Kibworth Beauchamp’s New Village Sign

15th March 2025 | Local History

If you’ve passed the roundabout recently, you may have noticed our new Kibworth Beauchamp Village Sign, funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Grant. Hand-crafted by Glyn Mould Woodcarving, it beautifully illustrates key historical landmarks and moments that define our village.

At the heart of the sign stands St. Wilfrid’s Church, a prominent part of the community for over 700 years. Originally featuring a towering spire that collapsed in 1825, the west end of the church was rebuilt with its current tower and continues to serve as a place of worship for both Kibworth Beauchamp and Kibworth Harcourt. Also shown are the memorial cross and part of the church hall.

To the front right is the roundabout with the newly refurbished lighting column, historically known as Cross Bank. This was once home to a market cross and later the site of local fairs.

Historical Depictions

Behind this, the Mud Cottage is depicted—a thatched cottage demolished in 1947. Now only a mud wall remains as a reminder of Kibworth’s architectural past.

To the left, two women are shown using a pump outside the Coach & Horses Inn, an 18th-century coaching inn. It once featured a horse trough which is now part of a Victorian display at Newarke Houses Museum in Leicester.

Further back, the Manor House—an Elizabethan H-shaped dwelling from the late 1500s—stands, alongside the Clock Tower, built in 1913 on the stables of the Manor House. The clock, by Smiths of Derby, used to chime every 15 minutes.

Beneath the ‘Kibworth Beauchamp’ banner, a train symbolises the Midland Railway’s impact on the village. Opened in 1857, it transformed Kibworth into a growing community before the station closed in 1968 due to the Beeching Cuts; the line is still used today.

To the right of the train, a framework knitter is depicted, representing Kibworth’s once-thriving knitting industry. Dating back to the 1590s, framework knitting became a key trade, providing employment in the village for centuries.

This sign is a celebration of Kibworth Beauchamp’s rich history and heritage – an invitation for residents and visitors alike to appreciate the village’s past while looking forward to its future.

KBPC