Higham-on-the-Hill Conservation Area
Overview
Although not mentioned in the Doomsday Book, the village is known to be a possession of Hugo de Grentesmainell just after the Norman Conquest. It was through him that the property descended to the Earls of Leicester and Winton.
The church, although set slightly apart from the rest of the village, is the village's oldest building. It has a fine Romanesque tower (12th century).
Other important vernacular structures include several village farms; The Oddfellows Arms, originally built as two cottages in 1791; the Victorian primary school, and Higham Hall built in 1911 by Mr H Morris, a pit owner.
The Higham-on-the-Hill Conservation Area, which was designated by the council in April 1995, can be divided into the following distinct areas:
- The entrance at the fork junction of Main Street, Hinckley Lane and Stoke Lane to the intersection with Barr Lane
- A small green space in the village centre
- The intersection with Barr Lane to the intersection of Main Street and Higham Lane
A number of green spaces contribute to the character of the village:
- The grounds of The Old Rectory and a field to the north, Higham Hall, Glebecroft and Orchard House
- Fields to the rear of properties to the south of Main Street
- St Peter's churchyard
- The field between The Old Rectory and the church
There are a number of important listed and unlisted buildings within the area which add to the historical and architectural character of the village.
Last updated: 15/11/2024 12:24
