Village History

The Manor and lands of Measham originally belonged to King William the 1st before being given to the de Measham family who owned it until 1308 when William de Beresford became lord of the manor, in his time a market and three day fair was granted in 1310.
Records from the time indicate that Measham was a farming community but that coalmining was already being undertaken from the 13th century.
William de Beresford was himself killed while getting coal in 1326. An enquiry after his death stated: "The coal there is worth 13s.4d yearly"
Other holders of the Manor included Walter Blount, who was created Lord Mountjoy, and was Lord High Treasurer of England in 1464.
In 1780 Joseph Wilkes purchased the Manor for the sum of £50,000, Wilkes was one of then most influential men of the industrial revolution, this began a prosperous period in the history of Measham lasting well into the next century, coalmines, banking, tramways, boot, lace, cotton and bleach mills were all serviced by the new Ashby canal.
Wilkes also made Jumbbricks to avoid paying tax, some of these can still be seen in older buildings in the village.
Other interesting sites include:- St.Laurence's Church re-built in 1340 on the site of an existing chapel of ease which dated from 1172.
The Baptist Chapel erected in 1811, although the Baptist ministry has been active in the village since since the 1730's.
The Roman Catholic Church of St.Charles Borromeo built in 1881.
The Temperance Hall (now age concern) has been the focus of many village activities since 1852.
Measham is still making history, in 1992 the village became the first rural housing renewal area in the country and was designated the first model village in the new National Forest. In the new Millennium Measham also saw the opening of a new Leisure Centre and plans are in the pipeline to restore the Ashby Canal in the village.