Dodford, Northamptonshire

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dodford


Dodford within Daventry District
Dodford, Northamptonshire (Northamptonshire)
Dodford, Northamptonshire

Dodford shown within Northamptonshire
Population 160 (2001 Census)
OS grid reference SP613605
 - London 73.6
District Daventry
Shire county Northamptonshire
Region East Midlands
Constituent country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town DAVENTRY
Postcode district NN7
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°14′N 1°06′W / 52.23, -1.1

Dodford is a village in the county of Northamptonshire, England, within the Weedon Ward of Daventry District.[1] The village is just north of the A45 road 1½ miles west of Weedon. It is 3½ miles east of Daventry and ten miles west of Northampton. It is also close to junction 16 of the M1 motorway. The parish consists of some 560 hectares and is bounded on the east by the A5 trunk road which is the old Roman road of Watling Street. Most of the village and parish sits astride the valley of an east-flowing stream which is a tributary of the River Nene.

Contents

[edit] Medieval History and Later

There are considerable earthworks around the village on the northern side of the stream, which indicate that Dodford was a larger settlement than it is today. Unfortunately many of these earthworks have been ploughed out in recent years, but the evidence has been recorded of their existence.[2] These earthworks suggest that there was a large scale de-population or a considerable movement of the village. Dodford is mentioned in an Anglo-Saxon charter of 944.[3] The village is recorded in the Domesday Book as a manor of three hides belonging to Robert, Count of Mortain (who was the half-brother of William the Conqueror), with a recorded population of 22 including a priest. In 1222 the manor of Dodford was acquired by William de Keynes who enclosed much of the land including a deer park which lay to the south of the village between it and what is now the A45 between Daventry and Weedon. In 1673 it is recorded that 39 people paid Hearth Tax. By the early part of the 18th century there were 21 dwellings in the village and a map dated 1742 shows the layout of the village much as it is today.[4] In 1801 the village is recorded as having 205 residents.

[edit] St Mary the Virgin church

Dodford has a Grade I listed parish church, called St Mary the Virgin. It was founded by the Normans in 1066, rebuilt by Ralph de Keynes in 1100, and the tower and north chapel were added by William de Keynes in 1221. St Mary's has a nave with a north aisle and a clerestory on the north side only. The arcade, of four bays, is 14th century. The south wall of the nave has two plain 12th-century splayed windows, of which the west one is now blocked, and part of the plain arch of a doorway; on the exterior there is much herringbone masonry. The south porch is of two storeys. The chancel was rebuilt in the 19th century and there is a tall 13th-century west tower. It contains an elaborately-carved 12th-century font.

Dodford has one of the longest drive-through fords in the county but speeding drivers risk causing erosion of its banks.

[edit] Gallery

Plan of Dodford Church, Click to Enlarge.

Dodford Church

View across the valley to Dodford

The Parvise over the south porch

[edit] External links


[edit] References

  1. ^ ’OS Explorer Map’ 223 Northampton & Market Harborough ISBN 9780319463963
  2. ^ An Inventory of Archaeological Sites in North West Northamptonshire, page 22. ISBN 0 11 700900 8
  3. ^ An Inventory of Archaeological Sites in North West Northamptonshire, page 72 (BCS 792). ISBN 0 11 700900 8
  4. ^ An Inventory of Archaeological Sites in North West Northamptonshire, page 72, 5th par. ISBN 0 11 700900 8
v • d • e
Places in Daventry District

Althorp – Arthingworth – Ashby St Ledgers – Badby – Barby – Barby Nortoft – Boughton – Braunston – Brixworth – Brockhall – Byfield – Canons Ashby – Chapel Brampton – Charwelton – Church Brampton – Church Stowe – Clay Coton – Clipston – Cold Ashby – Coton – Cottesbrooke – Creaton – Crick – Daventry – Dodford – Draughton – East Farndon – East Haddon – Elkington – Everdon – Farthingstone – Fawsley – Flore – Great Brington – Great Oxendon – Guilsborough – Hanging Houghton – Hannington – Harlestone – Haselbech – Hellidon – Holcot – Holdenby – Hollowell – Kelmarsh – Kilsby – Lamport – Lilbourne – Little Brington – Little Everdon – Long Buckby – Lower Catesby – Maidwell – Marston Trussell – Moulton – Naseby – Newnham – Nobottle – Nortoft – Norton – Old – Overstone – Pitsford – Preston Capes – Ravensthorpe – Scaldwell – Sibbertoft – Snorscombe – Spratton – Stanford-on-Avon – Staverton – Sulby – Teeton – Thornby – Upper Catesby – Upper Stowe – Walgrave – Watford – Weedon Bec – Welford – Welton – West Haddon – Westhorp - Whilton – Winwick – Woodford Halse – Yelvertoft