Abthorpe

{{infobox UK place

|official_name= Abthorpe

|static_image_name= Village street, Abthorpe - geograph.org.uk - 784438.jpg

|static_image_caption= Village street

|coordinates = {{coord|52.113|-1.052|display=inline,title}}

|os_grid_reference= SP6546

|label_position= top

|london_distance= {{convert|63|mi|km|0}}

|population= 285

|population_ref=
307 (2010 est){{Cite book |title=South Northamptonshire Council Year Book 2010–2011 |year=2010 |publisher=South Northamptonshire District Council |location=Towcester |page=39}}

|civil_parish= Abthorpe

|unitary_england= West Northamptonshire

|lieutenancy_england= Northamptonshire

|region= East Midlands

|country= England

|constituency_westminster= Current: Daventry
From next general election: South Northamptonshire

|postcode_district= NN12

|postcode_area= NN

|post_town= Towcester

|dial_code= 01327

|website= [http://www.abthorpe.net/ Abthorpe a Northamptonshire Village]

}}

Abthorpe is a village and civil parish in the valley of the River Tove in West Northamptonshire, England, about {{convert|4|mi|km|1}} west of Towcester, {{convert|2|mi|km|1}} northwest of Silverstone and approximately midway between London and Birmingham.

The 2001 census{{cite web |title=UK census 2001 - data |url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadAreaSearch.do?a=3&r=1&i=1001&m=0&s=1227091186500&enc=1&areaSearchText=Abthorpe&areaSearchType=16&extendedList=true&searchAreas=Search |access-date=2008-11-19 |archive-date=26 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110526022946/http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadAreaSearch.do?a=3&r=1&i=1001&m=0&s=1227091186500&enc=1&areaSearchText=Abthorpe&areaSearchType=16&extendedList=true&searchAreas=Search |url-status=dead }} recorded 285 people living in the village: 144 male, 141 female in 123 dwellings with a further 3 homes empty and further 3 second or holiday homes. At the 2011 census the population (including Foscote hamlet) was recorded as 311.{{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11119804&c=Abthorpe&d=16&e=62&g=6452470&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1467021318928&enc=1|title=Civil Parish population 2011|access-date=27 June 2016|publisher=Office for National Statistics|work=Neighbourhood Statistics}}

Geography

Abthorpe parish is within a rolling rural landscape, typical of South Northamptonshire. It lies mostly on the south side of the River Tove, but the southern part of the parish is on the north side of Silverstone Brook, a tributary of the Tove, which it joins in Towcester. The lowest point in the parish is about {{convert|308|ft|m}} above sea level,{{cite web|url=http://ooc.openstreetmap.org/?zoom=15&lat=52.13155&lon=-1.02742&layers=00B0|website=ooc.openstreetmap.org|title=Out-of-Copyright Ordnance Survey Maps}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.openstreetmap.org/user/Ben/traces/9972|title = Viewing trace E:\My Document's\GPS Data\GPX folder\Route 0127 - River down to Greens Norton.GPX}} and the highest point is at {{convert|486|ft|m}} at the divide between the Tove and the River Great Ouse.{{Cite web|url=https://ooc.openstreetmap.org/?zoom=15&lat=52.0965&lon=-1.06085&layers=00B0|title=Out-of-Copyright Ordnance Survey Maps - ooc.openstreetmap.org|website=ooc.openstreetmap.org|accessdate=14 December 2022}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.openstreetmap.org/user/Ben/traces/9112|title = Viewing trace E:\My Document's\GPS Data\GPX folder\Route 0107 - Around Hazelborough and Bucknell Woods (Minor Roads - Tracks - Footways).GPX}}

File:Abthorpe - Topography, Landuse, Rivers and Roads.png

The neighbouring parishes are Wappenham, Towcester, Silverstone, Slapton and Bradden, and the boundary is about {{convert|9.75|mi|km}} around, enclosing {{convert|1964|acres|ha}} of land.{{Cite web|url=http://www.npemap.org.uk/tiles/map.html#465,247,1|title = New Popular Edition Maps}}

