Ratby, Leicestershire

Description
Ratby, a village, a township, and a parish in Leicestershire. The village stands near the Leicester and Swanning-ton branch of the M.R., 5 miles W by N of Leicester; it is irregularly built, and has a station on the railway, and a post office under Leicester; money order office, Groby; telegraph office, Kirby Muxloe. The parish contains also the hamlets of Groby, Botcheston, and Newtown Unthank, and comprises 4972 acres; population, 2201. Many of the inhabitants are framework knitters, and a large number work in the Groby granite quarries. The manor belongs to the Countess of Stamford and Warrington. A Roman camp of about 12 acres is about a mile W of the village. The living is a vicarage, united with the perpetual curacy of Groby, in the diocese of Peterborough; net value, £322, in the gift of the Executors of the Earl of Stanford. The church is a fine building in the Early Decorated style, consisting of chancel, nave, S aisle, N porch, and a massive embattled western tower. It has an ancient font, some good stained windows, and a marble monument of 1615. There is a Primitive Methodist chapel.