Brackley
Encyclopedia
Brackley is a town
in south
Northamptonshire
, England. It is about 19 miles (31 km) from Oxford
and 22 miles (35 km) miles form Northampton
. Historically a market town based on the wool and lace trade, it was built on the intersecting trade routes between London, Birmingham
and the English Midlands
and between Cambridge
and Oxford. Brackley has connections with Formula 1 as it is close to Silverstone
and home to Mercedes GP
.
, and to the families of De Quincy and Roland.
In the 11th and 12th centuries Brackley was in the Hundred of Odboldistow and in the Manor of Halse. Richard I
(The Lionheart) named five official sites for jousting tournaments so that such events could not be used as local wars, and Brackley was one of these. The tournament site is believed to be to the south of the castle where the A422 now passes.
Henry III
attacked and destroyed the castle in 1173. The site was later granted to the Hospital of SS. James and John (see below).
The town was the site of a important meeting between the barons and representatives of the King in 1215, the year of Magna Carta
. Magna Carta required King John
to proclaim rights, respect laws and accept that the King's wishes were subject to law. It explicitly protected certain rights of the King's subjects, whether free or a prisoner — most notably allowing appeal against unlawful imprisonment. King John and the barons were to have signed Magna Carta at Brackley Castle, but they eventually did so at Runnymede
.
Market day was on Sundays until 1218, when it was changed to Wednesdays. It is now on Friday mornings.
In 1597 the town was incorporated by James II
. It had a mayor, six aldermen and 26 burgesses.
Over time the Brackley has been known for wool and lace-making.
In 1901 the population of the town was 2,467.
until 1834, when Parliament passed the Poor Law Amendment Act
and as a result the Brackley Poor Law Union
was founded. A workhouse
for 250 people was built in 1836, southwest of the town on Banbury Road. It was demolished in the 1930s.
. It comprised a motte mound 10 feet (3 m) high and approximately 44 yards (40.2 m) in diameter with an outer bailey to the east. Archaeological excavation has revealed evidence of a ditch defining the perimeter of the bailey. Two fishponds originally lay outside the ditch but have subsequently been infilled – however south of St. James Lake may have formed a part of this. Brackley Castle may have gone out of use in 1147. It was destroyed in 1173.
of Saint Peter
at the eastern end of the town centre is an 11th century Norman
south doorway. Both the four-bay
arcade
of the south aisle and the west tower with its niches containing seated statues were added in the 13th century. Next the chancel
was rebuilt, probably late in the 13th century. The north arcade and the windows in both the north and south aisles were probably added early in the 14th century, about the same time as the Decorated Gothic chapel was added to the chancel.
founded the Hospital of St. James and St. John
. Its master was a priest, assisted by a number of religious brothers. Its duties included providing accommodation and care for poor travellers. In the 15th century there were complaints that successive masters were absentees, holding other livings
at the same time as being in charge of the hospital. The hospital was closed in 1423 for maladministration but re-established in 1425. In 1449 a master was appointed who seems to have continued the practice of non-residence while holding parish livings elsewhere. In 1484 the patron, Viscount Lovell
granted control of the hospital to William Waynflete
, Bishop of Winchester
, citing its failure to give hospitality and alms.
Waynflete had founded Magdalen College, Oxford
in 1458 and Magdalen College School, Oxford
in 1480. He made the former hospital part of their property and by 1548 it was Magdalen College School, Brackley
. St James' chapel became the school chapel, in which use it remains today. It is the oldest building in Great Britain in continuous use by a school.
The oldest part of the chapel is the west doorway, which is late Norman. Most of its windows are slightly later, being Early English Gothic lancet window
s. The trio of stepped lancets above the west doorway are late 13th century. The Gothic Revival architect
Charles Buckeridge
restored the chapel in 1869-70.
The Hospital of St. Leonard
was a smaller institution, founded to care for lepers
. It was ½ mile (800 m) from SS. James and John, apparently on the northern edge of Brackley. It was in existence by 1280. After 1417 it shared the same master as SS. James and John and thereafter there is no separate record of St. Leonard's, so the larger hospital may have taken it over. No buildings of St. Leonard's hospital have survived.
s were founded in 1633 by Sir Thomas Crewe
of Steane. They have one storey plus attic dormer
s. They were originally six houses but by 1973 they had been converted into four apartments.
