Braunstone Town
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Braunstone is a civil parish and is the largest parish within the district of Blaby in Leicestershire, now known as the Town of Braunstone or more commonly, Braunstone Town. At 2007 the population is around 15,000. There are around 7,500 households which includes Thorpe Astley.
Braunstone is mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086. The village remained a small settlement (population 238 in 1921) until 1925 when the Leicester Corporation compulsorily purchased the bulk of the Winstanly Braunstone Hall estate.
It is just outside the city boundary of Leicester, and the part of the old civil parish now inside the city boundary is also called Braunstone. This part of the parish, which contains a large council estate was detached in 1935 from the Blaby district and Braunstone Parish to become part of the county borough of Leicester, hence the present split. The use of the name Braunstone Town is more recent, and is an attempt by Braunstone Town Council to distinguish their village from the modern council estate of the same name.
Braunstone Town is adjacent to the M1 Motorway (Junction 21) and is adjoined by the Meridian Business and Leisure Parks, and the Fosse Park and Grove Triangle retail outlets.
Further details about the Town can be found by visiting Braunstone Town Council's website at *Braunstone Town Council
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[edit] Other Useful External links
[edit] History of Braunstone Town
The earliest dated human find recorded is a Bronze Age axe (about 1,000bc) found in 1893.
Next the building of the Roman road from Leicester, through the site of the Narborough Road South to the High Cross near Sharnford. It is also evident that the Vikings of the early or later period had settlements in or near Braunstone, hence the names of Viking origins – Lubbesthorpe, Countesthorpe, Enderby, Elmesthorpe, Cosby Kilby, Kirby etc.Throughout the above period Braunstone was covered with forest as were most county areas surrounding – in what was known as Leicester Forest. But like most forests these were composed of a series of large woods containing small early settlements or hamlets inter-connected by rough trackways – from which most of our public field paths owe their origin.
Braunstone is mentioned in the Domesday Book (1086) where it is referred to as BRANTESTONE or BRANSTUN.
"Braunstone – six plough lands, all but for oxgangs, in Braunstone which is the reign of The Confessor had been valued at twenty shillings, were worth sixty shillings at the general survey and were then held by the son of Robert Burdet. The land was equal to four ploughs, one was in Demesne, and four Bondmen; and two socmen and five villains, with one border, had two ploughs. There was a wood five furlongs long and three broad, and there were five acres of meadow.
Two socment abiding in Braunstone had five oxgangs of land in Lubbesthorpe; and jointly with ten villains and six borders in that lordship had two ploughs and five ploughing oxen.
The above lands were held by Robert Burdet under Hugo de Grantemesnil one of William I’s most powerful barons. Notes: A ploughland or carvcate = about 80 to 120 acres of land. Socmen = Scandinavians Villan = Peasant or serf.
NOTE: A copy of the Domesday Book is displayed at the Civic Centre.
The first Lord of the Manor was Hugh de Grantemesnil, one of William I barons. At this time the village consisted of 8 households and was worth about 60 shilings (£3!).
The Harcourt or Horecut family held the overriding interest in the estate from the 13th to the 16th Century. A survey taken in 1299 showed a growth to 24 households in the village.
The fourteenth Century saw several outbreaks of the Black Death in the area. Its effect on Braunstone is not recorded, but nearby Glenfield was seriously affected. At this time the Leicester Forest extended into Braunstone as far as Bendbow Spinney.
Several portions of Braunstone were sold off in the late 16th Century. 150 acres of arable land were sold to the Manners family in 1579 and a further 100 acres went to the Bennett family ten years later. 240 acres of land were converted to pasture in 1956 by the Hastings family who owned the estate at that time.
Woodlands were gradually converted to pastures, mainly for sheep - being then the more profitable husbandry. Also woodland timber was cut down during civil wars or as fines for supporting the wrong side.
Leicester Forest was fully enclosed in 1628. Villages of Braunstone were compensated for the loss of Forestry Rights.
