Ab Kettleby
Ab Kettleby is a village and civil parish in the Melton district of Leicestershire, England, located north of Melton Mowbray, on the A606 road. It had a population of 501 in 2001; at the 2011 census this had increased to 529. It is southeast of the border with Nottinghamshire, above sea level. The neighbouring hamlets of Wartnaby and Holwell form part of the civil parish of Ab Kettleby. History A Roman mosaic and pavement were found beneath the present churchyard, indicating the presence of a villa. Ab Kettleby was first recorded in the Domesday Book as Chetelbi. Ab Kettleby is of Danish origin; its meaning is Ketil's homestead later differentiated from Eye Kettleby by Ab (a later holder of this land). The name Wartnaby is also of Danish origin, meaning Waerenoth's homestead. The name Holwell however is of Old English origin meaning spring or stream in a hollow. This may refer to the spring at Holwell Mouth which is close to the Six Hills to Eastwell road. St James' Church has a Norman font, and a memorial to Everard Digby (died 1628). The remains of the villa, and a ditch running from north to south underneath the nave have caused serious structural problems for the church. The church closed in 2006 due to its structural problems and, following the raising of over £250,000 for repairs, it re-opened in 2013. The church was mostly built in the 13th century but restored in 1852–53. The north aisle is Victorian. St Michael's Church, Wartnaby was built in the 13th century and restored in 1867–68. It has a double bellcote with a saddleback roof on the tower and medieval wall painting inside. Iron ore Iron ore was obtained in all three parts of the parish. Holwell Holwell was the most important centre. Iron ore was first quarried to the north of Holwell on the south side of the narrow part of Landyke Lane in 1875 and continued in various places to the north and east of the hamlet until 1930. From 1931 until 1943 iron ore was mined rather than quarried east of Brown's Hill. The mine was a drift mine and the tunnel emerged from the north side of the hill in 1943. Quarrying was resumed at that point and continued until 1962. The last quarrying took place close to the road to Scalford Hall. Quarrying was done by hand with the help of explosives at first. The first quarrying machine was a petrol paraffin digger introduced in 1930. The first diesel digger arrived in 1943. The ore was at first taken away by horse and cart, but the Holwell Iron Company built a standard-gauge mineral railway in 1877 which connected with the Midland Railway's Syston to Peterborough line west of Melton Mowbray. Most of this mineral railway was taken over and improved by the Midland in two stages: first as part of their Nottingham to Melton line and then as their Holwell branch (connecting with that line) in 1887. This was extended