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Widmerpool

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"Widmerpool is a small, neat village and parish on the sides of two opposite declivities of the Wolds, 9 miles south-south-east of Nottingham. Its parish contains 147 inhabitants, and 2,190 acres of strong clay land, enclosed in 1803, when 460 acres were allotted to the rector in lieu of tithes. Frederick Robinson Esq. is the proprietor, lord of the manor, and patron of this rectory, which is valued in the King's books at £4 16s 0½d, now £222, and enjoyed by the Rev. John Robinson M.A., who rebuilt the rectory house, a handsome gothic mansion, about twenty-three years ago. The church, a neat structure, was rebuilt in 1832, with a handsome gothic spire, but in 1836 it was struck by the electric fluid, which threw down half of the spire, and broke all the glass in the windows. The remaining part of the spire was taken down, and it was finished by a beautiful tower, in which are three bells. The churchyard is ornamentaly planted with evergreens. The General Baptist Chapel was built in 1805."
[WHITE's "Directory of Nottinghamshire," 1853]

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Archives & Libraries

The Library at Nottingham will prove useful in your research.

The nearby Library at Keyworth also has some resources you could use.

The village reading room was built in 1889 funded by Mrs. C. G. ROBERTSON.

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Census

  • The parish was in the Bingham sub-district of the Bingham Registration District until 1883.
     
  • In late 1883, the parish was reassigned to the Ratcliffe upon Trent sub-district of the Bingham Registration District.
     
  • The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
     
Census
Year
Piece No.
1851H.O. 107 / 1632
1861R.G. 9 / 2486
1881R.G. 11 / 3383
1891R.G. 12 / 2718
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Church History

  • The Anglican parish church was dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul, but is now known as "St. Peter's".
     
  • The date of construction is uncertain, but appears to be 14th Century. The church is on the north side of Old Hall Drive (a private road).
     
  • The church was rebuilt in 1832.
     
  • The church spire was struck by lightning in 1836.
     
  • The church thoroughly restored in 1888.
     
  • The church seats 170.
     
  • Carolyn MANSFIELD has a photograph of St. Peter's Church on Geo-graph, taken in November, 2008.
     
  • Alan MURRAY-RUST also has a photograph of St. Peter's Church on Geo-graph, taken in January, 2014.
     
  • The church is Grade II listed with English Heritage.
     
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Church Records

  • The Anglican parish register dates from 1539 and the early records are in good condition.
     
  • The church was in the rural deanery of South Bingham.
     
  • The Wesleyan Methodists had a chapel built here by 1853.
     
  • The Baptists had a chapel built here by 1853.
     
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Civil Registration

  • The parish was in the Bingham sub-district of the Bingham Registration District until 1883.
     
  • In late 1883, the parish was reassigned to the Ratcliffe upon Trent sub-district of the Bingham Registration District.
     
  • Civil Registration began in July, 1837.
     
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Description & Travel

This parish and small village are in the Wold Hills and lie about 120 miles north of London, 9 miles northeast of Loughborough (in Leicestershire) and 9 miles due southeast of Nottingham. The parish covers 2,106 acres.

The village sits near the junction of several small streams. If you are planning a visit:

  • By automobile, the village is west of the A46 and north of the A6006.
     
  • Thomas NUGENT has a photograph of Widmerpool from the air on Geo-graph, taken in December, 2011.
     
  • Alan MURRAY-RUST has a photograph of the village sign on Geo-graph, taken in January, 2014.
     
You can see pictures of Widmerpool which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

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Manors

  • Widmerpool manor belonged to the Widmerpool family from 1216,
     
  • Widmerpool Hall was built in 1872 of Bath and Clipsham stone and has a clocktower.
     
  • The Hall was the seat of Major George Coke ROBERTSON, 1st Notts Rifle Volunteers, in 1904 thru 1912. In June 1914 he was appointed as the Deputy Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire.
     
  • Tim HEATON has a photograph of Widmerpool Hall on Geo-graph, taken in May, 2006.
     
  • The Hall  is a Grade II structure by English Heritage.
     
  • For several decades at the end of the twentieth century the Hall was the HQ of The Automobile Association Patrol Service Training School, popularly known as 'The AA Academy'.
     
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Maps

  • See our Maps page for additional resources.

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SK628282 (Lat/Lon: 52.847651, -1.068967), Widmerpool which are provided by:

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Military History

  • In 1912, Major George Coke ROBERTSON lived in Widmerpool Hall. The Robertsons were prime benefactors to the parish. The major died in 1924.
     
  • You can find Major George Coke ROBERTSON here in the 1881 census. The Major was born in France circa 1839, and is listed with his North American born wife, Harriott Annie, age 30.
     
  • Two soldiers from the English Civil War are buried in the churchyard.
     
  • There is a framed, pre-printed Roll of Honour on the south wall of the church.  It commemorates all who served in both World Wars.
     
  • There is a brass plaque just below the Roll of Honour which honors those who fell in battle.
     
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Military Records

You can see a photo of the Roll of Honour and the brass memorial plaque at the Nottinghamshire War Memorial site.

These are five names from the St. Peter's war memorial:

  1. private Arthur ELLSON, 1st Bn Grenadier Guards
  2. private Ralph HALL, Sherwood Foresters
  3. lieutenant Reginald John Allen PALMER, 1st Bn., Wiltshire Regt.
  4. private James RIMMER, 10th Bn Australian Infantry
  5. private Albert SMITH, 10th Bn Lincolnshire Regt.
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Politics & Government

  • This place was an ancient parish in Nottinghamshire and it became a modern Civil Parish when those were established.
     
  • The parish was in the southern division of the ancient Rushcliffe Wapentake in the southern division of the county.
     
  • The parish now has a website for its Parish Council. Please do NOT ask for family history searches from them
     
  • District governance is provided by the Rushcliffe Borough Council.
     
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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Bastardy cases would be heard in the Nottingham petty session hearings.
     
  • In 1803 the Common Land was enclosed here.
     
  • After the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, this parish became part of the Bingham Poor Law Union.
     
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Population

 YearInhabitants
1801206
1851147
1871149
1881148
1891183
1901158
1911175
1921140
1961160
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Schools

The village had a school built for up to 50 children, but in 1912, the attendance was only 24 students.

Alan MURRAY-RUST has a photograph of the Old School House at Geo-graph, taken in January, 2014. This school was replaced with a new school on the Main Street.