Overseal
| Overseal | |
|---|---|
 Overseal Primary School. This colliery winding wheel is from Donisthorpe colliery, the last deep mine in South Derbyshire. |
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 Overseal
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| Overseal shown within Derbyshire | |
| Population | 2,450 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | SK294153 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | SWADLINCOTE |
| Postcode district | DE12 |
| Police | Derbyshire |
| Fire | Derbyshire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| EU Parliament | East Midlands |
Overseal is a village and civil parish in South Derbyshire situated 3 miles south of Swadlincote and 4.5 miles west of Ashby-de-la-Zouch. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 2,450. It is one of the southernmost settlements in Derbyshire (after Netherseal and Lullington), situated close to the border with Leicestershire and lying within the National Forest area.
Historically both Overseal and Netherseal were part of Leicestershire: they were transferred from Leicestershire to Derbyshire in 1897, in return for Leicestershire absorbing several of Derbyshire's enclaves. (See County Enclaves).
The village was once part of the district of Seal, which included a number of settlements, many of which form Netherseal and Overseal in modern times. The Seal suggests the area was once heavily forested and Nether means lower and Over means upper. The small hamlet of Seale lies approximately 1 mile to the south of the village, marking the border with Leicestershire near Acresford. The busy A444 (M42 – Burton upon Trent) bisects the village and Nuneaton lies some 17 miles (27 km) south of Overseal at the A444's terminus.
Overseal is in the heart of the National Forest. To the south-east is Donisthorpe (in Leicestershire). Halfway between the village and Moira, half a mile to the east, is the Conkers activity park, the National Forest youth hostel and a Camping and Caravanning Club site (all in Leicestershire), close by also to Short Heath (in Derbyshire). The village was part of West Goscote Hundred in Leicestershire for most of its history. In 1889 it was transferred, along with Netherseal, to Derbyshire in exchange for Chilcote, Donisthorpe, Measham, Oakthorpe, Stretton-en-le-Field and Willesley plus the Derbyshire parts of Appleby Magna, Packington and Ravenstone.
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