Blakesley

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This article is about the place. For people, see Blakesley (surname).

Blakesley
Blakesley shown within Northamptonshire
Population	492 (2001)
OS grid reference	SP625502
District	South Northamptonshire
Shire county	Northamptonshire
Region	East Midlands
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Towcester
Postcode district	NN12
Dialling code	01327
Police	Northamptonshire
Fire	Northamptonshire
Ambulance	East Midlands
European Parliament	East Midlands
UK Parliament	Daventry
List of places: UK • England • Northamptonshire

Coordinates: 52°08′47″N 1°05′09″W / 52.1465, -1.0857

Blakesley is a village and civil parish in the South Northamptonshire district of Northamptonshire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 492. The village is about five miles west of Towcester. The Ordnance Survey records it as being 426.5' above sea level.

The name is believed to have come from an Old English place-name meaning "Blaecwulf's wood or clearing" (or "black wolf's wood/clearing"). [1] Over time the name contracted to the present form. The name of the brook running through the village, the Black Ouse, was derived from the name of the town, and not the other way round as sometimes claimed.

The town is the site of Blakesley Hall. Blakesley Hall was owned by Charles William Bartholomew, the owner and 'Squire' of the parishes was a civil engineer and in 1903 installed a full 15" gauge miniature railway system in the grounds. Mr Bartholomew bought two 'Cagney locomotives and with the help of Alex Wyatt modified carriages and trucks. Along with the system around the grounds and no-doubt with the help of his railway connections, Mr Bartholomew had a quarter mile section built which ran to the then, East and West Junction Raiway's 'main line station at Blakesley. The line brought supplies and goods up to the hall, and the odd passenger from a small yard in the goods yard of the main station. Mr Bartholomew died in 1919, his widow bringing the trains out on 'High Days and Holidays'. In 1939 the whole system was sold to an estate in Yorkshire. The SMJ railway

After many uses which included being used as a war-time hospital, the Hall was demolished in 1957. Blakesley Hall, once in possession of the Knights of St John of Jerusalem.

South door to the parish church

The parish church, built in the style of the Early English Period, dates from the late 13th century, the first parish priest having been record as a certain William of Melchbourne, who took office in 1275. The church is dedicated to St Mary. Since 2006 it has formed part of the Lambfold benefice [2] along with the parishes of Adstone, Maidford, Litchborough and Farthingstone.

The church building itself forms the centre of a number of obviously ecclesiastical buildings probably related to a religious community. Opposite the church is an ancient house known as the Priory and of obvious religious style and adjoining the churchyard are ancient tithe barns, now converted to housing but originally built in connection with the glebe lands.

To the northwest of Blakesley, and now contiguous with it, is the hamlet of Quinbury End.