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The audio clips were recorded by Dave Kitto in July 2005. To listen to them you will need Windows Media Player 9 or 10, or similar software such as Winamp or Real Player. Audio clips are accompanied by the  icon
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The small village of Hugglescote lies near to Coalville in Leicestershire. Dennis Street, Station Road and Grange Road in the village have a wealth of historical interest.
For many years Hugglescote resident Brian Moore has fostered a keen interest in the history of the village and in particular of the Baptist Church on Dennis Street. A dedicated Property Steward for the church, Brian has initiated many improvements and experienced many changes in the village.  In July 2005 Brian explained some of the village’s history...
The growth of the Baptist movement in Hugglescote led to a succession of buildings from the mid 1700s onwards. These developments were partly in the hands of a John Aldridge, one of the first seven Baptist members to form the Baptist church in nearby Barton in the Beans. Aldridge married a local girl from Hugglescote and began to hold services from their farmhouse on Dennis Street.
Services here continued until he acquired land in 1796 on which to construct a wooden church. This land is now Grange Road Graveyard. The Baptist movement flourished and larger buildings were needed to accommodate a growing congregation, a Day school and Sunday school. In 1874 it was decided to build a new church to house the congregation, which reached over 600 people at one time. The congregation has declined significantly since the 1950s and in 2005 members have decided to move from this 19th century building. |
Hugglescote Baptist Church, Dennis Street, in 2005. The third Baptist church in the village, built in 1874.
 Henry Dennis...
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The masonry work on the building was done by a local mason, Mr Wells. During the course of building the brick makers went bankrupt, hence the first 6ft is a rough softer brick and above that there are smoother bricks.
 Brickwork...
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Inside the building are the old schoolrooms. The Day School closed in 1924 when it held around 250 pupils.
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A class from Hugglescote Baptist Day School and their teacher pictured outside the school in 1892.
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Pupils at the Hugglescote Baptist School pictured in their classroom in 1913.
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Often two classes or more were taken in the same room, separated only by a curtain.
 School rooms...
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The same room in 2005
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The headmaster of Hugglescote Baptist Church Day School, Mr Fellows and his teachers c 1890
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Brian has initiated many improvements to the church, not least the building of a new baptistery, where they uncovered the remains of the original from 1874. |
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