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An
Exploration of our Village
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"A Village Walk"
This walk which explores a portion of our Village was originally
written by Peter Warden to whom many thanks are due.
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Scroll
Down for the Village Walk Commentary
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Start
your walk on the village green, which is still the centre of the village,
with its pub and one shop. The stone building at the back of the
Green is flats for the elderly but was originally Home Farm, when
animals would have been a familiar site at the centre of the village.
The stone house known as "The Old Gate" was originally one of four public houses in the village in the early 1900's. The
remaining public house - the Butchers Arms was rebuilt in 1939 replacing
an earlier stone building which was burned down. There were also three
butchers, three bakers, a church and two chapels in the village. |
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Walk
back to Bradden Road
On
the opposite side of the road is a shield like object fixed to the
wall of the corner house. This is known as the "Penstock"
and was used by the fire brigade to dam the culvert to provide a
supply of water for fire fighting in the village. Turn up Bradden
Road and cross over just before the Methodist Chapel and take the
footpath between the bungalow (No 11a) and the wall surrounding
"The Old Court". This footpath leads to Smithland Court.
Cross over and continue on to the fence. Cross over the stile in to the paddock. Don't follow the footpath that bears right
across the paddock but turn immediately left and go through the
gate in to the adjacent paddock and cross diagonally to the far
corner. Pass through the gate and follow the path to the left. The
path now passes between the gardens of houses which front Bengal
Lane.
Notice
the stream as you pass over it; this stream starts at the lake in
the grounds of "Lakeside". To the North of the village
and passes right through the centre, underground in places. This
lake was originally the reservoir which provided the water supply
for the village
Turn
right down Bengal Lane
The
first stone house on the right, known as "The Maltings"
was used for brewing beer in the last century. (ed. note: We are
informed that The Maltings is actually the second stone house on
the right and it is not and never has been called "The Maltings";
it is by this source known now as "The Old Malting House".)
On the plot where No12 stands there were once 5 houses occupied
by 18 people. No wonder there are only about 200 more people living
in Greens Norton than there were at the turn of the century! Houses
on the site of 6 and 14 were originally constructed for workers
at the maltings
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on down Bengal Lane.
Just
before the road bends to the right is a large stone and brick
house (No26) known as "Birds House" dating from 1666,
it is one of the oldest houses in the village. Catherine Parr, Henry VIII's Sixth wife is reputed to have lived here for some time.
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Where
the lane bends to the right turn left up a bridle path known as
Frog Lane that runs alongside the wall of Greens Norton Hall. In
the 18th century the village was made up of two parts. The main
village was centred on the green. To the south and linked to the
village by Bengal Lane was a series of lanes with building scattered
along them. They have now been abandoned and there is scant evidence
of their existence.
Pass
through the kissing gate on to the Hall drive and continue along
the drive (a continuation of the bridle path) to Mill Lane. Cross
the road taking care for traffic. Follow the footpath across the
field opposite to where it crosses a footpath going down the field.
Turn left up the hill towards the village.
Go
through a gap in the hedge in to the next field and cross the field
to walk with a wire fence on your left pass through the Kissing
Gate and continue on in the same direction across the paddock and
through the gate opposite. Pass directly across Calvert Close and emerge on
to Church View. Walk along Church View and turn in to School Close.
At the end of the cul-de-sac take the footpath to the right that
runs diagonally through gardens. Turn right at the junction with
another path.
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On
the left as you pass along this path is a stone building known as
the "Reading Room". It was used as a Dame School, the forerunner
of today's nursery schools. It was noted in the School log book in
1876 that children were admitted from here to the then new Church
of England ('National') School. This Dame school took children at
an early age where a "woman of good character" who was paid
a very small salary by a local charity gave them a rudimentary education.
It is likely that this school carried on for some time after the opening
of the National School as a report from the HM Inspector in 1889 noted
that 'children must attend the National School and not the free infants
school' |
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This
path comes out on to Towcester Road opposite St. Bartholomew's church
which can be traced back to about 650 A.D.
Cross
the Road and turn left down the hill. Part way down turn right just
below "The Chantry House" This is one of the oldest houses
in the village dating from 1496 when Matilda Greene built a house
for six priest to pray for the dead. You are now in New Road, so
called because it was constructed across the village green in the
19th century and the land between in and the Butchers Arms was built
upon.
