With the application by De Merke Estates to build 500 homes on land off of the Barleythorpe Main Road, this week we will be looking back on the history of Barleythorpe, including population increase, Barleythorpe Hall, and much more.

Barleythorpe is a village and civil parish located approximately 1 mile north west of Oakham, Rutland.

The name of the village means 'outlying farm/settlement'. 'Barley' comes from the later addition of the family name 'le Bolour' which is often confused with the crop.

The population at the 2001 census was 178, increasing to 207 at the 2011 census. Since this, new facilities have been added in the local area, providing for the increase in residents, including the Lidl, which was built in early 2018. However, with the building of 500 homes, the population would certainly soar in the little parish.

Barleythorpe has already seen a large increase in houses in recent years, with the addition of the Farriers Reach estate from 2019 onwards.

Of course, the most striking and one of the oldest homes in Barleythorpe is Barleythorpe Hall, which was the residence of Lord Lonsdale until 1926.

The present hall is the result of a re-build in 1934 following a fire which severely damaged the old building. At the time of the fire it was the home of the local MP Lawrence Kimball, Lord Lonsdale having sold the property in 1929.

The hall was put to various uses before conversion into its present form.

Barnsdale Hall was later an elderly person's home until 2006, when it was sold to Hazelton Homes. In 2018, Hazelton Homes transformed the building into luxury apartments.

Only this year, on the 27th of May 2022, residents voted in favour of the Oakham and Barleythorpe Neighbourhood Plan, which is expected to 'help Rutland County Council make decisions upon planning applications in the Parishes of Oakham and Barleythorpe'.

Find out more about the 500 house application submitted by De Merke Estates and register your comments here.

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