Quorn’s Local History

Quorn’s Local History The purpose of this page is to stimulate interest in Quorn and the surrounding areas history and heritage. Quorndon is a village in Leicestershire, England.

It supports and promotes local history events and the Village Online Museum. Except for original QLHG generated material, items posted are taken from the public domain and are reproduced in good faith as they originally appeared. QLHG does not give permission and does not authorise Facebook or any organisation associated with Facebook to use my images, information, messages, photos, deleted messages, files, etc.

Saturday 20th June, is the Quorn Mid-Summer Fete when Stafford Orchard, in the heart of Quorn, will be the place to be f...
19/06/2026

Saturday 20th June, is the Quorn Mid-Summer Fete when Stafford Orchard, in the heart of Quorn, will be the place to be from 10 am to 4 pm.
This week we have been posting some Quorn history facts. On Saturday come and visit the ‘Q’ stall where there will be a simple multiple choice quiz based on those posting - repeated at the stall. It’s free to enter with a chance to win a prize of a £100 and two £50 vouchers. See you there and who knows you could be a winner!!
There will also be traditional and community stalls, a dog show, local musicians and entertainers including Anstey Royal Chalfont Morris Dancers and a Corps of Drums. There will be a children's egg and spoon race, fancy dress competition, and a tug-of-war and refreshments. There will be an Ice cream bike and an Art Fair. It all adds up to a good old fashion fete.
There are two free to enter tug-of-war categories: ‘serious’ and ‘just for fun’ so, if you think you can get a team of 8 people willing to pull together! email [email protected]
Registration for the dog show (charges apply), fancy dress, children's races will be from 10 am at the organiser's marquee. There will also be an art fair in the Old School featuring works by local artist.
As parking is limited in Quorn, the GCR will be running a FREE heritage bus service between Quorn Station Yard and School Lane (for Stafford Orchard).
Entry to Stafford Orchard and the Art Fair is FREE - Come on down!

Quorn’s very own Woolly Rhinoceros - in 1938 the abundant remains of a Woolly Rhinoceros (Coelodonta Antiquitatus), the ...
19/06/2026

Quorn’s very own Woolly Rhinoceros - in 1938 the abundant remains of a Woolly Rhinoceros (Coelodonta Antiquitatus), the most prolific source of any in Leicestershire were found in a gravel pit operated by Wm Moss and Sons on the site of what is now Lonsdale Mews Care Home. Thought to be some 17000 years old! On view in Loughborough Museum is the complete upper jaw of the woolly rhinoceros. After removal of the discovery, it was under skilful treatment at the Leicester Museum. Owing to its delicate condition it was at one time thought it would not be possible to maintain it for exhibition, but Mr W E Mayes, sub-curator of the Leicester Museum, and his staff succeeded in a very difficult task. The specimen discovered at the scene of several other important finds was buried 15 feet below the surface of the gravel pit. It is approximately 2ft 6in long and contains four teeth practically intact on either side of the jaw. It was a find of unique character in the county of Leicestershire, although parts of the anatomy have been found in Soar gravels before, but nothing like this. Some of the remains are on view in the Loughborough Museum. The woolly rhinoceros jaw is a relic of the late Ice Age.

HMS Quorn - There had been three Royal Navy Hunt Class ships named HMS Quorn, the first, was a minesweeper launched in 1...
18/06/2026