Brackley Manor House
was also a 17th century Jacobean
building that also originally had one storey plus attic dormers. In 1875-78 the Earl of Ellesmere
had it rebuilt on a larger scale, in the same style but retaining only the doorway and one window of the original building. It is now Winchester House School, a coeducational preparatory school
for children aged from 3-13. It used to be a Woodard School.
The town hall is Georgian
, built in 1706 by the 4th Earl of Bridgewater
. The ground floor was originally open but has since been enclosed. Market Place and Bridge Street feature number of other early 18th century houses and inns, mostly of brick and in several cases combining red and blue bricks in a chequer pattern.
The town park belongs to the National Trust
.
, which now bypasses the town, linking it to Towcester
and Northampton
to the east and the M40 motorway
to the west. The A422
links it to Banbury
and Buckingham
.
The town has numerous bus services and is connected to major towns and cities including Banbury
(499, 500), Bicester
, Buckingham
, Towcester
, Oxford
and Northampton
(X88, 88). In 2001 the X38 Oxford-Northampton express service became the X6 with the introduction of the 88 to serve villages en route to Northampton (such as Towcester, Blisworth
and Milton Malsor
). In September 2007, Stagecoach Midlands
' Oxford-Brackley-Towcester-Northampton services were reduced with the merging of the 88 and X6 as route X88.
Brackley's first station, known in its latter years as Brackley Town, opened in May 1850 as part of the Buckinghamshire Railway
's Buckingham and Brackley Junction line
between and via . The London and North Western Railway
operated the line from the beginning and absorbed the Buckinghamshire Railway Company in 1879. British Rail
ways withdrew passenger trains from the line through Brackley Town station in January 1961 and closed the line to freight in 1966.
Brackley's second station was , opened in March 1899 on the Great Central Main Line
, which was the last main line to be built between northern England and London. The GC Main Line included Brackley Viaduct across the Ouse Valley
southeast of the town, which was 255 yards (233.2 m) in length, 62 feet (18.9 m) high, had 20 brick arches and two girder spans. British Railways withdrew passenger trains from the line through Brackley Central in September 1966. Brackley Viaduct was demolished in sections early in 1978.
Chiltern Railways
is said to want to restore services between and Rugby
along the former Great Central Main Line
. This would have Brackley Central railway station
reopen with direct services to London, and Rugby. However, the Department for Transport
has chosen the former Great Central route through Brackley as part of the new High Speed 2
line between London and Birmingham. Brackley Viaduct will need to be rebuilt if HS2 is built.
motor racing circuit, and has some industry related to Formula One
racing, notably Mercedes Grand Prix (formerly Brawn GP
British American Racing
/Honda
) which is based in the town, and the Force India
F1 team which operates a wind tunnel
on the former site of the north railway station. On the east outskirts of the town is Bronnley, makers of hand-made soaps who hold Royal Warrant
s of Appointment for supplying Queen Elizabeth II
and the Prince of Wales.
Junior School. Magdalen College School, Brackley
is the secondary school for the town and surrounding villages.
OFSTED
recently inspected Southfields Primary School and rated it "Good to Outstanding" and rated its Early Years classes "Outstanding".
First Round before losing to Eastwood Town F.C.
Brackley Town's ground is St James Park. Its closest rival in this league is Banbury United F.C.
Brackley Sports Football Club first team plays in the North Bucks and District League
Premier Division and its reserve team plays in the North Bucks and District League Intermediate Division. It also has a ladies' team that plays in the Northants Women's League.
Brackley Athletic Football Club is a junior football club affiliated with the Northamptonshire Football Association. It plays in three leagues: the under 7s - 10s are in the Milton Keynes & District Junior Sevens League, the under 11s - 16s are in the Milton Keynes & Border Counties League and the girls' team is in the Oxford Girls' Football League.
