HISTORICAL NOTES

This page is an extract from 'Historical Notes on Sharnford and Wigston Parva' by Rev A. W. Fothergill 1928

WIGSTON PARVA (Chapter 5)

In the Domesday Book we find it called "Wiceston," and 50 years later it appears as "Wiggeston," and in the time of Henry the 8th, "Wyggeston," until it has got to its present form.

This hamlet lies about half a mile beyond High Cross from Claybrook on the right hand side of the road to Hinckley, and about two miles from Sharnford.

It very anciently belonged to William Le Almoner. In King Ethelred the Unready's time Ulfrie Shot gave a hide of land, lying in Sharnford but belonging to the hamlet, to Burton Abbey. The Hide, in the old English law, was a certain piece of land the quantity of which however, is not well ascertained, but it has been variously estimated at 60, 80, and 100 acres. This gift would then be worth having as it would bring a certain income to the "Monks of the Abbey". The Hamlet belonged afterwards to the Abbey and Convent of Reading in Berkshire; and it appears by an extract front the Harleian Manuscript that it was given to that Abbey by Peter de Belgrave, and the grant confirmed by Robert de Anaby, for the annual consideration of thirty shillings. This grant was also confirmed by Henry the 2nd.

Little Wigston is now (1928) a copyhold of the Manor of Rowington in Warwickshire, which formerly belonged to the Abbey of Reading. There are a few cottages belonging to the Hamlet in Smockington Hollow which is situated about a quarter of a mile East of Little Wigston. The Hamlet itself lies so low as to be scarcely discernable till one is close on it. It contains four substantial farmhouses and seven cottages, and exhibits the appearance of a neat rural square.

The Southern part of this hamlet is considerably elevated, and opens some good views in Warwickshire and over a considerable part of the County of Leicestershire.

The hamlet was at one time in the Ecclesiastical Parish of Claybrook but was annexed to the Ecclesiastical Parish of Sharnford by an Order in Council dated December 12th, 1904. The reason for this transference was owing to its nearness to Sharnford from which it could be more easily worked. A scheme to this end was first agreed upon by the respective Incumbents and the Bishop of Peterborough, in whose Diocese it was then, the Archbishop of Canterbury's assent having been given, His Grace brought the matter before His Majesty's Privy Council, and so it received the Royal Assent. There was some difficulty about it owing to Claybrook being a Crown Living, and Sharnford being in the Gift of the Lord Chancellor, but the difficulty was overcome.

In the Deed of His Majesty's Order it is enacted:-"That the inhabitants of the said Chapelry of Wigston Parva shall have their marriages and burials performed in the Parish Church of Sharnford aforesaid, and in the Burial Ground belonging to the said Parish." From this it is quite clear that the inhabitants of Wigston Parva are exempt from contributing to the rates for the purpose of maintaining any burial ground at Claybrook.