Earls Barton
Encyclopedia
Earls Barton is a village and civil parish in eastern Northamptonshire
, notable for its Saxon
church
and shoe-making heritage.
The village was the inspiration for the film Kinky Boots
and part of the film was shot here. It is based on the true story of a local boot maker who turns from traditional boots to producing fetish footwear in order to save the ailing family business and the jobs of his workers.
In The King's England: Northamptonshire, edited by Arthur Mee
, we learn that:
Nikolaus Pevsner
however, seems to disagree with this assessment and describes it as:
He goes on to argue that the castle was founded at the time of the Norman conquest of England
and its builder ignored the then existing church, leaving it in its bailey
, for a later demolition that never happened. Ironically the church outlived the castle.
In the village's small market square is a pharmacy run by a member of the Jeyes the chemists family, who invented and manufactured Jeyes Fluid
and the Philadelphus Jeyes chemist chain and who lived nearby at Holly Lodge in Boughton
.
. The site is to be found on a spur above the flood plain. Originally (i.e. before 600 AD) the Saxon village was known as Bere-tun - which means "a place for growing Barley. Following the Norman
invasion, the Domesday Book
records the village as being called Buarton(e), with Countess Judith, the King's niece is listed as both the land and mill owner. She married Waltheof, Son of Siward
, Earl of Northumbria
who in 1065 AD became Earl of Northampton
- it was from these links and with another Earl - the Earl of Huntingdon
, that gave the village its prefix "Erles" from 1261 AD.
Later, in the 14th and 15th centuries a major change took place in the local economy, when sheep rearing gave prominence to the manufacture of woollen cloth, which remained a major cottage industry until the shift to the newly industrialised north several centuries later. With the wool industry, we would also have found:
Another change took place in the 13th century when shoes began to be made from leather bought in nearby Northampton
. At this time the village had its own tanyard, which remained in operation until 1984. The census of 1801 shows that the population had by then grown to 729. By 1850 the population had trebled.
Between 1913 and 1921 ironstone was quarried locally with the ore being removed either by train or by an aerial ropeway.
Parish Church of All Saints
has been a feature of the town for many centuries. Its famous Saxon tower
dates to 970 AD. Pevsner says that the church tower as built was not originally followed by a nave
, but a chancel
. He also describes the tower's bell openings as being very unusual - having five narrow arches each on turned balastrades.
All Saints' underwent two phases of Norman
enlargement, one at either end of the 12th century.
Other notable features include:
Apart from the Saxon tower, the church is mainly built from Northamptonshire
ironstone
and limestone
, while the tower was constructed from Barnack stone and infilled with local limestone
.
Another feature is that every century from the 10th century onwards is represented in either the fabric or the fittings of the church building. It is decorated with the work of the local artist Henry Bird
.
The church was featured on a 1972 postage stamp issued by the Royal Mail, as part of a set depicting village churches.
There are three other churches in Earls Barton: Methodist
, Baptist
and Roman Catholic. Another Saxon church can be found nearby in Brixworth
.
The local football team, Earls Barton FC was formed in the late 19th century - with the exact date now not known. When Northampton Town FC
(The Cobblers) was first formed in 1897, their first game was against Earls Barton United (EBU) on 18 September 1897. The final score Cobblers 4 - EBU 1.
A speedway training track operated at Earls Barton in the early 1950s.
"Earls Barton Motors" was home to Britain's 1957 stock car World Champion, Aubrey Leighton. Aubrey was a recognized innovator and builder of stock cars, and after his retirement at the end of 1964, his famous "Pink 'Un" no. 42 car saw success in others' hands. Aubrey's son went on to an international motor sport career via Cosworth Racing Engines, and was mechanic for Grand Prix World Champion Ronnie Petersen, as well as in the Indy series in the USA. About 8 miles from Earls Barton is Brafield Stadium ("Northampton International Raceway"), a fast 1/4 mile oval that has hosted stock car racing for over 55 years. Speedway was staged at Brafield Stadium in the late 1950s and again in the late 1960s. The 1950s team were known as the Flying Foxes and the 1960s team were known as the Badgers.
This Youth Theatre Group are renowned for their outstanding acting abilities and charisma. They have performed at a number of prestigious theatres including: The Globe, Noel Coward, Sydney Opera House and at the Colosseum. Starfruit have received numerous awards the most recent being the award for the Best Youth Theatre Group in Great Britain.