Brackley Rugby Union Football Club, currently plays in the English Rugby Union Midland Division
's Midlands 4 East (South)
League.
Brackley has a tennis club, a leisure centre and swimming pool and a martial arts academy.
South of the town is St. James lake, a balancing lake
of almost 3 acres (1.2 ha) created in 1977. Fishing in the lake is managed by a local angling club. The lake is in a 5 acres (2 ha) wildlife park that is open to the public.
Brackley is also the home of German
F1 team Mercedes GP
having had British
team Brawn GP
, who were bought out by Mercedes-Benz
in 2009. Japan
ese team Honda F1
and British
-American
team BAR
, who were bought out by Honda
in 2006 were previously based in Brackley.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in south
South Northamptonshire
South Northamptonshire is a local government district in Northamptonshire, England. Its council is based in Towcester.The district is rural and sparsely populated with just over 79,293 people in 2000 and 91,000 in 2008, a 14.8% increase. The largest town in the district is Brackley, which has a...
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
, England. It is about 19 miles (31 km) from Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
and 22 miles (35 km) miles form Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
. Historically a market town based on the wool and lace trade, it was built on the intersecting trade routes between London, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and the English Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
and between Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
and Oxford. Brackley has connections with Formula 1 as it is close to Silverstone
Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side...
and home to Mercedes GP
Mercedes GP
Mercedes GP Petronas Formula One Team, the trading name of Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Limited, is a British-based Formula One racing team and constructor, owned by Mercedes-Benz and racing under a German licence since the 2010 season....
.
History
Brackley, originally also known as Brachelai or Brackele, was held in 1086 by Earl Alberic. After this it passed to the Earl of LeicesterEarl of Leicester
The title Earl of Leicester was created in the 12th century in the Peerage of England , and is currently a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, created in 1837.-Early creations:...
, and to the families of De Quincy and Roland.
In the 11th and 12th centuries Brackley was in the Hundred of Odboldistow and in the Manor of Halse. Richard I
Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
(The Lionheart) named five official sites for jousting tournaments so that such events could not be used as local wars, and Brackley was one of these. The tournament site is believed to be to the south of the castle where the A422 now passes.
Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
attacked and destroyed the castle in 1173. The site was later granted to the Hospital of SS. James and John (see below).
The town was the site of a important meeting between the barons and representatives of the King in 1215, the year of Magna Carta
Magna Carta
Magna Carta is an English charter, originally issued in the year 1215 and reissued later in the 13th century in modified versions, which included the most direct challenges to the monarch's authority to date. The charter first passed into law in 1225...
. Magna Carta required King John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
to proclaim rights, respect laws and accept that the King's wishes were subject to law. It explicitly protected certain rights of the King's subjects, whether free or a prisoner — most notably allowing appeal against unlawful imprisonment. King John and the barons were to have signed Magna Carta at Brackley Castle, but they eventually did so at Runnymede
Runnymede
Runnymede is a water-meadow alongside the River Thames in the English county of Berkshire, and just over west of central London. It is notable for its association with the sealing of Magna Carta, and as a consequence is the site of a collection of memorials...
.
Market day was on Sundays until 1218, when it was changed to Wednesdays. It is now on Friday mornings.
In 1597 the town was incorporated by James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
. It had a mayor, six aldermen and 26 burgesses.
Over time the Brackley has been known for wool and lace-making.
In 1901 the population of the town was 2,467.
The Brackley Poor Law Union
Brackley used the poor house at CulworthCulworth
Culworth is a village and civil parish about north of Brackley in South Northamptonshire, England. Culworth is also about northeast of the north Oxfordshire town of Banbury....
until 1834, when Parliament passed the Poor Law Amendment Act
Poor Law Amendment Act 1834
The Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, sometimes abbreviated to PLAA, was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed by the Whig government of Lord Melbourne that reformed the country's poverty relief system . It was an Amendment Act that completely replaced earlier legislation based on the...
and as a result the Brackley Poor Law Union
Poor Law Union
A Poor Law Union was a unit used for local government in the United Kingdom from the 19th century. The administration of the Poor Law was the responsibility of parishes, which varied wildly in their size, populations, financial resources, rateable values and requirements...
was founded. A workhouse
Workhouse
In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...
for 250 people was built in 1836, southwest of the town on Banbury Road. It was demolished in the 1930s.
