Woodford | |
---|---|
![]() Church of St. Mary the Virgin seen from the River Nene | |
Location within Northamptonshire | |
Population | 1,461 (2011 census) |
OS grid reference | SP9676 |
Unitary authority | |
Ceremonial county | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | Kettering |
Postcode district | NN14 |
Dialling code | 01832 |
Police | Northamptonshire |
Fire | Northamptonshire |
Ambulance | East Midlands |
UK Parliament | |
Woodford is a large village and civil parish located in North Northamptonshire, England. At the time of the 2011 census, the parish's population (including Woodwell) was 1,461 people. [1]
The village has one public house, The Dukes Arms, located on the village green [2]
The village's name means 'wooded ford', [3] referring to woodland near a shallow fording place on the River Nene.
It is in two distinct parts, the easterly, lower, part being alongside the River Nene and the westerly, upper, part is on the through road out of the Nene valley. Its parish church is dedicated to St Mary the Virgin and has the nickname "the Cathedral of the Nene".
Inside the church can be found a number of curiosities. Within a niche cut into a pillar, there is a mummified human heart wrapped in coarse cloth. This was discovered during restoration work in 1867. A framed newspaper cutting depicts a photograph of an alleged ghost taken in the church in 1964. [4] A further display shows reproductions of photographs and newspapers from a time capsule concealed in the roof by the Reverend Smythe during the 1867 repair works, and rediscovered during further repairs in 1995. An unusual carving (particularly for places of Christian worship) can be found at the top of one of the pillars to the rear of the nave, depicting a Green Man, with vines growing out of the mouth. Finally, the combination of rounded and pointed arches in the nave indicate different periods of reconstruction in the Norman and Gothic styles respectively.
Woodford House, an early 19th-century mansion, was the home of the Arbuthnot family and scene of the death of the diarist Harriet Arbuthnot in 1833. The property was purchased in 1880 by Charles Henry Plevins from Arthur Arbuthnot, son of General Charles Arbuthnot. The house was altered between 1899 and 1910 and had a new garden created in 1909. [5]
The Arbuthnots owned iron ore quarries on the estate which were dug from circa 1851, an early date for what was later to become a large industry in Northamptonshire. [6] The Arbuthnot's quarry appears to have been short-lived but a sample of the ore was exhibited at the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park, London, in 1851. There was a further experiment in commercial quarrying from about 1860 and again in 1866. The early attempts suffered from a lack of transport facilities and the ore must have been taken away by horse and cart but in 1866 the Kettering to Thrapston railway opened and a connecting tramway was constructed from close to Woodford House to the railway at Twywell. The quarrying (and some adit mining) lasted from 1866 to 1886, starting near Woodford Lodge and extending north of the road later on. There were also quarries south west of Twywell Station on the north side of the road between 1881 and 1883. There was also a brickworks near there. The main tramway (standard gauge) had steam locomotives from the start but some of the quarries were connected to it by narrow gauge lines and these were worked by hand or by horse until 1883. There were some visible remains of the quarries and buildings at least until 1986. [7]
Part of the ground north of the road near Woodford Lodge was reworked between 1914 and 1926 when quarries in Twywell Parish were extended. The ground here was landscaped and returned to cultivation in 1965. [8]
These quarries were to the west of Woodford village. Another quarry to the north of the village operated from 1867 but was closed by 1892. This quarry was connected to a tipping dock on the railway east of Twywell Station by a horse operated 4 foot gauge tramway. No landscaping was undertaken until 1970 and there were still some traces of the quarry as at 1986 [9]
The following buildings and structures are listed by Historic England as of special architectural or historic interest. [10]
St Mary's Church was begun in the 12th century and has 13th,14th and 19th century features. The tower was complete by 1400. [11]
The Manor House, although a 16th-century house has buttresses and a doorway of the 13th or early 14th century.
The Round House is dated 1815 and commemorates the Battle of Waterloo
Woodford House was enlarged between 1813 and 1826 and in 1902. [12]
East Northamptonshire was a local government district in Northamptonshire, England, from 1974 to 2021. Its council was based in Thrapston and Rushden. Other towns included Oundle, Raunds, Irthlingborough and Higham Ferrers. The town of Rushden was by far the largest settlement in the district. The population of the district at the 2011 Census was 86,765.
Brixworth is a village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire, England. The 2001 census recorded a parish population of 5,162, increasing to 5,228 at the 2011 census. The village's All Saints' Church is of Anglo-Saxon origin.
Old is a village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire, England. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population was 308 people, and the population increased to 490 at the 2011 Census.
