Framland Hundred

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Published by John Stockdale, Picadilly 26^th March 1805
Engrav'd by J. Cary

Extract from White's Leicester and Rutland Directory, 1877

FRAMLAND HUNDRED is a fertile and highly picturesque district, forming the north-eastern division of Leicestershire, and being of an irregular figure, averaging about twelve miles in length and breadth; bounded on the south-west by East Goscote Hundred; on the south-east by Rutlandshire; on the north-east by Lincolnshire; and on the north-west by Nottinghamshire. At its northern extremity it is only from two to three miles broad, and extends about six miles between the counties of Nottingham and Lincoln. Its natural features are diversified by some bold ranges of hills and fertile valleys, well stocked with game, and forming the chief part of the celebrated Melton Hunt. Two ranges of the Wolds extend nearly through the centre of it, and another stretches along its eastern side, southward from Croxton to Crown Point, at the junction of this county with those of Rutland and Lincoln. The Vale of Belvoir, which extends along the north-western side of this hundred, is noted for its rich pasturage, and is traversed by the Grantham Canal, in its route from the Trent. The rivers Devon Smite, Eye, Wreake, and several tributary streams, have their sources here. The Eye falls into the Wreake below Melton, and they are navigable to the Soar Navigation, near Syston. The Syston and Peterborough Railway traverses the southern part of the hundred, and has stations at Melton and Saxby. Melton Mowbray, in the north-western part of the district, is its only market-town. On its north-eastern side is the princely residence of Belvoir Castle; and its other principal seats are Croxton, Goadby, and Stapleford; all having beautiful and well-wooded parks. The soil is various, from a clayey to a sandy or gravelly loam, and the pasture lands are celebrated both for fattening and dairy purposes.-.Withcote, at the southern angle of the hundred, being the place where the original Stilton cheese was made.

The Hundred of Framland was granted by Edward II., in 1283, to Roger Beler, for the fee farm rent of 100 shillings. In the following year the grant was renewed, with the specification of several small annual rents called Palfrey-Silver of Beauver, Wakying-Silver, Shirefs-toth, and Frank-pledge. In 1346 the hundred was assessed £31 0s. 4d. towards knighting Edward of Woodstock. From the Bellars it passed to the Swillingtons, who held it as parcel of the Honor of Somerby, in 1428; but in 1483 it was held by William Hastings as part of the Honor of Peverel. The Hundred Court, with various ancient rents, now belongs to the Earl of Dysart, as lord paramount, but the soil and manors are held by various owners; many of them by the Duke of Rutland.

Framland Hundred forms the Deanery of Framland, in the Archdeaconry of Leicester, and is in the Northern Parliamentary Division of the county. PETTY SESSIONS are held at Melton Mowbray and Belvoir, as will be noticed with those places.

The following is an enumeration of the parishes, &c., in the hundred, showing their territorial extent, and their population and number of inhabited houses in 1871.

¶ The area of Bescaby is included in that of Croxton Kerrial; and the area of Welby in Melton Mowbray township.
Unions.-Marked * are in Bingham union; † in Grantham union; ‡ in Billesdon union; § in Oakham and the others are in Melton Mowbray union.

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