Castle
Brackley Castle was built soon after 1086. Its earthwork remains lie between Hinton Road and TescoTesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
. It comprised a motte mound 10 feet (3 m) high and approximately 44 yards (40.2 m) in diameter with an outer bailey to the east. Archaeological excavation has revealed evidence of a ditch defining the perimeter of the bailey. Two fishponds originally lay outside the ditch but have subsequently been infilled – however south of St. James Lake may have formed a part of this. Brackley Castle may have gone out of use in 1147. It was destroyed in 1173.
Parish church
The oldest part of the Church of England parish churchChurch of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
of Saint Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
at the eastern end of the town centre is an 11th century Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
south doorway. Both the four-bay
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
arcade
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
of the south aisle and the west tower with its niches containing seated statues were added in the 13th century. Next the chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
was rebuilt, probably late in the 13th century. The north arcade and the windows in both the north and south aisles were probably added early in the 14th century, about the same time as the Decorated Gothic chapel was added to the chancel.
Medieval hospitals
In about 1150 Robert de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of LeicesterRobert de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Leicester
Robert de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Leicester was Justiciar of England 1155–1168.The surname "de Beaumont" is given him by genealogists. The only known contemporary surname applied to him is "Robert son of Count Robert"...
founded the Hospital of St. James and St. John
John the Evangelist
Saint John the Evangelist is the conventional name for the author of the Gospel of John...
. Its master was a priest, assisted by a number of religious brothers. Its duties included providing accommodation and care for poor travellers. In the 15th century there were complaints that successive masters were absentees, holding other livings
Benefice
A benefice is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The term is now almost obsolete.-Church of England:...
at the same time as being in charge of the hospital. The hospital was closed in 1423 for maladministration but re-established in 1425. In 1449 a master was appointed who seems to have continued the practice of non-residence while holding parish livings elsewhere. In 1484 the patron, Viscount Lovell
Francis Lovell, 1st Viscount Lovell
Francis Lovell, 9th Baron Lovell, 6th Baron Holand, later 1st Viscount Lovell was an English nobleman. He probably knew the later King Richard III of England from a young age, and was to become his lifelong friend and staunch ally....
granted control of the hospital to William Waynflete
William Waynflete
William Waynflete , born William Patten, was Bishop of Winchester from 1447 to 1486, and Lord Chancellor of England from 1456 to 1460. He is best remembered as the founder of Magdalen College and Magdalen College School in Oxford....
, Bishop of Winchester
Bishop of Winchester
The Bishop of Winchester is the head of the Church of England diocese of Winchester, with his cathedra at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire.The bishop is one of five Church of England bishops to be among the Lords Spiritual regardless of their length of service. His diocese is one of the oldest and...
, citing its failure to give hospitality and alms.
Waynflete had founded Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
in 1458 and Magdalen College School, Oxford
Magdalen College School, Oxford
Magdalen College School is an independent school for boys aged 7 to 18 and girls in the sixth form, located on The Plain in Oxford, England. It was founded as part of Magdalen College, Oxford by William Waynflete in 1480....
in 1480. He made the former hospital part of their property and by 1548 it was Magdalen College School, Brackley
Magdalen College School, Brackley
Magdalen College School, Brackley is one of three "ancient" Magdalen College Schools, the others being its sister colleges in Oxford and Wainfleet, Lincolnshire...
. St James' chapel became the school chapel, in which use it remains today. It is the oldest building in Great Britain in continuous use by a school.
The oldest part of the chapel is the west doorway, which is late Norman. Most of its windows are slightly later, being Early English Gothic lancet window
Lancet window
A lancet window is a tall narrow window with a pointed arch at its top. It acquired the "lancet" name from its resemblance to a lance. Instances of this architectural motif are most often found in Gothic and ecclesiastical structures, where they are often placed singly or in pairs.The motif first...
s. The trio of stepped lancets above the west doorway are late 13th century. The Gothic Revival architect
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
Charles Buckeridge
Charles Buckeridge
Charles Buckeridge was a British Gothic Revival architect who trained as a pupil of Sir George Gilbert Scott. He practiced in Oxford 1856–68 and in London from 1869. He was made an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1861.-Work:Much of Buckeridge's work was for parish...
restored the chapel in 1869-70.
