Rolleston
Description in 1871:
"Rolleston, a chapelry in Billesdon parish, Leicester; 1¾ mile S S E of Billesdon, and 5¾ N E of Kibworth r. station. Post-town, Billesdon, under Leicester. Pop., 42. Houses, 10. The manor, with R. Hall, belongs to Mrs. Heap. The living is annexed to the vicarage of Billesdon. The church is good; and on the S side of it is a well-preserved ancient cross."
1870-72, John Marius Wilson's "Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales"
Warning: There are Rolleston villages in Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire. Make sure that you are researching the correct one!
- The Anglican parish church was dedicated to St. John.
- The church was built in Norman times.
- There is an ancient cross in the churchyard.
- This tiny church seats 50.
- The Anglican parish register dates from 1579.
- The church was in the rural Gartree deanery (third portion).
- Civil Registration began in July, 1837.
- The parish was in the Billesdon subdistrict of the Billesdon Registration District.
Rolleston was a village, a chapelry and a township in Billesdon parish. It has since become a parish. It is 10 miles southeast of Leicester city. The parish covers 1,094 acres.
The land around the village has been mostly pasture for centuries. If you are planning a visit:
- Check out the village at the Leicestershire villages website.
- Relax and have a pleasant walk. Info is on the Parish Walk web page.
- By automobile, take the A47 east out of Leicester city to Skeffington. Turn south (right) and drive down to Rolleston village.
- Rolleston Hall was the property of Viscount CHURCHILL, G.C.V.O., the lord of the manor, in 1912.
- The national grid reference is SK 7300.
- You'll want an Ordnance Survey Explorer map, which has 2.5 inches to the mile scale.
- See our Maps page for additional resources.
- Rolleston was a chapelry and a township in Billesdon parish for centuries.
- Rolleston became a Civil Parish between 1867 and 1881.
- The parish lies in the Gartree Hundred (or Wapentake) in the eastern division of the county.
- For current politics, try the Parish Council website. They will not assist with family history questions.
- As a result of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act, this parish became part of the Billesdon Poorlaw Union.
- Bastardy cases would be heard in the East Norton petty sessional hearings.
| Year |
Inhabitants |
| 1871 |
40 |
| 1881 |
68 |
| 1891 |
57 |
| 1901 |
74 |
| 1911 |
59 |
| 1921 |
54 |
| 1931 |
67 |
| 1951 |
61 |
| 1961 |
55 |
- The children of this place attended school in Billesdon parish.
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[Created: 22-July-2009 - Louis R. Mills]
