Saddington

Saddington is a village in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. It is close to Smeeton Westerby, Gumley, Kibworth and Fleckney. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 309.

It is a small hilltop village to the south of Fleckney and overlooks the Saddington Reservoir, constructed in 1802 to feed the Grand Union Canal. The canal flows through the parish and traverses a half-mile-long tunnel. The church of St Helen largely dates from 1872–73, although it retains an original 13th century north doorway and other masonry of around 1300. All persons alive today with the surname Saddington are likely to be descendants of Henry of Saddington born 1603.

The Saddington Treacle Mine is a notable fictional local attraction, often referred to by locals of the surrounding villages.

Saddington is also home to the Manor Farm Riding School along the main street next to the church of St Helen.

The school in Saddington opened in 1828 and by 1833 it had 70 pupils, 40 boys and 30 girls, with an average Sunday school attendance of 60 children. By 1855 a new national school was built and was constructed as a single storey red brick building. The school attendance declined over time and had only 29 pupils by 1910. The school was designated as a junior school in 1931, with the senior pupils being transferred to Church Langton.

St Helen's Church was almost entirely rebuilt and restored in 1872-73 by Fredrick Peck. In the centuries leading up to this rebuilding project, the fabric of the church and most of its internal features and objects were at various times repaired, restored or replaced and so the heritage of the building and how it has evolved over the ages can be seen and appreciated. Some of the oldest preserved features of the church include the three bays of the south arcade, the north doorway, the tower and the nave arcades, which date back to the 13th century. The parts of the church which were restored, dating from the 14th century include, the unbuttressed church tower, the font set and base and the arched piscina in the chancel.

Saddington became part of the Market Harborough Union in 1836. There had never been a workhouse in the village, but the parish records indicate that in 1802-03, 27 children and 19 adults received outdoor payments to relieve their pauperism. In terms of the surviving parish records, there are 'town books' which give details of overseers,constables, surveyors and accounts for the periods 1781-1816 and 1820-38. There are overseers accounts for 1792-1824 and other papers relating to poor relief, which includes a vestry minute book for 1871-1931.

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