Kislingbury Village History Timeline

 

700 - 900AD
Anglo Saxons settled in this part of The Nene Valley.
1042 - 1066
The parish of Ceselingeberie (as it was known then) was owned by a Saxon thegn name of Tonna, who also owned parts of Heyford, Stowe and Easton near Stamford.
1086
Domesday entries show Kislingbury divided into two manors, the smaller area awarded to the Earl of Moreton by William the Conqueror. The larger area given to Gilbert de Grant. Population at this time 180 to 200 approx. Through the years the village was owned by various families until eventually it was owned by Warine de Lisle who took up arms against the King Edward 11 in 1326 and was subsequently executed.

14th Century
1326
The crown confiscated Warine de Lisles Manors therefore Kislingbury became the property of the crown but after the murder of Edward 11 the manor was restored to Warine's son Gerard. The manor then passed through families of Beauchamp to the Nevilles and Danvers. These were the last of the old mediaeval noblemen to control the parish.
1348 - 1349
The Black Death struck the village approximately one third of the population perished.
The ironstone parish church built. The founder most likely to be Gerald de Lisle during the reign Edward 111.
1360
Alexander, son of Robert the Chaplain of Kislingbury, took sanctuary in the church and confessed that he had killed Alexander Osebern of Harpole.
1377
First Poll Tax imposed, and again 1381.

15th Century
1400's
Kislingbury Town and Estate Charity founded.
1466
Rev John Rawlinson and Richard Rawlinson granted land to William Collins and other trustees of The Town and Estate Charity.

17th Century
1611
Danvers family sell off Kislingbury to John Maunsell (a London lawyer)
who proceeded to sell off parcels of land to local farmers.
This had a significant effect in the village in as much that it turned the community mainly from small tenant farmers into one of land owning yeoman.
1645
Oliver Cromwell's troops stationed overnight prior to the battle of Naseby.
1663
May Flood. Probably half to two thirds of the houses were flooded to a depth of over 4ft.

18th Century
1740
Henry Jephcott (Rector) via his lawyer takes the Trustees of The Town and Estate Charity to the Chancery Court in London for using the charity's funds for their own purposes. The case was a victory for the Rector and a legal constitution was put in place to which the Trustee's had to abide by.
1740's
The Margaret Welch Charity founded.
1744
Decision made to educate the poor children of the village with funds from The Town and Estate Charity.
1745
First record of a child becoming a beneficiary of The Margaret Welch Charity.
1779
Act of Enclosure. The implication of this act changed the village landscape for ever.
Kislingbury Highway Charity founded. Originally known as Stone Pit Close Charity.

19th Century
1806
Town and Estate Charity purchase a house in the High Street (now part of 27 High Street) to be used for school room and master's house.
1824/5
The first brick house built in Kislingbury, now number 8 Mill Road.
1829
School moved possibly to part of the farm buildings now 18 High Street.
1834
Village Workhouse closed and inmates transferred to the Union Workhouse Northampton.
1837
The school was moved yet again to its present site.
1838
Railway system reached Northampton
1851
The number of farm labourers began to decrease because land was being used for animal husbandry and fewer farms were being used for arable farming.
1870
Act of Parliament provides primary education for all children. Prior to this date schooling was a voluntary option and although there was 146 children on the school register, only 76 regularly attended.
1871
Implementation of the above Act.
1880's
Factory Row, Mill Road built by shoemaker Samuel Collier of Northampton.
Postal Services and Newspapers began to be delivered to the village.
1810
Baptist Church founded.
1826
Wesleyan Chapel built in Chapel Lane.
1828
Baptist Chapel built on the site of the converted barn which was used for many years as the chapel in Mill Road.
1840's
First Grocers shop opened in Starmers Lane.
1884
Farm workers given the right to vote. (Town dwellers had been given this right from 1867.)
1888
Kislingbury Football Club formed.
1890
Kislingbury Cricket Club formed.
1891
Co-operative store opened in Church Lane and is still the village shop although now in private hands.
Note. Between 1801 and1891 the population rose from 482 to 725. The number of dwellings from 105 to 168. This number includes some of the larger dwelling being converted to several smaller dwellings. Some of these houses were in very poor condition, indeed some of them originated in the time of Elizabeth 1st.
1894
"The Vestry Meeting" the means in which parochial matters and administration were discussed and settled was abolished due to the formation of Elected Parish Councils.
1895
Typhoid outbreak caused by contaminated water drunk at the choir supper. 10 people died.
1898
Due to the Typhoid outbreak land was purchased on Berrywood Hill from which a spring arose and pure water was piped to the village.

20th Century
1909
Old Age pension available to those over seventy subject to certain conditions.
1913
First bus service available from the turn to either Daventry or Northampton.
1914/18
World War I. Twenty Villagers lost their lives serving the country.
1920
War memorial raised in the church yard.
1922/3
Rural district council built six new homes off of the Bugbrooke Road. and over 40 condemned houses some of them built in the reign of Elizabeth 1st demolished.
1923/4
Gas and Electricity laid to the village.
Wesleyan Chapel Closed and sold.
1939
Outbreak of World War 2. Five Men and One Woman lost their lives serving the country.
The village became home to several refugees, some made their homes here permanently after the war.
1940
First ever tractor to be seen in the village.
1954
Corporation housing made available in Millers Close, Twigden Road, Dukes Green, Mill Lane and Willow View. Many of these are now privately owned by previous tenants.
Construction of sewage plant.
1952
Village purchases old land army hostel and converts it to serve as a village hall.
1960's
Construction of private houses in Willow View and Riverside Court.
1968/9
Construction of private houses in The Orchard and Hall Close.
Formation of Kislingbury Playing Field Association.
1970's
Wesleyan Chapel converted to private house.
1971
Re-formation of Kislingbury Bowls Club.
1972
Opening of Playing Field in Beech Lane. Purchased by public subscription.
1976
Due to the cost of maintaining the field, The Highways Charity sells the field and invested the capital with in investment funds approved by The Charity Commissioners
1977
Queen Elizabeth's Silver Jubilee celebrations.
1992
Residents of the new part of Willow View hold street party to celebrate 25 years of living together as most of the original owners were still here.
1997
Old Village Hall demolished and part of the site sold for private houses and with sufficient funds realised to replace Village Hall with traditionally built modern building.
Construction of private houses in Lichfield Close and Ashby Court
1998
Very serious flooding again experienced in the village. The worse in living memory. Plans put into action to find ways and means to alleviate flooding ever happening again.

21st Century
2002
Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee celebrations.
Village Website Goes Live
2003
Flood defences built by the Environment Agency along the river bank from The Whirly up to and including The Bridge and on to the playing fields. Cost £1.4 million. Funding was provided by the Welland and Nene Flood Defence Committee with Grant Aid from DEFRA
The population now numbers 1246, living in 451 houses.
2004

25 September - Village Future Needs Day held to collate information for the Future Needs Action Plan questionnaire

 

Information required for 2004 - 2014

 

2014

The villagers and children stood on the High Stree to watch the 1st Women's Tour Cycle Race speed through the village on it's way to Rothersthorpe. Click here to watch the video

 

 

 

 

Compiled by Peter Saunders

With grateful thanks to the late Mr. J. V. Tuchener.

With excerpts from his book "Kislingbury, a glimpse at its past"