Tuesday 16th July 2024  

1816 Map of Quorn

This rare map of early Quorn was extracted from a much larger map, which was commissioned by George Watkinson in 1816.

Before the first Ordnance Survey maps, maps were generally only made privately and for a reason, usually by landowners to document their holdings. Although most of George Watkinson’s property holdings were in Beaumanor and Woodhouse, the full version of the map includes surrounding villages.

George Watkinson was born in 1754 and appears to have lived in Woodhouse all of his life. He married Mary Beaumont of Barrow upon Soar on 23rd May 1791, when he was described as a gent/grazier.

At one time George Watkinson owned Woodhouse Hall (aka Garat's Hay) as well as the Broombriggs lands and Long Close (possibly the oldest house in Woodhouse).

When George died in 1834 his land and property largely passed to his wife Mary, but some money and land appears also to have been left to their younger daughter and sole remaining child, Ann Christiana Watkinson. Ann became known for her benevolence and between 1837 and 1839 donated the land upon which St Pauls Church and Woodhouse National School were built and largely funded the actual building of the National School. Mary died in 1840 and at the age of 49 in 1845 Ann married John Simeon Hiley, curate of Woodhouse, who was around 15 years her junior. She died almost five years later and so Woodhouse Hall passed to John Simeon Hiley and then to his son by his second wife, Arnold James Watkinson Hiley (the 'Watkinson' in memory of his first wife). George and Mary Watkinson are buried in St Mary's churchyard and their graves can still be seen today.

The map is extremely detailed, with each plot being numbered. Frustratingly, the record book which would have once accompanied the map, and given details for each plot number, has been lost.

The map has been turned round to face north at the top, and labels for the Church and Barrow Road have been added to help with interpretation.

Submitted on: 2017-02-04 Submitted by: Sue Templeman, additional info Evelyn Brown Artefact ID: 1968 Artefact URL: www.quornmuseum.com/display.php?id=1968