102 OFFICE FIELD
PART OF WESTFIELD FARM, WITH BOUNDARIES TO THE RIDGEWAY AND SWITHLAND LANE
One of the boundaries of this field was part of the Rothley Ancient Parish Boundary and of historical importance. There is also evidence of ridge and furrow.
OS Ref: SK568123
It was known as the Office Field as this is where the office for the Rothley Temple Estates was housed. It was a wooden building and there in the early sixties as I remember it facing to the Swithland Lane. The plans above show the original office buiding sited further along Swithland Lane close to The Homestead. The original plans are held by John Wright of Rothley who allowed me to photograph them. It looks to be a plan for the enlargement of the office as it is marked 'alterations and additions' and dated 6th June 1911.
Dated 6th June 1911
Looking towards Swithland Lane from The Slang (Site 103) with The Ridgeway to the left. The Estate Office was in front of the rear line of trees. March 2002
Looking from The Ridgeway to the houses on Swithland Lane. March 2002
Detail from the photograph above showing the hedgerow in March 2002 and the photograph below showing what happened to it in 2005
Hedgerow removed and replaced by a fence. The destruction of this piece of hedgerow was the destruction of part of our heritage as it was a piece of the Rothley Ancient Parish Boundary and part of Rothley's history. Photo dated July 2005
Looking from Swithland Lane to houses on The Ridgeway. March 2002
Looking over the Office Field with its ridge and furrow towards The Ridgeway and Westfield Farm in the centre. March 2002
Looking from the corner of The Ridgeway and Swithland Lane. Ancient Parish Boundary on the left. May 2006
Looking from the corner of The Ridgeway and Swithland Lane with The Ridgeway to the right. May 2006
Looking from The Ridgeway to the Swithland Lane Gardens showing the fence replacing the hedgerow of the Rothley Ancient Parish Boundary. December 2009
Looking from the corner of The Ridgeway and Swithland Lane with The Ridgeway to the right. February 2010
Looking from the corner of The Ridgeway and Swithland Lane towards the remaining part of the Rothley Ancient Parish Boundary running along the garden field boundary. Note the ivy-clad tree. February 2010
Recorded as Tree 225 in the Natural History Survey this is an ancient tree in the Rothley Ancient Parish Boundary. It is an Oak with a girth of 6.02 metres and approx. 15 metres in height. It is not in good condition, lost most of its canopy, covered in ivy but still in leaf. It is an important Rothley tree. March 2002
Tree 225 going into a bigger decline with ivy covering most of the remaining branches. February 2004
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ROTHLEY ANCIENT PARISH BOUNDARY SURVEY PLEASE CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK:
OFFICE FIELD IN 2013
Since the loss of Westfield Farm to a private property this site has not been used by cattle or sheep resulting in the loss of a grazing regime so vital for maintaining pasture. It is now used by horses and vegetation such as thistles and nettles are getting abundant. It is looking very unkempt.
Looking from The Ridgeway to the gardens of the houses on Swithland Lane. Site 103 The Slang over the hedgerow to the right. June 2013
Looking from the end of The Ridgeway at the corner by the Swithland Lane junction towards Site 103 The Slang. June 2013.
Swithland Lane on the left. Looking at the hedgerow boundary with the first property on Swithland Lane. June 2013
From The Ridgeway and Swithland Lane junction looking to the boundary hedgerow with Site 103 The Slang and the end property on The Ridgeway. June 2013.
The following notes were made on the 11th March 2002 when we looked at the hedgerows and recorded the species. Hedgerows are part of our history and liable to loss as noted in July 2005.
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