Whittlebury
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2014}}
{{infobox UK place
|country = England
|official_name= Whittlebury
|coordinates = {{coord|52.0855|-0.9871|display=inline,title}}
|population= 589
|population_ref= (2011)
|unitary_england= West Northamptonshire
|lieutenancy_england= Northamptonshire
|region= East Midlands
|constituency_westminster= Daventry
|post_town= Towcester
|postcode_district = NN12
|postcode_area= NN
|dial_code= 01327
|os_grid_reference= SP6943
|london_distance=
|static_image=
|static_image_caption=
}}
Whittlebury is a village and civil parish in the south of the English county of Northamptonshire, close to its border with Buckinghamshire.
History
It is due south of the town of Towcester, to which it is connected by main roads. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population was 586 people,[http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=797393&c=whittlebury&d=16&e=15&g=473945&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1259612810796&enc=1&dsFamilyId=779 Office for National Statistics: Whittlebury CP: Parish headcounts]. Retrieved 30 November 2009 increasing slightly to 589 at the 2011 census.{{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11130596&c=Whittlebury&d=16&e=62&g=6452480&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1468329143920&enc=1|title=Civil Parish population 2011|accessdate=12 July 2016|publisher=Office for National Statistics|work=Neighbourhood Statistics}}
File:The Fox and Hounds, Whittlebury - geograph.org.uk - 189204.jpg in Whittlebury]]
The village's name means 'fortification of Witla'.{{Cite web|url=http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Northamptonshire/Whittlebury|title = Key to English Place-names}}
Little is known of Whittlebury's prehistoric past. However, in May 2000, an Iron Age hillfort was discovered in the vicinity of St Mary's church and churchyard. Archaeology also reveals evidence of Roman, Anglo-Saxon and medieval occupation of Whittlebury; the latter period documented in historical records.
Throughout the Middle Ages and up until the early 19th Century Whittlebury's development was interlinked with the Whittlewood Forest of which it was a part and the Honour of Grafton. In 1855, the 5th Duke of Grafton sold land in Whittlebury and Silverstone to the 3rd Baron Southampton who developed Whittlebury Lodge.{{cite web |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=22778 |title=The Honor of Grafton and Wakefield Lodge Estate |editor1=Philip Riden |editor2=Charles Insley |publisher=Institute of Historical Research |date=2002 |work=A History of the County of Northampton: Volume 5: The Hundred of Cleley}}
Whittlebury was very much a 'gentry village' and hunting was a significant activity. The village was associated with the Grafton Hunt, the Duke of Grafton having a seat at nearby Wakefield Lodge. Nearby Sholebroke Lodge was built as the residence of the Deputy Ranger of Whittlewood Forest.
In the 18th Century John Wesley was a regular visitor to Whittlebury, describing the village in 1781 as, "This is still the loveliest congregation as well as the liveliest society in the circuit."
=Whittlebury Park=
Whittlebury Park has a 213-bed hotel located next to a 36-hole England Golf Championship venue golf course,{{Cite web |title=Whittlebury Park Golf Club |url=https://www.englandgolf.org/club/whittlebury-park-golf-club/ |access-date=2022-06-29 |website=England Golf |language=en-GB}} adjacent to Silverstone Circuit.
The hotel had been owned & operated by financial specialists Zolfo Cooper from 2011 after the business had been placed into administration. It was purchased in 2016 by the Sargeant family, owners of the golf course, combining the businesses into Whittlebury Park on the 300-acre site.{{Cite web |last=bighospitality.co.uk |title=Golf resort Whittlebury Park acquires Whittlebury Hall hotel |url=https://www.bighospitality.co.uk/Article/2016/12/12/Golf-resort-Whittlebury-Park-acquires-Whittlebury-Hall-hotel |access-date=2022-06-29 |website=bighospitality.co.uk |language=en-GB}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Whittlebury|position=right}}
- [https://www.whittleburyvillage.co.uk/ Whittlebury website]
- [http://www.jwaller.co.uk/nas/Whittlebury.htm Northamptonshire Archaeology website: Whittlebury Hillfort]
- [https://www.le.ac.uk/elh/whittlewood/whittlebury%20history.htm Medieval history]
- [https://www.roll-of-honour.com/Northamptonshire/Whittlebury.html War Memorial details]
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Category:Villages in Northamptonshire