Lamport is a village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire, England. The village is on the A508, about 8 miles (13 km) south of Market Harborough and 8 miles (13 km) north of Northampton. Nearby is Lamport Hall. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population was 207 people, including Hanging Houghton and increasing to 225 at the 2011 Census.
Hargrave is a small village and civil parish situated in rural Northamptonshire, England, approximately 21 miles east of Northampton and adjacent to the Northamptonshire-Cambridgeshire-Bedfordshire border. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population was 236 people,. increasing to 241 at the 2011 census.
Ringstead is a village and civil parish in Northamptonshire, England, forming part of North Northamptonshire. It is located approximately 15 miles north-east of Northampton. At the time of the 2011 census, the parish's population was 1,461 people. The local primary school is situated next to St Mary's Church, which is host to the Ringstead Flower Festival.
Kingsthorpe is a suburb and civil parish of Northampton, England. It is situated to the north of Northampton town centre and is served by the A508 and A5199 roads which join at Kingsthorpe's centre. The 2011 Census recorded the population of the district council ward as 4,477.
Stanwick is a village and civil parish in North Northamptonshire, England.
Great Addington is a small village and civil parish in Northamptonshire, England. It lies near the west bank of the River Nene, about 5 miles (8 km) east of Kettering. It consists of approximately 100 households; at the time of the 2011 census, the population of the parish was 327 people. It has a school, church, manor house, village hall, a pub called the Hare & Hounds, playing fields and homes. There is a strong bond and rivalry with the neighbouring village Little Addington.
Islip is a village and civil parish in North Northamptonshire, England. The village is just west of Thrapston and 7 miles (11 km) east of Kettering. The parish is bounded to the east by the River Nene and to the north by Harpurs Brook, a tributary of the Nene. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 829 people.
Chelveston is a small village in North Northamptonshire. It is about 2 miles (3.2 km) east of Higham Ferrers and 7 miles (11.3 km) east of Wellingborough on the B645 from Higham Ferrers to St Neots. To the south is the hamlet of Caldecott and the settlement of Chelston Rise which together comprise the civil parish of Chelveston cum Caldecott. The population is now included in the civil parish of Chelveston cum Caldecott.
Twywell is an English village and civil parish in the county of Northamptonshire. Twywell Hills and Dales Country Park is adjacent. It lies just to the north of the A14 road, about three miles (5 km) west of Thrapston, and forms part of North Northamptonshire. At the time of the 2011 census, the population of the parish was 176.
Ditchford railway station is a former railway station on Ditchford Road, Northamptonshire on the former Northampton and Peterborough Railway line which connected Peterborough and Northampton.In 1846 the line, along with the London and Birmingham, became part of the London and North Western Railway.
Ratley is a village in the civil parish of Ratley and Upton, Stratford-on-Avon District, Warwickshire, England. The population of the civil parish in 2011 was 327. It is on the northwest side of the Edge Hill escarpment about 200 metres (660 ft) above sea level. The village is close to the county border with north Oxfordshire, some 7 miles northwest of Banbury, the closest town.
Hunsbury Hill is an Iron Age hill fort two miles (3 km) south-west of the centre of the town of Northampton in the county of Northamptonshire.
Twywell Gullet is a 17.1-hectare (42-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest east of Kettering in Northamptonshire. It is part of the 54.6 hectare Twywell Hills and Dales nature reserve, which is managed by a partnership of the Woodland Trust and the Rockingham Forest Trust. The site is in turn a small part of the former royal hunting Rockingham Forest.
Denford is a small village and civil parish situated in North Northamptonshire, England. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish population was 250 people, increasing to 282 at the 2011 census.
Little Addington is a village and civil parish in North Northamptonshire, England, about 8 miles (13 km) south-east of Kettering. At the time of the 2011 census, the parish's population was 328 people. Prior to local government restructuring in 2021 the village was in the area of East Northamptonshire District Council.
Finedon Top Lodge Quarry, also known as Finedon Gullet is a 0.9-hectare (2.2-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest east of Wellingborough in Northamptonshire. It is a Geological Conservation Review site revealing a sequence of middle Jurassic limestones, sandstones and ironstones, and is the type section for a sequence of sedimentary rocks known as the 'Wellingborough Member'. It was created by quarrying for the underlying ironstone for use at Wellingborough and Corby Steelworks; the ore was transported by the 1,000 mm gauge Wellingborough Tramway.
Rodd, Nash and Little Brampton is a civil parish in the county of Herefordshire, England, and is 18 miles (29 km) north-west from the city and county town of Hereford. The parish borders Powys in Wales at its north-west. Within the parish is the final home and studio of the 20th-century Australian artist Sydney Nolan.