Geographic area
Desford Parish is located in West Leicestershire. The village of Desford lies approximately 6.5 miles (11km) west of Leicester and 6.5 miles (11km) north east of Hinckley.
The parish includes the village of Desford and the smaller settlements of Newtown Unthank and Botcheston. Part of the Baron’s Park area of Kirby Muxloe is also within the parish. The population of the parish is approximately 4,500. Of these about 4,000 live in the village of Desford and 500 in other settlements within the parish.
The parish of Desford is within the Borough of Hinckey and Bosworth and is surrounded by the parishes of Ratby to the NE, Kirby Muxloe and Leicester Forest East to the E, Leicester Forest West to the SE, Peckleton to the S and SW, Newbold Verdon to the W and Bagworth and Thornton to the N.
It is within commuting distance of the cities of Leicester, Derby, Nottingham, Coventry and Birmingham. The B582 goes through the parish joining the A47 and the A447. There is also a freight only railway line from Leicester to Burton upon Trent which crosses the parish just to the east of the village. The Rothley Brook runs close to the railway line.
Desford
Desford is a village and civil parish in the Hinckley and Bosworth district, 7 miles (11 km) west of the centre of Leicester. The parish includes the hamlets of Botcheston and Newtown Unthank and a scattered settlement at Lindridge. The population at the 2011 census had increased to 3,930.
Botcheston
Botcheston is a hamlet in the Hinckley and Bosworth district of Leicestershire about 6.5 miles (10.5 km) west of Leicester. It is in the civil parish of Desford and about a mile north of the village. The population is included in the civil parish of Desford.
Botcheston has about 200 households, a public house[1] and a village hall.
Newton Unthank
Newtown Unthank is a hamlet in the Hinckley and Bosworth district of Leicestershire about 6 miles (10 km) west of Leicester. It is in the civil parish of Desford (where the population is included) and about a mile northeast of the village.
Newtown Unthank was the site of Desford railway station on the Leicester and Swannington Railway, which became part of the Leicester to Burton upon Trent Line. The station was closed in the 20th century; the railway between Leicester and Burton-on-Trent remains open for freight trains.
