Conservation Areas in Harborough district - Thurnby and Bushby Conservation Area

The Conservation Area of Thurnby embraces the core of the old village which has now been surrounded by later developments and housing estates. Its character is that imparted by the discernible remnants of the core.

Essentially it is a linear settlement along the line of the former Uppingham/Leicester Road which follows a slight ridge. The Conservation Area basically includes just the buildings along the main road, but at the west it widens to incorporate the land behind the church containing the Edwardian Vicarage, the Manor House in mature grounds with fine trees, and Manor Field, an important open space of meadowland and playing fields to the west of the Manor House grounds. At its eastern end Thurnby merges with Bushby; the conservation area terminates at a small green with mature trees by the main street, overlooked by older properties, there is another area of open space and green in front of the thatched Rose and Crown Public House.

There is a variety of building materials mainly red brick with slate (some fish scale slates and some Swithland). Building types vary from the low simple cottage to medium sized houses and the school.

The church of St Luke stands high at the western end overlooking the road leading down the ridge towards Stoughton. By the road junction below the church are two open spaces to east and west that to the west contains a pump and former conduit with older cottages overlooking these. The church itself with massive central tower is framed by trees and is flanked to the east by the tall red brick school of 1865 with dark brick diapering, and is flanked to the west by the Dower House. This house with 17th century brick in the gable and Victorian and Regency additions closes the vista from both east and west and is prominent from the south.

Behind the Main Street, but outside the conservation area and between the older buildings along the main street are varied modern buildings. Many of the modern small estates are built in the grounds of substantial houses that have been demolished to make way for modern housing development. The Conservation Area defines the extent of the early settlement.

Thurnby and Bushby Conservation Area map