Ibstock

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ibstock is a village and civil parish in North West Leicestershire, England, with a population of around 5,000. It is on the A447, and nearby places are Heather, Ellistown, Ravenstone and Donington le Heath. The name Ibstock is a derivative of `Ibestoche` meaning simply a dairy farm.

It is an ex-coal mining community, and was recorded in the Domesday Book as a hamlet. Domesday Book records six ploughlands here in 1086. The parish along with a grange belonging to the abbot of Garendon, has a long early association with the Burtons of Burton on Dunsmore in Warwickshire. In the early seventeenth century the manor of Ibstock was owned by Sir William Stafford of Blatherwick in Northamptonshire. Ibstock Church is dedicated to St Denys. The famous William Laud, later archbishop of Canterbury, supporter of the divine right of kings and author of the Laudian Reforms (later executed), had the living here from 1617-1626.

In 1642, at the start of the English Civil War, John Lufton then rector of Ibstock was accused in the House of Commons of interrupting the execution of the militia ordinance. His living was sequested by the County Committee in August, 1646. Ralph Josselin, the famous clerical diarist and incumbent of an Essex parish briefly stayed in Ibstock during the Civil War. On 17th September, 1645 he marched from Leicester with the parliamentary army and quartered at Ibstock, noting that it had been "Laud's living, and now Dr Lovedyn a great Cavailier" and that although his diet was "very good" his lodgings were "indifferent". Josselin was alarmed to discover on his return the next day that a man had been slain just outside his lodgings near where he had stood closely a while before "not knowing of the pardue in the ditch". (Diary, p. 46)

The township was enclosed in 1774 and in 1792 a free school for fifty poor children of the parish was set up. The parliamentary census of 1801 gives a total population of 763, comprised of 152 families, two thirds engaged in agriculture, the rest in trade and manufacturing. By 1811 the population had increased to 836.

Nowadays, Ibstock is a thriving community. As well as the hugely academically successful Ibstock Community College for 11-14 year-old students, there is also the world-renowned Ibstock Brick company.

There are many public houses of note in Ibstock. However, there is really only one where you can seriously expect to find Robert Mears; the much publicised and rightful heir to JD's crown of village dropout, and that is The Whimsey. In the event of an encounter with Robert, the tourist can expect to be regaled by his various money making schemes and gaze in awe at his one armed press up and arm wrestling prowess. Naturally all of this comes at a price. Be prepared to buy him several pints of lager (with extra lime) for the privilege.