Braunstone in 1888 -Image produced from the www.old-maps.co.uk service with permission of Landmark Information Group Ltd. and Ordnance Survey)
The first manorial house was sited near to St. Peters Church and would have been built of the same type of stone as the church. Around 1480 the second manor house known in deeds as "the Mansion" was sited at the corner of Braunstone Lane and Braunstone Avenue this property had stone walled cellars and ground floor, and two upper and overhanging storeys of oak frame infilled with either wattle and daub or brickwork and a swithland slate roof. Some rooms were panelled. This building was demolished in February 1776 when the Winstanleys built in 1775 – 1776 the Braunstone House, now called Braunstone Hall.
James Winstanley purchased the estate from the Hastings family in 1650. He paid £6,000. The Winstanleys were Lords of the Manor of Braunstone for nearly 300 years and were responsible for bulding most of the structures which can be seen n Braunstone Park today.
The 18th Century was a period of prosperity for Braunstone. The largest estate of the time was owned by one Abraham Compton and comprised 68 ewes, 25 lambs, 14 cows, 6 heifers, 4 calvs and 6 pigs.
In 1750 James Winstanley III tried to sink a pit on the manor. His attempts were thwarted when his bore whole was filled with stones by intruders, thought to be from local mining districts.
Braunstone Hall was built by James Oldham, who was later to become Mayor of Leicester. There is a rainwater head dated 1776. During the building work, a stonemason and a labourer fell to their deaths from the attic storey. This may have given risen to the stories of the Hall being huanted. The garden part was used to grown fruit trees and contained several hot houses. It is now the walled Garden. There was also a small home farm which provided food for the hall. After the Winstanleys left the hall in 1926 it was convered for use as a school.
During the last war, Braunstone Park was put to agricultural use. Wheat, Barley, and potatoes were grown and sheep allowed to graze. What is now the Memorial Gardens was used as a military camp, occupied first by the British Army and later by the American 82nd Airborne troups. After the war, due to the severe housing shortage, people were allowed to occupy the camp until they found homes of their own.
Braunstone remained a picturesque little village with various tenanted farmsteads in 1925 the Leicester Corporation compulsorily purchased the bulk of the Winstanley Braunstone Hall estate for £116,500.
In 1935 the part of Braunstone on the city side of Braunstone Lane became the North Braunstone Ward of the City of Leicester, and the parish of Braunstone in compensation had part of Lubbesthorpe added to its boundary.
Braunstone’s population rose from 238 in 1921 to 6,997 in 1931.
[edit] Local Government - The Development of the Parish
From the various forms of medieval village government developed the "parish vestry", a group of villagers, usually the larger ratepayers, who met about monthly in the church vestry or elsewhere, usually with the vicar presiding. They were not established by any Act of Parliament and there were no rules governing their operation. Their prime functions were to set the parish rate, to disburse it to relieve poverty, to help the sick, old and homeless, and to oversee all aspects of village life. BRAUNSTONE: Poor rate list 1812* 2nd rate at 6d. in the pound for Poor Rate 10 September 1812.
Wm. Tilley, Overseer Saml. Wilkinson, Church Warden.
To carry out their functions they appointed unpaid officials including church wardens, highway surveyors and constables. Not until the 1819 Poor Relief Act were they empowered to have paid officials and then only the "assistant overseer" whose job was to assess and collect the poor rate.
The period which led up to the 1819 Act marked the beginning of the end of this traditional approach. The social and economic changes of the Industrial Revolution were leading to increased unemployment and putting greater pressure on the poor rate. Ratepayers resented large increases in their rates to pay for local poor relief. The Royal Commission on the Poor Law reported in 1834, leading to the Poor Law Act of 1834, and the creation of the Poor Law Guardians. During the middle years of the nineteenth century further adhoc "local authorities" were established, including library commissioners, burial boards, highway boards, school boards and local boards of health. All these removed functions from parish vestries.
The anti-centralisation backlash, stressing the ancient concept of parish self government, helped from the thinking behind the Local Government (England and Wales) Bill which was published in 1893 and which had a long, stormy and highly controversial passage through Parliament. When it was finally passed in 1894, the Act called into existence "parish councils" for all parishes (defined in terms of their ability to set a poor rate) in rural districts where the population of the parish was 300 or more in 1891. Smaller parishes were to have parish meetings which could ask (if their population was less than 100) or require (if their population was 100-300) the county council to establish a parish council for their parish.