The Hospital of St. Leonard
Leonard of Noblac
Leonard of Noblac or of Limoges or de Noblet , is a Frankish saint closely associated with the town and abbey of Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat, in Haute-Vienne, in the Limousin of France.-Traditional biography:According to the romance that...
was a smaller institution, founded to care for lepers
Leprosy
Leprosy or Hansen's disease is a chronic disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Named after physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen, leprosy is primarily a granulomatous disease of the peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract; skin lesions...
. It was ½ mile (800 m) from SS. James and John, apparently on the northern edge of Brackley. It was in existence by 1280. After 1417 it shared the same master as SS. James and John and thereafter there is no separate record of St. Leonard's, so the larger hospital may have taken it over. No buildings of St. Leonard's hospital have survived.
Secular buildings
The almshouseAlmshouse
Almshouses are charitable housing provided to enable people to live in a particular community...
s were founded in 1633 by Sir Thomas Crewe
Thomas Crewe
Sir Thomas Crewe , of Stene in Northamptonshire, was an English Member of Parliament and lawyer, and served as Speaker of the House of Commons from 1623 to 1625....
of Steane. They have one storey plus attic dormer
Dormer
A dormer is a structural element of a building that protrudes from the plane of a sloping roof surface. Dormers are used, either in original construction or as later additions, to create usable space in the roof of a building by adding headroom and usually also by enabling addition of windows.Often...
s. They were originally six houses but by 1973 they had been converted into four apartments.
Brackley Manor House
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
was also a 17th century Jacobean
Jacobean architecture
The Jacobean style is the second phase of Renaissance architecture in England, following the Elizabethan style. It is named after King James I of England, with whose reign it is associated.-Characteristics:...
building that also originally had one storey plus attic dormers. In 1875-78 the Earl of Ellesmere
Francis Egerton, 3rd Earl of Ellesmere
Francis Charles Granville Egerton, 3rd Earl of Ellesmere VD, DL, JP , styled Viscount Brackley between 1857 and 1862, was a British peer, soldier and author...
had it rebuilt on a larger scale, in the same style but retaining only the doorway and one window of the original building. It is now Winchester House School, a coeducational preparatory school
Preparatory school (UK)
In English language usage in the former British Empire, the present-day Commonwealth, a preparatory school is an independent school preparing children up to the age of eleven or thirteen for entry into fee-paying, secondary independent schools, some of which are known as public schools...
for children aged from 3-13. It used to be a Woodard School.
The town hall is Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
, built in 1706 by the 4th Earl of Bridgewater
Scroop Egerton, 1st Duke of Bridgewater
Scroop Egerton, 1st Duke of Bridgewater , known as Viscount Brackley from 1687 to 1701 and as the Earl of Bridgewater from 1701 to 1720, was a British peer and courtier...
. The ground floor was originally open but has since been enclosed. Market Place and Bridge Street feature number of other early 18th century houses and inns, mostly of brick and in several cases combining red and blue bricks in a chequer pattern.
The town park belongs to the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
.
Roads and buses
Brackley is close to the A43 roadA43 road
The A43 is a primary route in the English Midlands, that runs from the M40 motorway near Ardley in Oxfordshire to Stamford in Lincolnshire. Through Northamptonshire it bypasses the towns of Northampton, Kettering and Corby which are the three principal destinations on the A43 route...
