Rutland village by village: Normanton

The place-name derives from 'the settlement of the Norwegians'. Compared to adjoining counties Rutland has a dearth of Scandinavian place-names. Normanton and the Norwegian who gave his name to Glaston are among the exceptions.

The various Normantons (such as Normanton on Soar in Nottinghamshire and Normanton to the north of Bottesford in Leicestershire) are all situated at the probable limit of navigation along small rivers, or at the side of the River Soar. Presumably they were trading places and predate the large-scale Viking settlement of the tenth and eleventh centuries.

The village was demolished in 1764 by Sir Gilbert Heathcote to improve the park of his magnificent Palladian-style house. The site of the cleared village is now flooded by Rutland Water.

Along with Exton and Burley, Normanton was one of the three great estates in Rutland. Heathcote's house was itself demolished in 1925, although the stable block, clock tower and part of the garden remain on the shore of Rutland Water.

In 1764 Heathcote also demolished the fourteenth century church, apart from the tower which survived until 1826 when it was replaced with a tower and portico based on St John's church in Smith Square, London. The chancel and nave were again rebuilt in 1911 to match the tower.

Normanton in 1884. St Matthew's church is highlighted in red.

The same area in 2025. The deconsecrated church is again highlighted in red. Note that the wiggly grey dotted lines in the middle of Rutland Water are parish boundaries which were defined by the course of the now-drowned River Gwash. The Gwash is visible on the 1884 map.

When Rutland Water was created Normanton's sepulchral monuments, such as the effigy of Gilbert Heathcote, were transferred to Edith Weston church. The building was deconsecrated and half-submerged. It became a museum devoted to the history of Rutland Water and the surrounding area. It is home to many dinosaur fossils and other fascinating specimens. From the end of 2010 it became a wedding venue (although seemingly some of the museum still exists). Its curious location projecting from the shore makes it one of the best-known landmarks on Rutland Water. Close up, the concrete and rubble bund detracts greatly from what is otherwise a good example of Neo-Classical elegance in Rutland.

Neo-Classicism loses out to twentieth century materialism at Normanton.
Photograph taken 2003.

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