- Staverton, Northamptonshire
Infobox UK place
official_name= Staverton
shire_district=Daventry
shire_county=Northamptonshire
country= England
region= East Midlands
static_
static_image_caption= "Staverton within Daventry District"
population= 468 (2001 Census)
population_density=
os_grid_reference= SP539612
latitude= 52.246
longitude= -1.210
post_town= DAVENTRY
postcode_area= NN
postcode_district= NN11
dial_code= 01327
constituency_westminster= Daventry
london_distance=
website=Staverton is a village in the southwest of
Northamptonshire ,England [ OS Explorer Map 222 Rugby & Daventry, Southam & Lutterworth ISBN 978 0 319 23734 2] . It is 2.3 miles west ofDaventry , 7.9 miles east ofSoutham and 15.3 miles east ofLeamington Spa . It straddles theA425 road from Daventry to Leamington.The village sits on the edge of an escarpment and has views westward across the valley of the
River Leam into the neighbouring county ofWarwickshire . Both the Malvern andShropshire hills are visible on fine days.Geography and administration
The average elevation of the parish is 700 ft above sea level, and approximately 1.5 miles south of the village is
Arbury Hill , which, at 225 m (738 ft), is the highest point in Northamptonshire. On the summit, evidence of anIron Age hill fort of an unusually square shape is plainly seen [An Inventory of Archaeological Sites in North West Northamptonshire,Staverton (BCS 792). ISBN 0 11 700900 8] . TheRiver Nene rises nearby.Staverton lies on the
Jurassic Way and the Three Rivers Circular Walk passes through the parish.There is an hourly low-floor bus service "GA01" between
Banbury -Daventry -Rugby operated by Geoff Amos Coaches, Monday - Saturday.History
Etymology
The name Staverton means, "staved town".
Early history and development
In the
Domsday Book of 1086, Staverton is mentioned as "Stavertone" [The Domesday Book, Englands Heritage, Then and Now, Editor: Thomas Hinde,Northamptonshire page 203 ISBN 1858334403] .Before the early part of the 18th century, the original village was located behind the church. However, in 1720 a fire broke out which caused damage, destroying many
haystacks ,stables , grain stores and twenty-two houses. The total loss was thought to be around £3,000. The result of this was that the village received, via a bequest from Elizabeth Darby, afire engine . This came into commission in 1767, was kept in the village until quite recently and was later housed at the Daventry museum. A plaque can be seen on a door opposite the village green to this effect.The village has a
manor house , situated at the end of Manor Road and thought to have parts originating possibly from Anglo-Saxon times. It is only one of many examples of vernacular architecture in the village. There is an interesting window detail at "The Stables" in Manor Road. A datestone above the window reads R.R. 1684.Within the village, Well Lane runs parallel to the main A425. It has been conjectured that this was a much earlier approach to the village. The deeply banked sides to the lane bear testimony to it being an ancient right of way. Possibly, with the increase in coaching traffic from the west, the present A425 route was chosen in preference.
Along the western boundary of the parish runs the now-disused railway, the last mainline railway to be built in Britain. It was constructed by the
Great Central Railway Company between 1894 and 1899 and ran fromNottingham to London Marylebone. A mission was established for thenavvies [ [http://www.railwayarchive.org.uk/stories/pages.php?enum=LE123&pnum=5&maxp=8 Navvies in Staverton] ] in the village in a barn situated on the corner of Manor Road and Glebe Lane. This is now part of a private residence.Parish Church
St Mary the Virgin has been a site of Christian worship for well over a thousand years, although the first recorded vicar appears in records started in
1220 . A board inside the church lists all subsequent vicars up to the present incumbent. The present church dates from about1300 with some older parts [The Buildings of England, Northamptonshire, by Nikolaus Pevsner, 2nd Edition revised by Bridget Cherry, Whilton entry. ISBN 0 14 071022 1] . For hundreds of years before this, possibly dating back to before800 AD, a burial ground existed on the site - as evidenced by the raised churchyard. The main structure that can be seen today dates mainly from the 14th century, although traces of older architecture still remain, such as thelancet window in the north-west corner, which is from the Norman period. The church has many original architectural and historic features. From the top of the tower, sitting on top of one of the highest points in Northamptonshire, it is said that if one were able to travel eastwards maintaining the same altitude, one would not touch land again until reaching theUrals . The ‘new’ north porch, used as the main entrance into the church, dates back 600 years, whereas the south porch is 100 years older. The original door and roof timbers remain. The church has a peal of six bells cast in 1938 by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough. The vicar (1933-46), Rev. E.S. Powell initiated the bell restoration; he and his wife were active bellringers.Amenities
There is one public house called "The Countryman", formerly known as the "New Inn". Across the road from the pub, there is a garage. There is a garden centre on the Badby Road out of the village. East of the village on the Daventry road is Staverton Park, where the facilities include an indoor leisure complex and an 18-hole golf course and driving range. The hotel has a range of meeting rooms and a conference suite that can accommodate 300 delegates.
Former Staverton pubs included "The Windmill" in Windmill Lane and "The Crown", now a private house, opposite The Green.
The first mention of a
post office in the village was in 1864, but the post office closed in March 2008. [ "Daventry Express", 28 February 2008]Image gallery
References
External links
* [http://www.devere.co.uk/venues/Staverton-Park/ Information about Staverton Park]
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