The Market Cross
The market cross, dating from the 15th century or earlier, is described in the History and Antiques of the County of Leicester by John Nichols, 1795 as follows;
‘On a square pillar in the town street is a sundial, ball & weather cock, on a base of 3 large circular steps’.
The cross was removed in 1881 and the stones at the base were scattered about the village.
As the result of a village initiative the cross was re-erected at the entrance to Jubilee Green in the form of simple stone structure the base stones having been found in nearby gardens.
The New Market Cross
The Slang
Between Manor Farmhouse and the Village Pump is an overgrown track which in the 13th century was known as the ‘Slang’ also referred to as a cartway or droveway running from the village to open fields. Such a broad slang would have acted as a boundary between the old settlement to the west and new settlement called the Apetoft sub-manor.
The Village Pump (Cross Pump)
The pump is located under a substantial Horse Chestnut tree and supplied a never ending flow of water to the dwellings in Main Street and Albert Street, in addition to steam traction engines that needed to replenish their water tanks. The pump has been restored, but is no longer in working order since part of the mechanism was removed.
Village Pump
The Market
Merton College, Oxford holds a sketch which shows the Village Pump on an isolated island and the Market Cross in the centre of an open space much larger than today and although Kibworth Harcourt was never granted a royal charter for a market but there is evidence that markets were held at the junction of Main Street, Hog Lane (Albert Street) and the Slang. The market area contained the communal kiln and a horse mill and every Thursday the market stalls sold cloth, leather goods, shoes, tools, farm gear and food.
As the result of a village initiative the cross was re-erected at the entrance to Jubilee Green in the form of simple stone structure the base stones having been found in nearby gardens
The Pig Market
Main Street from the Market becomes Albert Street which was formerly known as 'Hog Lane' from a pig market that was once held there.