Kibworth Harcourt, Leicestershire, England

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The birthplace of Anna Letita Barbauld, Kibworth Harcourt, Leicestershire, England is located near Market Harborough and Leicester. Kibworth Harcourt is a village in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. It is one of two civil parishes that make up the area known as Kibworth, the other being Kibworth Beauchamp. The two are divided by the Midland Main Line. 

The 1700's in Kibworth Harcourt was a rural town with a strong sense of communitity, and tradition. Farming held the economy together, and life was closely tied to the changing of the seasons: planting, harvesting, and tending to livestock. Social status in Kibworth Harcourt was often inhearitied with landowners at the top and tenant farmers following behind them. The community bonded through labor, religious observance, and traition. People relied on each other for support and cooperation. 

When it came to religion, the local church was St. Wilfrids Church. It was not only a place of worship, but also social gathering. Seasonal festivals, fairs, and markets were important social events that brought the community together, providing opportunities for trade, entertainment, and socializing. However, The presence of dissenting academies, like the one run by John Aikin, Anna Letitia Barbauld's father, indicates a diversity of religious beliefs and the influence of Nonconformist movements, which often advocated for education and social reform. 

“Kibworth | British History Online.” British-History.ac.uk, 2025, www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/leics/vol5/pp167-187. Accessed 3 May 2025.

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Parent Map

Echoes of Empowerment: Women’s Journey Through British Literary History-KW

Coordinates

Latitude: 52.544013000000
Longitude: -0.998679400000

Timeline of Events Associated with Kibworth Harcourt, Leicestershire, England

Date Event Manage
The end of the month Summer 1743

Birth of Anna Letita Baurbald

 

Anna Letitita Barbauld was born in 1743 in Kibworth Harcourt, Leicestershire, England. She is a Romantic Period author.

In her early life, her father and his collauges heavily encouraged her to pursure her education and literacy talents. 

Her writing career last nearly fifteen years and she worked in lots of different genres, including childrens stores, essays, and poetry.  Her poetry demonstrated that women could engage in the public sphere, influencing other women authors. Despite facing criticism for her political views later in life, her work was rediscovered and appreciated through feminist literary criticism in the 1980s. 

In 1774, she married, and continured her writing career until her death in 1825. 

“Anna Laetitia Barbauld | British Author and Editor | Britannica.” Www.britannica.com, www.britannica.com/biography/Anna-Laetitia-Barbauld.