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Bitteswell
Bitteswell
	Bitteswell Location within Leicestershire
Population	554 (2011)
OS grid reference	SP536858
Civil parish	Bitteswell with Bittesby;
District	Harborough;
Shire county	Leicestershire;
Region	East Midlands;
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	LUTTERWORTH
Postcode district	LE17
Dialling code	01455
Police	Leicestershire
Fire	Leicestershire
Ambulance	East Midlands
UK Parliament	South Leicestershire;
Website	Bitteswell Parish Council
	List of places UK England Leicestershire 52°28′05″N 1°12′42″W / 52.46806°N 1.21167°W

Bitteswell is a small village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Bitteswell with Bittesby, in the Harborough district of Leicestershire in England. It is situated just north of the town of Lutterworth, and in the 2001 census had a population of 454 (including Magna Park).^[1] The population had increased to 554 at the 2011 census.^[2] It was recorded in the Domesday Book as Betmeswelle.^[3] The village's name means 'the spring/stream in the broad valley'.^[4]

History

The village contains two thatched houses and a number of Georgian dwellings alongside modern houses.^[5] Population figures have not altered much since records began in 1801 with a population of 398 was recorded as against around 380 today.^[5] In 1841 there was a big increase caused by the building of Bitteswell Hall, north of the village. This brought employment and new families as it had its own farms, gas installation etc., but in the 1920s it was demolished, the land and buildings split up.^[5] The village also had its own airfield; a RAF station called RAF Bitteswell.^[6] The construction of the grass airfield started in March 1940 and by August 1941 night flight training was able to commence using Vickers Wellington bombers. By 1943, three concrete runways were completed with connecting perimeter track and hard standings.^[7] After World War II, Hawker Siddeley built a factory next to the airfield, where Vulcan bombers (and many other aircraft) were built and maintained.^[8]

Bitteswell has a Grade II* listed Church,^[9]^[10] with 13 domestic buildings, two memorials and a village telephone box that are Grade II listed,^[11] a Church of England Primary School, and two pubs (The Man at Arms^[12] and The Olde Royal Oak^[13]).

Sport

Cricket

Bitteswell Cricket Club is an English amateur cricket club, established in 1903, that is situated north of the village on Ullesthorpe Road.^[14] Bitteswell have 2 Saturday senior XI teams that compete in the Leicestershire & Rutland Cricket League,^[15] a Sunday XI team, and a junior training section that play competitive cricket in the Leicestershire Youth League.^[16]

Rugby

Lutterworth RFC was established in 1872, and their ground is situated on the northern edge of the parish boundary on Ashby Lane^[17] and they claim to be the oldest rugby union club in Leicestershire.^[18]

Tennis

Lutterworth Tennis club is based on Hall Lane and has a clubhouse with 5 tennis courts and floodlights. The club plays competitive matches in the Leicestershire and Rugby leagues for adults and juniors.^[19]

Notable people

Frederic Watson (1840–1885), cricketer

References

^ "2001 Census: Key Statistics: Parish Headcounts: Area: Bitteswell CP (Parish)". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Archived from the original on 26 May 2011. Retrieved 8 May 2009.
^ UK Census (2011). "Local Area Report – Bitteswell Parish (1170215255)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
^ "Bitteswell | Domesday Book".
^ "Key to English Place-names". kepn.nottingham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 30 June 2021. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Bitteswell". visitoruk.com. VisitorUK. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
^ "Aviation Archaeology - flying units (search for Bitteswell)". Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
^ Bonser, Roy (2001). Aviation in Leicestershire and Rutland. Hinckley: Ian Allan Publishing Ltd. p. 36. ISBN 1-85780-089-3.
^ "RAF Bitteswell airfield". www.controltowers.co.uk. Archived from the original on 3 September 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
^ "Church of St Mary (1292319)". historicengland.org.uk. Historic England. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
^ "Bitteswell Church St Mary". leicestershirechurches.co.uk. LeicesterPhoto LTD. 2 July 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
^ "Bitteswell Grade Listed buildings". historicengland.org.uk. Historic England. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
^ "King Henry's Taverns".
^ "Welcome to The Olde Royal Oak Bitteswell, Lutterworth, Leicestershire, A Country Pub And Restaurant For Eating And Dining Out". theolderoyaloakbitteswell.co.uk.
^ "Bitteswell CC". bitteswell.play-cricket.com. bitteswell Cricket Club. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
^ "Leicestershire & Rutland Cricket League". leicestershirescl.play-cricket.com. Leicestershire & Rutland Cricket League. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
^ "Leicestershire Youth League". leicsyouthlge.play-cricket.com. Leicestershire Youth League. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
^ "Lutterworth RFC". pitchero.com. Lutterworth RFC. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
^ Lutterworth RFC Handbook & Fixtures 2021/22 (version 2) (PDF). Lutterworth: Lutterworth RFC. 2022. p. 9.
^ "Lutterworth LTC". clubspark.lta.org.uk. Lutterworth LTC. Retrieved 4 February 2022.