Market Bosworth

Today's Canal - Ashby

After yesterday's rain were glad that the forecast today showed a low probability of any more. Apart from a couple of moments when the air felt damp, we did indeed have a dry day even if the sun was rather reticent to show itself.

We began by moving up to the service point beside the small swing footbridge so that we could use the water point. We also dropped off a bag or so of rubbish.

Although a couple of other boats arrived and went on up to the current end of the canal, they were rather shorter than us so could turn in the 52 ft winding hole. We could have reversed up but decided that that was perhaps overdoing our commitment to seek out all the distant corners of the canal system!

We continued back the way we came - as we passed the Shackerstone Festival site a small gang of volunteers, probably from the dozen or so boats that had already arrived and claimed their festival mooring, who were being briefed about their tasks for the day.

Shackerstone has a distinct motte castle mound. These castles, mainly also with a bailey, were introduced by the Normans as part of their widespread fortifications. Shackerstone is important as it is in the minority without a bailey but it does have an obvious fishpond as well as  indications of a formal garden. The top of the mound was disturbed in WW2 when an air raid helter was constructed here.

Our provisional schedule for the rest of this trip allows us one or two stop off opportunities so we found a mooring just before the entrance to the new Bosworth Marina. Time then for lunch.

We set off to walk into Market Bosworth, just over a mile to the market place in the centre. The Battlefield Steam Railway runs through the former Bosworth station and as we crossed the road bridge a train was just departing southbound.

Close to the station we saw this memorial stone outside the works of JJ Churchill. This firm was founded in 1937 to manufacture precision parts for the aero engine business - he trained as an engineer with Hawker Siddley in Coventry. After the factory was bombed it re-located to Market Bosworth where it remained.

He had trained as a fighter pilot and was called up to full time service in 1939, rising to the rank of Group Captain. He played a key role in stationing spitfires at Malta and it was from there that he led a raid on Sicily during which he was sadly killed. Hi young widow took over running the business an it remains a family firm, led by his grandson.

Further on we saw this building with the intriguing inscription of Board Room over the main door. Today it seems to have been converted to housing and we have not been able to find out what its original purpose was.

A number of older cottages and farm houses lined the street just before the market square. All have now been gentrified.

On one corner of the square stands this impressive school building. Dixie Grammar School dates back to the 14C but owes its present name to Sir Wolstan Dixie, a wealthy merchant and Lord Mayor of London, who left a substantial sum to re-found it in 1601. In 1969 it closed, out of fashion with the growth of larger and better resourced comprehensive schools. Then, two decades later, the Leicestershire Independent Educational Trust was formed to re-open an independent grammar school which is how it continues today. It has around 440 from age 3 to 18.

One of its more important former pupils is Thomas Hooker, as commemorated by this plaque. After marrying for the second  time (it seems that noting is known about his first marriage) he emigrated to America, having fallen out of favour as a preacher in the time of Archbishop Laud. He is known for playing a pivotal role in the foundation of Hartford, Connecticut and laying down principles for democratic constitutions. He is credited with the phrase, "the foundation of authority is laid in the free consent of the people". He was possibly related to the theologian Richard Hooker, a near contemporary, who laid down the important principles of Anglicanism, known as the via media.

A number of local places have the name Dixie included. This was the family name of the owners of Bosworth Park Hall, alongside the parish church. They were connected with Market Bosworth since the 12C and Charles II granted the then head of the family a baronetcy. That title continued until 1975 when it died out. However, the Hall was sold in the 19C when the family fortune was lost to gambling debts. The 4th Baronet appointed a young and poor Samuel Johnson to a post at the local school. Sir Wolstan Dixie was a notorious bully and Johnson left as soon as he could, although Boswell records that the unfortunate experience stayed with him for life. The hall became a hospital in the 1930s until 1981. It was later converted to its present use, a 210 room hotel and spa.

It was, of course, Bank Holiday Monday so not all of the small shops were open but the Co-Op was. However it did not stock any newspapers, let along the one that we wanted. Across the road was what seemed to be a newsagent but it was firmly shut and it is not clear whether it still trades - bank holiday or not.

Finally, we visited the parish church. It is set on the highest point for some distance around so its tall spire is widely visible.

Inside it is fairly short but with a chancel that is well screened from the nave.

Between the south altar and the high altar is a squint. Such features were added for various reasons - to enable synchronisation of joint celebrations at side altars, to allow lepers to watch without coming into contact with others - but as the explanatory note says, "it is no longer possible to see the altar through the squint because the chancel was extended and the altar moved after the squint was constructed"

We returned along the same road as we arrived but called at the station just before the canal. A train arrived as we were looking around what was once an extensive goods yard. Passengers today have to cross over the line and walk a 100m  down to the platform which originally had its own entrance.

Although many of the original signals are preserved in place none of them work and the mechanisms of signal box appear to be unrestored.

When we returned to the boat we tried to see if we could get a tv signal but the new houses on the former industrial site opposite are far to tall. So we cruised a short distance out into the country where we were able to moor in a suitable spot - we particularly wanted to see the next episode of a drama that started last night.

7.9 Miles - 0 Locks