Dishley Grange in photographs

Briefly, Dishley Grange is a private farm between Loughborough and Hathern. In the 18th century it was farmed by Robert Bakewell, a pioneering agriculturalist who selectively bred farm animals, to provide more feed for the growing population. The farm was originally part of the Garendon Abbey estate, and in later years was the site of Dishley Anglican Church, records of which go back to 1681. This church was superseded by the church at Thorpe Acre, known as Thorpe Acre with Dishley, and opened about 1845. I recently went on a walk around Dishley Grange, led by Ernie Miller: I posted about Robert Bakewell last week, so today I am posting some of the photographs I took of a farm that is not normally open to the public.


 The view which greeted us when we entered the farmstead was the abandoned Dishley Church:

Looking towards the altar

Looking through to the dovecote

The outer wall

Windows?

Evidence of another floor?

View of the trees

Roof and dovecote

Inside the church were Swithland slate memorials to the Bakewell family. This would not have been their original position: If I remember rightly, these were "table-top" gravestones, ones that were not designed to stand upright, rather they were tombs.

Gravestones of eight of the Bakewell family



This is the gravestone commemorating Robert Bakewell, father of the agriculturalist

A memorial plaque mounted on the wall of the church 

Outside the church there were a number of gravestones to be seen. these would not originally have been laid flat, but would have been standing. The double line in the middle of the stone directly below marks how much of the memorial would have been buried, and how much visible above ground level.

Gravestone lying flat, but originally intended to be standing.

Another horizontal memorial

Commemoration of Robert Bakewell, 1725-1795



A gravestone lying flat

Just beyond the church, in the direction of the farmhouse stands a mausoleum. There is no way in. It is believed that the mausoleum was opened up around the turn-of-the-century, and was closed up again, it being deemed there was no-one of importance within. Who knows?

The mausoleum and church

Looking towards the farmhouse:

The farmhouse itself, peeping through the trees

We were not the only visitors that day!

Getting closer - through the willows

The farmhouse has had an extension to the front, but the back has some original features:

The front view of the farmhouse

The rear of the farmhouse with an original window on the far right (kitchen)

A useful outdoor tap!

 The barns formed a courtyard:

Archway on the right leading to the courtyard

Inside the courtyard

Horses within, doves to the right!

The dovecote was an integral part of the farm.

View of the dovecote from the back (i.e. from the church)



Inside the dovecote looking up to the glover

The walls showing the angled bricks that provided nesting areas for the doves/pigeons

Another view up the wall!

Old and new working together

Farming moves with the times!