Old Stratford

Old Stratford
Towcester Road
Old Stratford Location within Northamptonshire
Interactive map of Old Stratford
Population	2,077  [1] 1,996 (2011) [2]
OS grid reference	SP779411
Civil parish	Old Stratford
Unitary authority	West Northamptonshire
Ceremonial county	Northamptonshire
Region	East Midlands
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	MILTON KEYNES
Postcode district	MK19
Dialling code	01908
Police	Northamptonshire
Fire	Northamptonshire
Ambulance	East Midlands
UK Parliament	Daventry
List of places UK England Northamptonshire 52°03′47″N0°51′54″W / 52.063°N 0.865°W / 52.063; -0.865

Old Stratford is a village civil parish in the West Northamptonshire district, in the south of the ceremonial county of Northamptonshire, England. The population of the civil parish (including Passenham) at the 2011 Census was 1,935. The 'Stratford' part of the village name is Anglo-Saxon in origin and means 'ford on a Roman road'. The Roman road in this sense is the Watling Street that runs through the middle of the village.

Location

The village lies immediately north of where the Watling Street crossed the River Great Ouse; just south of this crossing point is the town of Stony Stratford in Milton Keynes. (The ford was replaced by a causeway and stone bridge many years ago). The Ouse forms the boundary of the civil parish with that of Stony Stratford and also that between Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire. ^[3] The village is located adjacent to the junction of the A5 (northwards towards Towcester and southwards towards Milton Keynes), the A422 (westwards towards Buckingham) and the A508 (northwards towards Northampton).

History

Old Stratford historically straddled the three parishes of Passenham (renamed Deanshanger in 1948), Furtho and Cosgrove. A new civil parish of Old Stratford was formed on 1 April 1951 from parts of each of those three parishes. The small village of Passenham, which lies a short distance upriver from Old Stratford, formed part of the new parish. ^{[4] [5]}

The Stony Stratford Hoard may have been found in Passenham.

The Buckingham Arm of the Grand Union Canal passed through the village but has been disused since 1964. There remains a "Wharf Lane" and signs of the path of the old canal through the village towards Buckingham.

Facilities

The village has a few local facilities (two motor dealers, a Chinese takeaway, a fried chicken takeway and a corner shop), and relies on Stony Stratford and Milton Keynes for a broader range of shops as well as for its medical, financial and other professional needs.

There is a primary school ^[6] part of West Northamptonshire Council local education authority. The nearest secondary school is in Deanshanger.

Administration

The village has a parish council. ^[7]

The parish is governed in turn by West Northamptonshire Council.

References

1. SNC (2009). South Northamptonshire Council Year Book 2009-2010. Towcester: South Northamptonshire District Council. p. 39.
2. "Civil Parish population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
3. Ordnance Survey (1952). "Buckinghamshire Sheet IX.SW" (Map). OS Six-inch England and Wales, 1842–1952. 1:10,560. National Library of Scotland. (Old Stratford, Passenham and Deanshanger with north-west Stony Stratford)
4. "Old Stratford (Parish) through time". A Vision of Britain through Time . Retrieved 6 December 2025.
5. Youngs, Frederic (1991). Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England: Volume II, Northern England. London: Royal Historical Society. pp. 298, 309. ISBN   0861931270.
6. "Old Stratford Primary School". Archived from the original on 26 July 2011. Retrieved 9 April 2009.
7. Old Stratford Parish Council

External links

• Old Stratford  –Milton Keynes Heritage Association

• Ordnance Survey (1925). "Buckinghamshire IX.10)" (Map). OS 25-inch England and Wales, 1842–1952. 1:2,500. National Library of Scotland. (Old Stratford and north-west Stony Stratford)