Guilsborough
Encyclopedia
Guilsborough is a village
and civil parish in the Daventry district
of the county of Northamptonshire
in England
. At the time of the 2001 census
, the parish's population was 660 people.
It is at the centre of an area of rural villages between the towns of Northampton
, Daventry
, Rugby
and Market Harborough
. There is a secondary school
, fire station, pub, a new village shop (formerly the doctor's surgery) and a new doctor's surgery. The secondary school
is on the edge of the village and takes children from 11 to 16. It also has a sixth form. Guilsborough School is in the top 500 schools for GCSE and A levels. It takes children from surrounding villages and has about 1,500 pupils. The school currently has technology college status.
wall. The wall was part of a Roman fort, an outpost of the settlement at West Haddon
. The encampment is believed to have been the work of Publius Ostorius Scapula
, under the reign of Claudius
. The larger part of the camp walls have long since been removed and it is noted that, when the south bank was removed in the 19th century, many skeletons were found (E. & E. Renton - see 'Writings Section'). No one is certain what became of these remains.
for the crime of witchcraft
, also known as the Northamptonshire Witch Trials
. Of those five, Agnes Brown and her daughter Ioane/Joan Vaughan (or Varnham) were from Guilsborough.
They stood accused of bewitching a local noblewoman, Elizabeth Belcher (née Fisher) and her brother-in-law Master Avery and of killing, by sorcery, a child and numerous livestock. For a full account of these tales see: A Brief History of Witchcraft Relating to The Witches of Northamptonshire Reprinted by Taylor & Son 1867. Facsimile by General Coe Ltd, Wilbarston, Northants; April 1967, Witchcraft and Demonianism by C. L'Estrange Ewen 1970 or Witchcraft in England 1558-1618 edited by Barbara Rosen 1991.
Although the hangings can be legitimately traced back to actual historic events, the story most commonly repeated is of less certain origins. The tale goes that there was an elderly witch called Mother Roades, who lived just outside the neighbouring village of Ravensthorpe
. Before she could be arrested and tried for her crimes of sorcery, she died. Her final words told of her friends riding to see her, but that it did not matter because they would meet again in some other place before the month was out.
Her friends were thus apprehended riding on the back of a sow
between Guilsborough and Ravensthorpe and were taken into custody and hanged, thus they were all reunited in death.
The problem with this story is that, although Agnes Brown remains a constant upon the pig's back, her companions swap names depending on the version being read. Three witches were on the pig, but the potential riders, other than Agnes Brown (who appears as one of the riders in all versions), are: Kathryn Gardiner, Alice Abbott, Alice Harrys and Ioan/Joan Lucas.
It would appear from records that all of these accused stood trial together, however the reporting only covers the hangings of one day in 1612, so the fates of the others are not known (Witchcraft and Demonianism by C. L'Estrange Ewen 1970, pps. 211-1).
who lived in Pell's Pool. This was a deep pool which stood off Cold Ashby Lane and was used by the local fire service as a water supply for many years. The pool has now dried up and a house stands there. Young boys and girls were told not to go walking by the pool at night otherwise a witch would drag them down into the water.
The church was possibly a minster of Brixworth
, which is one of the oldest remaining Saxon
churches in England
. There are Saxon remnants among the Norman architecture
of Guilsborough church. There are rumours that it may have been founded by Saint Wilfred; however these probably belong to the realm of myth and legend.
This church was originally dedicated to St Wilfred and it is unusual to see a renaming in favour of a female saint. However, Wilfred and Etheldreda's paths are said to have crossed when Wilfred supported the Anglian Queen's decision not to grant her second husband conjugal rights. Despite having been married once before, it is said that St Etheldreda (also known as St Audrey from where we get the word 'tawdry') remained a virgin.
The story of St Wilfred and Etheldreda is recounted in The Oxford Book of Saints.
Another unusual aspect to this saint is that she appears to have two saint days. The most commonly-cited day is 21 June, however, certainly around the 17th century, villagers in Guilsborough were celebrating her feast day on the first Sunday after 17 October (Dissertation by T.R. Slater 1982, Northamptonshire Records Office).
The church has six bells and there is an anomaly in that the second bell is heavier than the third.