Sporting link: Earls Barton was the home to one of Britain's greatest stock-car racers and builders, Aubrey Leighton, who won the World Championship in 1957. "Earls Barton Motors" still stands on the Wellingborough Road. Aubrey was a master designer and builder, and even after his retirement at the end of 1964, his car saw success in others' hands.
Aubrey's son Keith went on to international motor sport via Cosworth Racing Engines, and was mechanic for Grand Prix World Champion Ronnie Petersen, as well as in the Indy series in the USA.
Barely 8 miles from Earls Barton is the great race track of Brafield Stadium ("Northampton International Raceway"), a fast 1/4 mile oval. Speedway was staged at Brafield Stadium in the late 1950s and again in the late 1960s. The 1950s team were known as the Flying Foxes and the 1960s team were known as the Badgers.
The churches main annual event is the "methodist bazaar." Each year the congregation comes together with a different theme to raise money for the church and local and UK charities. In 2009 the bazaar was re-launched in line with "CHARITY RAISERS" who has since given a strong theme to the bazaar each year. The methodist bazaar takes place on the last Saturday in November every year.
Past themes have included:
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,...
, notable for its Saxon
Anglo-Saxon architecture
Anglo-Saxon architecture was a period in the history of architecture in England, and parts of Wales, from the mid-5th century until the Norman Conquest of 1066. Anglo-Saxon secular buildings in Britain were generally simple, constructed mainly using timber with thatch for roofing...
church
All Saints' Church, Earls Barton
After the Danish raids on England, Medehampstede Abbey, a few miles away from Earls Barton, Northamptonshire, was rebuilt in about AD 970 to become Peterborough. It is generally accepted that All Saints' Church, Earls Barton was built around this period at the end of the tenth century...
and shoe-making heritage.
The village was the inspiration for the film Kinky Boots
Kinky Boots (film)
Kinky Boots is a 2005 comedy film written by Geoff Deane and Tim Firth, about a traditional Northampton shoemaker, based in Earls Barton, who turns to producing fetishism footwear in order to save the failing family business and the jobs of his workers...
and part of the film was shot here. It is based on the true story of a local boot maker who turns from traditional boots to producing fetish footwear in order to save the ailing family business and the jobs of his workers.
In The King's England: Northamptonshire, edited by Arthur Mee
Arthur Mee
Arthur Henry Mee was a British writer, journalist and educator. He is best known for The Harmsworth Self-Educator, The Children's Encyclopaedia, The Children's Newspaper, and The King's England...
, we learn that:
Nikolaus Pevsner
Nikolaus Pevsner
Sir Nikolaus Bernhard Leon Pevsner, CBE, FBA was a German-born British scholar of history of art and, especially, of history of architecture...
however, seems to disagree with this assessment and describes it as:
He goes on to argue that the castle was founded at the time of the Norman conquest of England
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
and its builder ignored the then existing church, leaving it in its bailey
Motte-and-bailey
A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle, with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade...
, for a later demolition that never happened. Ironically the church outlived the castle.
In the village's small market square is a pharmacy run by a member of the Jeyes the chemists family, who invented and manufactured Jeyes Fluid
Jeyes Fluid
Jeyes Fluid is a brand of disinfectant fluid made by Jeyes Group Ltd. in Thetford, Norfolk, England. It is for outdoor use only.Patented by John Jeyes in 1877 the product was granted a Royal Warrant to the British Royal Family in 1896, and continues to supply the Royal household to this day.Jeyes...
and the Philadelphus Jeyes chemist chain and who lived nearby at Holly Lodge in Boughton
Boughton, Northamptonshire
Boughton is a village and civil parish in the Daventry district of Northamptonshire, England, about from Northampton town centre along the A508 road between Northampton and Market Harborough. The parish area straddles both side of the road but the main part of the village is east...
.
History
The first Saxon settlement at Earls Barton was one of various settlements built on a spring-line on the Northern bank of the River NeneRiver Nene
The River Nene is a river in the east of England that rises from three sources in the county of Northamptonshire. The tidal river forms the border between Cambridgeshire and Norfolk for about . It is the tenth longest river in the United Kingdom, and is navigable for from Northampton to The...
. The site is to be found on a spur above the flood plain. Originally (i.e. before 600 AD) the Saxon village was known as Bere-tun - which means "a place for growing Barley. Following the Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
invasion, the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
records the village as being called Buarton(e), with Countess Judith, the King's niece is listed as both the land and mill owner. She married Waltheof, Son of Siward
Siward
Siward may refer to:* Siward, king of Götaland* Siward , Bishop of St. Martins* Siward, Earl of Northumbria , Anglo-Scandinavian earl of Northumbria...
