Monument record 3472 - Horton

Deserted settlement in Horton Park. The settlement was documented in Domesday, in the 14th century and 1524. A map of 1622 shows the settlement to comprise a single street. It was deserted between 1715-1720 due to the landscaping of the park. Earthworks of the settlement are visible between Manor House and Horton Grange. Earthworks and 13th-14th century pottery recorded to the south of the lake may represent an earlier site of the village.

{2} Four or five houses were still visible on a map of 1728 which also shows the first stages of landscaping and probably the process of clearance.

{3} In 1524 there were 10 and 15 taxpayers recorded.

{4} In 1334 the tax of 54s.10d was the lowest in Wymersley Hundred.

{5} The descent of the manors is traced.

{6} In 1801 there were 79 people in the parish; by 1874 there were three farms and some cottages.

{7} In 1622 there were at least seven houses including Manor Farm. Clearance was probably related to landscaping of the park for Horton Manor. The parish is enclosed, with 8 or 9 families besides the Earl of Halifax. In the Domesday Book, Horton was in the hands of several possessors, and apart from these, two servants, eight villagers and eight villeins worked the land.

{8} Documentary references to the medieval village of Horton, much of which was cleared for landscaping. The village was first noted at Domesday when divided into several small manors, one of which was waste. A population of 18 is recorded at this time. Although the descent of the manors is known little of the history of the village itself has been recorded. In 1334 the village paid tax of 54s.10d, the lowest in Wymersley Hundred, but not exceptionally low for the county as a whole. In 1524 10 and 15 people are listed as taxpayers.
A map of 1622 shows a winding through-road, extending from the present Northampton Road, near the church, around the north of the hall, and thence along the edge of the stream, before finally running up the valley side and onwards to the south-east.At that time a number of buildings existed either side of the church and north of the hall, while east of the hall, along the road and along a small lane running north, there were perhaps seven scattered houses, including the present Manor Farm. The small lane running north from the road terminated in front of a large pond, which occupied a small valley.
By 1801 only 79 people lived in the parish, mainly in outlying farms, and in 1874 there were three scattered farms and some cottages. In recent years development around the site of the hall, which was demolished in 1936, has led to the renewed growth of Horton.
The surviving earthworks in the old parkland east and south of the hall complement the documented history, but also present problems of interpretation because the remains are partly overlaid by later features connected with the landscaping of the area. Some of the village earthworks were even incorporated into the scheme of landscaping.
The interpretation of the village earthworks poses a number of problems. The area of the village north of the lake, which was removed in the C18th, together with the surviving earthworks to the east in the former Warren Field, may be considered as a simple single-street village running along the valley side with the church and manor house at one end. However, the identification of another part of the village to the south of the lake with its street on a different alignment and with evidence of apparent abandonment in the late medieval period makes the situation more complex. One possible explanation that has been put forward is that the village changed both its site and morphology, but this is not necessarily the only solution.

{11} Family trees relating to families at Horton;

{12} Centred SP 821539 is an area of desertion - see 25" survey. At SP 823540 is a disturbed area set amid rig and furrow, possibly the site of a small farm. Immediately to the SE are long mounds overlying the rig, possibly associated with the activities of Lord Halifax's 'private army'. Two other very local areas of disturbance are at SP 825541, and SP 827540. These seem to suggest former habitation, probably isolated buildings. Horton Hall was demolished c 1936.

{13} The mounds overlying the ridge and furrow recorded by the field investigator, authority {12} are now recorded separately as SP 85 SW 26 (q.v.)

{20} Engraving of a monument, which is in Westminster Abbey, commemorating Charles Montague, son of the Honourable George Montague of Horton in Northamptonshire;

{21} Five photos dated 23rd November 1995 showing the layout of the B526 at Horton;

<1> 1622, Map of Horton Lordship (Gunning Collection), (unchecked) (Map). SNN44682.

<2> 1728, Map of Horton Manor (Gunning Collection), (unchecked) (Map). SNN59363.

<3> Foard G.R., 1976, M.A. Dissertation, (checked) (Dissertation). SNN43845.

<4> Taylor C.C., Lowland Zone Settlement, (unchecked) (Series). SNN43933.

<5> Salzman L.F.(ed), 1937, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.259-62 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100371.

<6> Whellan, 1874, History, Topography & Directory of Northamptonshire, p.269 (unchecked) (Book). SNN1002.

<7> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.367 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77325.

<8> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.65-69 Site 19 (checked) (Series). SNN77380.

<9> Ryland, W, Adkins, D, and Serjeantson, R M, 1902, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.340-41+311+351-52 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100368.

<10> Taylor, CC, 1978, Aspects of village mobility in medieval and later times, p. 130 (Report). SNN110876.

<11> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/155/2 (Archive). SNN115.

<12> Seaman, B H, 1970, Field Investigator's Comments, 23-SEP-70 (Notes). SNN111541.

<13> LEE, E S., 1991, RCHME Recorder, Lee E S 07-Nov-1991 RCHM(E) Recording (Note). SNN114837.

<14> Royal Air Force, Vertical Aerial Photography, RAF CPE UK 1926 3013, 15, 16; 16.1.47, RAF VAP CPE/UK/1926, 3013-16 (Photographs). SNN104890.

<15> PRO series E179, E179/155/3; E179/155/125 and /142 (Document). SNN115882.

<16> HALL D.N., 1978, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter (8), Page 126-135 (Newsletter). SNN60830.

<17> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, CUAP, BKZ 46, 48-50 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<18> RCHME, Undated, RCHME Inventory: Northamptonshire II (Central), 890003 (Archive). SNN112900.

<19> Historic England, Undated, Horton (photographs) (Archive). SNN116418.

<20> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/155/1 (Archive). SNN115.

<21> Photographs of buildings in Hackleton (Photographs). SNN112513.

Record last edited

May 28 2025 12:11PM