Monument record 325 - Marston St Lawrence

Marston St Lawrence settlement remains suggest an aggregate village plan

{1} Marston was enclosed in or 1760 (Award (1761) Enclosure Enrolment Vol. A .277; Map 2876). At the enclosure of Warkworth, tithes due to Marston church were commuted into 70 acres of land north of the Northampton Road in Grimscote (which is technically in Marston parish, therefore (NRO Glebe terriers 1767, 1820)). In Middleton Cheney one yardland and tithes of 8 yardlands were commuted to a plot of 45 acres next to Thenford when Middleton was enclosed. Overthorpe was added to Marston ecclesiastical parish in 1848, but was passed to Middleton Cheney in 1897 (205P/32 and 31).
The enclosure map is a draft and shows furlong outlines with no names. The settlement and old enclosure was mapped from NRO Map 2677, which is an estate map made post-enclosure for the Blencowe estate; it is better quality than the draft map (Map 2876) and complete. Map 2677 includes Costow and Westhorp (Costow was mapped to separate tables, Westhorp is included in Marston St Lawrence tables). Costow enclosures are clearly labelled as are the old and new enclosures belonging to John Blencowe, the latter being identified with letters and numbers respectively. However the remainder of the old enclosures around the settlements of Marston and Westhorp have no identifying symbols. Similarly, the new enclosure allotments that are not the property of John Blencowe do not have symbols but do have the name of the allottee written across them. They do not show sub-divisions. An area to the south-west of Marston township where it abuts Thenford is excluded from this map. As there is no pre-tithe map for Thenford, it has not been possible to identify which township this area belongs to, though it is part of Marston by 1880. This map has not been checked against the enclosure award which would be necessary to resolve the location of ancient enclosures or the position of the township boundary.
Marston settlement changed significantly from enclosure in 1760 to OS 1st edition 1:10560 in 1880s. Road layout has altered with one road behind the closes to the north-east of the main road, shown on the enclosure map, having disappeared by 1880s. Other closes have been made more regular in form, particularly where they front the road and some small closes have been absorbed into larger ones.

{2} The plan of the village, with its three constituent parts, may represent a sequence of development. It is possible that the early village lay around the church and that the rectangular block to the north is a planned extension with subsequent growth to the south west.

{7} Drawing of bottle for use of the town, to hang at the blacksmith's shop, the gift of Thomas Dumfrey;

<1> Hall D.N.; Britnell T., 2000?, South Northamptonshire Historic Landscape: Part III, p.13 (unchecked) (Report). SNN103302.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.100 site 15 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<3> Baker G., 1830, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.644-47 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77327.

<4> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.182-84 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77325.

<5> 1760, Marston St Lawrence Enclosure Map (Map). SNN9805.

<6> Royal Air Force, Vertical Aerial Photography, A/P (RAF VAP CPE/UK/1926, 3212-4) (Photographs). SNN104890.

<7> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/182/2 (Archive). SNN115.

Record last edited

Feb 3 2025 8:18PM