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Cossington

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Description in 1871:
"COSSINGTON, a parish in Barrow-upon-Soar district, Leicester; on the rivers Soar and Wreak, and on the Midland railway, adjacent to the Fosse way, 1 mile S of Sileby r. station, and 2 SE of Mount Sorrel. It has a post office under Loughborough. Acres, 1,551. Real property, £4,139. Pop., 408. Houses, 71. The property is subdivided. Some of the inhabitants arc stocking-makers. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Peterborough. Value, £448. Patron, the Rev. Joseph Mayor. The church is early English, with a square tower; has a piscina and stalls; and is very good. Charities, £97."
[John Marius WILSON's "Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales, 1870-72"].

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Cemeteries

  • A cemetery of about 2 acres was consecrated here in 1881 and was managed by a Burial Board in the Parish Council.
     
  • The cemetery had two mortuary chapels.
     
  • David P. HOWARD has a photograph of a portion of All Saints' Churchyard on Geo-graph, taken in January, 2010.
     
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Census

  • The parish was in the Barrow upon Soar sub-district of the Barrow upon Soar 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 and Volume 13 covers the Barrow on Soar sub-district.
     
  • The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
     
Census
Year
Piece No.
1861R.G. 9 / 2279
1871R.G. 10 / 3261
1891R.G. 12 / 2519
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Church History

  • The Anglican parish church is dedicated to All Saints.
     
  • The church was built around 1350.
     
  • The church was restored in 1865.
     
  • The church seats 200.
     
  • Andrew TATLOW also has a photograph of All Saints' Church on Geo-graph, taken in May, 2012.
     
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Church Records

  • The Anglican parish register dates from 1544.
     
  • The church was in the rural deanery of Goscote (second portion).
     
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Civil Registration

  • The parish was in the Barrow upon Soar sub-district of the Barrow upon Soar Registration District.
     
  • Civil Registration started in July, 1837.
     
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Description & Travel

Cossington is a town and a parish about 8 miles north of the city of Leicester in the Soar Valley, 5 miles southeast of Loughborough and 105 miles north of London. The village sits just east of the River Soar on a rivulet that empties into that river. The parish covers 1,543 acres.

The town was a framework-knitting centre in your ancestors' time. If you are planning a visit:

  • By automobile, take the A46 north out of Leicester. At the roundabout just before Ratcliffe on the Wreake, turn left (west) for Cossington.
     
  • Although there is no railway service to Cossington, the Ivanhoe Line runs along the Midland Main Line between Leicester and Loughborough. One can get on or off the train at Syston or Sileby.
     
  • There is a view Looking south down Main Street at Geograph.
     
You can see pictures of Cossington which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

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History

  • Bronze Age artifacts have been found at Cossington.
     
  • Cossington was home to Lady Isobel BARNETT, a radio and television personality from the mid 20th century, where she committed suicide amidst shoplifting charges. A short new road, Barnett Close, has been named in her memory.
     
  • There were plans to expand the village in the early 1990's, which were strongly opposed by the residents at the time, who formed the protest group "Cossington In Distress." The residents were successful in protesting the work being done and the village remains a peaceful community.
     
  • There are three Coronation Oaks along the main street in Cossington. Alan MURRAY-RUST has a photograph of the first Coronation Oak on Geo-graph, taken in September, 2013.
     
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Manors

Alan MURRAY-RUST has a photograph of Cossington Hall on Geo-graph, taken in September, 2013.

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Maps

  • See our Maps page for additional resources.
     

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SK605135 (Lat/Lon: 52.715784, -1.105825), Cossington which are provided by:

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Military History

  • The War Memorial cross was unveiled in 1920 and was recently listed as a Grade II structure on British Heritage.
     
  • David P. HOWARD has a photograph of the War Memorial on Geo-graph, taken in January, 2010.
     
  • J. THOMAS also has a photograph of the War Memorial on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2012.
     
  • Matt FASCIONE also has a photograph of the War Memorial on the green on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2015.
     
  • There are 2 Commonwealth War Gravea in Cossington churchyard: both from World War One.
     
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Military Records

The Commonwealth War Graves (data from www.CWGC.org) are for:

NameRankUnitDiedFamily info.
H. Edmund HICKLINGPrivate10th Btn., Sherwood Foresters.30 April 1919Age 19, son of Jacob Nathan HICKLING and Ellen HICKLING.
Bernard R. WALTONStoker 2nd classRoyal Navy, HMS Victory31 Mar. 1916Son of John and Emily WALTON
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Politics & Government

  • This place was an ancient parish in Leicestershire and became a modern Civil Parish when those were established.
     
  • The parish was in the ancient East Goscote Hundred in the northern division of the county.
     
  • In April, 1935, the parish traded parcels with Syston Civil Parish, giving up 17 acres and gaining 2.
     
  • You can find The Cossington Parish Council information online, but they will not assist with family history questions or lookups.
     
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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Bastardy cases would be heard in the Loughborough petty session hearings each Wednesday.
     
  • As a result of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act, this parish became part of the Barrow-upon-Soar Poor Law Union.
     
  • The Common Land was enclosed here in 1846.
     
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Population

 YearInhabitants
1841310
1861408
1871462
1881403
1891371
1901446
1911388
1921495
1931351
1951419
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Schools

  • A Public Elementary School was built (and opened) in 1873 to hold 60 children. It was enlarged in 1902 to hold 81 children.
     
  • Cossington School has a website at: Cossington School, but only the briefest of histories is provided. Note: This is a new website for the school.
     
  • Near to Cossington is Ratcliffe College.