Resources for research into Coleorton history, heritage and families

Heritage Group articles

See various articles from Coleorton Heritage Group >> some of which have been published in St Mary's monthly magazine and Community Voice.

Coleorton history links

Census Records

We have transcribed Census records for 1841-1901 here >> but not for areas that were previously in Thringstone (Peggs Green, parts of Rotten Row) and The Woolrooms is in Worthington Parish. Our team are currently working on these, the 1911 census and the 1939 Register.

Cemetery Audits

Coleorton folk are buried at St Mary's Church (up to around 1860, only a few after that), St John's Chapel (from 1857), St George's and at the Methodist Chapel at Griffydam. See Cemeteries page for lists of burials and memorials >>

Books

"Memories of Coleorton" Book

Memories of Coleorton book Coleorton Heritage Group has published an updated edition of the book "Memories of Coleorton - Reminiscences of the Residents" first published in November 2015. Local residents relate their memories of childhood and growing up in Coleorton. The book is hardback with colour and black-and white photos.

Books are available to purchase for £15 plus postage - call Mike Cox on 01530 813743 or email enquiries@coleortonheritage.org.uk

Samuel T Stewart
Coleorton-born Trevor from the extensive local Stewart family has written several books about Coleorton & surrounding areas. Most are available as free-of-charge pdf downloads from his website >>

Beaumont - Crusaders and Campaigners by Lucy La Zouche
Traces the 4 distinct family lines of the Beaumonts from their French origins, which ineveitably intertwined, to todays families. She describes the family members, their activities, marriages and the titles bestowed upon them for service to the monarch.
Available from Amazon £12.49 plus postage as appropriate: Beaumont - Crusaders and Campaigners >>

Families

Our growing families section has information and stories about many local families. Families >>

We welcome additional information and contributons - email: enquiries@coleortonheritage.org.uk or phone Terry Ward on 01530 835701.

Local History Groups

Maps & Boundaries

Coleorton Parish Boundary

The parish boundaries of Coleorton, Thringstone, Worthington, Swannington and Staunton Harold have all been a reflection of manorial systems which existed in the area some hundreds of years ago. Some of these manorial parishes had been established before they possessed their own parish church, although this is not the case for Coleorton. Within these manorial parishes the church was where individuals within the parish would be baptised, married or buried and where they paid tithes and other taxes. These ecclesiastical parishes have developed into the administrative parishes that exist today, with only minor changes being brought about through parliamentary acts.

Coleorton parish is almost certainly defined by the land owned by the Beaumont family, who in 1842 actually owned 97% of the parish. With the development of nonconformist churches in the early 19th century the Beaumont family were able to prevent any of these churches being built in the parish as they owned all of the available land. As a result of this both the Coleorton Methodist church and Baptist chapels were built on land which, at the time, was just outside the parish boundaries.

Pre 1866 (The Poor Law Amendment Act) the ecclesiastical parishes were responsible for local taxes, looking after their own poor, maintaining roads (such as they were) and dealing out justice where required. From 1866 onwards all areas that levied their own rates were re-defined as "civil parishes" and a dual system existed with both ecclesiastical and civil parishes existing for the same or similar areas.

St Mary's Church, which was dedicated in 1179, has been the parish church of Coleorton for many hundreds of years and the majority of today's parish is a reflection of the ecclesiastical parish administered by St Mary's Church.

The Coleorton parish (civil parish) boundary has only been changed twice since parish, or manorial boundaries were established hundreds of years ago. According to C T Smith's "Populations of Leicestershire" these changes were in 1884 and 1936, and both were apparently brought about as part of central government changes.

In 1884 the area which was known as "Rotten Row", a hamlet of Thringstone parish, was transferred to Coleorton Parish. This area included what we now know as part of Lower Moor Road, some of Stoney Lane and also the cottages (now demolished) between the old Ashby Road and the new A512. This resulted in approximately 194 individuals being transferred into Coleorton Parish.

In 1936 there were numerous boundary changes when Coalville Urban District Council expanded. This resulted in a number of changes between Coleorton, Swannington, Thringstone and a very small part of Worthington.

The major change was the transfer of what we now call Peggs Green, from Thringstone to Coleorton Parish, resulting in about 377 individuals being transferred. This was as a result of the dissolution of the parish of Thringstone, most of which is now part of Coalville.

The King's Arms was a Swannington public house when in 1936 the boundary between Coleorton and Swannington was moved to the east. A net 46 individuals and the Kings Arms were transferred from Swannington to Coleorton Parish with the houses on both sides of The Moorlands now in Coleorton Parish.

There was a minor change between Coleorton and Worthington with 22 individuals being transferred to Coleorton Parish.

Ashby Museum

Ashby Museum has a small permanent display about Coleorton. It also holds papers and artefacts relating to Coleorton which are available to view on request.

Chief amongst these is the extensive archives collected by John Crocker. John was employed by the National Coal Board and based at their Area 7 headquarters, at Coleorton Hall. John had a keen interest in a number of topics which revolved around both local history and natural history. During his time at Coleorton Hall, and in the period after his retirement on medical grounds, John and his wife Marcine researched a number of areas related to Coleorton and the surrounding area. His research is characterised by John’s attention to detail and there is invariably information included which others might consider to be ancillary. The main areas of interest over the long period before his death in 2006 were:-

  • The history of coal mining in the area
  • The history of Coleorton and the surrounding villages
  • The history of Coleorton Hall and the Coleorton Estate
  • The Beaumont family associated to the Coleorton Beaumonts
  • Sir George Beaumont the 7th Bart, his associates and his art

John collected a large number of both original documents and books as well as a vast number of copied original documents. He also gained access to a number of other archives and gathered information from these. His total historical work was donated to the museum and is extensive; requiring a computer search to locate where specific information has been catalogued.

If you wish to view John Crocker's archives contact Ken Hillier at Ashby Museum or Sandra Dillon or Terry Ward from the Heritage Group email: enquiries@coleortonheritage.org.uk

Ashby Museum website >>

Pudding Bag Productions short films

Pudding Bag Productions was founded in 2013 by Wendy Freer and Mary Barkerwho were the founders of the Film Unit at Ashby de la Zouch Museum in 2010. They closed the Film Unit and formed an independent Heritage group in 2013.

They make a variety of short films with a local history / heritage theme often working with schools or other groups. Take a look at

Pudding bag Productions website >>

"Memories of Coleorton" Book

Memories of Coleorton book

Coleorton Heritage Group has published an updated edition of the book "Memories of Coleorton - Reminiscences of the Residents" first published in November 2015. Local residents relate their memories of childhood and growing up in Coleorton. The book is hardback with colour and black-and white photos.

Cost £15. Enquiries to enquiries@coleortonheritage.org.uk

Coleorton Heritage Group

Tel: 01530 440000 Email: enquiries@coleortonheritage.org.uk

The Group is a member of Leicestershire & Rutland Heritage Forum and the British Association for Local History