection with the A50 trunk road. Turn left onto the A50, then left again at the next exit which should take you directly into Odstone.
- Granite was quarried here in the 1800s.
- In the 1800s, most male residents of the parish either worked the small farms or were employed in the quarry.
- The national grid reference is SK 3907.
- 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 ancient Chapelry in Shackerstone parish was incorporated as its own Civil Parish in December, 1866.
- The parish is in the ancient Sparkenhoe Hundred in the southern division of the county.
- In April, 1935, this Civil Parish was abolished and all 1,134 acres were amalgamated with Shackerstone Civil Parish.
| Year |
Inhabitants |
| 1871 |
174 |
| 1881 |
192 |
| 1891 |
170 |
| 1901 |
154 |
| 1911 |
142 |
| 1921 |
165 |
| 1931 |
142 |
- A National School (later a Public Elementary School) was built here in 1865 for 110 children.
- A Council School was built here in 1909 for 150 children. The school above was then used as an infants school.
- The Council School has a web site but I could find no history there.
Follow this link to find help, report problems or contribute information.
[Last updated: 18-November-2011 - Louis R. Mills]