, which now bypasses the town, linking it to Towcester
Towcester
Towcester , the Roman town of Lactodorum, is a small town in south Northamptonshire, England.-Etymology:Towcester comes from the Old English Tófe-ceaster. Tófe refers to the River Tove; Bosworth and Toller compare it to the "Scandinavian proper names" Tófi and Tófa...
and Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
to the east and the M40 motorway
M40 motorway
The M40 motorway is a motorway in the British transport network that forms a major part of the connection between London and Birmingham. Part of this road forms a section of the unsigned European route E05...
to the west. The A422
A422 road
The A422 is an "A" road for east-west journeys in south central England, connecting the county towns of Bedford and Worcester by way of Milton Keynes, Buckingham, Banbury and Stratford-upon-Avon. For most of its length, is a narrow single carriageway....
links it to Banbury
Banbury
Banbury is a market town and civil parish on the River Cherwell in the Cherwell District of Oxfordshire. It is northwest of London, southeast of Birmingham, south of Coventry and north northwest of the county town of Oxford...
and Buckingham
Buckingham
Buckingham is a town situated in north Buckinghamshire, England, close to the borders of Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire. The town has a population of 11,572 ,...
.
The town has numerous bus services and is connected to major towns and cities including Banbury
Banbury
Banbury is a market town and civil parish on the River Cherwell in the Cherwell District of Oxfordshire. It is northwest of London, southeast of Birmingham, south of Coventry and north northwest of the county town of Oxford...
(499, 500), Bicester
Bicester
Bicester is a town and civil parish in the Cherwell district of northeastern Oxfordshire in England.This historic market centre is one of the fastest growing towns in Oxfordshire Development has been favoured by its proximity to junction 9 of the M40 motorway linking it to London, Birmingham and...
, Buckingham
Buckingham
Buckingham is a town situated in north Buckinghamshire, England, close to the borders of Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire. The town has a population of 11,572 ,...
, Towcester
Towcester
Towcester , the Roman town of Lactodorum, is a small town in south Northamptonshire, England.-Etymology:Towcester comes from the Old English Tófe-ceaster. Tófe refers to the River Tove; Bosworth and Toller compare it to the "Scandinavian proper names" Tófi and Tófa...
, Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
and Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
(X88, 88). In 2001 the X38 Oxford-Northampton express service became the X6 with the introduction of the 88 to serve villages en route to Northampton (such as Towcester, Blisworth
Blisworth
Blisworth is a village and civil parish in the South Northamptonshire district of Northamptonshire, England. The West Coast Main Line, from London Euston to Manchester and Scotland, runs alongside the village partly hidden and partly on an embankment...
and Milton Malsor
Milton Malsor
Milton Malsor is a village and civil parish in South Northamptonshire, England. It is south of Northampton, south-east of Birmingham, and north of central London; junction 15 of the M1 motorway is east by road...
). In September 2007, Stagecoach Midlands
Stagecoach Midlands
Stagecoach Midlands is the name for most bus routes in Northamptonshire and Warwickshire. The legal name for the company is United Counties Omnibus Company Ltd in Northamptonshire and Midland Red Ltd in Warwickshire....
' Oxford-Brackley-Towcester-Northampton services were reduced with the merging of the 88 and X6 as route X88.
Railways
The nearest railway station is , about 6 miles (9.7 km) west of the town. Brackley had two railway stations of its own that were closed in the 1960s.Brackley's first station, known in its latter years as Brackley Town, opened in May 1850 as part of the Buckinghamshire Railway
Buckinghamshire Railway
The Buckinghamshire Railway was a railway company in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, England that constructed railway lines connecting Bletchley, Banbury and Oxford...
's Buckingham and Brackley Junction line
Banbury to Verney Junction Branch Line
The Banbury to Verney Junction Branch Line was a railway branch line constructed by the Buckinghamshire Railway which connected the Oxfordshire market town of Banbury with the Buckinghamshire town of Bletchley via the historic county town of Buckingham and the Northamptonshire town of Brackley, a...
between and via . The London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
operated the line from the beginning and absorbed the Buckinghamshire Railway Company in 1879. British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
ways withdrew passenger trains from the line through Brackley Town station in January 1961 and closed the line to freight in 1966.
Brackley's second station was , opened in March 1899 on the Great Central Main Line
Great Central Main Line
The Great Central Main Line , also known as the London Extension of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway , is a former railway line which opened in 1899 linking Sheffield with Marylebone Station in London via Nottingham and Leicester.The GCML was the last main line railway built in...