HMS Quorn - There had been three Royal Navy Hunt Class ships named HMS Quorn, the first, was a minesweeper launched in 1916. The second was a destroyer launched in 1940, she was sunk in 1944, with many sailors losing their lives. The third HMS Quorn was launched in 1988 and was decommissioned in 2017. The ships Bell and Ensign were presented to the Quorn Parish Council and are on display in the Community Library. Following news in 1987 that there would be another HMS QUORN efforts were made to ensure that the ship would also be linked with our village. Her role was to be a mine hunter and sweeper. The last HMS QUORN Cadet Jamie Palmer, at work on the bridge during his tour of duty HMS QUORNs bell and ensign
displayed in Quorn library Jamie Palmer, a Loughborough student, went on a tour of duty on HMS QUORN as a guest cadet. He and two other cadets from Loughborough boarded the ship at Edinburgh and their first duty, being cadets, was to clean the radio room! Next morning found Jamie up for inspection at 6 a.m. and more cleaning duties - this time HMS Quorn's bell and all other brass items. This was followed by the Captain's inspection and making ready to put to sea. Once out in the North Sea Jamie found himself with more cleaning duties - this time it was 'the heads! Day two involved two watch periods plus a spell in the galley preparing vegetables, followed by... more cleaning before supper. Life at sea on the third day started with bridge watch after breakfast. Jamie's duty was to keep watch for small fishing boats as they entered the English Channel. While on the bridge Jamie saw a Trident submarine. After lunch he had engine room duties, followed by anchoring off the Isle of Wight, prior to harbouring in Portsmouth the following morning. Quite an adventure for a sixteen-year-old schoolboy.

Rawlins School - Thomas Rawlins lived in the 1600s and is believed to have originally been from London, possibly moving...
17/06/2026

Rawlins School - Thomas Rawlins lived in the 1600s and is believed to have originally been from London, possibly moving to Woodhouse around 1665 during the Great Plague. He was a local philanthropist, typical of the period, using his wealth to fund education. In 1691, he established a charitable trust to fund a school, originally in Woodhouse, intended to educate poor boys from local villages, Woodhouse and Woodhouse Eaves, Quorndon (Quorn) and Barrow upon Soar. This was quite forward-thinking for the time, education funded by a trust for multiple villages rather than just one parish. The original Woodhouse school declined and effectively closed by 1864, however, Rawlins’ endowment (the trust) still existed. In 1890, the trustees, especially W. E. B. J. Farnham of Quorn revived the foundation. The school reopened in Quorn in 1892 (initially in the village hall). A purpose-built school opened in 1897 on its present site. The first school badge was a tortoise. This can be seen on the gable end of the school building, facing High Street. Thomas Rawlins did not have a family coat of arms, but when he signed and sealed documents, his seal was a tortoise. The school motto was “Perseveratia mellor celeritate”, which translates as ‘Persistence is better than speed’.

Granite extraction in the Quorn area dates back to Roman times. It was this mineral resource that most likely led to the...
16/06/2026

Granite extraction in the Quorn area dates back to Roman times. It was this mineral resource that most likely led to the origin of the name ‘Quorndon’ being derived from the old English ‘cweorn’ meaning quern stone (a mill stone) and ‘dun’ meaning hill. The hill was Buddon Hill, now largely depleted. Extraction was small scale until the late 19th century when the need for materials expanded. The Mountsorrel Granite Company was formed by a local family in 1854. The site is now a major UK supplier and is managed by Tarmac. Current reserves are expected to last until at least 2037. The distinctive appearance of the pink granite continues to be used in repairing existing buildings in Quorn and local villages, but it is the construction industry that is today’s largest user.

Hugh Cecil Lowther, 5th Earl of Lonsdale, KG, GCVO, DL (25 January 1857–13 April (1944) was known as the Yellow Earl and...
15/06/2026

Hugh Cecil Lowther, 5th Earl of Lonsdale, KG, GCVO, DL (25 January 1857–13 April (1944) was known as the Yellow Earl and in 1893 aged 36 was appointed Master of Quorn Hunt and “Off to Quorn - Lovely Fun!” he declared. He lived at two properties in Quorn, Church Hill Cottage and then Soar House. He gave up as the Master of Quorn Hunt in 1898. He was described as a ‘larger than life character’ and shook-up Quorn in his time in the village. In 1905 Hugh was a founder member and first president of the Automobile Association (the AA) which adopted his yellow livery. He overspent on life’s luxuries and investments, losing his fortune. The village has honoured the Earl of Lonsdale by having the Lonsdale Mews care home named after him. A copy of this etching was found in a cottage in Quorn. It was the only item left behind in the property when they moved in over 50 years ago.