Guilsborough Church is currently the subject of a parish argument due to an application by T Mobile to install a mobile phone mast inside the steeple of the church. Residents are currently objecting to the Diocese of Peterborough as they were not notified and believe there to be health implications if the plans are approved. The church has an Ecclesiastical Exemption negating the need for planning permission or listed building consent to erect the mast.
and Hollowell
. This was originally published in 1929 by T. Beaty Hart Ltd, Bridewell Printing Works, Kettering
.
The Renton Sisters were also heavily involved in the local Women's Institute and were responsible for the tapestry
of the witches in the village hall.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and civil parish in the Daventry district
Daventry (district)
The Daventry district is the largest local government district of western Northamptonshire, England. The district is named after the town of Daventry which is the administrative headquarters and largest town...
of the county of Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. At the time of the 2001 census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
, the parish's population was 660 people.
It is at the centre of an area of rural villages between the towns of Northampton
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...
, Daventry
Daventry
Daventry is a market town in Northamptonshire, England, with a population of 22,367 .-Geography:The town is also the administrative centre of the larger Daventry district, which has a population of 71,838. The town is 77 miles north-northwest of London, 13.9 miles west of Northampton and 10.2...
, Rugby
Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
and Market Harborough
Market Harborough
Market Harborough is a market town within the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England.It has a population of 20,785 and is the administrative headquarters of Harborough District Council. It sits on the Northamptonshire-Leicestershire border...
. There is a secondary school
Guilsborough School
Guilsborough School and Technology College is a co-educational comprehensive school in Guilsborough, Northamptonshire, England. It educates around 1,325 students from the ages of 11-18 . The school became a Technology College specialist school in 1998...
, fire station, pub, a new village shop (formerly the doctor's surgery) and a new doctor's surgery. The secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
is on the edge of the village and takes children from 11 to 16. It also has a sixth form. Guilsborough School is in the top 500 schools for GCSE and A levels. It takes children from surrounding villages and has about 1,500 pupils. The school currently has technology college status.
History
Today, the housing estate Church Mount stands where Guilsborough Hall once stood. The mount is separated from the main road by a large embankment which is the remains of a RomanAncient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
wall. The wall was part of a Roman fort, an outpost of the settlement at West Haddon
West Haddon
West Haddon is a village in the Daventry district of the county of Northamptonshire, England about north-west of Northampton and east of Rugby and just off the A428 road which by-passes the village...
. The encampment is believed to have been the work of Publius Ostorius Scapula
Publius Ostorius Scapula
Publius Ostorius Scapula was a Roman statesman and general who governed Britain from 47 until his death, and was responsible for the defeat and capture of Caratacus.-Career:...
, under the reign of Claudius
Claudius
Claudius , was Roman Emperor from 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, he was the son of Drusus and Antonia Minor. He was born at Lugdunum in Gaul and was the first Roman Emperor to be born outside Italy...
. The larger part of the camp walls have long since been removed and it is noted that, when the south bank was removed in the 19th century, many skeletons were found (E. & E. Renton - see 'Writings Section'). No one is certain what became of these remains.
The Guilsborough Witches
On 22 July 1612, four women and one man were hanged at Abingdon Gallows in NorthamptonNorthampton
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...
for the crime of witchcraft
Witchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
, also known as the Northamptonshire Witch Trials
Northamptonshire Witch Trials
The Northamptonshire witch trials mainly refer to five executions carried out on July 22, 1612 at Abington Gallows, Northampton. In 1612 at the Lent Assizes held in Northampton Castle a number of women and a man were tried for witchcraft of various kinds, from murder to bewitching of pigs. There...
. Of those five, Agnes Brown and her daughter Ioane/Joan Vaughan (or Varnham) were from Guilsborough.
They stood accused of bewitching a local noblewoman, Elizabeth Belcher (née Fisher) and her brother-in-law Master Avery and of killing, by sorcery, a child and numerous livestock. For a full account of these tales see: A Brief History of Witchcraft Relating to The Witches of Northamptonshire Reprinted by Taylor & Son 1867. Facsimile by General Coe Ltd, Wilbarston, Northants; April 1967, Witchcraft and Demonianism by C. L'Estrange Ewen 1970 or Witchcraft in England 1558-1618 edited by Barbara Rosen 1991.
Although the hangings can be legitimately traced back to actual historic events, the story most commonly repeated is of less certain origins. The tale goes that there was an elderly witch called Mother Roades, who lived just outside the neighbouring village of Ravensthorpe
Ravensthorpe, Northamptonshire
Ravensthorpe is a village and civil parish in the Daventry district of the county of Northamptonshire in England. The village lies approximately midway between Northampton and Rugby. The M1 motorway is six miles west and the nearest railway station is at Long Buckby...
