Markfield

The Markfield Community Library in Oakfield Avenue is a branch of the Leicester County Council Library System. It is open 5 days each week (verify by phone if you are visiting). The Library has a section for Local Studies research.

• Markfield Cemetery opened in 1887, covered an area of one acre and performed it's first burial in 1888. It is a quarter mile from the village on Leicester Road.
   
• Markfield Cemetery is managed by the parish council's Burial Board.

• The parish was in the Ibstock sub-district of the Market Bosworth 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.
1841	H.O. 107 / 602
1861	R.G. 9 / 2266 & 2280
1871	R.G. 10 / 3242
1891	R.G. 12 / 2507

• The Anglican parish church is dedicated to Saint Michael and All Angels.
   
• The church construction date remains unreported, but the church has a spire with 3 bells.
   
• The church was enlarged and restored in 1865.
   
• The church seats 327
   .
• Geoff PICK has a photograph of St. Michael's Church on Geo-graph, taken in May, 2003.
   
• Andrew TATLOW has a photograph of the Lychgate dedication plaque on Geo-graph, taken in April, 2015.
   

• The Anglican parish register dates from 1573, but sections are imperfect.
   
• The church is in the rural deanery of Akeley (southern division).
   
• The Wesleyan Methodists and the Primitive Methodists each had a chapel here in 1849.
   
• Richard LAW has a photograph of Trinity Methodist Church in Main Street on Geo-graph, taken in March, 2013.
   
• The Congregationalists had a chapel built here in 1852.
   
• Richard LAW has a photograph of the Congregational Church on Geo-graph, taken in March, 2013.
   
• Richard LAW also has a photograph of the Congregational Church Hall on Geo-graph, taken in March, 2013.
   

• Civil Registration began in July, 1837.
   
• The parish was in the Ibstock sub-district of the Market Bosworth Registration District.
   

Markfield is a large, scattered village and a parish which lie about 118 miles north of London, 10 miles southeast of Ashby-de-la-Zouch and 8 miles northwest of Leicester city. The parish covers about 3,660 acres.

If you are planning a visit:

• Just west of the village is the Hole Hill Quarry Nature Preserve, which is part of the National Forest project.
   
• By automobile, take the A50 arterial road from Leicester toward Coalville. You will pass through Markfield before you reach the M1.
   
• By bus, check the Arriva Bus schedule.
   

• Geograph
• Flickr

• Ask for a calculation of the distance from Markfield to another place.

• Most of the people in the parish were frame-work knitters or farmers.
   
• Much of the land was used for farming.
   
• There were granite quarries here. Most of the stone was true Syenite.
   
• Mat FASCIONE has a photograph of the Queen's Head public house on Ashby Road on Geo-graph, taken in October, 2016.
   
• Mat FASCIONE also has a photograph of the Field Head Hotel on Geo-graph, taken in March, 2009.
   
• Tim GLOVER has a photograph of The Bulls Head just off Forest Road on Geo-graph, taken in August, 2016.
   
• Ian S has a photograph of the Red Lion on Geo-graph, taken in May, 2013.
   
• And Richard LAW has a photograph of the former George Inn on Geo-graph, taken in March, 2013. Looks like it needs YOU to buy it and hold your family reunions there-in.
   

• The webpage author could find no description of a Hall or Manor House.
   

• See our Maps page for additional resources.
   

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SK489102 (Lat/Lon: 52.687291, -1.278019), Markfield which are provided by:

• OpenStreetMap
• Google Maps
• StreetMap (Current Ordnance Survey maps)
• Bing (was Multimap)
• Old Maps Online
• National Library of Scotland (Old Ordnance Survey maps)
• Vision of Britain (Click "Historical units & statistics" for administrative areas.)
• English Jurisdictions in 1851 (Unfortunately the LDS have removed the facility to enable us to specify a starting location, you will need to search yourself on their map.)
• Magic (Geographic information) (Click + on map if it doesn't show)
• GeoHack (Links to on-line maps and location specific services.)

• All places within the same township/parish shown on an Openstreetmap map.
• Nearby townships/parishes shown on an Openstreetmap map.
• Nearby places shown on an Openstreetmap map.

The Markfield Local History Society tells us: "The County Sanatorium and Isolation Hospital (the "Markfield Hospital") on Ratby Lane was opened in September 1932 by Sir George Newman, the Chief Medical Officer to the Ministry of Health. It had 203 beds in six wards" It is likely that the only records archived are administrative and accounting records. Most patient records would be under Closure Law restrictions. The staff numbered about 100, many of whom were locals. The hospital became part of the NHS in 1948. The hospital closed in 1985.

Andrew TATLOW has a photograph of the War Memorial on Geo-graph, taken in April, 2015.

There are six Commonwealth War Graves in Markfield Cemetery, two from World War I and four from World War II.

WW I:

1. Harold William BOTT, sapper, Royal Engineers, age 27, died 15 Nov. 1918. Son of William and Mary BOTT.
2. W. T. TIMSON, priv., 14th Btln. Sherwood Foresters, died 6 Feb. 1917.
    

WW II:

1. Alfred BARNES, priv., Northamptonshire Regt., age 35, died 25 Aug. 1947. Husband of Sarah Winniefred BARNES.
2. Joseph Samuel JACKSON, gunner, 21st Anti-tank Regt., Royal Artillery, age 36, died 26 Oct. 1944. Husband of Maud Alice JACKSON.
3. Cyril Austin MYERSCOUGH, sapper, Royal Engineers, age 35, died 29 Jan. 1942. Husband of Gwenfron MYERSCOUGH.
4. Victor James WAPPLE, aircraftman 2nd., RAF Vol. Rsrv., age 23, died 11 Nov. 1944. Son of Edward and Constance WAPPLES. (Note spelling of last name.)

• This place was an ancient parish in Leicestershire and became a modern Civil Parish when those were established.
   
• The parish is in the ancient Sparkenhoe Hundred in the mid or western division of the county.
   
• In March, 1884, the parish gained the Copt Oak portion of Newtwon Linford Civil Parish.
   
• In March, 1885, the parish was reduced to enlarge Charley Civil Parish.
   
• In April, 1935, the parish was enlarged by gaining 6 acres from Bardon Civil Parish and 1,447 acres from the abolishment of Stanton Under Bardon Civil Parish, but it was reduced by 74 acres transferred to Groby Civil Parish and 15 acres transferred to Ratby Civil Parish. The parish went from 2,303 acres to 3,663 acres.
   
• You may contact the local Parish Council regarding civic or political matters, but they are NOT funded to help you with family history searches.
   
• The Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council provides district governance.
   

• As a result of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act, this parish became part of the Market Bosworth Poorlaw Union.
   
• Bastardy cases would be heard in the Leicester petty session hearings.
   
• In 1875, Elizabeth SMITH left the interest from £100 to be distributed as bread to the poor.
   

Year	Inhabitants
1841	1,203
1871	1,406
1881	1,605
1891	1,439
1901	1,632
1911	1,757
1921	1,899
1931	1,975
1951	2,760
1961	2,455

• A Public Elementary School (National School) and an infants' school were built here in 1862. A new classroom was added in 1908.
   

The Markfield Local History Group is an active and helpful group.