Napton-on-the-Hill

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Napton-on-the-Hill
The Oxford Canal as seen from Napton
Napton-on-the-Hill shown within Warwickshire
Population	976 (2001 Census)
OS grid reference	SP465612
Parish	Napton-on-the-Hill
District	Stratford-on-Avon
Shire county	Warwickshire
Region	West Midlands
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	SOUTHAM
Postcode district	CV47
Dialling code	01926
Police	Warwickshire
Fire	Warwickshire
Ambulance	West Midlands
European Parliament	West Midlands
UK Parliament	Stratford-on-Avon
List of places: UK • England • Warwickshire

Coordinates: 52°14′49″N 1°19′13″W / 52.24702, -1.32034

Napton-on-the-Hill, often referred to as just Napton, is a small village and civil parish in the Stratford district of Warwickshire, England. Napton has a population of 976 (2001 census) ^[1] and is situated off the A425 road between the towns of Daventry and Southam, which is a few miles to the west of the village.

As the title suggests the village is situated upon a hill. It overlooks the Oxford Canal. Napton has a restored windmill which dates from 1543, and is a local landmark which can be seen from some distance away.

Just north of Napton lies the junction of the Oxford Canal and the Warwick and Napton Canal (part of the Grand Union Canal). There is a flight of locks on the Oxford Canal which climbs around the hill that Napton is situated upon. There is a magnificent view over the canal, and the surrounding countryside, from St Lawrence's church, which is at the top of the hill. The primary school in the village is named after the church.

The name Napton is derived from the Anglo-Saxon cnaepp meaning 'hilltop' and tun meaning 'settlement'. The village was recorded as Neptone in the Domesday Book of 1086.

In the 14th century Napton was granted a market charter by King Edward II and throughout the Middle Ages it was one of the largest settlements in Warwickshire. However the market died out, and the population of the village today of around 1000, is roughly the same as it was in the year 1400. The village has one school, Napton Church of England Combined Primary School, and most of the children attend Southam College, the local state comprehensive school. Napton Football Club play on the Dog Lane Sports Field and have teams aged 10 to very old.

1 Napton Festival
2 Pubs & Bars
3 Famous Associations
4 External Links
5 References

[edit] Napton Festival

Main article: Napton Festival

On September 16th 2006 the first Napton festival was held at Holt Farm on the Holt Road. The headliners were the legendary hard rock band Girlschool. The festival has been picked up for 2007 at the same place, but with two stages with the headliners Sweet and The Hollies.