, which was the last main line to be built between northern England and London. The GC Main Line included Brackley Viaduct across the Ouse Valley
River Great Ouse
The Great Ouse is a river in the east of England. At long, it is the fourth-longest river in the United Kingdom. The river has been important for navigation, and for draining the low-lying region through which it flows. Its course has been modified several times, with the first recorded being in...
southeast of the town, which was 255 yards (233.2 m) in length, 62 feet (18.9 m) high, had 20 brick arches and two girder spans. British Railways withdrew passenger trains from the line through Brackley Central in September 1966. Brackley Viaduct was demolished in sections early in 1978.
Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways is a British train operating company. It was set up at the privatisation of British Rail in 1996, and operates local passenger trains from Marylebone station in London to Aylesbury and main-line trains on the Chiltern Main Line to Birmingham Snow Hill with its associated branches...
is said to want to restore services between and Rugby
Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
along the former Great Central Main Line
Great Central Main Line
The Great Central Main Line , also known as the London Extension of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway , is a former railway line which opened in 1899 linking Sheffield with Marylebone Station in London via Nottingham and Leicester.The GCML was the last main line railway built in...
. This would have Brackley Central railway station
Brackley Central railway station
Brackley Central was a railway station on the former Great Central Main Line which ran from Manchester Piccadilly to London Marylebone, the last main line to be built from the north of England to London.- History :...
reopen with direct services to London, and Rugby. However, the Department for Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
has chosen the former Great Central route through Brackley as part of the new High Speed 2
High Speed 2
High Speed 2 is a proposed high-speed railway between London and the Midlands, the North of England, and potentially at a later stage the central belt of Scotland. The project is being developed by High Speed Two Ltd, a company established by the British government...
line between London and Birmingham. Brackley Viaduct will need to be rebuilt if HS2 is built.
Industry
Brackley is close to the SilverstoneSilverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side...
motor racing circuit, and has some industry related to Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
racing, notably Mercedes Grand Prix (formerly Brawn GP
Brawn GP
Brawn GP Formula One Team, the trading name of Brawn GP Limited, was a Formula One motor racing team and constructor, created by a management buyout of Honda Racing F1 Team. It only competed in the 2009 Formula One World Championship, with drivers Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello. The team...
British American Racing
British American Racing
British American Racing was a Formula One constructor that competed in the sport from 1999 to 2005. BAR began by acquiring Tyrrell, and used Supertec engines for their first year...
/Honda
Honda F1
Honda Racing F1 Team was a Formula One team run by Japanese car manufacturer Honda, from 1964 to 1968 and from 2006 to 2008. Honda's involvement in F1 began with the 1964 season; their withdrawal in 1968 was precipitated by the death of Honda driver Jo Schlesser during the 1968 French Grand Prix. ...
) which is based in the town, and the Force India
Force India
Sahara Force India Formula One Team, the trading name of Force India Formula One Team Limited, is a Formula One racing team based in Silverstone, United Kingdom which currently holds an Indian licence. The team was formed in October 2007 when a consortium led by Indian businessman Vijay Mallya and...
F1 team which operates a wind tunnel
Wind tunnel
A wind tunnel is a research tool used in aerodynamic research to study the effects of air moving past solid objects.-Theory of operation:Wind tunnels were first proposed as a means of studying vehicles in free flight...
on the former site of the north railway station. On the east outskirts of the town is Bronnley, makers of hand-made soaps who hold Royal Warrant
Royal Warrant
Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier...
s of Appointment for supplying Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
and the Prince of Wales.
Schools
Brackley has three primary schools: Bracken Leas, Southfields. and Brackley Junior School. The town also has Waynflete Infants' School, most of whose pupils progress to Brackley Church of EnglandVoluntary controlled school
A voluntary controlled school is a state-funded school in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in which a foundation or trust has some formal influence in the running of the school...
Junior School. Magdalen College School, Brackley
Magdalen College School, Brackley
Magdalen College School, Brackley is one of three "ancient" Magdalen College Schools, the others being its sister colleges in Oxford and Wainfleet, Lincolnshire...
is the secondary school for the town and surrounding villages.
