Wistow | |
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St Wistan's church, Wistow | |
Location within Leicestershire | |
Area | 1.421875 sq mi (3.68264 km2) |
Population | 62 (2011)[1] |
• Density | 44/sq mi (17/km2) |
OS grid reference | SP643960 |
• London | 82 mi (132 km) |
Civil parish |
|
District | |
Shire county | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | LEICESTER |
Postcode district | LE8 |
Dialling code | 0116 |
Police | Leicestershire |
Fire | Leicestershire |
Ambulance | East Midlands |
UK Parliament | |
Website | Wistow cum Newton Harcourt Parish Council |
Wistow is a deserted medieval village and civil parish in the Harborough district, in the English county of Leicestershire, and lies seven miles south-east of the city of Leicester in the valley of the River Sence. Since 1 April 1936 it has included most of the former civil parish of Newton Harcourt[2] which was a chapelry of Wistow. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 256.[3]
The village was named as Wistanestou in the Domesday Book and is thought to derive from Wigstan (OE male personal name) + OE stow 'a holy place'; 'The holy place of Wigstan'.[4] It is thought to be the site of the martyrdom of Saint Wigstan, a Mercian prince. Wistow was part of the royal multiple estate of aet Glenne (Great Glen).[5] Wistow is listed in the Domesday book of 1086 as a settlement of many households owned by Robert the bursar.[6][7]