Packington

Packington is a village and civil parish in the district of North West Leicestershire. It is situated close to the A42 road and the town of Ashby de la Zouch. The population of Packington according to the 2001 UK census is 738. [ [http://www.leics.gov.uk/packington-3.pdf Population figures] ] Nearby villages include Normanton le Heath and Measham.

Packington has a public house called the 'Bull and Lion' (reputedly the only one in Britain) , 1 Church of England, 1 Methodist church, 1 local shop and 1 post office, which double up as a little local shop. However this has now sadly closed due to the Postal Office's shut down of many of its smaller branches.The Gillewhiskey stream runs through the village. It is part of the National Forest.

History

The lordship of Packington was in the possession of the infamous Lord Henry Hastings, 1st Baron Loughborough during the Civil War. In 1644 the constables of the town paid a compulsory levy of £51 for the "Contribution" to Parliament, providing quartering for troops from Fairfax’s army from the Tamworth garrison. Three Packington inhabitants, Mr Harsnett, William Corbett and Jane Cresswell made claims for free quarter in June, 1646. Thomas Pestell sen., the incumbent, was a strong supporter of the king. He resigned the vicarage to his son around 1644 after being robbed and plundered several times. The younger Thomas Pestell who was later ejected from his vicarage as a "great libertine", fled to the royalist garrison at Ashby de la Zouch. [ [http://www.applebymagna.org.uk/appleby_history/Scandalous.htm Scandalous parson of Packington] ]

In 1846, the manor of Packington was left by Sir Charles Abney Hastings, bart of Willesley Hall back to the Marquis of Hastings. (Charles father had been an illegitamate son).

References

*John Nichols, "History and Antiquities of Leicestershire", Vol. III, pg. 927.
*A.G. Mathews, "Walker Revised" (1948)