Discover Knipton

Knipton brings together the history of a reservoir built for the Grantham Canal and a varied village architecture. It also has a protected strip of open space in the village centre. This gives the village a range of themes to explore on your trip: water engineering history, historic architectural styles and open countryside.

The reservoir and the canal’s history

Knipton Reservoir was built between 1794 and 1797 as a flood reservoir for the Grantham Canal. Its creation is therefore closely linked to the canal’s history and the management of flooding. The site covers 40 acres and is surrounded by mature trees. These details give the reservoir both a tangible scale and a landscape setting.

The original design also brought together different interests: in the Brownian picturesque tradition, the reservoir was intended to provide a place for recreation and beauty. Its technical purpose therefore sits alongside the historic design intention. If you are interested in waterscapes, it offers a specific point of reference for industrial history as well as an earlier idea of how landscapes should be designed.

Open space in the centre of Knipton

A strip of open land runs from north to south through the centre of Knipton and is designated as protected open space in its entirety. This includes the areas north of Nursery Lane, as well as the grounds around the former primary school and the churchyard of All Saints. This area also includes particularly attractive mature trees. The village setting thus encompasses not only historic buildings but also protected open spaces and established trees.

All Saints and its architectural history

All Saints is a Grade II* listed parish church. Its parts date from different periods: the west tower and chancel date to the 13th century, while the nave and north aisle date to the mid-14th century. These dates make the church a clearly defined point of interest for anyone interested in medieval architectural history. The different parts of the building also offer a specific comparison within a single church.

Historic houses and architectural details

Knipton’s houses also differ in their materials and forms. Knipton Lodge has a coloured limewashed brick façade and a roof of diminishing courses of Cumberland slate. The Gatehouse is a Belvoir Estate house dating from around 1890, built of regularly coursed ironstone with limestone dressings. The Cottage is a late-19th-century house in the Vernacular Revival style: projecting gable ends shape its H-shaped plan, which includes three dormer gables.

The Grade II listed Church Cottages were built around 1750. The buildings comprise two dwellings and are made of regularly coursed ironstone with limestone quoins and dressings. Knipton Village Pump and Pump Shelter adds another type of structure to the architectural picture: the Grade II listed ironstone water pump dates from the mid-19th century and has a timber shelter with a gabled roof. Taken together, these descriptions highlight different features—from brick and slate to ironstone, limestone details and gable forms.

Planning your trip

These themes can help you choose a holiday rental in Knipton. Consider whether you are particularly interested in the history of the reservoir and the Grantham Canal, or in church and village architecture. Both interests reveal a different side of Knipton and can help you decide whether the village suits your travel interests.

When the church was closed, a key for All Saints was available from the village shop in the centre of the village; the shop was open Monday to Saturday. Check before visiting whether this arrangement is still in place.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Castle Donington, Swannington, Great Glen, Old Dalby, Croxton Kerrial, Hinckley, Buckminster, Redmile.

For the wider travel guide: Leicestershire.