OFSTED
Ofsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
recently inspected Southfields Primary School and rated it "Good to Outstanding" and rated its Early Years classes "Outstanding".
Sports and leisure
Brackley Town Football Club, known as the Saints, plays in the Southern Football League Premier Division. Its finest season was in 2008-09 when it reached the FA CupFA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
First Round before losing to Eastwood Town F.C.
Eastwood Town F.C.
Eastwood Town F.C. is a football club from Eastwood, Nottinghamshire formed in 1953, currently playing in the Conference North.-History:Although there was a football club named Eastwood Town operating in the Nottinghamshire Alliance in 1921, its was only in existence for two years. It was not until...
Brackley Town's ground is St James Park. Its closest rival in this league is Banbury United F.C.
Banbury United F.C.
Banbury United is a football club based in Banbury, Oxfordshire, who play in the Southern League Premier Division. They are nicknamed The Puritans and they play their home matches at the Spencer Stadium...
Brackley Sports Football Club first team plays in the North Bucks and District League
North Bucks and District League
The North Bucks & District Football League, commonly referred to as simply the North Bucks League, is a competition affiliated to the Berks & Bucks County Football Association featuring amateur association football clubs primarily in Northern Buckinghamshire, England, although there are members...
Premier Division and its reserve team plays in the North Bucks and District League Intermediate Division. It also has a ladies' team that plays in the Northants Women's League.
Brackley Athletic Football Club is a junior football club affiliated with the Northamptonshire Football Association. It plays in three leagues: the under 7s - 10s are in the Milton Keynes & District Junior Sevens League, the under 11s - 16s are in the Milton Keynes & Border Counties League and the girls' team is in the Oxford Girls' Football League.
Brackley Rugby Union Football Club, currently plays in the English Rugby Union Midland Division
English Rugby Union Midland Division
The Rugby Football Union Midland Division is a rugby union governing body for the English Midlands. It organises the following 18 leagues: It is part of the Rugby Football Union.-Leagues:*National League 3 Midlands*Midlands 1 East*Midlands 1 West...
's Midlands 4 East (South)
Midlands 4 East (South)
English Rugby Union Midland Division - Midlands 4 East is an English Rugby Union League.Midlands 4 East is made up of teams from around the East Midlands of England who play home and away matches throughout a winter season...
League.
Brackley has a tennis club, a leisure centre and swimming pool and a martial arts academy.
South of the town is St. James lake, a balancing lake
Balancing lake
A balancing lake is a term used in the U.K. describing an element of an urban drainage system used to control flooding by temporarily storing flood waters...
of almost 3 acres (1.2 ha) created in 1977. Fishing in the lake is managed by a local angling club. The lake is in a 5 acres (2 ha) wildlife park that is open to the public.
Brackley is also the home of German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
F1 team Mercedes GP
Mercedes GP
Mercedes GP Petronas Formula One Team, the trading name of Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Limited, is a British-based Formula One racing team and constructor, owned by Mercedes-Benz and racing under a German licence since the 2010 season....
having had British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
team Brawn GP
Brawn GP
Brawn GP Formula One Team, the trading name of Brawn GP Limited, was a Formula One motor racing team and constructor, created by a management buyout of Honda Racing F1 Team. It only competed in the 2009 Formula One World Championship, with drivers Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello. The team...
, who were bought out by Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
in 2009. Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese team Honda F1
Honda F1
Honda Racing F1 Team was a Formula One team run by Japanese car manufacturer Honda, from 1964 to 1968 and from 2006 to 2008. Honda's involvement in F1 began with the 1964 season; their withdrawal in 1968 was precipitated by the death of Honda driver Jo Schlesser during the 1968 French Grand Prix. ...
and British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
team BAR
British American Racing
British American Racing was a Formula One constructor that competed in the sport from 1999 to 2005. BAR began by acquiring Tyrrell, and used Supertec engines for their first year...
, who were bought out by Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
in 2006 were previously based in Brackley.