This served to emphasise the democratic functions of parish authorities, as well as their more traditional role in the administration of local services. The first parish council elections were controversial, with a high turn-out of both candidates and electors. Parish councils had significant powers and, in the early days at least, many used them to make wide-ranging improvements to village life.
Braunstone Parish Council
A parish Council was established in Braunstone Town in 1927. Copies of the Minutes can be inspected by prior arrangement with the Executive Officer & Town Clerk. 1927. Exracts of the first Parish Council Meeting are reproduced below:- The first meeting of the newly elected Parish Council of Braunstone Was held in the church school on the 22nd day of August, 1927 Present Messrs B Brandeth, D. Davies, D Gamble, R Caris and H Porter
The newly elected Councillors took the declaration of acceptance of office. Chairman On the proposition of Mr Davies seconded by Mr Porter it was resolved that Mr. D Gamble be appointed Chairman.
Clerk It was also resolved on the proposition of Mr Gamble seconded by Mr Brandeth that Mr Berry be appointed Clerk to the Council at a salary of £10 per annum
Braunstone Parish Council Notable Events
- 1927 arrangements for Fire Service
Fire Brigade Services After consideration of the letter from the Leicester Corporation relative to the terms on which the Leicester Fire Brigade would attend fires in the parish it was proposed by Mr Brandeth seconded by Mr Davis and resolved that an agreement be entered into with the Leicester Corporation for the services of the other Brigade on the following terms:- 1. A payment of 2% per annum on the Rateable value of the parish 2. In case of a fire for use of the following:- Motor fire brigade £6.6.0 for the first two hours or any portion thereof and £2.2.0 per hour afterwards Steam Fire Engine £3.3.0 for first hour and £1.1.0 per hour afterwards Officer in Charge £3.3.0 Fireman 3 each first hour, 1/6 per hour afterwards
- 1928 Parish Constables Appointed
Parish Constables A notice was received signed by two justices asking for a list of six men able and qualified to serve as constables. It was resolved that the following be included in the list:- George Ward Braunstone Contractor George William Neal " Retired Police Sergeant James Cooper " Labourer Thomas Brown " " Francis John Malin " Carpenter "Richard Sanders" Narborough Road Confectioner
- 1932 Street Lighting
Street Lighting The Clerk produced estimates for the street lighting in the Parish other than the Corporation Estate as follows, namely:- Leicester Corporation Gas Department - £3.17.6 per lamp Leicester Corporation Electricity Department - £4 " The Clerks estimate for 100 lamps in the Parish, exclusive of the Corporation Estate, and the cost of the Corporation Estate Lighting , was £900. For the Narborough Road area and the Corporation Estate only (75 lamps), the estimate was £800. On the proposition of Mr Davies seconded by Mrs Moss it was resolved to recommend to the Parish Meeting a defined area.
It was proposed by Mr Sanders and seconded by Mr Brown but not carried that the whole parish be recommended as the lighting area.
As an amendment it was proposed by Mr Watson seconded by Mr Jones and resolved the Council seconded that the lighting area include the Corporation Estate, the Narborough Road area, and the Village up to and including to house of Mr G. W. Neal at the Western end of the Village.
- 1938 World War 2
A.R.P. The Chairman spoke in glowing terms of the efficient manner in which the work of the assembling and distributing the gas masks had been carried out the large band of volunteers, and it was proposed by Mr Bull seconded by Mr Glasby and resolved:- That a letter be sent to the Council's representatives in the two Area requesting them to convey to their Committees, the Council's thanks and appreciation of the work that was done. The Chairman expressed regret at the small attendance of members at the recent Council Meetings, and the Clerk was instructed to stress this point when sending out Notices for the next Meeting.
