Priors Marston
Encyclopedia
Priors Marston is a village in Warwickshire
, England
, 6 miles (9.7 km) southwest of Daventry
. The Oxford Canal
and Jurassic Way
both run nearby. According to the United Kingdom Census 2001
the population of the parish is 506, most of whom live in the village.
In the village's toponym
, "Priors" records the fact the village belonged to St. Mary's Priory, Coventry. "Marston" combines the Old English words Merse referring to a lake which formed a fishery in the early history of the village and tun meaning a settlement.
The village has an independent primary school
called The Priors School. The school was originally a state school, opened in 1847. However in August 1996 the school was forced to close. After a month of intensive fundraising and planning the school re-opened - still offering free education to village residents, and also accepting fee paying pupils from further afield. The school raised over £1.2m during 15 of self regulation until 1st September 2011 when it became one of the first of 22 new Free Schools to open in the UK returning to state funding but independently managed.
The Church of England parish church
is dedicated to Saint Leonard
and is part of The Bridges Group of local churches. The earliest known church on this site was built in the 13th century. The tower dates from the 17th and 18th centuries, but the building was largely rebuilt in 1863 as it stands today. The church is currently fundraising for a major renovation and improvement programme.
The village hall, called Priors Hall is modern and is a joint venture with Priors Hardwick
. It can cater for up to 250 people and the offices of several local businesses are based there. It also acts as an occasional cinema
. The village also has a part time Post Office
, a Sports and Social Club and a children's playground
. There is also a traditional country pub/inn called The Hollybush Inn which provides food, drink and accommodation.
The village, being remote, only got a mains supply of electricity in 1934 and of water in 1948.
The village has a disused Moravian Church.
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, 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...
, 6 miles (9.7 km) southwest of 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...
. The Oxford Canal
Oxford Canal
The Oxford Canal is a narrow canal in central England linking Oxford with Coventry via Banbury and Rugby. It connects with the River Thames at Oxford, to the Grand Union Canal at the villages of Braunston and Napton-on-the-Hill, and to the Coventry Canal at Hawkesbury Junction in Bedworth just...
and Jurassic Way
Jurassic Way
The Jurassic Way is a designated and signed long-distance footpath that connects the Oxfordshire town of Banbury with the Lincolnshire town of Stamford in England...
both run nearby. According to the United Kingdom Census 2001
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 population of the parish is 506, most of whom live in the village.
In the village's toponym
Toponymy
Toponymy is the scientific study of place names , their origins, meanings, use and typology. The word "toponymy" is derived from the Greek words tópos and ónoma . Toponymy is itself a branch of onomastics, the study of names of all kinds...
, "Priors" records the fact the village belonged to St. Mary's Priory, Coventry. "Marston" combines the Old English words Merse referring to a lake which formed a fishery in the early history of the village and tun meaning a settlement.
The village has an independent primary school
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
called The Priors School. The school was originally a state school, opened in 1847. However in August 1996 the school was forced to close. After a month of intensive fundraising and planning the school re-opened - still offering free education to village residents, and also accepting fee paying pupils from further afield. The school raised over £1.2m during 15 of self regulation until 1st September 2011 when it became one of the first of 22 new Free Schools to open in the UK returning to state funding but independently managed.
The Church of England parish church
Church of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
is dedicated to Saint Leonard
Leonard of Noblac
Leonard of Noblac or of Limoges or de Noblet , is a Frankish saint closely associated with the town and abbey of Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat, in Haute-Vienne, in the Limousin of France.-Traditional biography:According to the romance that...
and is part of The Bridges Group of local churches. The earliest known church on this site was built in the 13th century. The tower dates from the 17th and 18th centuries, but the building was largely rebuilt in 1863 as it stands today. The church is currently fundraising for a major renovation and improvement programme.
The village hall, called Priors Hall is modern and is a joint venture with Priors Hardwick
Priors Hardwick
Priors Hardwick is a village and civil parish in the Stratford district of Warwickshire, England. The name derives from the fact that it was originally a manor belonging to the Priors of Coventry.- History :...
. It can cater for up to 250 people and the offices of several local businesses are based there. It also acts as an occasional cinema
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
. The village also has a part time 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...
, a Sports and Social Club and a children's playground
Playground
A playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors...
. There is also a traditional country pub/inn called The Hollybush Inn which provides food, drink and accommodation.
The village, being remote, only got a mains supply of electricity in 1934 and of water in 1948.
The village has a disused Moravian Church.