Kirkby Mallory

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kirkby Mallory is a small village in Leicestershire, England.

It is known mainly for its Race Circuit, Mallory Park, a one mile track where car and motorbike races take place. Numerous lakes are situated in and around Kirkby Mallory which are popular fishing areas.

Kirkby Mallory's church is All Saints and is located near the entrance to Mallory Park.

Ada Byron, daughter of Lord Byron and colleague of Charles Babbage, father of the computer, lived in the now demolished Kirkby Hall. A tree in the grounds of Mallory Park is reputed to be where Lord Byron wrote some of his most famous work.

Kirkby Mallory

Kirkby was named after the Mallory family who had a certain prominence, one Ankitell Malory, a knight, being governor of the castle and town of Leicester in the time of Henry II.

In 1564 there were 25 families here. In the seventeenth century Kirby manor was a possession of Sir William Neale, baronet, who left it to Sir Thomas Neale. In 1696 his descendant Sir John Neale left an interesting rent roll listing the tenants and their rents and referring to Sir John’s mansion house or hall with attached woods worth 3,000 pounds and “a large park, very well wooded, and stocked with deer”.

According to Nichols, Kirby was enclosed in 1771, the award listing 780 acres and naming Edward Wentworth as lord of the manor. The parish was notable for its fine new Hall, rebuilt by the lord viscount Wentworth

Coordinates: 52°36′N, 1°19′W