Gayton, Northamptonshire
Encyclopedia
Gayton is a rural village 5 miles (8 km) from Northampton
town centre in South Northamptonshire
. It is situated on a hill close to the larger villages of Bugbrooke
, Milton Malsor
and Blisworth
, with a linked public footpath network.
Sir
Francis Tanfield
, governor of Lord Falkland’s Colony of Newfoundland, Canada
1623–25 built the Manor House
in the village in the early 17th century and has some similarity to Sir Thomas Tresham
's at Lyveden New Bield
. It is probable that Sir Francis was the son of Clement Tanfield and his wife, Anne, of Gayton. He was born in 1565 and was knight
ed in July 1603 and, in September, accompanied the new ambassador, Lord Spencer
, to the court of the Duke of Württemberg
, now part of southern Germany
. The Hughes of Gwerclas
family, a Welsh family of native royal blood, resided at the Manor House during the late 18th Century.
There were three brickyards in the parish, now all gone and filled in with domestic refuse. The parish was also a source of ironstone
particularly the area bordering Tiffield
.
where Gayton is in Harpole and Grange ward
together with the villages of Milton Malsor
, Rothersthorpe
, Harpole
and Kislingbury
and elects two members.
though the upper part of the tower 19th century. The church contains six misericord
s dating from the 14th and 15th century, unusually, some of these have been modified at a later date, possibly by foreign carvers. There is also a village hall and primary school, (Gayton Church of England
Primary School), one of the smallest in the county with around 60 pupils. It also has two pub-restaurants
, The Eykyn Arms and The Queen Victoria, the latter of which also offers accommodation. There is a village green with a children's play area, refurbished in 2007.
Gayton is close to the Grand Union Canal
. At Gayton Junction there is a marina and an arm of the GUC goes down to Northampton through a long flight of locks.
Gayton is also close to the West Coast Main Line
, one of the main railway routes between London and the North.
Also located in Gayton is Evergreen Riding Stables. This can be found opposite the two pubs.
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
town centre in South Northamptonshire
South Northamptonshire
South Northamptonshire is a local government district in Northamptonshire, England. Its council is based in Towcester.The district is rural and sparsely populated with just over 79,293 people in 2000 and 91,000 in 2008, a 14.8% increase. The largest town in the district is Brackley, which has a...
. It is situated on a hill close to the larger villages of Bugbrooke
Bugbrooke
Bugbrooke is a large village and civil parish in Northamptonshire, England, on a ridge overlooking the valley of the River Nene.-Location:It is about south west of Northampton...
, Milton Malsor
Milton Malsor
Milton Malsor is a village and civil parish in South Northamptonshire, England. It is south of Northampton, south-east of Birmingham, and north of central London; junction 15 of the M1 motorway is east by road...
and Blisworth
Blisworth
Blisworth is a village and civil parish in the South Northamptonshire district of Northamptonshire, England. The West Coast Main Line, from London Euston to Manchester and Scotland, runs alongside the village partly hidden and partly on an embankment...
, with a linked public footpath network.
History
The gentleman after whom the village is named, Sir Philip de Gayton, had a daughter named Scholastica and she was said to have murdered her husband. She had a sister called Julianna who bore a child known as Mabila. Julianna later met her fate by burning as it was decided that she was a witch. The facts of this tale have become somewhat confused over the centuries but the de Gayton tombs are in the village churchSir
Sir
Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
Francis Tanfield
Francis Tanfield
Sir Francis Tanfield was Proprietary Governor of the South Falkland colony of Henry Cary, 1st Viscount Falkland, his cousin's husband. Tanfield was to establish a colony at Renews and left England in 1623 with an unknown number of colonists. The settlers were harassed by migratory fishermen who...
, governor of Lord Falkland’s Colony of Newfoundland, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
1623–25 built the Manor House
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
in the village in the early 17th century and has some similarity to Sir Thomas Tresham
Thomas Tresham II
Sir Thomas Tresham was a Catholic recusant politician at the end of the Tudor dynasty and the start of the Stuart dynasty in England....
's at Lyveden New Bield
Lyveden New Bield
Lyveden New Bield is an unfinished summer house in the parish of Aldwinkle St Peter in the county of Northamptonshire, England.-Construction:...
