Mowsley
Encyclopedia
Mowsley, pronounced "mouseley" (from Muslai - mouse infested field) is a small village
in the south part of Leicestershire
. The modern village has just under 100 dwellings.
, Mowsley had two manors in 1086. This was a chapelry in the ancient ecclesiastical parish of Knaptoft
with the chapel
being built c1250AD. The chapel, which was sensitively restored at the end of the 19th century has a perfect cruciform plan and contains three piscina
, a large carved altar
stone and a font
which has the original bowl.
has about ninety houses most of which are of 19th or 20th century origin. The oldest property is the thatched Millstone House which may have been one of the manor house
s. A restored 17th century timber framed house with mud and wattle and daub
infills exists.
Unusually, the medieval village boundary can be clearly traced. Virtually the whole village sits within this boundary, with the village "footprint" differing little from that of 500 years ago.
The village has a pub and a primary school, but no shops.
. Earthworks in the vicinity of the village represent fishponds and the remains of the Brabazon manor house.
Former England Rugby Union Captain Martin Johnson lives in the village with his family.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in the south part 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...
. The modern village has just under 100 dwellings.
Entries in Domesday
According to the Domesday BookDomesday 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...
, Mowsley had two manors in 1086. This was a chapelry in the ancient ecclesiastical parish of Knaptoft
Knaptoft
Knaptoft is a civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England, with a population of around 50. It is also a deserted village in this parish. Knaptoft just off the A5199 near Husbands Bosworth. Knaptoft House Farm nearby is bed and breakfast accommodation and a stud farm...
with the chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
being built c1250AD. The chapel, which was sensitively restored at the end of the 19th century has a perfect cruciform plan and contains three piscina
Piscina
A piscina is a shallow basin placed near the altar of a church, used for washing the communion vessels. The sacrarium is the drain itself. Anglicans usually refer to the basin, calling it a piscina. Roman Catholics usually refer to the drain, and by extension, the basin, as the sacrarium...
, a large carved altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
stone and a font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
which has the original bowl.
Modern village
The modern villageVillage
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
has about ninety houses most of which are of 19th or 20th century origin. The oldest property is the thatched Millstone House which may have been one of the manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
s. A restored 17th century timber framed house with mud and wattle and daub
Wattle and daub
Wattle and daub is a composite building material used for making walls, in which a woven lattice of wooden strips called wattle is daubed with a sticky material usually made of some combination of wet soil, clay, sand, animal dung and straw...
infills exists.
Unusually, the medieval village boundary can be clearly traced. Virtually the whole village sits within this boundary, with the village "footprint" differing little from that of 500 years ago.
The village has a pub and a primary school, but no shops.
Families of note
The Brabazon family were lords of the manor in the 13th/14th centuries - eventually to become the Earls of MeathEarl of Meath
Earl of Meath is a title in the Peerage of Ireland created in 1627 and held by the head of the Brabazon family. This family descends from Sir Edward Brabazon, who represented County Wicklow in the Irish House of Commons and served as High Sheriff of Staffordshire in 1606. In 1616 he was raised to...
. Earthworks in the vicinity of the village represent fishponds and the remains of the Brabazon manor house.
Former England Rugby Union Captain Martin Johnson lives in the village with his family.