The Quorn at Quorn - we can’t ignore the fact that the Quorn was formed in the village 330 years ago and for 153 years o...
14/06/2026

The Quorn at Quorn - we can’t ignore the fact that the Quorn was formed in the village 330 years ago and for 153 years of that the hounds were based and kennelled in the village at Quorn Hall. Starting in 1753 and remaining there until 1906, then relocated to Paudy Lane in Barrow and then to Kirby Bellars in 1991. It was there that the following rare documents are held. Pictured is Tom Firr who served as the huntsman for the Quorn Hunt for 27 years, from 1872 until his retirement in 1899.

14/06/2026

On this day in 1965, Quorn and Woodhouse Signal Box closed. The original Quorn signal box (pictured), was a handsome structure with a brick base of typical London Extension style. It was demolished not long after closure.

The box would have seen many interesting ocurrences in its short life, from the arrival of horseboxes for gentry to join local hunting arrangements, troop trains for the military in the 1940s and 50s for troops bound to Camp Quorn, to the Beaumanor estate clogging up the yard in the 1920s when it decided to sell much of its timber, to a train of petrol tankers catching fire and having to be put out by the fire brigage in 1949.

The biggest upgrade for the box came during the Second World War when the station underwent a major redesign to cater for additional sidings in the yard for ammunitions traffic and the installation of a passing loop, seen in the picture snaking round the back of the box.

The signal box that currently resides at Quorn and Woodhouse was originally from Market Rasen and is of 1886 MS&LR vintage making it the oldest structure on the preserved railway. It sits just north of the original site of Quorn box.

14/06/2026

Heritage buses at the Quorn Village Fete! 🚍🎉

On Saturday 20 June, Quorn Village Fete is taking place and we’ll be running a bus service from Quorn Station to the fete to help you get there and back with ease.
Whether you’re heading along for the stalls, entertainment, food, or a great community day out, we’d love to see you there!

🚗 Parking at Quorn Station? If you’re leaving your car with us but not travelling on the train, a donation would be greatly appreciated to support the railway.

The Reverend Robert Stammers was rector of St Bartholomew’s Church, Quorn’s Parish Church from 1832 until his death in 1...
11/06/2026

The Reverend Robert Stammers was rector of St Bartholomew’s Church, Quorn’s Parish Church from 1832 until his death in 1888 – an extraordinary 55-year ministry. During that period there was a nationwide movement to restore medieval parish churches and Quorn church underwent extensive improvements, many of which required substantial expenditure. Stammers believed that St Bartholomew’s should reflect the prosperity, dignity and religious seriousness of Victorian Quorn. He facilitated a gradual repair and improvement programme taking advantage of wealthy benefactors, and the affluent Quorn families such as the Farnhams of Quorn House and the Warners of Quorn Hall, who were willing to contribute.

The following article appeared in the Leicester Journal dated Friday 6th January 1888 (courtesy the British Newspaper Archive):

“QUORNDON - THE PARISH CHURCH. - In addition to the munificent liberality of W. E. B. Farnham, Esq. and the Rev. R Stammers towards the church in this village, it has still further been increased by a handsome reredos and communion table, presented to the vicar and churchwarden. by E. Warner, Esq. and Mrs. Warner, of Quorndon Hall. The reredos is constructed of Caen stone and alabaster, in the early English style. The centre portion has three arched panels. supported by marble columns, and surmounted by an enriched battlemented cornice; the panels are of alabaster, the centre has a white Sicilian marble cross on a diapered back ground, and the sides are enriched with eucbaristic emblems in the lower part, and diapered panels above. The spandrels above the arches are tilled in with carved trefoils. The side wings are constructed of Caen stone, with arched panels containing the decalogue on Caen stone panels. The communion table is of Caen some, and is divided into five panels, with pointed arches supported by marble columns, the panels being filled in with alabaster. The centre one is embellished with the sacred monogram in white marble, enclosed in a vesica panel. The wok was executed by Messrs. Jones and Willis of Birmingham, the eminent ecclesiastical art workers.”

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