. It is probable that Sir Francis was the son of Clement Tanfield and his wife, Anne, of Gayton. He was born in 1565 and was knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed in July 1603 and, in September, accompanied the new ambassador, Lord Spencer
Lord Spencer
Lord Spencer may refer to:* Earl Spencer, English title of nobility*Lord Charles Spencer *Lord Henry Spencer...
, to the court of the Duke of Württemberg
Württemberg
Württemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg or Wurtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia....
, now part of southern Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The Hughes of Gwerclas
Hughes of Gwerclas
Hughes of Gwerclas were a native Welsh royal family descended from Owain Brogyntyn the illegitimate but acknowledged son of Madog ap Maredudd by a daughter of the "Maer du" or "black mayor" of Rûg in Edernion. His father granted to him and his successors the Cantref of Edeyrnion and the Lordship...
family, a Welsh family of native royal blood, resided at the Manor House during the late 18th Century.
There were three brickyards in the parish, now all gone and filled in with domestic refuse. The parish was also a source of ironstone
Ironstone
Ironstone is a sedimentary rock, either deposited directly as a ferruginous sediment or created by chemical repacement, that contains a substantial proportion of an iron compound from which iron either can be or once was smelted commercially. This term is customarily restricted to hard coarsely...
particularly the area bordering Tiffield
Tiffield
Tiffield is a village and civil parish in the English county of Northamptonshire; it is located north of the town of Towcester between the A5 road to its west and the A43 road to its east.-Demographics:...
.
Governance
The village has a Parish Council. The local district council is South NorthamptonshireSouth Northamptonshire
South Northamptonshire is a local government district in Northamptonshire, England. Its council is based in Towcester.The district is rural and sparsely populated with just over 79,293 people in 2000 and 91,000 in 2008, a 14.8% increase. The largest town in the district is Brackley, which has a...
where Gayton is in Harpole and Grange ward
Wards of the United Kingdom
A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. It is the primary unit of British administrative and electoral geography .-England:...
together with the villages of Milton Malsor
Milton Malsor
Milton Malsor is a village and civil parish in South Northamptonshire, England. It is south of Northampton, south-east of Birmingham, and north of central London; junction 15 of the M1 motorway is east by road...
, Rothersthorpe
Rothersthorpe
Rothersthorpe is a small village of medieval origin, in South Northamptonshire, England, with a population of 500 in the 2001 Census. It is from the town of Northampton.-Governance:...
, Harpole
Harpole
Harpole Northamptonshire, England, is a village west of Northampton, in the district council area of South Northamptonshire where it is part of Harpole and Grange ward, together with the parishes of Milton Malsor, Kislingbury, Rothersthorpe and Gayton. It is within the area of Northamptonshire...
and Kislingbury
Kislingbury
Kislingbury is a village in Northamptonshire, England, about west of Northampton town centre, and close to junctions 15A and 16 of the M1 motorway.-Demographics:...
and elects two members.
Facilities
There is a church, dedicated to St Mary the Virgin. The base of the tower and font are NormanNorman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
though the upper part of the tower 19th century. The church contains six misericord
Misericord
A misericord is a small wooden shelf on the underside of a folding seat in a church, installed to provide a degree of comfort for a person who has to stand during long periods of prayer.-Origins:...
s dating from the 14th and 15th century, unusually, some of these have been modified at a later date, possibly by foreign carvers. There is also a village hall and primary school, (Gayton Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
Primary School), one of the smallest in the county with around 60 pupils. It also has two pub-restaurants
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
, The Eykyn Arms and The Queen Victoria, the latter of which also offers accommodation. There is a village green with a children's play area, refurbished in 2007.
Gayton is close to the Grand Union Canal
Grand Union Canal
The Grand Union Canal in England is part of the British canal system. Its main line connects London and Birmingham, stretching for 137 miles with 166 locks...
. At Gayton Junction there is a marina and an arm of the GUC goes down to Northampton through a long flight of locks.
Gayton is also close to the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
, one of the main railway routes between London and the North.
Also located in Gayton is Evergreen Riding Stables. This can be found opposite the two pubs.