, Earl of Northumbria
Earl of Northumbria
Earl of Northumbria was a title in the Anglo-Danish, late Anglo-Saxon, and early Anglo-Norman period in England. The earldom of Northumbria was the successor of the ealdormanry of Bamburgh, itself the successor of an independent Bernicia. Under the Norse kingdom of York, there were earls of...
who in 1065 AD became Earl of Northampton
Earl of Northampton
Earl of Northampton is a title that has been created five times.-Earls in for the Honour of Huntingdon, first Creation :*Waltheof *Maud, Countess of Huntingdon** m. Simon I de Senlis** m...
- it was from these links and with another Earl - the Earl of Huntingdon
Earl of Huntingdon
Earl of Huntingdon is a title which has been created several times in the Peerage of England. The title is associated with the ruling house of Scotland, and latterly with the Hastings family.-Early history:...
, that gave the village its prefix "Erles" from 1261 AD.
Later, in the 14th and 15th centuries a major change took place in the local economy, when sheep rearing gave prominence to the manufacture of woollen cloth, which remained a major cottage industry until the shift to the newly industrialised north several centuries later. With the wool industry, we would also have found:
- Rush mat weaving,
- Basket making,
- Chair bodging and
- plastic making.
Another change took place in the 13th century when shoes began to be made from leather bought in nearby 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...
. At this time the village had its own tanyard, which remained in operation until 1984. The census of 1801 shows that the population had by then grown to 729. By 1850 the population had trebled.
Between 1913 and 1921 ironstone was quarried locally with the ore being removed either by train or by an aerial ropeway.
Parish church
The famous Church of EnglandChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
Parish Church of All Saints
All Saints' Church, Earls Barton
After the Danish raids on England, Medehampstede Abbey, a few miles away from Earls Barton, Northamptonshire, was rebuilt in about AD 970 to become Peterborough. It is generally accepted that All Saints' Church, Earls Barton was built around this period at the end of the tenth century...
has been a feature of the town for many centuries. Its famous Saxon tower
All Saints' Church, Earls Barton
After the Danish raids on England, Medehampstede Abbey, a few miles away from Earls Barton, Northamptonshire, was rebuilt in about AD 970 to become Peterborough. It is generally accepted that All Saints' Church, Earls Barton was built around this period at the end of the tenth century...
dates to 970 AD. Pevsner says that the church tower as built was not originally followed by a nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
, but a 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...
. He also describes the tower's bell openings as being very unusual - having five narrow arches each on turned balastrades.
All Saints' underwent two phases of 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...
enlargement, one at either end of the 12th century.
Other notable features include:
- a Norman or Saxon door and arcading on the western end of the building - this was the original entrance to the church,
- a medieval roodRoodA rood is a cross or crucifix, especially a large one in a church; a large sculpture or sometimes painting of the crucifixion of Jesus.Rood is an archaic word for pole, from Old English rōd "pole", specifically "cross", from Proto-Germanic *rodo, cognate to Old Saxon rōda, Old High German ruoda...
screen, - a Victorian font and pews, and
- a modern 20th-century inner porch and windows
Apart from the Saxon tower, the church is mainly built from 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,...
ironstone
Ironstone
Ironstone is a sedimentary rock, either deposited directly as a ferruginous sediment or created by chemical repacement, that contains a substantial proportion of an iron compound from which iron either can be or once was smelted commercially. This term is customarily restricted to hard coarsely...
and limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
, while the tower was constructed from Barnack stone and infilled with local limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
.
Another feature is that every century from the 10th century onwards is represented in either the fabric or the fittings of the church building. It is decorated with the work of the local artist Henry Bird
Henry Bird (artist)
thumb|220px|right|[[Conversion of St Paul]], a mural by Henry Bird painted in 1973, in [[Denton, Northamptonshire|St Margaret's Church, Denton]]Henry Bird was a British artist from Northampton who painted murals and female nudes. He went to the Royal College of Art and then designed sets at the...
.
The church was featured on a 1972 postage stamp issued by the Royal Mail, as part of a set depicting village churches.
There are three other churches in Earls Barton: Methodist
Methodist Church of Great Britain
The Methodist Church of Great Britain is the largest Wesleyan Methodist body in the United Kingdom, with congregations across Great Britain . It is the United Kingdom's fourth largest Christian denomination, with around 300,000 members and 6,000 churches...
