Moira, Leicestershire facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Moira |
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|---|---|
| Village | |
 Ashby Road in Moira, Leicestershire |
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 Moira
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| OS grid reference | SK315155 |
| Civil parish | |
| District |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Swadlincote |
| Postcode district | DE12 |
| Dialling code | 01283 |
| Police | Leicestershire |
| Fire | Leicestershire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| EU Parliament | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament |
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| Website | Ashby Woulds Town Council |
Moira is a village in England that used to be a mining village. It's located about 2.5 miles (4 km) southwest of Ashby-de-la-Zouch in North West Leicestershire. The village is also about 3 miles (5 km) south of Swadlincote and is near the border with Derbyshire. Its population is part of the civil parish of Ashby Woulds.
For hundreds of years, the area around Moira has been known for mining coal and quarrying rocks like limestone and granite. This mining caused some damage to the environment. Because of this, in the 1990s, Moira was chosen to be part of the National Forest project. This project is funded by the government to plant more trees and create new woodlands. Other villages nearby include Donisthorpe, Overseal, Oakthorpe, and Spring Cottage.
Contents
What's in a Name? The Etymology of Moira
The name 'Moira' comes from an Irish earldom (a type of noble title) called Moira. This title belonged to the Hastings family, who also owned Ashby de la Zouch Castle nearby. Even the old local coal mine, Rawdon Colliery, was named after a Hastings family member.
In 2022, people in Moira found it funny when a road sign accidentally spelled the village name as 'Moria'. This made them think of the fictional place in J.R.R. Tolkien's books, which is part of Middle-earth.
A Look Back: Moira's History
How Railways Came to Moira
The Midland Railway built its train line from Leicester to Burton upon Trent through Moira in 1845. Moira station served the village for many years. However, British Railways closed the station in 1964. The station building is still there today, and the railway line is still used for freight trains.
The Story of Rawdon Colliery
Rawdon Colliery was a coal mine that operated for about 150 years. The coal seams (layers of coal) stretched out about 6 miles (10 km) from the main shaft. Some parts of the mine were even worked twice to get out lower-quality coal. The mine managed to stay open during the big pit closure program in Britain in the mid-1980s, which happened after the miners' strike. However, it eventually ran out of coal that was worth mining. Dangerous gases were rarely a problem in this mine, but coal dust could sometimes catch fire on its own.
Things to Do: Amenities in Moira
Conkers: A Discovery Centre
The National Forest Millennium Discovery Centre, now known as 'Conkers', is located on the site of the old Rawdon Colliery. This large visitor centre covers 120 acres (49 hectares). It uses a special heating and cooling system that works with boreholes (deep holes in the ground).
Nature and Canals
Near Conkers, you can find the Moira Junction Local Nature Reserve. This reserve covers 8.5 acres (3.4 hectares) and used to be railway sidings.
The Moira Furnace is a restored blast furnace from the 19th century. A 1.5-mile (2.4 km) section of the Ashby-de-la-Zouch Canal next to the furnace has also been restored and filled with water. However, boats cannot currently travel from this section to the rest of the canal system because the A42 road was built across its path. The furnace site also has workshops where crafts are made and a small nature reserve.
Places to Stay and Shop
Both the Youth Hostels Association's National Forest youth hostel and the Camping and Caravanning Club's National Forest campsite are in Moira. They both opened in 2008.
There is also a Co-Operative supermarket on Shortheath Road. It received a new front in 2016.
Hicks Lodge Nature Reserve
The Hicks Lodge nature reserve is located about 1 mile (1.6 km) east of the village.
See also
In Spanish: Moira (Leicestershire) para niños
