Houghton on the Hill

Residents

The population of Houghton is 1,548. Many of Houghton's residents commute to Leicester, Uppingham (in Rutland) or other nearby towns. The village is the birthplace of the famed landscape artist John Glover (1767-1849) and home of the eccentric creative designer Baron Ashlington. One time member of the village, and still frequent visitor, is the writer Dr. Kingsley Dennis; author of 'New Consciousness for a New World' (2011) and 'After the Car' (2009). The Manor of Houghton was owned by Thompson Family for many years until it was sold to George Anthony Legh Keck in 1805. It later passed to the Lilford Family until 1913 when it was sold.

Services

Services in Houghton on the Hill include:

Houghton on the Hill C of E Primary School is situated in the lower part of the village. It was erected in 1856 and extensions were built in 1966, 1976 and 1983. It is a co-educational Church of England (controlled) Primary School and educates children from 4 to 10 years of age. The number of children enrolled at the school is now 180 (1 March 2010). The catchment area is made up of Houghton on the Hill and Ingarsby but most of the children come from other areas. It also has a very good year 4&5 netball team.

There is also a popular nursery school just outside the village to the east, called Glebe Farm Nursery School on Gaulby Lane, the original part of the house was built in 1915 and is a bench mark location. Opening in 1991 it is attached to the present owners house in the extensive grounds. It is a private nursery with around 40 children presently on roll, the catchment area is made up of the villages of Houghton on the Hill, Gaulby, Kings Norton, Billesdon and Thurnby. The Proprietor/Officer in Charge is Mrs. Lesley Tracy.

There are two churches in the village; the Anglican St Catharine's church and a Methodist church, both situated on Main Street.

The two pubs in the village are the Old Black Horse, on Main Street, and the Rose & Crown, on Uppingham Road.

Retailers in the village include a Co-op, a newsagent, and a chemist. There is also a fish and chip shop, a hairdresser and a beauty salon. There is a JET garage on the main road.

The hourly 747 bus service between Leicester and Uppingham, which runs through Houghton-on-the-Hill, There's also a West End Travel Rural Rider that passes through the village at irregular times, but does make a regular Monday to Friday travel between Hallaton and Leicester, these are the only public transport here. Most residents commute by car.

There is also a football team (Houghton Rangers Football Club) who have a junior team set up as well as an adult team. The junior club is coached by the world-famous Coerver Coaching. They play on Weir Lane playing fields as well as a cricket team (Houghton Cricket Club) who play on Dixon's field in the southern end of the village next to the School.

There is a village hall situated in the centre of the village with a bowling green attached. Houghton has a scout troop ranging from Beavers to Explorers (Formerly Venture Scouts). There is also a Tennis Club situated on the Weir Lane Playing facilities.

The village has a monthly newsletter, the Houghton News, which features articles from various village groups, events listings, and reports from Parish Council meetings.

Fun Day

Every summer (since The Queen's Jubilee - 2002) the village holds its Summer Funday. This takes place on a Saturday (1st weekend in July) and goes on all afternoon (starts with parade at 2:30). This event attracts all the villagers (young and old) who wish to participate from organising the events in the field and helping with the organising of the Fancy Dress competition to helping set up the stalls and gazebos on the main field at the back of the Pub.

The Fun Day begins with a parade from Paresh's newsagent at 2:30 going down St Catherines Way past St Catherines Church, down Main Street and towards the field at the back of the Old Black Horse pub where the judging will take place.

In 2007 the Fun Day was not able to be held in July due to the field being waterlogged, but the Day was rescheduled to 8 September 2007.

The 'Fun Day' has recently been restarted by a village fundraising group and is now called the Houghton Scarecrow Festival. It was first held in 2014, and is an annual event every June, raising money for local groups and societies in the village.

Politics

Houghton-on-the-Hill forms part of the Thurnby and Houghton ward of Harborough District Council, currently represented by three Liberal Democrats, including Liberal Democrat group leader on Harborough Council Simon Galton. Cllr Galton is also Houghton's representative and Liberal Democrat group leader on Leicestershire County Council, where the village forms part of the Launde division. Houghton is also a Civil Parish with a Parish Council made up of independent elected members.

Houghton was, until 1997, part of the Harborough constituency at Westminster, represented by Edward Garnier. However, following boundary alterations that year, it was moved into the neighbouring constituency of Rutland and Melton, whose MP since 1992 has been Alan Duncan.

Former railway

There used to be a railway that ran through Ingarsby, approximately two miles north of Houghton. Its station was named Ingarsby for Houghton on the Hill owing to its use by commuters from the larger village. The railway line and station were closed in 1954, but both the station building and the station master's house remain in Ingarsby, having been converted to residential properties. The most notable sign of the railway's existence is a long unused rail tunnel. This is notable because only one side was demolished, leaving only one entry point and no exit.