Broughton Astley

Saint Mary's Church

Broughton Astley is a large village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. It is situated in the south west of Leicestershire, about 6 miles (10 km) east of Hinckley and about 9 miles (14 km) from the centre of Leicester.

History

The parish of Broughton Astley consists of the villages of Broughton Astley and Sutton in the Elms.

Broughton Astley in turn is made up of two villages, Primethorpe and Broughton, that were previously separate. Until recently there were still signs in the old Primethorpe area that still said "Primethorpe", such as Primethorpe post office, still trading with that name decades after the two villages merged.[1] Sutton in the Elms, although part of the parish, is separated from Broughton Astley by the B581 Broughton Way bypass, and consequently retains its own separate identity.

Residents

In 1086, the combined area had under 200 inhabitants. The exact number is not known but it is probably closer to 130 than to 200. By 1800 there were about 450 people and by 1900 about 1,200. The rapid expansion after 1800 follows the development of industry, mainly machine knitting on hand-operated frames. The population census report of 1991 shows 6,487 residents. Its population is growing rapidly as a result of housing development, reaching around 10,000 at present.

Education

Broughton Astley has three Primary Schools spread around the village. One is Orchard Primary School which is situatated in the old "Primethorpe" area. The second is Old Mill Primary School which is the link of the village. The last is Hallbrook Primary School which is a new school not more than 20 years old in the New "Hall Farm" part of the village.

Broughton is also home to Thomas Estley Community College. It hosts a wide range of night school classes and sporting activities.[2] The community college is named after the man who first suggested combining Broughton and Primethorpe in the 18th century.

Churches

The church of St Mary the Virgin is the parish church, the earliest documented reference being in 1220, when it was recorded that William de Estley was rector.[3]

Sutton in the Elms Baptist church was founded around 1650, making it the oldest Baptist church in the county.[4]

Employment

For more than a thousand years the area was agricultural. Then came the knitting/hosiery industry, after about 1750. Later still there was some brickmaking, tailoring and shoemaking. There is now a small estate for light industry, small manufacturing businesses.

The majority of employment is now found outside the village, for example, in the Coventry, Hinckley and Leicester town areas.[5]

Other

Local residents

Local magazines

References

  1. ↑ Picture of Primethorpe Post Office ~ 1996
  2. ↑ Thomas Estley Community College: Extended Services
  3. ↑ St Mary's church history page
  4. ↑ Sutton Elms Baptist church history page
  5. ↑ Broughton Astley Online, history section
  6. ↑ People.co.uk article, October 2007
  7. ↑ Broughton Astley Parish Council website
  8. ↑ Griffindale Printers website

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Broughton Astley.

Coordinates: 52°31′40″N 1°13′39″W / 52.52778°N 1.22750°W