Monument record 2102 - Little Billing

Little more than a hamlet prior to later 20th century development, although the medieval settlement appears to have been rather larger

{1} Small settlement in Spelhoe Hundred; in 1674, the hearth tax recorded 1 households; there were 11 households at the time of Bridges.

{3} 'One or two farm houses and a few cottages only, in addition to the church and rectory house'.

{4} Settlement Remains (SP 803618), on river gravel/Upper Lias Clay, at 55 m. above OD. The village of Little Billing was until recent development little more than a hamlet, being described as `of one or two farm houses and a few cottages only, in addition to the church and rectory house'. The medieval village, however, seems to have been rather larger. Settlement remains were discovered in 1973 immediately W. of the present village (SP 80356182) when trial trenching revealed pits and walls of 12th century to 13-century date. Medieval pottery has also been recovered from the adjacent site of the manor house (SP 80436183) while a stone wall and glass fragments have been discovered in the garden of the rectory (SP 80376178).

The documentary evidence shows Little Billing to have always been one of the smaller settlements in Spelhoe Hundred in the medieval period, generally being comparable in number of households and tax-payments with Abington and Boughton. It underwent a decline, however, from an already low level of 21 households in the 1674 Hearth Tax assessment to only 11 households at the time of Bridges (c 1720) while Abington remained stable with 33 households and boughton actually increased in size from 35 to 42 households.

Interesting the manor was acquired in 1688 by the Thursby family who were responsible for the clearance and emparking of Abington
village. (1)

<1> Hall, D., 1977, Little Billing Parish Survey, 1970, 12/177-182 (Article). SNN25212.

<2> 1742, Map of Billing, (unchecked) (Map). SNN25155.

<3> Salzman L.F.(ed), 1937, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.74 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100371.

<4> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.230 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<5> Billington V., 2000, Woad-Growing in Northamptonshire, p.59-70 (unchecked) (Article). SNN102516.

<6> Edmondson, E, 2022, Billing: Past and present (Booklet). SNN114840.

Record last edited

Jun 12 2025 7:56PM