Whitwick, Leicestershire

Description
Whitwick, a small market-town, a township, and a parish in Leicestershire. The town stands 5 1/2 miles E by S from Ashby-de-la-Zouch, and 120 from London. It has a station on the L. & N.W.R., and a post, money order, and telegraph office under Leicester. Acreage of the township, 3528; population, 4564. The parish includes the townships of Swannington and Thringstone, noticed separately. The manor belongs to Lord Donington. An ancient castle of the Earls of Lancaster stood on Castle Hill, figured for a time as an important fortress, and is now represented only by foundations of its keep. The Castle Hill was purchased by the local board for the benefit of the town in 1868. Bardon Hill, about 2 miles from the town, is much frequented by picnic parties. Chamwood Forest commences in this parish. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Peterborough; net value, £188 with residence, in the gift of the Duchy of Lancaster. The church is a fine edifice of stone, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles, S porch, and a grand western tower in the Gothic style of the 13th century. It has an ancient knightly effigy and several good stained windows. There are Baptist, Primitive Methodist, Roman Catholic, and Wesleyan chapels, A Cistercian abbey belonging to the Roman Catholics stands among the forest hills in this parish, the buildings of which comprise a church, chapter-house, cloisters, refectory, museum, with farm and domestic buildings, and a " Calvary," the latter being formed upon a huge crag of the rocks. The abbey is open under certain restrictions to the inspection of visitors.