Bleasby

The Library at Newark-on-Trent will prove useful in your research.

Alternatively, the Library at Southwell is a good place to find local information.

An extensive churchyard surrounds the church. Many of the grave markers can no longer be read, but those of slate and granite bear evidence to the antiquity of the burials, as does a record of the names and dates made about 25 years ago. The churchyard is still in use.

Alan MURRAY-RUSt has a photograph of some Gravestones at Bleasby on Geo-graph, taken in October, 2009.

• The parish was in the Southwell sub-district of the Southwell Registration District.
   
• The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
   

• The Anglican parish church is dedicated to Saint Mary the Virgin.
   
• The church was built on Main Street apparently before 1220.
   
• In 1816 the nave was completely re-roofed, and a porch was added on the south wall.
   
• The church transept was added in 1845.
   
• The church was enlarged and repainted in 1845 and 1852.
   
• The church chancel was restored in 1869.
   
• The church seats 220.
   
• You can view a portion of the church tower at Geo-graph, taken in September, 2005.
   
• Richard CROFT has a photograph of St. Mary's Church on Geo-graph, taken in October, 2007.
   
• In 1912, it was reported that there had been only three baptism and 6 confirmations over the previous twelve months.
   

• The Anglican parish register dates from 1563. Nottingham Archives holds the registers from 1575.
   
• The church was in the deanery of Southwell.
   
• You can scan the 1633 Parish Register transcripts online.
   
• We also have a partial Parish Register Extract created from postings to the NOTTS-GEN mailing list.
   
• The Primitive Methodists built a chapel here in 1879. It is now a private residence.
   

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

Bleasby is both a parish and a village on the north bank of the River Trent. The parish lies 141 miles north of London, 8 miles south-west of Newark, 1 mile north-east of Thurgarton and 4 miles south of Southwell. The parish covers 1,550 acres and includes the hamlets of Goverton  (a half mile north-west) and Gibsmere (a half mile south-east).

The River Trent used to be divided in two near the village and the island created was called "The Knabs". The river has since been re-aligned and the low-lying lands used for reservoirs. If you are planning a visit:

• By automobile, take the A612 trunk road south out of Southwell for about 3 miles. At Thurgarton, turn left (east) in the village and follow the county road that leads to Bleasby.
   
• Bleasby has an active railway station, and passenger service is provided by National Rail.
   
• Andy JAMIESON has a photograph of the Village Sign on Geo-graph, taken in October, 2008. Perhaps your artistic talent can design a more enticing sign for the village.
   
• Graham HOGG has a photograph of the entrance to Paradise on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2016. Turns out that it is just east of the village.
   

• Geograph
• Flickr

• We have an extract from White's 1853 Directory relating to this parish.
   

Please read the extract from Wilson's 1871 Gazetteer relating to this parish.

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

In 956 A.D King EADWIG gave land in Bleasby, along with several other nearby villages, to Oscytel, Archbishop of York to help establish a Minster at nearby Southwell.

The Plague struck in 1604, causing 104 deaths.

Graham HOGG has a photograph of the Waggon and Horses on Gypsy Lane on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2016.

In 1912, Captain M. L. KELHAM, Royal Navy (HMS Iron Duke), was Lord of the Manor here.

• Bleasby Hall was built in the 16th century.
   
• In 1853 Bleasby Hall was, the residence and property of Robert Kelham KELHAM Esq.
   
• By 1881, the Hall was occupied Mr. Robert KELHAM, Esq. J.P.

• See our Maps page for additional resources.
   

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SK717495 (Lat/Lon: 53.037979, -0.932137), Bleasby 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.

• During World War One, the Soldiers’ Comforts Fund paid for a concert held at the Waggon and Horses Pavilion in April, 1915. H. B. TRUMAN (the name is likely TRUEMAN) made the arrangements.
   
• The War Memorial is located just inside the churchyard on the right hand side of the path leading from the Main Street to the South entrance of the church. Being only a few yards from the lychgate makes it the immediate focus of all who enter the site. It is cut from granite in the form of a Celtic cross rising from a four-sided tapered plinth of the same material.
   
• Richard CROFT has a photograph of the War Memorial outside the church on Geo-graph, taken in October, 2007.
   
• Mat FASCIONE also has a photograph of the War Memorial outside the church on Geo-graph, taken in March, 2016.

In 1943 two Lancaster bombers collided over Nottinghamshire. The BLEASBY Lancaster Memorial is a sculpture set within a fenced garden close to St Mary's churchyard. It was dedicated 2 September 2018. It is an inclined circular black granite stone topped by a grey granite propeller. Around this are inscribed some of the names of those commemorated. Behind this is black granite replica of a Lancaster tailfin with dedication and names inscribed on the end plates. At the back of the memorial are 5 flags. Of the 40 names on the monument, all 40 died in combat.

Adrian S. PYE has a photograph of the Lancaster War Memorial on Geo-graph, taken in March, 2020.

The Southwell and Nottinghamshire Church History Project has a transcription of each plaque.

There are the 9 names listed on the St. Mary's Church War Memorial:

1. 2nd lieut. Leonard Edward GILL, 7th Sherwood Foresters
2. Sergt. Charles Enos COX, 1/8th Sherwood Foresters
3. Cpl. Jack Leslie JAMES, 2nd Grenadier Guards
4. Pte. George Wm. ANDREW, 2nd Sherwood Foresters
5. Pte. Harold OLIVER, 2/7th Sherwood Foresters
6. Pte. Henry PALMBY, 22nd Durham L. I.
7. Pte. Thomas Henry SHEPPERD, Lincs. Regt.
8. Pte. William Henry Brett WALES, 7th Bn Royal Fusiliers
9. Sapper Frederick MARSH, Royal Engineers
10. Sapper Herbert MILLS, Royal Engineers

For World War 2:

1. Major R. V. MORRIS, Sherwood Foresters
2. Stf. srgt. Roy HALL, Royal Artillery

Details on these individuals can be found at the Nottingham War Memorials web site.

The Newark Great War Bulletin ('Our Nottinghamshire' site) of October 25thx, 1915, page 2, reports that 23-year-old Sergt. Charles COX was killed in the assault on the Hohenzollern Redoubt in Loss, Belgium. It notes that his wife, Florence, lives in Bleasby.

• The Saxon charter of 956AD records the name as Blisetune, named after a Scandanavian warrior named "Blesi".

• This place was an ancient parish in Nottinghamshire and became a modern Civil Parish when those were established.
   
• The parish was in the southern division of the county.
   
• The parish was in the Southwell and Scrooby Liberty between 1836 and 1837.
   
• You may contact the Bleasby Parish Council regarding civic or political issues, but they can NOT assist you with family history searches.
   
• The modern Civil Parish was in the ancient Southwell division of the Thurgarton Wapentake or Hundred.
   
• District governance is provided by the Newark and Sherwood District Council.
   

• Bastardy cases would be heard in the Southwell petty session hearings.
   
• The Common Land was enclosed here in 1777.
   
• As a result of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act reforms, this parish became part of the Southwell Poor Law Union.
   

Year	Inhabitants
1801	215
1811	269
1821	290
1831	324
1841	353
1851	358
1861	332
1871	279
1881	296
1891	282
1901	287
1911	278
1921	288
1931	301
1951	348
1961	434

• A school for both sexes was built here in 1855 for 35 children.
   
• The Bleasby CofE Primary School has a website, but no online school history or student records.