Donington le Heath Manor

In the civil parish of Coalville.
In the historic county of Leicestershire (Modern Authority of Leicestershire, 1974 county of Leicestershire).

House, c.1280, altered C17, restored 1966-71, of Charnwood granite rubble with ashlar dressings, C20 timber-framed gables and Swithland slate roofs. Massive rubble stack to rear (truncated). Main hall block of 2 storeys lies E-W with wings projecting N at each end to form a half-H plan, and a further wing of slightly later date extends from the NE angle. S wall contains original 1st floor entrance to hall, holes for staircase still visible. Shallow angle buttresses (except at SE corner and in N wing). C13 cusped lancets, restored. S, N and E walls largely rebuilt during restoration. Ground floor fireplace C17, dates from conversion of undercroft to kitchen, when the height of the ceiling was also raised. 1st floor hall has C17 fireplace (fragment of stone wall bracket only remains of C13 fire- place). 3 C17 roof trusses, one closed and 2 open. Hall separated from wings by timber-framed partitions. Part of original plaster infilling survives by doorway to E wing. C17 mullioned windows of 3 and 4 lights with hood bands above, inserted in S and E walls. Window at W end of hall is single large lancet. Surrounded by an enclosure bank and possible moat surviving as an earthwork. Medieval barn, altered C20 seen as roofed building. CastleUK web site describe this as a fortified manor but no other sources do so. However, staff report to me that air photo shows possible moat and finds of roof slates may indicate the position of a gate house; I am doubtful that this site was of high enough status to have been consider fortified. Williams calls this a fortified manor house in a group not 'requiring' a licence to crenellate i.e. low status and weakly fortified.

This site has been described as a;
Fortified Manor House.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Questionable.
Major remains.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SK42021266

Modern Map from Good for landscape form and features	Modern Map from Good for general location
Air Photo from	1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape number; 920571

• Web site links
  • http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_midlands/129/heathouse.htm
    http://www.leics.gov.uk/index/community/museums/donington_le_heath.htm
• Journal Articles
  • Liddle, Peter, 2001, 'Archaeology in Leicestershire and Rutland 2000' Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society Vol75 p142-3 [slight]
    Williams, Daniel, 1974-5, 'Fortified Manor Houses' Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society Vol50 p1-16