Burbage, Leicestershire
Encyclopedia
Burbage is a civil parish in Leicestershire, England. It is a southern suburb of the town of Hinckley
. According to the United Kingdom Census 2001
the parish had a population of 14,324.
, gave the village of Burbage to Coventry Abbey in 1043. At that time it was valued at two shillings. By the time of the Domesday Book
in 1086, its value had risen to £4. There were 1¼ hide
s of land (around 150 acre (0.607029 km²)) with 2 plough
s. Twenty villagers held two smallholding
s, with two slaves and eight ploughs. Burbage also had a meadow, measuring a furlong
in length and width (about 40,500 square metres). The village also owned woodland half a league by four furlongs (2.2 square kilometres).
In 1564 the diocesan returns show a population of 57 families within Burbage and 6 at Sketchley.
Burbage, for many centuries a small farming community, remained very thinly populated. In the census of 1801 there were 1098 inhabitants. It was not until the twentieth century that the population exceeded 2000.
During the English Civil War
the town's proximity to Hinckley drew it to the attention of raiding parties from the local parliamentary garrisons in north Warwickshire. A list of claims submitted by the constables of Burbage and Sketchley to the Warwickshire county committee, in June, 1646, reveals that Captain Flower’s troop from the Coventry garrison took twenty strikes of provinder valued at £1, sent off to Stoney Stanton, and availed themselves of free quarter worth £18.10. Captain Willington's cornet from the Tamworth
garrison took a mare, saddle and bridle from John Watkin, while Captain Willington's soldiers took a horse worth £5 from Thomas Bodington.(SP28/161)
Burbage was also the birthplace, in 1608, of John Cooke. Cooke went on to become Solicitor-General of the Commonwealth of England and lead the prosecution of King Charles I for High Treason, resulting in Charles' execution and, ultimately, his own.
By 1953, the population had risen to 3,983, and by 1958 there were more than 5,000 on the electoral roll; this rapid growth was largely due to the expansion of Sketchley Hill housing estates.
the population of burbage is 14.803
and is part of Hinckley and Bosworth
borough. It is considered by some to be a commuter
location for large parts of Leicestershire
, Warwickshire
and the West Midlands
. This is probably due to the fact it is less than a mile from the M69
(which links that M6
to the M1
) and the A5. The village has its own small library run by the county council
, two infant schools,the 1st Britannia Scout Group (which includes Beaver Scout, Cub Scout
, Scout
and Explorer Scout sections) on Britannia Fields
, two junior school
s and a secondary school
. There is a farmers market every first Saturday of the month running 9:00 am to 2:30 pm.
Just a mile away from the village is Burbage Common and Woods. This is a country park ran by the borough council. Its history as a grazing area dates back to at least the Domesday Book
of 1086. It is now a 200 acre (0.809372 km²) park popular with, amongst others, birdwatchers, walkers and horseriders. It is free to enter and is open dawn
to dusk
every year with its own dedicated park ranger
. The nearest railway station to the village is Hinckley
which is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from Burbage centre.
A yearly summer street carnival and fete is organised by the Burbage carnival committee, whose purpose is to raise funds to donate to local good causes. This has been a very popular community event and has caused in over 1/2 million pounds for good causes. The carnival committee also runs the Burbage bonfire and fireworks display held on Britannia fields - all to support local charities.
Hinckley
Hinckley is a town in southwest Leicestershire, England. It has a population of 43,246 . It is administered by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council...
. According to the United Kingdom Census 2001
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
the parish had a population of 14,324.
History
Leofric, Earl of MerciaLeofric, Earl of Mercia
Leofric was the Earl of Mercia and founded monasteries at Coventry and Much Wenlock. Leofric is remembered as the husband of Lady Godiva.-Life and political influence:...
, gave the village of Burbage to Coventry Abbey in 1043. At that time it was valued at two shillings. By the time of the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
in 1086, its value had risen to £4. There were 1¼ hide
Hide (unit)
The hide was originally an amount of land sufficient to support a household, but later in Anglo-Saxon England became a unit used in assessing land for liability to "geld", or land tax. The geld would be collected at a stated rate per hide...
s of land (around 150 acre (0.607029 km²)) with 2 plough
Plough
The plough or plow is a tool used in farming for initial cultivation of soil in preparation for sowing seed or planting. It has been a basic instrument for most of recorded history, and represents one of the major advances in agriculture...
s. Twenty villagers held two smallholding
Smallholding
A smallholding is a farm of small size.In third world countries, smallholdings are usually farms supporting a single family with a mixture of cash crops and subsistence farming. As a country becomes more affluent and farming practices become more efficient, smallholdings may persist as a legacy of...
s, with two slaves and eight ploughs. Burbage also had a meadow, measuring a furlong
Furlong
A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and U.S. customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to 220 yards, 660 feet, 40 rods, or 10 chains. The exact value of the furlong varies slightly among English-speaking countries....
in length and width (about 40,500 square metres). The village also owned woodland half a league by four furlongs (2.2 square kilometres).
In 1564 the diocesan returns show a population of 57 families within Burbage and 6 at Sketchley.
Burbage, for many centuries a small farming community, remained very thinly populated. In the census of 1801 there were 1098 inhabitants. It was not until the twentieth century that the population exceeded 2000.
