Broughton, Northamptonshire
| Broughton | |
  Broughton |
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| Population | 2,047 |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | SP8375 |
| District | Kettering (borough) |
| Shire county | Northamptonshire |
| Region | East Midlands |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Kettering |
| Postcode district | NN14 |
| Dialling code | 01536 |
| Police | Northamptonshire |
| Fire | Northamptonshire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| EU Parliament | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament | Kettering |
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Coordinates: 52°22′16″N 0°46′30″W / 52.3712°N 0.7750°W
Broughton is a large village and civil parish in the borough of Kettering, in Northamptonshire, England. Its population in 2001 was 2,047 people.[1] The village is located around 2 miles (3 km) south-west of Kettering, next to the A43 road (it was bypassed in 1984).
Broughton has a long history, being referred to as "Burtone" in the Domesday Book. The church (St. Andrew), which is mostly early 14th century, incorporates part of a (12th century) Norman aisleless church at the south-west angle, including the south doorway with colonettes, scallop capitals and zigzags. The village has some notable Jacobean houses.[2]
An ancient ritual, which still exists in the village, is that of the "Tin Can Band". It is held annually in mid-December, when, at midnight, a group of people walk around the village making as much noise as possible by banging on tin-cans (anything from cans to pots and pans and metal dustbins),[3] either to scare away evil spirits just before Christmas, or (less charitably) to drive out gypsies. Nowadays it's quite good-natured, but in the past there have been riotous scenes, especially in years when the authorities tried to prevent it happening.[4]
Broughton currently has one pub, The Red Lion, it used to also have The Sun but was closed down, a protest to keep the pub running was fought for via driving a tank to the Kettering council but no appeal has been won. It also has three shops, and used to have a post office, which is now part of one of the shops. Many years ago, it had a cinema, five bakers, 7 pubs, 6 shops, a petrol station, and a butcher.
References
- ↑ Office for National Statistics: Broughton CP: Parish headcounts. Retrieved 7 November 2009
- ↑ N. Pevsner, The Buildings of England - Northamptonshire 2nd edition, revised by Bridget Cherry (Harmondsworth 1973), pp. 128-29.
- ↑ John Kirpatrick, Sleeve notes for Wassail! A Traditional Celebration of an English Midwinter, John Kirpatrick et al., Fellside Records, FECD125 (1997).
- ↑ Dorothy A. Grimes, Like Dew Before the Sun – Life and Language in Northamptonshire (Privately published, Stanley L Hunt (printers), Rushden, 1991), pp. 6–8. ISBN 0-9518496-0-3/
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