Great Glen, Leicestershire
Encyclopedia
Great Glen also known as Glen Magna, is a village and civil parish in Leicestershire
, England
, about seven miles south-east of Leicester
. Its name comes from the original Iron Age
settlers who used the Celtic word glennos meaning valley, and comes from the fact that Great Glen lies in part of the valley of the River Sence
. The 'great' part is to distinguish the village from Glen Parva
.
s built soon after the new road opened. This road later became the A6 road, and a bypass around the village was opened in 2003. The Midland Main Line
runs to the south of the A6, and formerly had a station
to serve the village at the closest point.
A new site for Leicester Grammar School
is being constructed on the land of Mount Farm, Great Glen http://www.leicestergrammar.org.uk/lgs.asp?s=about&ss=relocation&pg=latest and is planned for occupation in Autumn 2008.
There are two other schools in the village, the C of E St Cuthbert's primary school, which feeds to the local state schools in the neighbouring village of Kibworth and the town of Market Harborough. The independent school, The Stoneygate School, also has its site at Great Glen. Its pupils recently won Best Junior Choir at BBC Songs of Praise 2005 School Choirs Contesthttp://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/03_march/20/choirs.shtml
There are now only three pubs surviving in the village - The Yews, The Royal Oak and The Greyhound.
At the centre of the village on the Stretton Road/Oaks Road T-junction is Great Glen Methodist Church
, a Grade II* listed building. Built in 1827 it houses many activities including Sunday morning and evening services, a Sparklers mums and toddlers group on Mondays, Fusion children's group on Sunday mornings and Confusion alternate Friday evenings for teenagers. View the church at
The K6 Red telephone box
on the village green is a listed building.
Trevor Benjamin
used to live here and Engelbert Humperdinck
has a home in the village.
The village is located at .
it was a residential hospital for learning disabled children and had 157 beds in 1979 http://www.mdx.ac.uk/www/study/4_13_TA.htm. The hospital closed in the 1990s and a housing development has been built on part of the site.
, father of the ill-fated Lady Jane Grey
, became the lord of the manor
. After his execution for treason
, his lands were seized by the crown.
Following the Battle of Naseby
in 1645, during the English Civil War
, Great Glen played host to a band of Cromwellian soldiers who were pursuing some of the (defeated) Royalist Cavalry. They were later joined by the rest of the army who camped overnight before moving onto Leicester. Some of these soldiers made camp in the church where they caused much damage (such as breaking all the windows), of which some evidence can still be seen today. There are five road names in the village that mark these events: Cromwell Road, Naseby Way, Ruperts Way, Edgehill Close and Halford Close.
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, about seven miles south-east of Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
. Its name comes from the original Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
settlers who used the Celtic word glennos meaning valley, and comes from the fact that Great Glen lies in part of the valley of the River Sence
River Sence
The River Sence is a river in Leicestershire, England. The tributaries of the Sence including the Saint and Tweed fan out over much of western Leicestershire from Charnwood Forest and Coalville in the north-east to Hinckley and almost to Watling Street in the south and south-west...
. The 'great' part is to distinguish the village from Glen Parva
Glen Parva
Glen Parva is a civil parish in Leicestershire with a population of over 5,000. To the north it runs into Aylestone, and to the east Eyres Monsell and South Wigston...
.
Features and amenities
In 1751 a turnpike bridge was built over the River Sence as a part of the stagecoach route from Leicester to London. The pubs The Old Greyhound and The Crown were originally coaching innCoaching inn
In Europe, from approximately the mid-17th century for a period of about 200 years, the coaching inn, sometimes called a coaching house or staging inn, was a vital part of the inland transport infrastructure, as an inn serving coach travelers...
s built soon after the new road opened. This road later became the A6 road, and a bypass around the village was opened in 2003. The Midland Main Line
Midland Main Line
The Midland Main Line is a major railway route in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system.The present-day line links London St...
runs to the south of the A6, and formerly had a station
Great Glen railway station
Great Glen railway station was built by the Midland Railway in 1857 on its extension from Leicester to Bedford and Hitchin.Originally simply Glen, it was later renamed Glen Magna before receiving its final name. Passengers services finished in 1951, while goods services continued it was unstaffed...
to serve the village at the closest point.