. Before she could be arrested and tried for her crimes of sorcery, she died. Her final words told of her friends riding to see her, but that it did not matter because they would meet again in some other place before the month was out.
Sow
Sow may refer to:* Sowing seed* Female animals: badger, bear, pig family* Shape in which metal is cast* Type of siege engine* River Sow, England* "Sow", a poem by Sylvia Plath* Sow , the band/spoken word project comprising Anna Wildsmith-People:...
between Guilsborough and Ravensthorpe and were taken into custody and hanged, thus they were all reunited in death.
The problem with this story is that, although Agnes Brown remains a constant upon the pig's back, her companions swap names depending on the version being read. Three witches were on the pig, but the potential riders, other than Agnes Brown (who appears as one of the riders in all versions), are: Kathryn Gardiner, Alice Abbott, Alice Harrys and Ioan/Joan Lucas.
It would appear from records that all of these accused stood trial together, however the reporting only covers the hangings of one day in 1612, so the fates of the others are not known (Witchcraft and Demonianism by C. L'Estrange Ewen 1970, pps. 211-1).
Pell's Pool
Guilsborough used to have its own version of Black AnnisBlack Annis
Black Annis, also known as Black Agnes, is a bogeyman figure in English folklore. She is imagined as a blue-faced crone or witch with iron claws and a taste for human flesh...
who lived in Pell's Pool. This was a deep pool which stood off Cold Ashby Lane and was used by the local fire service as a water supply for many years. The pool has now dried up and a house stands there. Young boys and girls were told not to go walking by the pool at night otherwise a witch would drag them down into the water.
Saint Etheldreda's Church
Brixworth
Brixworth is a village and civil parish in the Daventry district of Northamptonshire, England. The 2001 census recorded a parish population of 5,162. The village is particularly notable for All Saints' Church, Brixworth, its historic Anglo-Saxon church....
, which is one of the oldest remaining Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
churches in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. There are Saxon remnants among the Norman architecture
Norman 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...
of Guilsborough church. There are rumours that it may have been founded by Saint Wilfred; however these probably belong to the realm of myth and legend.
This church was originally dedicated to St Wilfred and it is unusual to see a renaming in favour of a female saint. However, Wilfred and Etheldreda's paths are said to have crossed when Wilfred supported the Anglian Queen's decision not to grant her second husband conjugal rights. Despite having been married once before, it is said that St Etheldreda (also known as St Audrey from where we get the word 'tawdry') remained a virgin.
The story of St Wilfred and Etheldreda is recounted in The Oxford Book of Saints.
The church has six bells and there is an anomaly in that the second bell is heavier than the third.
Guilsborough Church is currently the subject of a parish argument due to an application by T Mobile to install a mobile phone mast inside the steeple of the church. Residents are currently objecting to the Diocese of Peterborough as they were not notified and believe there to be health implications if the plans are approved. The church has an Ecclesiastical Exemption negating the need for planning permission or listed building consent to erect the mast.
The Renton sisters
Ethel & Eleanor Renton, otherwise known as the Renton Sisters, were prolific local historians writing in the 1920s. To commemorate the millennium, their work was republished as: The Records of Guilsborough, NortoftNortoft
Nortoft was once a distinct hamlet between the Northamptonshire village of Guilsborough and the main road connecting Leicester and Northampton in the English Midlands.However due to Guilsborough's expansion the two communities are now merged....
and Hollowell
Hollowell
Hollowell is a village and civil parish in the Daventry district of the county of Northamptonshire in England. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population, including the nearby hamlet of Teeton, was 353 people.-Geography:...
. This was originally published in 1929 by T. Beaty Hart Ltd, Bridewell Printing Works, Kettering
Kettering
Kettering is a market town in the Borough of Kettering, Northamptonshire, England. It is situated about from London. Kettering is mainly situated on the west side of the River Ise, a tributary of the River Nene which meets at Wellingborough...
.
The Renton Sisters were also heavily involved in the local Women's Institute and were responsible for the tapestry
Tapestry
Tapestry is a form of textile art, traditionally woven on a vertical loom, however it can also be woven on a floor loom as well. It is composed of two sets of interlaced threads, those running parallel to the length and those parallel to the width ; the warp threads are set up under tension on a...
of the witches in the village hall.