115 ROTHLEY TEMPLE (ROTHLEY COURT HOTEL)

In February 2002 we looked at the old walled garden and saw the old espaliers still growing along the walls. It was being used privately for keeping goats and their pens took up most of the garden. It must have been lovely when the fruits trees, flowers and vegetables were flourishing. So sad to see it in such a state.

In February 2002 we looked at the walled garden and greenhouse and found it all very sadly neglected. The greenhouse had no glass but polythene sheeting kept out the worst of the weather. The vines in the greenhouse still looked strong (we saw in the summer that they still fruit), the staging is still there and the pipes for heating. It must have been a very productive greenhouse when it was used and cared for.

With the property being so close to the Rothley Brook there must have been a mill on the site but trying to discover its location is proving very difficult even with the aid of old maps. The area in front of these views gets very damp so was this part of the waterway?

For more details about documents relating to the sale please click on the following link:

The Rothley Court Hotel is shown on old maps as The Temple and still called that today when talking about its history. It was converted to a hotel in the 1970's but had also seen life as a Nursing Home. It has a lot of history attached to it as it was the birthplace of Lord Macaulay, William Wilberforce drafted his Abolition of Slavery Bill whilst a guest and Earl Kitchener planned his Egyptian Campaign here. There is a plaque to William Wilberforce in the grounds and the hotel sign used to show his portrait before taken over by Greene King in 2001.

For more information about the history of The Temple and Rothley Court Hotel please click on the following link:

For more information about the Templar Effigy please click on the following link

The buildings on the site are Listed. For more information please click on the following link

To celebrate the Silver Jubilee in 1977 the Pageant of Rothley was staged in the grounds of Rothley Court. To find out more please click on the following link:

To find out more about the Bicentenary Commemoration in Rothley and the Abolition of the Slave Trade 1807 please click on the following link:

Rothley Temple in the Olden Time by Eliza Conybeare is one of the Rothley Chronicles and more can be found by clicking on the following link:

Heritage Open Day was held in 2006 as part of the Civic Society weekend of events. To find out what we did in the grounds of Rothley Court Hotel and Chapel please click on the following link:

There is a Time Capsule set in a wall inside the Rothley Court so find out more by clicking on this link

If you would like to see old photographs of Rothley and the Temple you can find out what is available on the following link and also the link above, My Leicestershire Digital Archive: