Milton Malsor
Encyclopedia
Milton Malsor is a village and civil parish
in South Northamptonshire
, England. It is 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Northampton
, 45 miles (72 km) south-east of Birmingham
, and 66 miles (106 km) north of central London
; junction 15 of the M1 motorway
is 2 miles (3.2 km) east by road. The area of the Milton Malsor civil parish is 1650 acres (667.7 ha), stretching from north of the M1 motorway at junction 15, south to the West Coast Main Line
, east to the A508 road, and west to the A43 road.
. This records that there were two manors
and two men held lands at Milton as part of their Baronies. These were William Peverel
and Goisfrid Alselin.
and to the west the A43
Northampton-Oxford trunk road
. The local district council is that of South Northamptonshire
where Milton is in Harpole and Grange ward
together with the villages of Gayton
, Rothersthorpe
, Harpole
and Kislingbury
which elects two members. The Northamptonshire County Council division has one member (Conservative
).
The Member of Parliament
from 2010 is Mr Chris Heaton-Harris
, Conservative, for the Daventry Parliamentary Constituency
. Prior to the 2010 General Election
the village was in Northampton South Parliamentary Constituency
. Initially the Boundary Commission wanted to move the village into the new parliamentary constituency of South Northamptonshire
. However, as this was inconvenient for election administration purposes, the Boundary Commission put Milton with fellow ward villages in South Northants Council's "Harpole and Grange" ward into the Daventry Constituency previously held by Mr Tim Boswell
who stood down at 2010 General Election.
and pre-British Agricultural Revolution
farming in strips. The mediaeval open field system was enclosed in Milton in 1779 together with that of Collingtree. The soil is predominantly sandy as one might expect since the area is the bed of an ancient river. Evidence of sand and clay extraction is all around, reflecting 19th and 20th century industrial and urban expansion. For example, the small industrial estate in Gayton Road is on an old clay quarry; the playing and football fields in Collingtree Road are on the sites of sand quarries - in the latter case mostly filled with clay spoil from the 1950s construction of the M1. The field between Towcester Road and the A43 Milton by-pass, which opened in May 1991, to the west of the village was also the site of a sand quarry in the 1950s and 1960s.
In 1965 the driver of a mechanical digger spotted a shiny object in a newly exposed face. It turned out to be an early Bronze Age Cinerary Urn
. The field between the village and the M1 on the north side of Collingtree Road is an area designated by Northamptonshire County Council for sand extraction. The sand is stated by the county council to be of the 'soft sand' type suitable for mortar
. The site is in Milton Malsor parish and only ca.200m from houses in the village. It was originally called the "Collingtree site" but the county council finally referred to it as the Milton site in late 2008. It has so far not been developed probably due to its triangular shape and stranded location between the motorway along one edge, the railway line another and a road unsuited to heavy lorries on the third. The site is included in the county council's mineral's and waste plan, the subject of a Public Inquiry in 2009. A third Public Inquiry in 2010 retained the site.
A stream runs northwest through the village, partly in a conduit
but visible from Collingtree Road and Rectory Lane as it flows north through the field known as 'The Dip' after an old sheep dip
the remains of which are still visible. In Spring 1998 this flooded, causing minor damage to some houses. The stream flows north joining with others from the east and south flowing south and west around Hunsbury Hill
. It then joins the River Nene
at Upton
, west of Northampton. The Grand Union Canal
and its Northampton arm, built in 1815 passes nearby. There is a marina just off the road to Gayton. There are 17 locks on the arm, taking the canal downhill into Northampton and to join the River Nene east of the town. It takes about two hours for a boat to travel through.
showed there were 713 people living in the village, 344 male, 369 female, with average age 45.21 years (the 2011 estimated population is 763). There were 302 dwellings, 280 of them with central heating and 218 being owner occupied. The United Kingdom Census 2011
is expected to show a 10% increase in people and houses. The surrounding South Northamptonshire
district is rural and sparsely populated with just over 80,000 people in 2000.
New development within the village boundary is restricted to infill development only. A new housing development of 14 houses was completed in Chestnut Close in 2008. Smaller ones of 6 dwellings was begun in 2010 for the derelict Home Farm site off Malzor Lane and one or two others elsewhere. Also in 2010 a proposal for 25 houses for a site off Stockwell Way was opposed by the parish council and refused by the district council as it was outside the village boundary and contrary to district council adopted policy. Planning details can be accessed via the parish council website. Possible urban extensions to Northampton were proposed in 2007 by the West Northamptonshire Joint Planning Unit, a group formed by Northampton Borough Council, South Northamptonshire District Council and Daventry
District Council. These proposals included extensions on land in the parish between the M1 motorway, north of the village, A43 by-pass (west), A508 trunk road (east) and the West Coast main railway line
to the south. A parkway
station south the village was also mentioned but train operators do not want further stops on the line between London and Rugby via Northampton. Possible expansion of Northampton south of the M1 affecting the village were excluded from draft proposals published for consulation in July 2009.
: "The Greyhound" in Towcester
Road, which has a large restaurant, and "The Compass" in Green Street, a more traditional village pub also offering bar food. The Greyhound is adjacent to the Village Hall and attracts large crowds from Northampton's southern suburbs in summer as it has a large garden area. Both establishments serve good quality real ale with periodic guest bitters
.
Milton Malsor has a retirement care home for the elderly in Green Street called Holly House. Sheltered housing for older people in the form of 26 flats and bungalows is also provided in the village by South Northants Homes Ltd. The area is centred around Raynsford House which offers a lounge, dining room, laundry, guest facilities and a community alarm service for sheltered housing residents.
A shop and former post office
and the modern village hall, refurbished in 2008, are both in the High Street opposite the green and War Memorial. The Northampton Hilton
Hotel is approximately 1½ miles distant on Watering Lane in the neighbouring village of Collingtree
, just off the A45
trunk road
. There are several other hotels in the area along the A45
trunk road.
The village has two small industrial estates; the larger on Gayton Road is adjacent, but with no access, to the A43. This is referred to locally as 'Gallifords' reflecting its ownership. The smaller is adjacent to the M1 bridge along Collingtree Road and known as 'Maple Farm' alluding to its history. There is an architect's office in the old Rectory and additional modern offices on Towcester Road in the converted Hope Brewery and out buildings.
A mobile library visits the village every two weeks; the nearest local library is at Hunsbury, about a mile north, next to a large Tesco
'Xtra' supermarket
and petrol station.
There are three working farms in the parish including a free-range egg farm.
which is shown on a map on the Parish Council website and has many traditional Northamptonshire stone cottages, a large number of which have thatched or pantiled
roofs. There are over 30 listed buildings in the village, most, but not all, in the conservation area. Particular buildings of note, mostly listed by their street locations, are as follows:
of the West Coast Main Line
carries trains from Northampton to London Euston
and runs through the parish just east of the village, with the main line about a mile south. The nearest convenient stations are at Northampton (4 miles north), Milton Keynes Central (14 miles south) and also Wellingborough
(12 miles east) on the Midland Main Line
with links to Sheffield
, Leicester
and St Pancras International.
Typical travel times in minutes by road (peak times in italics) are: central London 75 (110), Birmingham 45 (60), Manchester 120 (175), Leicester 50 (65), Oxford 50 (60), Cambridge 85 (130), Milton Keynes 20 (30). Travel times (peak) by rail (from April 2008) by Govia
London Midland
- formerly Silverlink County - as well as Virgin Trains
services in minutes are: from Northampton to Central London 65, to Birmingham 65; from Milton Keynes to Central London 40 and Manchester 120. Airports at Heathrow, Gatwick, and London Stansted as well as Birmingham Airport, Luton Airport
and East Midlands are all within easy reach. The village has a bus service to Northampton
, Towcester
and Milton Keynes
, though this is poor on Sundays and weekday evenings.
The inspector's report on the incident states that "...assistance was given by the residents of the nearby village of Milton Malsor and I am informed that members of the Women's Institute of this village were quick to organise refreshment for those involved in the accident and their rescuers". The Inspector concluded that the accident resulted from a broken spring on the goods train.
A similar accident occurred on 31 December 1969 but about a mile further south near the northern end of Roade cutting, with the driver of the passenger train involved sadly killed on this occasion.
inspection, published 4 November 2010 stated: This is a good school. The pupils make good progress and achieve well because the teaching is effective. Crazy 4 Kids After School and Holiday Club is privately owned located in the grounds of the Primary School. Children have access to the school hall, adjoining quiet room and a secure outdoor play area. The club is open each weekday from 3.30pm to 6pm and from 8am to 6pm during the school holidays. The most recent Ofsted report on the club states that: Overall the quality of the provision is good. The village is in the catchment area of Campion
Secondary School
at Bugbrooke
, about 6 miles (10 km) away by road with the children bussed daily.
and is part of the Church of England
's Peterborough
Diocese
. Prior to 2009 the church was part of the "Three Parishes Group" together with the churches of the nearby villages of Collingtree
and Courteenhall
. Since 2010 it has been re-grouped with four other parishes including Blisworth and Stoke Bruerne
. There is also a Baptist Chapel in Green Street. A joint church newsletter is delivered monthly.
which meets monthly; a village football
club, Milton FC with its own village team which takes an active part in the Travis Perkins Northamptonshire Combination; indoor bowls and badminton groups both meet regularly in the village hall; village historical society with regular meetings about local matters of esoteric and general interest; an art club meets at the village hall during school term time. The village has a Scouts group, 1st Collingtree
and Milton Malsor Scouts, and Brownies
group which meet at the village hall during school term time.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
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...
, England. It is 4 miles (6.4 km) south 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...
, 45 miles (72 km) south-east of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, and 66 miles (106 km) north of central London
Central London
Central London is the innermost part of London, England. There is no official or commonly accepted definition of its area, but its characteristics are understood to include a high density built environment, high land values, an elevated daytime population and a concentration of regionally,...
; junction 15 of the M1 motorway
M1 motorway
The M1 is a north–south motorway in England primarily connecting London to Leeds, where it joins the A1 near Aberford. While the M1 is considered to be the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the United Kingdom, the first road to be built to motorway standard in the country was the...
is 2 miles (3.2 km) east by road. The area of the Milton Malsor civil parish is 1650 acres (667.7 ha), stretching from north of the M1 motorway at junction 15, south 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...
, east to the A508 road, and west to the A43 road.
History
The village's name is from the Old English middel for "Middle" and tun meaning farm or settlement and the second part of the name appears to be from "Malsoures", the name of a prominent local family added much later. The first recorded mention of the village is in the days of William the Conqueror and the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
. This records that there were two manors
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
and two men held lands at Milton as part of their Baronies. These were William Peverel
William Peverel
William Peverell , was a Norman knight, and is shown in 'The Battle Abbey Roll' to have fought at the Battle of Hastings.-Biography:...
and Goisfrid Alselin.
Governance
The village has a Parish Council with nine members elected every four years (next election 2015). The Parish Council area extends to include the M1 in the north between junctions 15 and 15a; to the east the A508 Northampton to Milton Keynes main road; to the south part of the West Coast Main LineWest 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...
and to the west the A43
A43 road
The A43 is a primary route in the English Midlands, that runs from the M40 motorway near Ardley in Oxfordshire to Stamford in Lincolnshire. Through Northamptonshire it bypasses the towns of Northampton, Kettering and Corby which are the three principal destinations on the A43 route...
Northampton-Oxford trunk road
Trunk road
A trunk road, trunk highway, or strategic road is a major road—usually connecting two or more cities, ports, airports, and other things.—which is the recommended route for long-distance and freight traffic...
. The local district council is that of 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...
where Milton 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 Gayton
Gayton, Northamptonshire
Gayton is a rural village 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. -History:...
, 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:...
which elects two members. The Northamptonshire County Council division has one member (Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
).
The Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
from 2010 is Mr Chris Heaton-Harris
Chris Heaton-Harris
Christopher "Chris" Heaton-Harris, , is a British Conservative Party politician. He has been the Member of Parliament for Daventry since May 2010, and was previously a Member of the European Parliament for the East Midlands from 1999 to 2009.-Early life and education:Born in November 1967,...
, Conservative, for the Daventry Parliamentary Constituency
Daventry (UK Parliament constituency)
Daventry is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is a strongly Conservative seat.- Boundaries :The constituency covers the west of Northamptonshire and is named for the market town of Daventry...
. Prior to the 2010 General Election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
the village was in Northampton South Parliamentary Constituency
Northampton South (UK Parliament constituency)
Northampton South is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was created for February 1974 general election when the old constituency of Northampton was split into Northampton North and Northampton South.-Boundary...
. Initially the Boundary Commission wanted to move the village into the new parliamentary constituency of South Northamptonshire
South Northamptonshire (UK Parliament constituency)
South Northamptonshire is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The current Member of Parliament is Andrea Leadsom of the Conservative Party.-History:...
. However, as this was inconvenient for election administration purposes, the Boundary Commission put Milton with fellow ward villages in South Northants Council's "Harpole and Grange" ward into the Daventry Constituency previously held by Mr Tim Boswell
Tim Boswell
Timothy Eric "Tim" Boswell, Baron Boswell of Aynho is an English Conservative Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Daventry from 1987 until he retired at the 2010 general election.-Education:...
who stood down at 2010 General Election.
Geography
Many fields around the village reflect England's history. The field known as 'the Leys' (opposite Milton House in Rectory Lane) shows clear signs of 18th century pre-enclosureEnclosure
Enclosure or inclosure is the process which ends traditional rights such as mowing meadows for hay, or grazing livestock on common land. Once enclosed, these uses of the land become restricted to the owner, and it ceases to be common land. In England and Wales the term is also used for the...
and pre-British Agricultural Revolution
British Agricultural Revolution
British Agricultural Revolution describes a period of development in Britain between the 17th century and the end of the 19th century, which saw an epoch-making increase in agricultural productivity and net output. This in turn supported unprecedented population growth, freeing up a significant...
farming in strips. The mediaeval open field system was enclosed in Milton in 1779 together with that of Collingtree. The soil is predominantly sandy as one might expect since the area is the bed of an ancient river. Evidence of sand and clay extraction is all around, reflecting 19th and 20th century industrial and urban expansion. For example, the small industrial estate in Gayton Road is on an old clay quarry; the playing and football fields in Collingtree Road are on the sites of sand quarries - in the latter case mostly filled with clay spoil from the 1950s construction of the M1. The field between Towcester Road and the A43 Milton by-pass, which opened in May 1991, to the west of the village was also the site of a sand quarry in the 1950s and 1960s.
In 1965 the driver of a mechanical digger spotted a shiny object in a newly exposed face. It turned out to be an early Bronze Age Cinerary Urn
Urn
An urn is a vase, ordinarily covered, that usually has a narrowed neck above a footed pedestal. "Knife urns" placed on pedestals flanking a dining-room sideboard were an English innovation for high-style dining rooms of the late 1760s...
. The field between the village and the M1 on the north side of Collingtree Road is an area designated by Northamptonshire County Council for sand extraction. The sand is stated by the county council to be of the 'soft sand' type suitable for mortar
Mortar (masonry)
Mortar is a workable paste used to bind construction blocks together and fill the gaps between them. The blocks may be stone, brick, cinder blocks, etc. Mortar becomes hard when it sets, resulting in a rigid aggregate structure. Modern mortars are typically made from a mixture of sand, a binder...
. The site is in Milton Malsor parish and only ca.200m from houses in the village. It was originally called the "Collingtree site" but the county council finally referred to it as the Milton site in late 2008. It has so far not been developed probably due to its triangular shape and stranded location between the motorway along one edge, the railway line another and a road unsuited to heavy lorries on the third. The site is included in the county council's mineral's and waste plan, the subject of a Public Inquiry in 2009. A third Public Inquiry in 2010 retained the site.
A stream runs northwest through the village, partly in a conduit
Waterway
A waterway is any navigable body of water. Waterways can include rivers, lakes, seas, oceans, and canals. In order for a waterway to be navigable, it must meet several criteria:...
but visible from Collingtree Road and Rectory Lane as it flows north through the field known as 'The Dip' after an old sheep dip
Sheep dip
Sheep dip is a liquid formulation of insecticide and fungicide which shepherds and farmers may use to protect their sheep from infestation against external parasites such as itch mite , blow-fly, ticks and lice...
the remains of which are still visible. In Spring 1998 this flooded, causing minor damage to some houses. The stream flows north joining with others from the east and south flowing south and west around Hunsbury Hill
Hunsbury Hill
Hunsbury Hill is an Iron Age hill fort two miles south-west of the centre of the town of Northampton in the county of Northamptonshire.It is probable that defences were built at Hunsbury Hill between the 7th and 4th centuries BC. The deep ditch excavated has survived to the present day...
. It then joins the River Nene
River Nene
The River Nene is a river in the east of England that rises from three sources in the county of Northamptonshire. The tidal river forms the border between Cambridgeshire and Norfolk for about . It is the tenth longest river in the United Kingdom, and is navigable for from Northampton to The...
at Upton
Upton, Northamptonshire
Upton is a civil parish north-east of Kislingbury and south-west of Dallington, in Northamptonshire, England about west of Northampton town centre along the A45 road. Formerly a scattered hamlet, it is now part of the town...
, west of Northampton. 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...
and its Northampton arm, built in 1815 passes nearby. There is a marina just off the road to Gayton. There are 17 locks on the arm, taking the canal downhill into Northampton and to join the River Nene east of the town. It takes about two hours for a boat to travel through.
Demography
The United Kingdom Census 2001United 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....
showed there were 713 people living in the village, 344 male, 369 female, with average age 45.21 years (the 2011 estimated population is 763). There were 302 dwellings, 280 of them with central heating and 218 being owner occupied. The United Kingdom Census 2011
United Kingdom Census 2011
The most recent census of the United Kingdom, known as the 2011 census, took place on 27 March 2011, a decade after the previous census. It was conducted on the same day in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to ensure coherence and consistency...
is expected to show a 10% increase in people and houses. The surrounding 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...
district is rural and sparsely populated with just over 80,000 people in 2000.
New development within the village boundary is restricted to infill development only. A new housing development of 14 houses was completed in Chestnut Close in 2008. Smaller ones of 6 dwellings was begun in 2010 for the derelict Home Farm site off Malzor Lane and one or two others elsewhere. Also in 2010 a proposal for 25 houses for a site off Stockwell Way was opposed by the parish council and refused by the district council as it was outside the village boundary and contrary to district council adopted policy. Planning details can be accessed via the parish council website. Possible urban extensions to Northampton were proposed in 2007 by the West Northamptonshire Joint Planning Unit, a group formed by Northampton Borough Council, South Northamptonshire District Council and 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...
District Council. These proposals included extensions on land in the parish between the M1 motorway, north of the village, A43 by-pass (west), A508 trunk road (east) and the West Coast main railway 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...
to the south. A parkway
Parkway
The term parkway has several distinct principal meanings and numerous synonyms around the world, for either a type of landscaped area or a type of road.Type of landscaped area:...
station south the village was also mentioned but train operators do not want further stops on the line between London and Rugby via Northampton. Possible expansion of Northampton south of the M1 affecting the village were excluded from draft proposals published for consulation in July 2009.
Economy
There are two pubsPublic 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 Greyhound" in Towcester
Towcester
Towcester , the Roman town of Lactodorum, is a small town in south Northamptonshire, England.-Etymology:Towcester comes from the Old English Tófe-ceaster. Tófe refers to the River Tove; Bosworth and Toller compare it to the "Scandinavian proper names" Tófi and Tófa...
Road, which has a large restaurant, and "The Compass" in Green Street, a more traditional village pub also offering bar food. The Greyhound is adjacent to the Village Hall and attracts large crowds from Northampton's southern suburbs in summer as it has a large garden area. Both establishments serve good quality real ale with periodic guest bitters
Bitter (beer)
Bitter is an English term for pale ale. Bitters vary in colour from gold to dark amber and in strength from 3% to 7% alcohol by volume.-Brief history:...
.
Milton Malsor has a retirement care home for the elderly in Green Street called Holly House. Sheltered housing for older people in the form of 26 flats and bungalows is also provided in the village by South Northants Homes Ltd. The area is centred around Raynsford House which offers a lounge, dining room, laundry, guest facilities and a community alarm service for sheltered housing residents.
A shop and former post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
and the modern village hall, refurbished in 2008, are both in the High Street opposite the green and War Memorial. The Northampton Hilton
Hilton Hotels
Hilton Hotels & Resorts is an international chain of full-service hotels and resorts founded by Conrad Hilton and now owned by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton hotels are either owned by, managed by, or franchised to independent operators by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton Hotels became the first coast-to-coast...
Hotel is approximately 1½ miles distant on Watering Lane in the neighbouring village of Collingtree
Collingtree
Collingtree is a village within the Borough of Northampton and a civil parish in Northamptonshire, England.- Location and context :The village is about from Northampton town centre, close to the A45 trunk road which heads east to Wellingborough and Peterborough...
, just off the A45
A45 road
The A45 is a major road in England. It runs east from Birmingham past the National Exhibition Centre and the M42, then bypasses Coventry and Rugby, where it briefly merges with the M45 until it continues to Daventry...
trunk road
Trunk road
A trunk road, trunk highway, or strategic road is a major road—usually connecting two or more cities, ports, airports, and other things.—which is the recommended route for long-distance and freight traffic...
. There are several other hotels in the area along the A45
A45 road
The A45 is a major road in England. It runs east from Birmingham past the National Exhibition Centre and the M42, then bypasses Coventry and Rugby, where it briefly merges with the M45 until it continues to Daventry...
trunk road.
The village has two small industrial estates; the larger on Gayton Road is adjacent, but with no access, to the A43. This is referred to locally as 'Gallifords' reflecting its ownership. The smaller is adjacent to the M1 bridge along Collingtree Road and known as 'Maple Farm' alluding to its history. There is an architect's office in the old Rectory and additional modern offices on Towcester Road in the converted Hope Brewery and out buildings.
A mobile library visits the village every two weeks; the nearest local library is at Hunsbury, about a mile north, next to a large Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
'Xtra' supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
and petrol station.
There are three working farms in the parish including a free-range egg farm.
Landmarks
Much of the village is in a conservation areaConservation area
A conservation areas is a tract of land that has been awarded protected status in order to ensure that natural features, cultural heritage or biota are safeguarded...
which is shown on a map on the Parish Council website and has many traditional Northamptonshire stone cottages, a large number of which have thatched or pantiled
Pantiles
The Pantiles is a Georgian colonnade in the town of Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England. Formerly known as The Walks and the Parade, it leads from the well that gave the town its name...
roofs. There are over 30 listed buildings in the village, most, but not all, in the conservation area. Particular buildings of note, mostly listed by their street locations, are as follows:
- Rectory Lane, formerly Pluck's Lane
- Milton House (early 18th century) and Manor Cottage (1777), Grade II listed. The house has a doorway with Tuscan columnsTuscan orderAmong canon of classical orders of classical architecture, the Tuscan order's place is due to the influence of the Italian Sebastiano Serlio, who meticulously described the five orders including a "Tuscan order", "the solidest and least ornate", in his fourth book of Regole generalii di...
- Mortimers, Grade II listed, early 18th century earlier than Milton House, which was named after a family who lived there and originally owned by the Hospital of St John at the bottom of Bridge Street in Northampton. The house and its grounds were auctioned on 17 March 2011 fetching a total of £1,115,000, but with the house requiring substantial refurbishment. According to the local paper the house was once lived-in by Revd Samuel Wigg the founder of Northampton SaintsNorthampton SaintsNorthampton Saints are a professional rugby union club from Northampton, England. The Northampton Saints were formed in 1880. They play in green, black and gold colours. They play their home games at Franklin's Gardens, which has a capacity of 13,591....
Rugby Football Club. The house was last sold in 1921, and last lived in by Margaret Alexander, granddaughter of Wigg. - Milton Malsor Manor, Grade II listed, 16th century, James Harrington, the author of the controversial book "The Commonwealth of Oceana", published 1656, was a former occupant and the building has a blue plaqueBlue plaqueA blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person or event, serving as a historical marker....
in recognition, installed on 4 October 2008 - The Old Rectory, now used as architects offices
- Milton House (early 18th century) and Manor Cottage (1777), Grade II listed. The house has a doorway with Tuscan columns
- CollingtreeCollingtreeCollingtree is a village within the Borough of Northampton and a civil parish in Northamptonshire, England.- Location and context :The village is about from Northampton town centre, close to the A45 trunk road which heads east to Wellingborough and Peterborough...
Road- Church of the Holy Cross, Church of EnglandChurch of EnglandThe 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...
, 12th century origins but most late 13th to mid 14th century,. The church has a crenellated tower, and later battlements and pinnacles. There are monuments to Mrs Sapcotes Harington, d.1619, and Richard Dodwell, d.1726 - The Grange
- Church of the Holy Cross, Church of England
- Green Street
- BaptistBaptistBaptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
ChapelChapelA chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
, 1827, founded by Thomas Marriott (b.DentonDenton, NorthamptonshireDenton is a small village and civil parish on the A428 Bedford road about south-east of Northampton. It has a pub, the Red Lion, a village hall, a Parish Church, St Margaret's, and a primary school....
1789 d.Milton 14 June 1876) and buried in the churchyard of the chapel). - The Manse (next to the chapel), residence of Marriott as Pastor
- Milton Parochial Primary School
- Welstead Farm House
- The Old Bakehouse
- The Compass Public House
- Baptist
- Malzor Lane
- Milton Manor House not to be confused with The Manor in Rectory Lane. Nick RaynsfordNick RaynsfordWyvill Richard Nicolls Raynsford , known as Nick Raynsford, is a British Labour Party politician. A government minister from 1997 to 2005, he has been the Member of Parliament for Greenwich & Woolwich since 1997, having previously been MP for Greenwich from 1992 to 1997, and for Fulham from 1986...
, Labour PartyLabour Party (UK)The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
MPMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for GreenwichGreenwichGreenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
was brought up here. The house has a notable 17th century staircase with acanthusAcanthus (ornament)The acanthus is one of the most common plant forms to make foliage ornament and decoration.-Architecture:In architecture, an ornament is carved into stone or wood to resemble leaves from the Mediterranean species of the Acanthus genus of plants, which have deeply cut leaves with some similarity to...
scrolls similar to work at Lamport HallLamport HallLamport Hall in Lamport, Northamptonshire is a fine example of a Grade I Listed House. It is open to the public.Lamport Hall was the home of the Isham family from 1560 to 1976. Sir Charles Isham, 10th Baronet is credited with beginning the tradition of garden gnomes in the United Kingdom when he...
and Castle AshbyCastle AshbyCastle Ashby is the name of a civil parish, an estate village and an English country house in rural Northamptonshire. Historically the village was set up to service the needs of Castle Ashby Manor, the seat of the Marquess of Northampton. The village has one small pub-hotel, The Falcon. At the time...
- Milton Manor House not to be confused with The Manor in Rectory Lane. Nick Raynsford
- High Street
- Old Primitive Methodist ChapelChapelA chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
, 1865, now used as a private residence - War Memorial, ca.1920 on the Village greenVillage greenA village green is a common open area which is a part of a settlement. Traditionally, such an area was often common grass land at the centre of a small agricultural settlement, used for grazing and sometimes for community events...
- Milton Grove, now Grove House, former residence of Thomas Marriott
- Stockwell Farm House, ca.1653
- Village PoundPound (village)The Village pound was a feature of most British medieval villages.A high walled and lockable structure it served several purposes; the most common use was to hold stray sheep, pigs and cattle until they were claimed by the owners, usually for the payment of a fine or levy. The pound could be as...
marked with a plaque stating in existence since at least 1686
- Old Primitive Methodist Chapel
- Towcester Road
- The Greyhound Public House
- The former Hope Brewery, now converted to offices. In 1892 Phipps Northampton Brewery CompanyPickering PhippsPickering Phipps is the name of three related men, father, grandson and great grandson, who were all residents of Northampton, England from 19th and early 20th century. The first began the Phipps Brewery in Towcester in 1801. The company survives today as Phipps NBC.-Pickering Phipps I:Pickering...
acquired the business from East Brothers. In 1906 NBC it was closed moving production to Northampton, Bridge Street, now the site of the Carlsberg brewery - The Counties Crematorium, erroneously referred to as being in Milton, is now actually outside the parish about a mile north of the village and north of the M1 in West Hunsbury, Northampton with the Northampton borough postcode NN4 9RN
- Notes
- There are good views from the public footpath across the field known as "The Leys" in Rectory Lane.
- Private property - view of rear garden shown with permission
- Private property - not open to the public
- Public footpaths in the village are clearly marked by green fingerpostFingerpostA fingerpost is a name given to traditional British and Irish sign posts comprising a post with one or more arms — known as fingers — pointing in the direction of travel to named places on the fingers...
s. Dog fouling throughout the parish, including footpaths, is strictly prohibited with heavy fines for infringement.
Transport
The county of Northants is at a north-south and east-west rail, motorway and fast road transport network. The Northampton LoopNorthampton loop
The Northampton loop is a railway line serving the town of Northampton. It is a branch of the West Coast Main Line, deviating from the faster direct main line which runs to the west....
of 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...
carries trains from Northampton to London Euston
Euston railway station
Euston railway station, also known as London Euston, is a central London railway terminus in the London Borough of Camden. It is the sixth busiest rail terminal in London . It is one of 18 railway stations managed by Network Rail, and is the southern terminus of the West Coast Main Line...
and runs through the parish just east of the village, with the main line about a mile south. The nearest convenient stations are at Northampton (4 miles north), Milton Keynes Central (14 miles south) and also Wellingborough
Wellingborough
Wellingborough is a market town and borough in Northamptonshire, England, situated some from the county town of Northampton. The town is situated on the north side of the River Nene, most of the older town is sited on the flanks of the hills above the river's current flood plain...
(12 miles east) on the Midland Main Line
Midland Main Line
The Midland Main Line is a major railway route in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system.The present-day line links London St...
with links to Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
and St Pancras International.
Typical travel times in minutes by road (peak times in italics) are: central London 75 (110), Birmingham 45 (60), Manchester 120 (175), Leicester 50 (65), Oxford 50 (60), Cambridge 85 (130), Milton Keynes 20 (30). Travel times (peak) by rail (from April 2008) by Govia
Govia
Govia is a transport company based in the United Kingdom. A joint venture between Go-Ahead and Keolis SA it is a key operator of commuter services in London, the South East and on the West Coast Main Line...
London Midland
London Midland
London Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
- formerly Silverlink County - as well as Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operates long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland...
services in minutes are: from Northampton to Central London 65, to Birmingham 65; from Milton Keynes to Central London 40 and Manchester 120. Airports at Heathrow, Gatwick, and London Stansted as well as Birmingham Airport, Luton Airport
London Luton Airport
London Luton Airport is an international airport located east of the town centre in the Borough of Luton in Bedfordshire, England and is north of Central London. The airport is from Junction 10a of the M1 motorway...
and East Midlands are all within easy reach. The village has a bus service to 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...
, Towcester
Towcester
Towcester , the Roman town of Lactodorum, is a small town in south Northamptonshire, England.-Etymology:Towcester comes from the Old English Tófe-ceaster. Tófe refers to the River Tove; Bosworth and Toller compare it to the "Scandinavian proper names" Tófi and Tófa...
and Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
, though this is poor on Sundays and weekday evenings.
1967 and 1969 railway accidents
On Tuesday, 18 April 1967 at about 2.31pm, a wagon on a goods train of 69 empty mineral wagons, travelling on the down line to Northampton, derailed just south of the village. The train travelled a further 1½ miles before more wagons derailed, a little distance north of the village playing field. Some of the wagons went towards the up line from Northampton to London and were hit by a four-coach passenger train at about 70 mph. Although the brakes of the passenger train had been fully applied, two coaches were derailed with one falling onto its side. All 45 passengers and train crew were evacuated fairly promptly. Of these, 21 were injured but only two were detained at Northampton General Hospital. The driver of the passenger train was seriously injured but both he and the passenger detained overnight made a good recovery.The inspector's report on the incident states that "...assistance was given by the residents of the nearby village of Milton Malsor and I am informed that members of the Women's Institute of this village were quick to organise refreshment for those involved in the accident and their rescuers". The Inspector concluded that the accident resulted from a broken spring on the goods train.
A similar accident occurred on 31 December 1969 but about a mile further south near the northern end of Roade cutting, with the driver of the passenger train involved sadly killed on this occasion.
Education
Milton Parochial Primary School in Green Street had 110 pupils in 2007, a large proportion of which were from the southern area of Northampton such as Hunsbury. The most recent OfstedOfsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
inspection, published 4 November 2010 stated: This is a good school. The pupils make good progress and achieve well because the teaching is effective. Crazy 4 Kids After School and Holiday Club is privately owned located in the grounds of the Primary School. Children have access to the school hall, adjoining quiet room and a secure outdoor play area. The club is open each weekday from 3.30pm to 6pm and from 8am to 6pm during the school holidays. The most recent Ofsted report on the club states that: Overall the quality of the provision is good. The village is in the catchment area of Campion
Campion School (Bugbrooke)
The Campion School is a co-educational comprehensive school in Bugbrooke, about from Northampton, England. Founded in 1967, it has been a Language College since September 1997. In 2011, the school became an academy....
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...
at 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...
, about 6 miles (10 km) away by road with the children bussed daily.
Religion
There is a church, dedicated to the Holy Cross in Collingtree Road which has its own Parochial Church CouncilParochial Church Council
The parochial church council , is the executive body of a Church of England parish.-Powers and duties:Two Acts of Parliament define the powers and duties of PCCs...
and is part of the 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...
's Peterborough
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
Diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
. Prior to 2009 the church was part of the "Three Parishes Group" together with the churches of the nearby villages of Collingtree
Collingtree
Collingtree is a village within the Borough of Northampton and a civil parish in Northamptonshire, England.- Location and context :The village is about from Northampton town centre, close to the A45 trunk road which heads east to Wellingborough and Peterborough...
and Courteenhall
Courteenhall
Courteenhall is a village south of the county town of Northampton, in the shire county of Northamptonshire, England, and about north of London. The village is located in a cul-de-sac.-Governance:...
. Since 2010 it has been re-grouped with four other parishes including Blisworth and Stoke Bruerne
Stoke Bruerne
Stoke Bruerne is a small village and civil parish in South Northamptonshire, England about north of Milton Keynes and south of Northampton.-History:...
. There is also a Baptist Chapel in Green Street. A joint church newsletter is delivered monthly.
Culture and community
The village has an active number of social and other groups including a Women's InstituteWomen's Institutes (British)
The Women’s Institute is a British, community-based organisation for women. It was formed in 1915 with two clear aims: to revitalise rural communities and to encourage women to become more involved in producing food during the First World War. Since then the organisation's aims have broadened and...
which meets monthly; a village football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
club, Milton FC with its own village team which takes an active part in the Travis Perkins Northamptonshire Combination; indoor bowls and badminton groups both meet regularly in the village hall; village historical society with regular meetings about local matters of esoteric and general interest; an art club meets at the village hall during school term time. The village has a Scouts group, 1st Collingtree
Collingtree
Collingtree is a village within the Borough of Northampton and a civil parish in Northamptonshire, England.- Location and context :The village is about from Northampton town centre, close to the A45 trunk road which heads east to Wellingborough and Peterborough...
and Milton Malsor Scouts, and Brownies
Girl Guides
A Guide, Girl Guide or Girl Scout is a member of a section of some Guiding organisations who is between the ages of 10 and 14. Age limits are different in each organisation. It is the female-centred equivalent of the Scouts. The term Girl Scout is used in the United States and several East Asian...
group which meet at the village hall during school term time.
Further reading
- "The Story of Milton Malzor" sicSicSic—generally inside square brackets, [sic], and occasionally parentheses, —when added just after a quote or reprinted text, indicates the passage appears exactly as in the original source...
, Revd B Edward Evans, MA, RectorRectorThe word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
. See reference to electronic copy in footnotes. - "Swim Ginger", Revd Malcolm Deacon, ISBN 0 9523188 2 2, recollections, 1940–2005, of a resident and United Reformed ChurchUnited Reformed ChurchThe United Reformed Church is a Christian church in the United Kingdom. It has approximately 68,000 members in 1,500 congregations with some 700 ministers.-Origins and history:...
Minister. - "Milton Malsor - History Revisited", Alan Digby, an extensive pictorial history of the village in the 20th century by a resident born and bred in the village. Includes sections on World Wars I and II including some curious archives of the village Home GuardBritish Home GuardThe Home Guard was a defence organisation of the British Army during the Second World War...
during 1939-1945. Also contains a picture of the Milton Bronze AgeBronze AgeThe Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
Cinerary UrnUrnAn urn is a vase, ordinarily covered, that usually has a narrowed neck above a footed pedestal. "Knife urns" placed on pedestals flanking a dining-room sideboard were an English innovation for high-style dining rooms of the late 1760s...
recovered in 1965 and referred to above. - Sundry papers referred to and published by the Historical Society - see reference above. Some of the publications referred to above are available from the society.
External links
- Milton Malsor Historical Society
- The late Rev George Hubbard, Rector in the late 1950s, early 1960s Old pictures of the village including church and Rectory from his old family photo album
- Pictures of a 'Living Nativity' Event held in the village in December 2003 and broadcast live on BBC Radio NorthamptonBBC Radio NorthamptonBBC Radio Northampton is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Northamptonshire. It broadcasts from its studios in Broadcasting House, Northampton on 104.2 and 103.6 FM. The station also has two studios in Daventry and Corby...