Leicestershire Deserted Villages and Lost Places facts for kids

Deserted Villages and Lost Places are fascinating sites in Leicestershire where towns or villages once stood but are now gone. These places might be completely hidden, or sometimes you can still see clues like old foundations or churches. Finding and understanding these lost places helps us learn about the history of how people lived in Leicestershire long ago. Much of what we know about these sites is thanks to the amazing work of William George Hoskins from the University of Leicester.

Finding Lost Villages: How It Started

William George Hoskins was a pioneer in finding these lost places. In 1945, he made his first list of deserted villages for the Leicestershire Archaeological Society. He kept updating this list, and in 1950, he published more about them in his book Essays in Leicestershire History.

Hoskins also wrote about seven important lost sites, including Baggrave and Hamilton. He encouraged others at the university to study these villages. His work helped many people learn about the history hidden beneath the ground in Leicestershire.

How We Find Lost Places Today

Over time, researchers have found even more lost places. They look at old maps, historical documents, and even the names of places. For example, some old place names ending in "-by," "-thorpe," or "-ton" can show where a lost settlement might have been.

Archaeologists also dig up sites to find clues. The University of Leicester often does excavations, like at the Burrough Hill site, which has a very long history. Shows like Time Team have also helped people learn about places like the abandoned Saxon settlement at Knave Hill in Leicestershire.

Lost Places Through Time

Lost places in Leicestershire come from different periods in history.

Iron Age Settlements

The oldest lost places are from the Iron Age. These include ancient hill forts, which were like fortified towns. Burrough Hill is a great example. It was probably a main center for the Corieltauvi tribe, who lived in this area before the Romans arrived. Other hill forts like Beacon Hill were also occupied for a long time.

Roman Times: Ratae Corieltauvorum

Many Roman-British sites were built around 70 AD. The most important was Leicester itself, known then as Ratae Corieltauvorum. It was the capital of the region. Other important Roman sites are known at Goadby Marwood and Medbourne, but their exact names and locations are still a bit of a mystery. Archaeologists are always finding new Roman villas and settlements in the county.

Medieval Villages: The Black Death and Sheep Farming

The Middle Ages saw many villages disappear, especially the Deserted Medieval Villages. Some vanished because of the Black Death in the 14th century, a terrible plague that killed many people.

In other cases, wealthy landowners, like the Abbey of St Mary de Pratis, turned farmland into sheep pastures. This meant fewer people were needed to work the land, so villages like Lowesby and Ingarsby became empty. Their land was then used for large farms called monastic granges.

You can still visit some of these medieval sites today, like Baggrave, Great Stretton, Hamilton, and Knaptoft. You might see old earthworks, lonely churches, or parts of old buildings. Some villages, like Lilinge and Netone, are mentioned in the Domesday Book from 1086, but their exact locations are still being searched for.

Leicester's Lost Areas

Even big cities like Leicester have lost places! When the Middle Angles arrived, the Roman city of Ratae Corieltauvorum was already abandoned. They used its stones for new buildings and eventually named it Legorensium, which became Leicester.

After the Norman Conquest, Leicester had nine parishes (church areas). Four of these, St Clement, St Leonard, St Michael, and St Peter, slowly declined in the 14th century. This left large areas of gardens and grazing land within the city.

Another lost area in Leicester was the Bishop's Fee. This land belonged to the Diocese of Lincoln and was not controlled by the city government until the late 1800s. This special status led to a unique suburb growing there, even outside the city walls.

Recent Changes: 19th and 20th Centuries

More recently, in the mid-20th century, many areas were cleared as part of slum clearance programs. Old, crowded homes, like North's Yard in Loughborough, were demolished to improve living conditions. People often moved to new council homes, like those built at New Parks in Leicester. These new developments sometimes covered up older historical sites.

21st Century Developments

Even today, new buildings and roads continue to cover up old, lost places. For example, modern developments like Meridian Park at Braunstone Town and housing areas at Leicester Forest East have covered what was left of Lubbesthorpe. Shopping centers like Fosse Park have also covered part of Aldeby in Enderby.

Researchers are still looking for more lost places in Leicestershire. Places like Ashby de la Zouch and Bottesford seem to have many hidden sites. As William George Hoskins said sixty years ago, any gaps on maps where paths meet might be worth investigating for clues to Leicestershire's lost past.