Monument record 3244 - Strixton

Strixton shrunken village. It was not listed separately at Domesday; it is possible it was made out of lands at Bozeat and Wollaston. Always a relatively small settlement, by the early 18th century only two houses remained, one of which was the manor. Earthworks of the settlements remains were excavated in the 1960s. The remains of the medieval village are visible as earthworks on historic aerial photographs and remote sensing data. Located in the fields around Strixton, a series of parallel linear earthwork banks and ditches define the former plots and their buildings. A large area south of Manor and Church Farms had been subject to quarrying and extraction in the post-medieval period.

{1} The village is not separately listed in the Domesday Book, and thus no record of the population exists for that time. However, the first element of the name Strixton is almost certainly derived from the personal name Stric. In 1066 a person of this name held land in each of the adjacent villages of Wollaston and Bozeat. One or both of the manors may in fact be Strixton. The shape of the parish in relation to the parishes of Wollaston and Bozeat suggests that Strixton has been made out of lands originally belonging to the other two. It is thus possible that the Domesday entries under Wollaston and Bozeat referring to land formerly held by Stric were, at least in part, related to the settlement and land of Strixton. Adding together the recorded populations of the two entries gives a possible total of 18 people in Strixton in 1086. This should, however, be regarded as a maximum. The next record is in 1377 when 37 people over the age of 14 are recorded and on a map of 1583, 16 houses, including the manor house and the parsonage are shown as well as six empty plots. By 1720, according to Bridges, only two houses, of which one was the manor, still stood. He also said that before enclsoure 'there appear to have been more houses'. On an 18th century map of the parish four houses are shown, which may mark the beginning of a re-population and by 1831 there were 69 people resident in the parish.

{2} Detailed description of the history and earthworks of the village.

As described above, the remains of a medieval village are visible as earthworks on historic aerial photographs and remote sensing data and was mapped as part of the Bedford Borough NMP project. Located in the fields around Strixton and centred at SP 90198 61725,a series of parallel linear earthwork banks and ditches define the former plots and their buildings. A large area south of Manor and Church Farms had been subject to quarrying and extraction in the post-medieval period.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1975, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p. 139-140/site 7 (Series). SNN77379.

<2> 1969, Journal of The Northampton Museum and Art Gallery (6), p. 22-34 (Journal). SNN9670.

<3> Ryland, W, Adkins, D, and Serjeantson, R M, 1902, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p. 338-354 (Series). SNN100368.

<4> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p. 198 (Book). SNN77326.

<5> Gover J.E.B.; Mawer A.; Stenton F.M. (Eds.), 1933, The Place-names of Northamptonshire, p. 197 (Series). SNN5881.

<6> 1975, Medieval Archaeology (19), 19/30-31 (Journal). SNN39467.

<7> Brown, A.E. (Ed.), 1970, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1969 (Medieval), 4/24 (Article). SNN30971.

<8> 1583, Open field Map of Strixton, 1583 (Map). SNN110602.

<9> 1843, Tithe Map of Strixton (Map). SNN111272.

<10> Rahtz P. (Editor), 1971, Medieval Village Research Group (Vol.19), p. 30 (Annual Report). SNN58317.

<11> Oblique Aerial Photograph, NMR 712/324 07-JUN-1974 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN111738.

<12> Oblique Aerial Photograph, CAP 8115/83 03-MAY-1953 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN111738.

<13> Environment Agency, LIDAR Composite DTM - 1m, 04-JUL-2006-03-AUG-2017 (Digital Plots). SNN111710.

<14> Hall, D, 1962, Strixton showing the medieval field system about 1300 (Plan). SNN115245.

<15> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, CUAP BKZ 51-5 LS 84 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<16> Bedford Borough Council HER, Undated, Bedford Borough NMP (Archive). SNN113023.

Record last edited

Feb 7 2025 2:36PM