New Close

New Close

New Close is a 1980s housing development on the site of ancient fields known as New Close.

New Close is shown on “A Map of Swannington in the Parish Of Whitwick in the County of Leicester taken from Mr Kiddiars Survey 1755”.    New Close was to the east of the road that became the Hinckley to Melbourne turnpike.  After the 1848 extension of the railway to Ashby and Burton the name Station Hill was gradually adopted.  The map shows three segments of New Close owned or occupied by:

• Joseph Boultbee – Probably the father of the Joseph Boultbee who as Lord of the Manor of Thringstone sold a windmill known as Smock Mill to John Griffin in 1791.
• Thomas Walker – Which branch of the various Walker families of Swannington is not known.
• Gabriel Holland – A coal mining entrepreneur who took over the mines formerly run by William Newarke of Talbot Farm.  Gabriel was declared bankrupt in the 1760s.