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Donisthorpe
Donisthorpe is a village in the North West Leicestershire district of Leicestershire, England, historically an exclave of Derbyshire. HistoryIn 1086 Donisthorpe was part of the land given to Nigel of Stafford by William the Conqueror. It was then known as "Durandestorp" [1] which has been interpreted as 'the outlying settlement associated with Durand'.[2] From: A Topographical Dictionary of England, published by S Lewis, London, 1848.
From: Kelly's Directory of Leicestershire & Rutland (1899)
A Primitive Methodist Chapel was built in 1852 and the Ordnance Survey map of 1884 shows one just north of the Engine Inn, the Mount Zion Chapel that was demolished in 2003. By 1908 there were two Primitive Methodist Chapels together with a Wesleyan chapel.[citation needed]  Donisthorpe Colliery closed in 1991. When the pit was operating the village had two post offices, five public houses, and 14 shops including a Coop Store (now the Scout Centre), a VG store, two butchers, a baker, a general store, a betting shop and a chip shop. At the time of pit closure in 1991 Donisthorpe contained four local shops, and a post office. Today the village has one shop (opened in 2014), and two pubs. Donisthorpe Miners' Welfare Centre closed during 2005, and since became a children's fun centre. The former mine site was developed into a housing estate. The colliery site became the Donisthorpe Woodland Park. Further sites of former employment included a shoe factory and brickyard.[citation needed]
GeographyDonisthorpe is 3 miles (5 km) south-west of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, 3.5 miles (6 km) south of Swadlincote and 1,000 yards (914 m) from the Derbyshire border, at the heart of The National Forest. A former mining village, it is just under 4 miles (6 km) due east of Church Flatts Farm (near Coton-in-the-Elms, Derbyshire), the furthest point from coastal waters on the British mainland. The historic county boundary between Leicestershire and Derbyshire is the River Mease, which runs less than 1 mile (1.6 km) south of Donisthorpe, with the village centre previously on the southern (Derbyshire) side, which formed part of an exclave of Derbyshire. Together with Measham and Oakthorpe, the village became part of Leicestershire in 1897 when administrative counties were established and now lies within the civil parish of Oakthorpe and Donisthorpe. The Derbyshire town of Swadlincote, four miles to the north, is usually given as the nearest town for the purposes of the postal service, though the village is marginally closer to Ashby, to the north-east. Surrounding villages include Moira, Oakthorpe, Overseal, Netherseal, Acresford and Albert Village. TransportDonisthorpe was served by the Ashby and Nuneaton Joint Railway which opened a station near Church Street in a deep cutting including three arch bridges. The line also had sidings to the colliery at Donisthorpe. The station allowed passenger travel to Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Moira, Burton-Upon-Trent, Nuneaton, Hinckley and Coalville until 13 April 1934 when the line was closed to passengers. The line remained open to goods traffic until 1971, when the section from Measham to Shackerstone was closed by British Rail. The stub as far as Measham via Donisthorpe remained open to serve the colliery until 1981 when the stub near Overseal Junction was closed and lifted. The site was still traceable after closure of the stub but has since been filled in and forms a footpath from Measham to Spring Cottage via Donisthorpe and Moira. The village is 2.5 miles (4.0 km) north of the northernmost junction of the M42 motorway (Junction 11), where it becomes the A42 towards East Midlands Airport and Nottingham. Landmarks St John the Evangelist Church was erected in 1938. It is a listed Grade II building,[3] and within the ecclesiastical parish of Donisthorpe and Moira with Stretton-en-le-Field, Archdeaconry of Loughborough in the Diocese of Leicester. The last dedicated vicar vacated his position in 2006; the church is now part of a team ministry based in the nearby village of Measham. The vicarage house at Donisthorpe was sold but is also a Grade II building circa 1838[4] The church hall is opposite the church. It was originally the village school, donated by Sir John Cave, later converted to the church hall, and subsequently fell into disrepair and sold. The building has been converted to a private house. Donisthorpe Memorial Park was opened as a War Memorial on 17 April 1920 by John Turner, High Sheriff of Leicestershire. The Grade II listed war memorial gateway was erected around 1922; subsequent names were added for the Second World War.[5] Donisthorpe Cemetery is registered with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as having casualties (nine in total) from both the First and Second World Wars.[6] The late 17th-century timber framed thatched house, 58 New Street, was assessed in 1983 as a Grade II listed building.[7] The house was badly damaged by fire in May 2011. Donisthorpe Hall is early 18th Century and Grade II listed.[8] The Grange, 69 Church Street, a Grade II listed building, was thought to date from 1761 with early 19th-century additions.[9] A survey[by whom?] in 2010 showed the building was built in the early 18th century, not 1761 as shown on the rainwater head. It has a fireplace dating from 1690 to 1730. The Ashby Canal runs down the east side of the village. References
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