The main village area itself makes up less than 1% of the parish, and all buildings included still adds up to less than 2%. The majority of fields are grass, covering around 54%, used mainly for sheep and cows, but horses are also kept. Wheat and to a lesser extent barley make up about 21% of the land usage, woodland covers another 20%. This is almost all Bucknell Wood which covers the elevated part of the parish, and is part of the Whittlewood Forest.[http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g226/ben_robbins_/Abthorpe-1.png?t=1268327995 Abthorpe] Photo Bucket. Retrieved 14 December 2022

History

The villages name means 'Abba's outlying farm/settlement'.{{Cite web|url=http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Northamptonshire/Abthorpe|title = Key to English Place-names}}

Abthorpe was part of the Church of England parish of Towcester and had a chapel of ease from at least the 14th century.{{Cite web|url=http://www.whittlewoodparishes.org.uk/abthorpe.htm|title=Whittlewood parishes: St John the Baptist, Abthorpe|access-date=14 December 2022}} Abthorpe was made a separate ecclesiastical parish in 1737, after which the parish church was restored. In 1869 it was demolished and the present Church of England parish church of Saint John the Baptist, designed by Ewan Christian, was built in 1869-71. It is now a member of the Whittlewood Parishes, a Church of England Benefice that includes also the parishes of Paulerspury, Silverstone, Slapton and Whittlebury.{{Cite web|url=http://www.whittlewoodparishes.org.uk/|title=Whittlewood Benefice|website=www.whittlewoodparishes.org.uk|access-date=14 December 2022}}

File:Abthorpe - Village Hall.jpg

Abthorpe had a medieval deer park. This is likely to have been Bucknell Wood, which has the rounded outline characteristic of such a park. On 20 December 1537 Sir William Parr reported to Thomas Cromwell that:

On Monday night last about 30 persons, 20 of whom were well horsed, came to Lord Mountjoy's park at Abthorpe, killed almost all the deer and took and bound one of Ric. Cecile's servants dwelling in Abthorpe. As Abthorpe is 24 miles from Parre's house, Sir Humfrey Stafford, who sent him word of it, caused his son to follow them. Such a thing was never done in these parts since he knew them. In his opinion it deserves great punishment. Asks whether he shall search in the adjoining shires for the procurers.'Henry VIII: December 1537, 15-25', [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=75726&strquery=Abthorpe Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic] Henry VIII(12) Part 2: June–December 1537 (1891), pp. 430–443. Retrieved 25 November 2009

The next day Parr updated Cromwell:

According to his letter, dated 21st inst., has endeavoured to find out the persons who made the spoil in Lord Mountjoy's park at Abthorpe. Can get no perfect knowledge but that Sir John St. John,Sir John St. John was the father of Oliver St John, 1st Baron St John of Bletso Sir John Parkar, and Sir Robt. Kirkham are suspected. Sends the confession of one Thos. Bright, who was sent to gaol at Northampton on St. Thomas day21 December before Christmas.From: 'Henry VIII: December 1537, 26-31', [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=75727&strquery=Abthorpe Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic] Henry VIII, Volume 12 Part 2: June–December 1537 (1891), pp. 443–481. Retrieved 25 November 2009.

The oldest part of the village school was built in 1642 by local landowner, Jane Leeson, during the English Civil War.Pevsner & Cherry, 1973, page 75 It is now the village hall.{{Cite web|url=http://www.abthorpevillage.co.uk/|title=Abthorpe village|access-date=14 December 2022}}

Abthorpe was part of the Grafton Estate.Riden & Insey, 2002, pages 18–37 Charlock Farmhouse, Foscote House and Hill House were all built for the estate in about 1840.

Amenities

The village has a public house, the New Inn.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20051214010056/http://www.hooky-pubs.co.uk/pubs/location_maps/New_Inn.html Hook Norton Pubs: The New Inn]}}

Abthorpe

Geography

History

Amenities

References

Further reading