ROTHLEY, a parish comprising the chapelries of
Keyham, Wartnaby, and Wycomb with Chadwell, in
the eastern, and the chapelry of Mountsorrel, and the
extra-parochial liberty of Rothley-Temple, in the western,
division of the hundred of GOSCOTE, county of
LEICESTER, 1 mile (S. by E.) from Mountsorrel,
and containing 1349 inhabitants. The living is a vicarage,
rated in the Icing's books at £11. 0. 5., and in
the peculiar jurisdiction and patronage of Thomas Babington,
Esq., as lord of the manor and soke of Rothley.
The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is large and
ancient, and contains some curious old monuments; it
was given, with the manor, by Henry III. to the Knights
Templars, who settled a commandery at Rothley Temple,
which mansion is remarkable as being one of the few
founded by that order, now remaining in the kingdom:
it subsequently came to the Knights Hospitallers, and
at the dissolution, was valued at £87.13.4. per annum.
In the churchyard is the shaft of an ancient stone cross;
and, in 1722, a Roman pavement, with foundations of
walls, was discovered in the village. There is a place,
of worship for Wesleyan Methodists. The official of the
lord of the manor holds visitations and a spiritual
court twice a year, both for ecclesiastical and civil matters;
its jurisdiction not only extending over the parish,
but to several other parts of the county, in which it is
the most extensive manor, enjoying the privileges of
court leet, court baron, Sac., oyer, terminer, and gaol
delivery, independent of the rest of the county. The
custom of gavelkind is still observed throughout the
soke. The river Soar forms a boundary of the parish.
Bartholomew Hickling, in 1691, founded and endowed
a school for fourteen boys; and, in 1736, Elizabeth
Daniel bequeathed a small sum, to be applied for teaching
six girls.