- 1946 JONES & SHIPMAN FACTORY ESTABLISHED
- 1946 HOLMFIELD PARK PURCHASED FOR £3,750
- 1948 ST CRISPINS CHURCH STARTED
- 1952 SHAKESPEARE PARK ACQUIRED (DONATED BY EVERARDS BREWERY)
- 1964 NEW LIBRARY WELCOMBE AVENUE
A notification was received from the County Librarian of the opening of a new library in Welcombe Avenue and the closing of the library at the Ravenhurst Road School. The letter asked for the approval of the Council on the suggested hours of opening which covered three mornings and five afternoons and these were approved
- 1975 CIVIC CENTRE OPENED
- 1976 BRAUNSTONE COAT OF ARMS GRANTED
- 1977 BRAUNSTONE PARISH COUNCIL BECOMES BRAUNSTONE TOWN COUNCIL
- 1978 FIRST TOWN MAYOR
- 1978 MOSSDALE MEADOWS PURCHASED FOR £20,250
- 1978 'BRAUNSTONE LIFE' COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER (ISSUE 1 PUBLISHED)
- 1972 FRANKLIN PARK PURCHASED
- 1994 THORPE ASTLEY DEVELOPMENT GETS PLANNING CONSENT
- 1999 CIVIC CENTRE EXTENDED, JOINT SERVICE SHOP RENT/RATES COLLECTION OFFICE & HOUSING OFFICE ESTABLISHED
- 1999 COUNCIL GRANTED ACCESS AT FRANKLIN PARK TO FACILITATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING SCHEME
- 2000 WATERCOURSE LANDSCAPE AREA – THORPE ASTLEY ADOPTED
- 2001 MERRILEYS PARK – WOODLAND PLANTING SCHEME ESTABLISHED
- 2003 JONES & SHIPMAN SITE - PLANNING CONSENT GRANTED FOR DEMOLITION OF FACTORY AND ERECTION OF 147 HOUSES/APARTMENTS
There are currently plans in development to replace the Welcombe Ave library with a new one located next to the Civic Centre with new car parks, disables access and a much more modern, brighter and relevant library building.
[edit] History of Thorpe Astley
The new Thorpe Astley residential development falls within the boundaries of Braunstone Town. The Development’s name derives from the Astley family, who were landowners in the area between 1934 and 1404. Many of the road names have been taken from historical people, documents and field names.
Planning consent was granted for this development by Blaby District Council in 1994.
Thorpe Astley Community Centre Town Councillors are continuing to work with the Thorpe Astley Partnership and help provide this much needed Community Centre.
At a meeting with Braunstone Town Councillors on 9th October 2005, representatives from the Consortium of House Builders confirmed their offer to transfer a half acre site, for a community centre, to Braunstone Town Council, without charge.
The Town Council hoped that the new community centre would become an important focal point for the new development and provide a wide range of facilities that would compliment the existing services available throughout Braunstone Town.
The views of the new Thorpe Astley residents needed to be fully considered so as to ensure that any future building would be used to its full potential. With this in mind, a comprehensive Community Appraisal was undertaken in December 1999 by Braunstone Town Council with the help of a group of local residents. Over 500 residents of all ages completed the questionnaire and the following needs were identified:-
1. Doctors Surgery / Health Centre (93%) 2. Library (52.1%) 3. Playgroup (38.9%) 4. Indoor Sports / Badminton, etc (51%) 5. Place of Worship (11.5%) 6. Meeting/Function Room (30.3%) 7. Facilities for evening classes (40%) 8. Other (10.9%)
The following sporting needs were identified:-
1. Football Pitch (76%) 2. Rugby Pitch (29.9%) 3. Cricket Pitch (32.1%) 4. Tennis Court (66.9%) 5. Basketball (32.8%) 6. Other (13%)
In August 2005, Blaby District Council granted planning consent for an additional 165 dwellings. An agreement 3 Developers and the District Council made provision for the £1.5m worth of local facilities listed below:-
Land for the construction of a community centre and primary healthcare facility / doctors surgery £750,000 to cover the capital costs of constructing and equipping the community centre A financial contribution towards the cost of the medical facilities based on the number of residential units An education contribution to allow expansion of local secondary schools based on the number of residential units The provision of approximately 7.1 hectares of formal public open space, to include specific equipped facilities such as football pitches and tennis courts Payment to fund the maintenance of these open spaces for the next 20 years.
