Saddington
Description in 1871:
"Saddington, a chapelry in Knaptoft parish, Leicester; near the Grand Union canal, 2 miles N N W of Theddingworth r. station, and 6 W N W of Market-Harborough. It has a post-office under Rugby. Acres, 1,710. Real property, £2,514. Pop., 241. Houses, 63. The property is much subdivided. The manor belongs to the Duchy of Lancaster. The living is a p. curacy, annexed to the rectory of Knaptoft, in the diocese of Peterborough. The church is ancient but good, is small and cruciform, and has an open turret. There are chapels for Independents and Baptists."
John Marius Wilson's "Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales," 1870-72
- The parish was in the Market Harborough sub-district of the Market Harborough 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 / 2250 |
| 1891 |
R.G. 12 / 2492 |
- The Anglican parish church is dedicated to Saint Helen.
- The church dates back to the 13th century.
- The church tower was restored in 1707.
- The church was rebuilt in 1872-73.
- The church seats 130.
- The Anglican parish register dates from 1538 for baptisms and marriages; burials from 1543.
- The church is in the rural deanery of Guthlaxton (third portion).
- The church overseers' account books survive for 1792 - 1824.
- The General Baptists built a chapel here in 1848. It was small red-brick building with a slate roof.
- Civil Registration began in July, 1837.
- The parish was in the Market Harborough sub-district of the Market Harborough Registration District.
Saddington is a parish, a township and a village in Leicestershire. It is about 90 miles north of London, 9 miles southeast of Leicester city and 8 miles northwest of Market Harborough. The parish covers just over 1,710 acres. Three branches of the Welland River flow through or by the parish; one branch forms part of the eastern parish boundary. The Saddington Reservoir lies to the south of the village.
The village sits on a rise above the river. If you are planning a visit:
- By automobile, it is probably easiest to take the A50 trunk road south out of Leicester city for about 9 miles to just past Bruntingthorpe village. Turn left and follow the sign to Saddington.
- There is a photograph of a street in the village at Leicester Villages.
- The Grand Union Canal passes through the north of the parish, partly in the 1/2 mile long Fleckney Tunnel.
- The Saddington Reservoir was built between 1793 and 1797. The southern part lies in Gumley parish. It was built as a catchment basin for the Grand Union Canal. The reservoir covers about 60 acres.
- The Manor House stands a short distance west of the church. It dates from the early 19th century.
- Saddington Hall stands across from the Manor House. It dates from 1679. Extensive restoration took place in the 19th century.
- The national grid reference is SP 6591.
- You'll want an Ordnance Survey Explorer map, which has 2.5 inches to the mile scale.
- See our Maps page for additional resources.
- Most of the parish was grazing land.
- The parish is in the ancient Gartree Hundred in the southern division of the county.
- Some records for "town books" have survived and are at the Archives.
- In 1732, the Rev. W. SHIELD left a bequest, which in 1911 generated £2 and 12 shillings, which was distributed among the poor in bread each week.
- The Common Lands were enclosed here in 1770.
- In 1828, Mr. John HEYCOCK left a bequest, which in 1911 generated £11, which was distributed among the poor in beef at Christmas time.
- As a result of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act reforms, this parish became part of the Market Harborough Poorlaw Union.
- Some records for Poor Relief in the parish have survived and are at the Archives.
| Year |
Inhabitants |
| 1086 |
33 |
| 1801 |
241 |
| 1811 |
229 |
| 1821 |
263 |
| 1831 |
283 |
| 1841 |
279 |
| 1871 |
268 |
| 1881 |
185 |
| 1891 |
182 |
| 1901 |
243 |
| 1911 |
210 |
| 1921 |
213 |
| 1951 |
190 |
| 1961 |
193 |
- A day and Sunday School was opened in 1828.
- The Public Elementary School (National School) was built in 1855-56 for 48 children. In 1931 this school was made into a junior school, the seniors being transferred to Church Langton to the east.
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[Last updated: 13-November-2011 - Louis R. Mills]
