Queniborough

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Queniborough is a village in the county of Leicestershire, United Kingdom just north of Syston and to the north of Leicester with 972 properties in the village and 1,878 registered electors (2003). It is particularly famous for its Parish church of St Mary's which Pevsner said "It has one of the finest spires in the whole of Leicestershire".

[edit] History

The old part of the village (Main Street) has thatched properties going back 500 years. There is a mixture of 16th - 20th century properties all abutting the Main Street. However, there are very few 20th century properties, the majority being 16th to 19th century.

Queniborough up until the first world war still had a Lord of the Manor living at Queniborough Hall. (Now converted into expensive flats). Up until 1847, there was no school in the village open to ordinary villagers. The only school in the village was in a small building to the rear of number 28 Main Street. However, this was only for the children whose parents worked on the estate of Queniborough Hall. Numbers 22 - 28 Main Street were built between 1790 and 1810 specifically as worker's cottages. Number 28 was lived in by the schoolmaster. This row of cottages are still occupied and the 'Old' village school is still part of number 28 but is now used as a vaulted dining room with a 15 foot high cathedral style ceiling.

In 1847 the 'new school' was built to the side of the Horse and Groom. This school was a 'free school' and was for the use of all villagers - not just the privileged few! The school is now used as a small swimming pool for the primary school which was built in the 1970's to replace the 1847 school.

One rather stunning building in the old village, sporting black painted bow windows on either side of the main door, also sports a plaque by the door to indicate the bulidng as winning an award for, "The best kept village shop 1987". Sadly the building no longer operates as a shop and is now a private house. The external layout of the building does indicate it's past as a typical, and a particularly striking example of mid Victorian shop. In good weather, the owners of the property often leave out a small case of second hand books for sale with the proceeds going to LOROS, Leicestershires Hospice movement.

Overall, main street is rare survivor and a very beautiful example of what many picture to be a typical English village centre, well worth a peruse if in the locality.

[edit] Buildings

There are two Public Houses, the Horse & Groom and the Britannia Inn both situated in the centre of the old part of the village. Next door to the Horse and Groom is the Queniborough Branch of the British Legion which has a bar and hall. There is a quality butcher/delicatessen (Clarke's), and a ladies & gents hairdressers (Karens).

In the 'newer part of the village' Queniborough Road to Syston Road (all 20th century properties) is the Post Office and corner shop open Monday to Saturday 7.30am to 7pm. A little further along the road is M+H News, the village Newsagent who sells many other things including old fashioned-from a jar sweets, tobacco and some food items etc and who also delivers daily and Sunday newspapers.

In the same end of the village is situated the village hall which is well used. Not by Scouts, who use the Scout Hall, but guides, keep fit, badminton, pre-school playgroup and many other activities take place there.

The village has a sports field marked out mainly for football and Queniborough has teams in both the Junior and Senior leagues. There is also the King George playing field which is a secure playground for young children with swings and roundabouts etc.

The recent acquisition for the village is the village tennis court, completed in 2005. This is situated inside the King George playing field off Coppice Lane. Free to villagers, keys from the corner stores. Temporary key deposit required.

Queniborough has become a very popular place to live, hence its well above average house prices when compared with the rest of Leicestershire. It is 15 minutes to Junction 21 of the M1 (South), 20 minutes to Junction 22 of the M1 (North), 20 minutes to the centre of Leicester and 30 minutes to the centre of Nottingham. It also has a village primary School (C of E assisted).

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 52°42′20.50″N, 1°2′54.50″W