Half
way down New Road on the right is the outfall from the village reservoir
At the end of New Road turn right and go up Blakesley Hill. About
200 meters past the last house in the village turn left in to Pauls
Leys, which offers some excellent views across the surrounding countryside
particularly to the south.
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Here
on the roadside in summer are a great variety of wild flowers - the ubiquitous
Cow Parsley (known locally as 'Keck'), Red Campion, Field Scabious and
Bush Vetch (a member of the pea family) Continue down this road past the
end of Bradden Road and down to the bottom of the hill.
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the road crosses the bridge over the River Tove, is a house that stands
on the site of Kingsthorne Mill. The mill was powered by the river.
Just beyond the entrance to the house turn left through a field gate
(remember to shut it) and follow the bridle way alongside the hedge
in front of you. When the mill was in operation this track would have
been used, no doubt, by the villagers to bring grain to the mill.
Just before leaving this field the deep depression immediately to
the left of the path is a seasonal pond, filling up in winter and
gradually drying up by the end of the summer. Miraculously, each spring
this small area of water is alive with Daphnia or Water fleas. (Not
a true flea, so they don't bite) |
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Pass
through the bridle gate, and you are in to Greens Norton Pocket
Park. To explore the park go through the kissing gate on your right.
We will carry on straight to the next bridle gate and meet you there.
Greens
Norton Pocket Park is one of a number of Pocket Parks throughout
Northamptonshire and is a former clay pit and brick and tile works.
Clay pipes for drainage were also made here. The brickworks was
closed in 1920. During the Second World War the Home Guard (Dads Army)
used it for rifle practice and grenade throwing and later the area
was used as a refuse pit. Fortunately this was halted before the
whole of the excavated area was filled. We are now able to enjoy
the wonderful variety of natural habitats that have arisen from
the workings. Rest a while by the pond and if it is warm and sunny
watch the Dragonflies and Damselflies. There are also butterflies
flying over the adjacent grassland.
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Leave
the Pocket Park by the bridle gate beside the field gate and continue
on in the same direction. Where the bridle way meet Bengal Lane turn
left and pass in front of Bengal Manor. This elegant manor house dates
back to 1695. Carry on past Bengal Farm and if you are tired carry
straight on to where this bridleway meets Bradden Road, turn right
there and it's a short walk to the Green and where you started.
Just after Bengal Farm pass through the kissing gate and cross the
field diagonally and leave by the right hand gate, passing between
two wire fences. This area was formally the local source of lime.
Wagons pulled by teams of 6 horses transported the lime from the site.
The kilns were in the west corner of the field adjacent to the bridle
way and were still in existence in living memory. The diggings were
filled in as recently as 1980. |
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Follow
on straight passing across part of the path you took at the start
of this walk till you come again to Bengal Lane. But this time turn
left, past the stone cottage on your left. This is Brookside Cottage
dating from the early 18th century and was thatched until 1986, when
the roof was destroyed in a fire. Villagers, including the scouts,
who were meeting in the Village Hall, removed furniture and belongings
so that only one impossibly large item of furniture was lost.
In earlier times the cottage was used as a lace making school Lace
schools were generally the living rooms of small cottages and were
renowned for being overcrowded, badly lit and often insanitary. Girls
and some boys were put to work from the age of six or seven and spent
long hours bent over their pillows learning their craft, until they
could produce a marketable product. They even had to provide their
own candles |
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Continue
to the end of the lane
Opposite
as you come out on to High Street is the Village Hall. Originally
the village school with the Headmaster's house adjoining it. It
was opened in 1875 replacing the Dames School. In 1891 the small
hall attached to the side was added to house the infant class. The
school closed in 1972, and the building was acquired by Mr. &
Mrs. Benham and made available to the village as its Village Hall
- they wanted to put something back in to the community in which
they had lived for many years - at Kingsthorne Mill.
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Turn
Left down High Street. Just before the butchers shop on the opposite side
of the street is a stone house which once was the "Red Lion",
one of four public houses in the village. Later the small brick extension
at the right end of the house was the original village Post Office.
You
have now completed a tour of the village and are back on the Green from
where you started, and can go and enjoy a well deserved drink in the "Butcher's
Arms".
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