, Baptist
Baptist Union of Great Britain
The Baptist Union of Great Britain, despite its name, is the association of Baptist churches in England and Wales. -History:...
and Roman Catholic. Another Saxon church can be found nearby in Brixworth
Brixworth
Brixworth is a village and civil parish in the Daventry district of Northamptonshire, England. The 2001 census recorded a parish population of 5,162. The village is particularly notable for All Saints' Church, Brixworth, its historic Anglo-Saxon church....
.
Local sport
The village has a cricket team. The exact date that this club was established is unknown however there has been cricket in Earls Barton since the late 19th century. The club at present has three teams that play in the Northamptonshire Cricket League on Saturdays and a friendly team that plays on Sundays. It also has Kwik Cricket, U11's, U13's, U15 & U17's teams.The local football team, Earls Barton FC was formed in the late 19th century - with the exact date now not known. When Northampton Town FC
Northampton Town F.C.
Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season...
(The Cobblers) was first formed in 1897, their first game was against Earls Barton United (EBU) on 18 September 1897. The final score Cobblers 4 - EBU 1.
A speedway training track operated at Earls Barton in the early 1950s.
"Earls Barton Motors" was home to Britain's 1957 stock car World Champion, Aubrey Leighton. Aubrey was a recognized innovator and builder of stock cars, and after his retirement at the end of 1964, his famous "Pink 'Un" no. 42 car saw success in others' hands. Aubrey's son went on to an international motor sport career via Cosworth Racing Engines, and was mechanic for Grand Prix World Champion Ronnie Petersen, as well as in the Indy series in the USA. About 8 miles from Earls Barton is Brafield Stadium ("Northampton International Raceway"), a fast 1/4 mile oval that has hosted stock car racing for over 55 years. Speedway was staged at Brafield Stadium in the late 1950s and again in the late 1960s. The 1950s team were known as the Flying Foxes and the 1960s team were known as the Badgers.
Community projects & facilities etc.
- Earls Barton Fire Station
- Earls Barton Parish Council
- Earls Barton Junior School
- Earls Barton Youth Club
- Earls Barton Library
- Earls Barton Historical Society
- Earls Barton Music
- Badminton Club
- 1st Earls Barton Boys Brigade
- Under The Tower - Drama Group
- Earls Barton Museum of Village Life
- The newly refurbished Co-op
- Earls Barton Tennis Club
- Earls Barton Police Station.
- Starfruit Youth Theatre Company
This Youth Theatre Group are renowned for their outstanding acting abilities and charisma. They have performed at a number of prestigious theatres including: The Globe, Noel Coward, Sydney Opera House and at the Colosseum. Starfruit have received numerous awards the most recent being the award for the Best Youth Theatre Group in Great Britain.
Sporting link: Earls Barton was the home to one of Britain's greatest stock-car racers and builders, Aubrey Leighton, who won the World Championship in 1957. "Earls Barton Motors" still stands on the Wellingborough Road. Aubrey was a master designer and builder, and even after his retirement at the end of 1964, his car saw success in others' hands.
Aubrey's son Keith went on to international motor sport via Cosworth Racing Engines, and was mechanic for Grand Prix World Champion Ronnie Petersen, as well as in the Indy series in the USA.
Barely 8 miles from Earls Barton is the great race track of Brafield Stadium ("Northampton International Raceway"), a fast 1/4 mile oval. Speedway was staged at Brafield Stadium in the late 1950s and again in the late 1960s. The 1950s team were known as the Flying Foxes and the 1960s team were known as the Badgers.
The Earls Barton Methodist Church
The largest church building in the village and based on Broad Street, Earls Barton. The church building itself is over 200 years old and is home to many village groups including the 1st Earls Barton Boy's Brigade, The Badminton Club and Wives group. Through the year the Methodist Church hosts many in house events including Leek Pie Lunch and the annual Bazaar.The churches main annual event is the "methodist bazaar." Each year the congregation comes together with a different theme to raise money for the church and local and UK charities. In 2009 the bazaar was re-launched in line with "CHARITY RAISERS" who has since given a strong theme to the bazaar each year. The methodist bazaar takes place on the last Saturday in November every year.
Past themes have included:
- The Earls Barton Methodist Church 1945 Bazaar (2009 - Opened by Rev Mike Lewis)
- The Wonderland Bazaar (2010 - Opened by Cllr Tom Partridge Underwood)
- Captain Hooks Pirate Bazaar (2011 - Opened by Rev Nigel Bibbings)