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Ratcliffe on the Wreake is a village and civil parish in the Charnwood district of Leicestershire, England. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 179.[1] It is just to the north of the River Wreake, opposite East Goscote.
| Ratcliffe on the Wreake | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Ratcliffe on the Wreake Location within Leicestershire | |
| Population | 179 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LEICESTER |
| Postcode district | LE7 |
| Police | Leicestershire |
| Fire | Leicestershire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament | |
The village is small enough not to have a parish council; instead it has a parish meeting consisting of all the electorate. The 14th-century St Botolph parish church is a Grade II* listed building.[2]
Ratcliffe Hall is a Grade II listed country house built c. 1812 by Robert Shirley, 7th Earl Ferrers and was inherited by his granddaughter, Caroline Shirley, Duchess Sforza Cesarini, who had married into the Italian aristocracy.[3][4] It subsequently descended to the pioneer aviator, Sir William Lindsay Everard, who set up Ratcliffe Aerodrome, which opened with a 'Grand Air Pageant' on 6 September 1930. Famed aviator Amy Johnson made an unexpected trip from London to participate with Sir Sefton Brancker, Director of Civil Aviation. Some 5,000 spectators were treated to a show with 100 planes and staged bombings of Chinese pirates. There was one crash, but no one was killed. Ratcliffe Aerodrome was one of the finest in civil aviation with a comfortable clubhouse and an outdoor pool. The hangars were first class and the many air shows and displays had the atmosphere of a garden party.[5]
Ratcliffe is known for its abundance in wildlife especially crayfish which inhabit the River Wreake right through the village.
RAF Ratcliffe edit
As RAF Ratcliffe, it was an important Air Transport Auxiliary ferry pool in World War II.[5]
Apart from East Goscote, nearby places are Thrussington, further up the Wreake, Syston, further down, and Sileby, to the north-west.
References edit
- ^ "Civil Parish population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
- ^ Historic England. "CHURCH OF ST BOTOLPH (1278781)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
- ^ "Ratcliffe Hall, Ratcliffe on the Wreake". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "Ratcliffe on the Wreake Conservation Area Character Appraisal". Charnwood Borough Council. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ a b Clark, Steve (2004). "The History and Aviation Heritage of Ratcliffe Aerodrome 1930-1950". Ratcliffe College. Archived from the original on 14 May 2008.
External links edit
Media related to Ratcliffe on the Wreake at Wikimedia Commons
52°43′30.50″N 1°4′5.00″W / 52.7251389°N 1.0680556°W
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