Barwell
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  Map sources for Barwell at grid reference SP444968
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Barwell is a village in Leicestershire, England, known as the Stream of the Boar. Barwell has a population of around 6200. The name Barwell came from a boar that used to drink from the well near the brook in Barwell, soon it was Boarwell, then later in time it became 'Barwell' the common name.
The village has two churches; In Church Lane a 13th century church, called St. Marys Parish Church, Barwell and Barwell Methodist church in Chapel street. The parish church was built in 1220 and has an interesting board at the back of the church listing all of the rectors beginning with William in 1209 up to the present day. The town has successful soccer and cricket teams and also a large popular indoor bowling complex.
The Queens Head is the oldest public house and oldest building in the town, apart of course from St Mary's church which dates back to 1220. In 1902 the pub was owned by a lady named 'Sarah Ann Powers'and later by the Haines family. In recent years, the old pub roof has naturally deformed so it's no longer straight. In the 1980's the front of the building was completely restored and returned to its original style after years of Victorian style black and white.
[edit] History
It was on the lands of Leofric, Earl of Mercia, a rich and powerful magnate who had fought alongside Canute in his wars against Wessex. In old English, wella is the word for stream and bar the name for boar, and so this clearing in the woods was known in the Saxon tongue as Barwelle. In 1043, Earl Leofric and his wife, Godiva, established a Benedictine Abbey at Coventry and gave the Abbot and his twenty-four attendant monks, lands for their upkeep. Barwelle, along with nineteen other villages passed into the domains of the Abbot of Coventry.
Following the Norman Conquest, Barwelle was still held by the Abbey of Coventry. By 1086, there were 14 villagers with a priest, and 3 smallholders with 2 ploughs; a plough being a plot of land that can be cultivated by one team of oxen. There was a meadow 1 furlong by 1 furlong (201 by 201 m) in size and woodland 3 furlongs by 1 league (604 by 5556 m). The value of which was 30 shillings (£1.50).
The manor of Barwell which is described in Domesday Book as “ancient demesne”, was later given to Hugh de Hastings, a steward and favourite of Henry I, and held in fee along with many other local manors from the priory of Coventry for the service of a single knight’s fee.
In 1564 there were 48 families living in Barwell, according to a church census.
John Nichols describes an interesting tale of a wich-elm called “The Spreading Tree” or “Captain Shenton’s tree” (pg. 476). As recounted, Captain Shenton who served in the royalist army returned to his house at Barwell with several other officers after the battle of Worcester. Hearing that the parliamentarians were looking for him he sank his portmandeau and valuables in the moat which surrounded the house, and sought refuge in the tree. Despite being close enough to overhear his enemies discussing the price on his head the bold Captain Shenton escaped capture and kept his estate, passing it on through his daughters. The tree was apparently held sacred for many years by the Powers family for preserving their ancestor.
In June, 1646 the inhabitants of Barwell and surrounding villages made several submissions to the county committee for losses and free quarter from the local parliamentary garrisons. In June, 1646 Mr Gearey from Barwell claimed that Captain Ottaway from the Coventry garrison took a gelding worth five founds and that William Capenkwist and Thomas Bacon, his servants, had taken a mare worth one pound (Exchequer SP 28/161).
After a long and confusing list of owners, the manor of Barwell was purchased in 1660 by a certain John Oneby. Barwell was well known for its market gardeners that traditionally supplied the Leicester market with fresh produce. Nichols provides an interesting illustration of the church and its adjoining parsonage house (p. 477) pulled down in 1746 and rebuilt.
Until recent times, Barwell, together with neighbouring Earl Shilton, was a centre for shoe production in the East Midlands. The area is also known for hosiery, especially in nearby Hinckley.
Barwell was the site of a major meteor impact in the UK. On Christmas Eve 1965, the village was showered with fragments, that when combined, were about the size of a traditional Christmas turkey. Fortunately, no one was hurt, although some minor damage to buildings and property occurred.
Source: John Nichols, Antiquities of Leicestershire , Vol. IV.