During the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
the town's proximity to Hinckley drew it to the attention of raiding parties from the local parliamentary garrisons in north Warwickshire. A list of claims submitted by the constables of Burbage and Sketchley to the Warwickshire county committee, in June, 1646, reveals that Captain Flower’s troop from the Coventry garrison took twenty strikes of provinder valued at £1, sent off to Stoney Stanton, and availed themselves of free quarter worth £18.10. Captain Willington's cornet from the Tamworth
Tamworth
Tamworth is a town and local government district in Staffordshire, England, located north-east of Birmingham city centre and north-west of London. The town takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through the town, as does the River Anker...
garrison took a mare, saddle and bridle from John Watkin, while Captain Willington's soldiers took a horse worth £5 from Thomas Bodington.(SP28/161)
Burbage was also the birthplace, in 1608, of John Cooke. Cooke went on to become Solicitor-General of the Commonwealth of England and lead the prosecution of King Charles I for High Treason, resulting in Charles' execution and, ultimately, his own.
By 1953, the population had risen to 3,983, and by 1958 there were more than 5,000 on the electoral roll; this rapid growth was largely due to the expansion of Sketchley Hill housing estates.
the population of burbage is 14.803
Burbage Today
Today Burbage is effectively a suburb of the larger urban area of HinckleyHinckley
Hinckley is a town in southwest Leicestershire, England. It has a population of 43,246 . It is administered by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council...
and is part of Hinckley and Bosworth
Hinckley and Bosworth
Hinckley and Bosworth is a local government district with borough status in south-western Leicestershire, England, administered by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council. Its only towns are Hinckley, Earl Shilton and Market Bosworth...
borough. It is considered by some to be a commuter
Commuting
Commuting is regular travel between one's place of residence and place of work or full time study. It sometimes refers to any regular or often repeated traveling between locations when not work related.- History :...
location for large parts of Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
and the West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
. This is probably due to the fact it is less than a mile from the M69
M69 motorway
The M69 is a lightly used dual three lane dual carriageway motorway in Leicestershire and Warwickshire, England connecting Leicester and Coventry. It opened in 1977.-History:...
(which links that M6
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
to the M1
M1 motorway
The M1 is a north–south motorway in England primarily connecting London to Leeds, where it joins the A1 near Aberford. While the M1 is considered to be the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the United Kingdom, the first road to be built to motorway standard in the country was the...
) and the A5. The village has its own small library run by the county council
Leicestershire County Council
Leicestershire County Council is the county council for the English non-metropolitan county of Leicestershire. It was originally formed in 1889 by the Local Government Act 1888. The county is divided into 52 electoral divisions, which return a total of 55 councillors. The council is controlled by...
, two infant schools,the 1st Britannia Scout Group (which includes Beaver Scout, Cub Scout
Cub Scout
A Cub Scout is a member of the section of the worldwide Scouting movement for young persons, mainly boys normally aged about 7 to 11. In some countries they are known by their original name of Wolf Cubs and are often referred to simply as Cubs. The movement is often referred to simply as Cubbing...
, Scout
Boy Scout
A Scout is a boy or a girl, usually 11 to 18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement. Because of the large age and development span, many Scouting associations have split this age group into a junior and a senior section...
and Explorer Scout sections) on Britannia Fields
Britannia Fields
The Britannia Fields are a public open space at in Britannia Road, Burbage, Leicestershire.The Fields land was once part of the ancient three field system which operated in Burbage during Medieval times...
, two junior school
Junior school
A junior school is a type of school which caters for children, often between the ages of 7 and 11.-Australia:In Australia, a junior school is usually a part of a private school that educates children between the ages of 5 and 12....
s and a secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
. There is a farmers market every first Saturday of the month running 9:00 am to 2:30 pm.
Just a mile away from the village is Burbage Common and Woods. This is a country park ran by the borough council. Its history as a grazing area dates back to at least the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086. It is now a 200 acre (0.809372 km²) park popular with, amongst others, birdwatchers, walkers and horseriders. It is free to enter and is open dawn
Dawn
Dawn is the time that marks the beginning of the twilight before sunrise. It is recognized by the presence of weak sunlight, while the sun itself is still below the horizon...
to dusk
Dusk
Dusk is the beginning of darkness in the evening, and occurs after twilight, when the sky generally remains bright and blue. Civil dusk is when the earth has rotated enough that the center of the sun is at 6° below the local horizon...
every year with its own dedicated park ranger
Park ranger
A park ranger or forest ranger is a person entrusted with protecting and preserving parklands – national, state, provincial, or local parks. Different countries use different names for the position. Ranger is the favored term in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Within the United...
. The nearest railway station to the village is Hinckley
Hinckley railway station
Hinckley railway station serves the town of Hinckley in Leicestershire, England. The station is owned by Network Rail and managed by East Midlands Trains Train Operating Company ....
which is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from Burbage centre.
A yearly summer street carnival and fete is organised by the Burbage carnival committee, whose purpose is to raise funds to donate to local good causes. This has been a very popular community event and has caused in over 1/2 million pounds for good causes. The carnival committee also runs the Burbage bonfire and fireworks display held on Britannia fields - all to support local charities.
External links
- The Burbage carnival supports local charities every year
- The annual local charity firework display
- The annual Burbage Community Arts Festival BCAF
- A listing of local events to Burbage
- Burbage Methodist Church - Windsor Street, Burbage
- Burbage Scouting's information
- Collection of videos showing local bands of the area
- Burbage Heritage and History group
- Burbage Parish Council
- Hollycroft Park - The area's premier park for Horticulture, Music, Sport, and Culture
- Some info on Burbage Common from the borough council website
- Official MET office weather forecast for Burbage
- Burbage and Hinckley Explorer Scouts
- Photographs from around Burbage & Hinckley