Hide

Belvoir

hide
Hide

Description in 1846:
"BELVOIR CASTLE, the splendid seat of the Duke of Rutland, has been mostly rebuilt during the present century, and occupies the crown of a lofty eminence on the south side of the Vale of Belvoir and on the north-eastern verge of the county, adjoining Lincolnshire; 12 miles N.E. of Melton Mowbray; 18 miles E. by S. of Nottingham; 6 miles W.S.W of Grantham, and 28 miles N.E. of Leicester. BELVOIR is an extra-parochial desmesne, partly in the Soke of Grantham, Lincolnshire and comprising 109 inhabitants, and about 170 acres; but the pleasure grounds, woods, and plantations, extend over more than 500 acres in the adjoining parishes. Except the Inn, the houses are detached offices, belonging to the Castle, which is by far the most superb architectural ornament of which Leicestershire can boast."
[WHITE's "History, Gazetteer and Directory of the Leicestershire and the small County of Rutland," 1st Edition 1846]

Hide
topup

Archives & Libraries

The Community Library at Bottesford will prove useful in your research.

The Library at Grantham is also a useful resource.

topup

Cemeteries

Thorpe has a photograph of the Manners Mausoleum near Belvoir Castle on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2014.

topup

Census

  • The parish was in the Denton sub-district of the Grantham (Lincoln) Registration District.
     
  • After the Grantham Registration District was re-organized in 1891, the parish was in the Grantham North sub-district of the Grantham Registration District.
     
  • The 1851 Census for Leicestershire has been indexed by the Leicestershire & Rutland Family History Society. The whole index is available on microfiche. The society has also published it in print.
     
  • The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
     
Census
Year
Piece No.
1841H.O. 107 / 587
1851H.O. 107 / 2102
1871R.G. 10 / 3356
1891R.G. 12 / 2583
topup

Churches

topup

Church History

  • This parish was extra-parochial for ecclesiastical purposes.
     
topup

Church Records

  • There was no church in this parish.
     
topup

Civil Registration

  • Civil Registration began in July, 1837.
     
  • The parish was in the Denton sub-district of the Grantham (Lincolnshire) Registration District.
     
  • After the Grantham Registration District was re-organized in 1891, the parish was in the Grantham North sub-district of the Grantham Registration District.
     
topup

Description & Travel

Belvoir is both an extra-parochial desmesne and a village about 116 miles north of London and lies in the Vale of Belvoir. The town of Grantham is 6 miles to the east, Melton Mobray is 12 miles to the south-west and Newark is 12 miles to the north. The ex-parochial area covers only about 170 acres.

If you are planning a visit:

  • By automobile, the village lies between the A52 and the A607 trunk roads west of Grantham.
     
You can see pictures of Belvoir which are provided by:

topup

Gazetteers

topup

History

John SUTTON has a photograph of Belvoir Castle on Geo-graph, taken in August, 2009.

Stephen McKAY also has a photograph of Belvoir Castle (under restoration) on Geo-graph, taken in August 1988.

There was a very destructive fire at Belvoir Castle in 1816.

topup

Maps

  • See our Maps page for additional resources.
     

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SK820337 (Lat/Lon: 52.894504, -0.782557), Belvoir which are provided by:

topup

Military History

In the chapel at Belvoir Castle is a small statue of Victory. It is a memorial to all the men of Belvoir who fought in World War One. 11 men from Belvoir did not return from battle.

topup

Military Records

These are the 11 men who died in World War One (some names may be on other memorials):

  1. Allcroft, George
  2. Coy, Charles
  3. Doubleday, Edward
  4. Gibson, David
  5. Granby, The Marquis Of Granby
  6. Lamb, James
  7. Nixon, Edward
  8. Palmer, Frank
  9. Patience, Frank
  10. Price, John
  11. Tweed, Charles
topup

Names, Geographical

  • The name reportedly means "Beautiful Views".
     
  • Locals often pronounce the name as "Beaver". [Thank you Christine MATTHEWS.]
topup

Politics & Government

  • This place was an ancient extra-parochial area in Leicestershire.
     
  • It became a modern Civil Parish in December, 1858.
     
  • The parish was in the Framland Wapentake (Hundred) in the Melton district of Leicestershire.
     
  • A portion of the ex-parocial area is also within the boundaries of the Grantham Soke.
     
  • In April, 1936, the parish was enlarged by 1,041 acres gained when Harrington Civil Parish was abolished.
     
  • At that same time, the parish was enlarged by 1,221 acres gained when Knipton Civil Parish was abolished.
     
  • In April, 1965, the border with Lincolnshire was adjusted and some land exchanged with Woolsthorpe and Denton Civil Parishes in that county.
     
topup

Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Bastardy cases would be heard in the Belvoir petty session hearings which were held every other Monday at the Peacock Hotel.
     
  • After the Poor Law Amendment Act reforms of 1834, the parish became part of the Grantham Poor Law Union.
     
topup

Population

 YearInhabitants
180180
181196
1841109
1851178
1861171
1881141
1891144