A new site for Leicester Grammar School
Leicester Grammar School
Leicester Grammar School , is an independent secondary school situated in Great Glen, Leicestershire, England. It was founded in 1981, after the loss of the city's state-funded grammar schools....
is being constructed on the land of Mount Farm, Great Glen http://www.leicestergrammar.org.uk/lgs.asp?s=about&ss=relocation&pg=latest and is planned for occupation in Autumn 2008.
There are two other schools in the village, the C of E St Cuthbert's primary school, which feeds to the local state schools in the neighbouring village of Kibworth and the town of Market Harborough. The independent school, The Stoneygate School, also has its site at Great Glen. Its pupils recently won Best Junior Choir at BBC Songs of Praise 2005 School Choirs Contesthttp://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/03_march/20/choirs.shtml
There are now only three pubs surviving in the village - The Yews, The Royal Oak and The Greyhound.
At the centre of the village on the Stretton Road/Oaks Road T-junction is Great Glen Methodist Church
Great Glen Methodist Church
Great Glen Methodist Church, Leicestershire was built in 1827 and a church hall was later added to the east of the Church in 1979. See more detail of the history of the church below in the History section.- The Church today :...
, a Grade II* listed building. Built in 1827 it houses many activities including Sunday morning and evening services, a Sparklers mums and toddlers group on Mondays, Fusion children's group on Sunday mornings and Confusion alternate Friday evenings for teenagers. View the church at
The K6 Red telephone box
Red telephone box
The red telephone box, a public telephone kiosk designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, is a familiar sight on the streets of the United Kingdom, Malta, Bermuda and Gibraltar, and despite a reduction in their numbers in recent years, red boxes can still be seen in many places and in current or former...
on the village green is a listed building.
Trevor Benjamin
Trevor Benjamin
Trevor Junior Benjamin is an English born Jamaican ex-international footballer who is now plying his trade as player-manager at Northern League side Morpeth Town. He plays as a forward or winger....
used to live here and Engelbert Humperdinck
Engelbert Humperdinck (singer)
Engelbert Humperdinck is a British pop singer, best known for his hits including "Release Me " and "After the Lovin'" as well as "The Last Waltz" .-Early life:...
has a home in the village.
The village is located at .
Stretton Hall
Stretton Hall was built in the 18th century, and though named after Stretton Magna it lies in Great Glen parish. Leicestershire and Rutland Joint Board for the Mentally Defective bought the hall in 1932 for conversion to a hospital. Under the NHSNational Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
it was a residential hospital for learning disabled children and had 157 beds in 1979 http://www.mdx.ac.uk/www/study/4_13_TA.htm. The hospital closed in the 1990s and a housing development has been built on part of the site.
History
In the 16th century, Henry Grey, 1st Duke of SuffolkHenry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk
Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk, 3rd Marquess of Dorset, KG was an English nobleman of the Tudor period and the father of Lady Jane Grey.-Henry VIII's reign:...
, father of the ill-fated Lady Jane Grey
Lady Jane Grey
Lady Jane Grey , also known as The Nine Days' Queen, was an English noblewoman who was de facto monarch of England from 10 July until 19 July 1553 and was subsequently executed...
, became the lord of the manor
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
. After his execution for treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
, his lands were seized by the crown.
Following the Battle of Naseby
Battle of Naseby
The Battle of Naseby was the key battle of the first English Civil War. On 14 June 1645, the main army of King Charles I was destroyed by the Parliamentarian New Model Army commanded by Sir Thomas Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell.-The Campaign:...
in 1645, during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, Great Glen played host to a band of Cromwellian soldiers who were pursuing some of the (defeated) Royalist Cavalry. They were later joined by the rest of the army who camped overnight before moving onto Leicester. Some of these soldiers made camp in the church where they caused much damage (such as breaking all the windows), of which some evidence can still be seen today. There are five road names in the village that mark these events: Cromwell Road, Naseby Way, Ruperts Way, Edgehill Close and Halford Close.