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White's Directory of Nottinghamshire, 1853

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Sutton Bonnington

Sutton Bonnington is an extensive village on the eastern bank of the Soar, 11 miles south south west of Nottingham. It is in the two parishes of Sutton St Ann and Sutton St Michael, which support their poor jointly. There were anciently two distinct villages, the more southerly one being Sutton juxta Bonnington, and the other Bonnington, but they have long been connected by modern buildings, and borne the common name of Sutton Bonnington. It contains 1,220 inhabitants, and 2,070 acres of land, rated at £6,034, including the value of 20 acres taken by the Midland Railway company. William Paget Esq. is lord of the manor of St Ann's, and George Pynge Paget Esq. of St Michael's. At the enclosure in 1775 and 1777, the tithes of both parishes were commuted for allotments of land; to St Ann's were allotted 123a 1r, and to St Michael's 211a 35p. In 1832, Lord Tamworth sold his estate here, when Wm. Paget Esq. of Loughborough became the principal purchaser; but Jonathan Burton, Thomas Bigsby, John B. Bainbridge Esq. and Mrs Redfern of Barton have also estates here. At the top of the village is an ancient house called Hobgoblius, which was once an extensive building, as appears from the numerous foundations which are still visible, and formerly had a chapel attached to it, which belonged repton priory, in Derbyshire. Kirk Hill, near Zouch Bridge, is supposed to have been a Roman camp. In 1825 a number of ancient coins and urns were found in a high state of preservation, some of the latter were sold for five guineas each. Wm. Riste, the "Giant of England", who was 7 feet four and a half inches in height, was born in this village. He increased annually six inches in height, from 14 up to 20 years of age, and was introduced to His Majesty King George III, who presented him with a splendid suit of silk to be exhibited in. He died about 70 years ago, and is buried in St Ann's church. St Michael's church is a large, handsome structure, with a lofty tower and spire. It is a rectory, valued in the King's books at £15 2s 1d, and is enjoyed by the Rev. Robert Meek. The Dean and Chapter of Bristol are the patrons. St Ann's is a small ancient fabric, and stands in the southern part of the village. It is also a rectory, valued in the King's books at £4 17s 6d, now £219. The Lord Chancellor is the patron, and the Rev. James Fyler is the rector. The Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists, and the General Baptists, have each a chapel in the village, where a feast is held on the Sunday after St Michael's day, or on that day if it falls on a Sunday, or Monday. The Free school was built in 1719 by henry Tate Esq. of Burleigh Hall, Leicestershire, and Mr Wm. Tate of London, who were both born in this parish. The ground was the gift of Charles Parkyns Esq. It is endowed with upwards of 26 acres of land at Barrow-upon-Soar, purchased with £100 given by the rector of St Michael's, the Rev. Chas Lindsay, and £111 raised by subscription. Richard Bacon Esq., who dies in 1849, left £100 for the benefit of the school, which was appropriated to pay off a mortgage on the land at Barrow. The land is let for about £42 a year. A large National School was erected in 1844, at the cost of about £450, raised by subscription, aided by a grant of £160 from the Committee of Educaton. the site was given by the present rector. It is a neat building, partly in the Gothic and partly in the Elizabethan style, and will accommodate about 200 pupils. The Midland Counties Railway passes on the east side of the village, about 1¼ miles distant, whence trains to Nottingham, Derby and Leicester &c. pass several times a day. Several benefactions, amounting to £110, were laid out in 1734, in the purchase of six acres of land at Hose, now let for about £11. This parish, and those of Rempston and Normanton, each receives a bible yearly from Hickling's charity at Loughborough. Zouch Bridge, which crossed the Soar, one mile south of Sutton Bonnington, gives its name to a small village which is partly in the parishes of Sutton, Normanton and Hathern.

[Transcribed by Clive Henly]