| Breedon on the Hill | |
|---|---|
 Priory church of St. Mary & St. Hardulph | |
  Breedon on the Hill Location withinLeicestershire | |
| Population | 958 (2001 Census)[1] |
| OS grid reference | SK4022 |
| Civil parish |
|
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Derby |
| Postcode district | DE73 |
| Dialling code | 01332 |
| Police | Leicestershire |
| Fire | Leicestershire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament | |
| Website | Breedon on the Hill parish council |
| |
Breedon on the Hill is a village andcivil parish about 5 miles (8 km) north ofAshby-de-la-Zouch inNorth West Leicestershire, England. The parish adjoins theDerbyshire county boundary and the village is only about 2 miles (3 km) south of the Derbyshire town ofMelbourne. The2001 Census recorded a parish population (including Isley and Wilson) of 958 people in 404 households.[2] The parish includes thehamlets of Tonge 1 mile (1.6 km) east of the village andWilson 1.3 miles (2 km) north of the village on the county boundary. The population at the 2011 census (including Isley cum Langley and Langley Priory) was 1,029 in 450 households.
Breedon is notable for itsCarboniferous limestone hill that rises 122 metres (400 ft) above sea level in a generally low-lying landscape and affords distant views across several counties. A large portion of the hill has been cut away by an active quarry now operated by theBreedon Group. This currently produces limestone and gravel.[3] It has also produced sand.[4]
On top of the hill is The BulwarksIron Agehill fort, within which is Breedon's historicChurch of England parish church. A recent survey found considerable evidence of occupation within the southern part of the hillfort enclosure.[5]
Breedon is 3 miles (5 km) fromEast Midlands Airport and 5 miles (8 km) from the junction of theA42 road andM1 motorway. The village is 3 miles (5 km) from theRiver Trent, and 2 miles (3 km) fromDonington Park motor circuit.
Excavation of The Bulwarks in 1946 identified occupation between about the 1st century BC and about 1st century AD.[6]
Thetoponym is derived from theCeltic wordbre for hill and theOld English worddun for hill.[7] Hence in its current form the name combines three forms of the word hill.[8]Briudun, an early spelling, has been traced from AD 731.
Medieval hagiography manuscripts record four saints buried in Breedon on the Hill. They are Friduricus,[9] donor ofthe Mercian royal monastery built in Breedon during the seventh century, KingEardwulf of Northumbria, and relatively unknown Anglo-Saxon Saints Beonna of Breedon and Cotta of Breedon.[10][11]
Breedon has a circular stone-builtvillage lock-up[6] with an adjoining animal pound. The lock-up is 18th-century[12] and similar to the one in the nearbyWorthington. It was used for detaining local drunks, and the adjoining pound for straying livestock. The lock-up and pound together comprise a Grade II listed building.[12]
Breedon Hall is an historic building which was the ancestral home of the Curzon family.
In 1874, a branch of theMidland Railway was built through the eastern part of the parish andTonge and Breedon railway station was built at Tonge. In 1980British Rail closed the line and later the track was dismantled. The trackbed through the parish is now part ofNational Cycle Route 6.
The Priory Church ofSt Mary andSt Hardulph was originally amonastery founded in about AD 676 on the site of The Bulwarks, an Iron Agehill fort. It was re-founded as anAugustinian priory early in the 12th century.[13] Before becoming amonastery it was ahermitage.[9]
In 1498 members of the visiting Battenberg family took mass at the church on a number of occasions.[citation needed]
What remains of the priory church includes a large number ofAnglo-Saxon sculptures,[14] an ornate familybox pew and notableRenaissancechurch monuments.[15]
Breedon has two pubs: the Holly Bush and the Three Horseshoes. There was a third pub, The Lime Kiln, but this is now a private home.
The village has a small primary school and a post office. It did have a butcher's shop, but that closed in 2017.[citation needed] The school, St Hardulph's Church of England Primary School, was built in 1962 and also housed community facilities. Relations between the school,Leicestershire County Council and the local community association subsequently broke down and the community association was unsuccessful in a high court application arguing that they had the right to use the facilities on the grounds that the community had contributed some of the funding for the construction of the building.[16]
Breedon has a football club, Breedon F.C.[citation needed]
