Outlying districts of Totana: Lebor and Viñas de Lebor

This rural area of Totana contains the archaeological sites of La Bastida and El Campico

These predominantly rural areas of the Totana countryside lie just to the west of the town itself, and are very different in geographical terms: while Lebor is largely flat and has spawned agricultural activity throughout human history due to its proximity to the River Guadalentín, the countryside also includes the Sierra de las Cabezuelas, which is covered by pine groves, an area of “badlands” and the hills and mountains of the Sierra de La Tercia.

It is on one of these hills that the archaeological site of La Bastida lies, bearing testimony to the presence of the Argaric culture in the second millennium BC. It is thought that La Bastida was home to as many as 600 people, all living on the hill where the site has been found between the Rambla de Lébor and the Barranco Salado.

It is known that there was also human habitation during the Neolithic, and while the most significant site in the area is clearly that of La Bastida important earlier relics have also been found at the dig known as El Campico de Lebor. This was inhabited in the third millennium BC, and an associated burial ground has been discovered on the nearby hill known as the Cerro de los Blanquizares: one of the most important items found here so far is a diorite stone axe with a wooden handle.

In later times the Romans exploited the fertile land of the Guadalquivir plain to set up agricultural “villas”, and this activity continued both during and after the Moorish occupation of southern Spain between the 8^th and the 13^th century. After the expulsion of the Moors from the neighbouring kingdom of Granada in 1492 the local community grew, and Lebor was recognized as an important agricultural area dependent first on Aledo and then on Totana, as the latter grew in importance and the former declined.(See History of Totana)

The first signs of Lebor becoming a village in its own right date from the late 18^th and early 19th century, when houses such as the Casa Alta and the Casa Colrada were built: at the same time workshops and mills sprang up, one of which is still in working order on the old road to Hinojar.

The village was consolidated in the 1950s and 60s by the construction of the local school, and after the return of Spain to democracy following Franco’s death in 1975 residents viewed the area as attractive one due to its proximity to the towns of Totana and Lorca and the low price of land. However, planning permission to build homes was not granted, and as a result Lebor did not grow as it could and perhaps should have.

But during the late 20th century various large agricultural concerns established themselves in Lebor, following the improved irrigation possibilities which were made possible by the completion of the Tajo-Segura water supply canal, and this in turn brought about significant increases in both population and wealth, following the exodus of the 1980s.

In 1996 the first local fiestas in honour of San Pedro Apóstol were held, and these have now become a fixture every year at the end of June, the focal point being the social centre and the church which is dedicated to the patron saint. 

In Viñas, meanwhile, the local fiestas in August are centered around the small church which is dedicated to the Virgen de las Viñas, and include an open-air evening of music and plenty of food, a sack race and the procession of the figure of the Virgin in the beautiful mountain setting.

In addition, the Christmas celebrations are worth a mention: on the first Sunday after Christmas itself there is a communal meal consisting of “migas” with wine, grapes and oranges for all those attending, and musical entertainment provided by the "cuadrilla de pascua" and plenty of fun and games.

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