The Little Village Of Whitwick

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  • Author David Fisher
  • Published July 17, 2011
  • Word count 498

Ancient parishes always have something magical that draws people to them; whether it is the historical air that seems to always linger there, or the old and well-preserved buildings that bring a touch of old times into the present, an ancient parish will always be the perfect home for a passionate historian or a person who loves old towns or villages.

Whitwick is such an old parish that has kept a large part of its charm, and continues to maintain it. Once a place has gone through some important past events and has been influenced by a certain era, it is less likely for the place to ever lose its distinguishing air, even though new modern buildings might rise from the ground over the years.

Whitwick is an ancient parish located in Leicestershire, England, and it is a village that played an important role of manor in the Middle Ages. The Domesday Books refers to Whitwick as Witewic, meaning "The White Farm". The 2-shilings worth of land has been given to Hugh de Grandmesnil by the King himself, according to the same Domesday Book.

Even though there used to be a 12th century motte and bailey castle in Whitwick, no remains are left, unfortunately. Still, the mound was known to keep the title of Castle Hill and it is currently surmounted by a folly featuring a castellated roofline.

Ever since 1293, Whitwick featured a four day fair and a weekly market that was held in Whitwick Market Place. The market has ceased to exist in the years following the First World War, due to the competition. As for the annual fair that is being held in the small village, we could say it has known the peak of its popularity back in the 20th century, when wild beast shows and swimming seals were the main attractions.

Among the main current attractions in Whitwick we find the parish church of St. John the Baptist, offering a splendid architecture for admiration and being located in the proximity of a confluence of two streams. You can also visit a lot of other churches in this small village, such as St George's Church, Swannington, St Andrew's Church, Thringstone, St David's Church, Broom Leys, or Christ Church, Coalville.

As for the many working public houses or social clubs that once were in Whitwick, only few of them are still currently present, such as The Man Within Compass on Loughborough Road, The Lady Jane on Hall Lane, The White Horse on North Street or The Kings Arms on Silver Street; the rest of the working public houses that were once a significant part of Whitwick have been either demolished or converted into other buildings and constructions.

Among the most prominent figures of famous people who lived in Whitwick we find Thomas Elsdon Ashford, who used to be the Recipient of the Victoria Cross and Dom Ambrose Southey, and the important Abbot of Mount St. Bernard Abbey and Abbot General of Cistercians of the Strict Observance.

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