Monument record 4760 - Paulerspury

A dispersed settlement of five separate centres joined by a network of roads, many of which now survive only as hollow ways. These comprise Pury End in the west, Tew's End in the north and Plumpton End in the south-east. There are also two parts of Paulerspury itself and each is associated with a small triangular green. Each of the centres has evidence of former settlement.

{2} The village is dispersed over an area of 2 sq.km. and appears to consist of five separate centres joined by a network of roads, many of which now survive only as hollow ways. These comprise Pury End in the west, Tew's End in the north and Plumpton End in the south-east. There are also two parts of Paulerspury itself and each is associated with a small triangular green. Each of the centres has evidence of former settlement.
The settlement is first mentioned in 1086 Domesday as 1 manor and a population of 33 including a priest. It probably includes Heathencote. In 1673 130 paid Hearth Tax (also includes Heathencote). In 1801 the population of the parish was 859.

{4} Inscription (dated 1512).

{5} The pattern of earthworks, ridge and furrow, roads and existing buildings suggest that Pury End developed along the road network from one or more farmsteads. At present there is insufficient evidence to suggest the location of the earliest centre(s). At the end of the nineteenth century the plan of Pury End was quite similar to that surviving today.

{7} Paulerspury contains one of the most complex networks of roads and footpaths to be found in the county. They may have acted as droveways taking stock to pastures in the forest or to markets further afield. Some were removed at enclosure but most survived as small lanes or footpaths, many of which are deeply hollowed ways. The hollow ways are a distinctive feature of the village.

{11} In a field under permanent pasture, immediately west of the parish church of Paulesbury, are a series of linear depressions, baulks and terraces with some ground disturbance. Most of the linear
features are the vestigial remains of relatively modern hedge lines. There has been some surface quarrying, but there is some evidence in the form of low amorphous scarps to indicate earlier earthworks, probably of a shrunken Md village or manorial site. It is known locally that a manor of the Throckmorton family stood in Paulerspury in the 16th century and in digging graves in the extension to the churchyard, at SP 7152 4554, foundations of a substantial building have been found up to 1.5m below the ground surface.

In 1972 local archaeologists cut a trench across a double baulk at SP 7130 4546 revealing what was considered to be the footings of two stone walls with intervening terrace, but no dateable finds
were made.

{12} (Area centred SP 714456). Linear banks and baulks plotted on field document by air machine plotter.

<1> 1820, Map of Paulerspury, (unchecked) (Map). SNN16285.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.113 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<3> Ryland, W, Adkins, D, and Serjeantson, R M, 1902, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.339 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100368.

<4> Brass Rubbings at Ashmolean Museum, (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN41806.

<5> Ivens R., 2002, Archaeological watching brief at Jarak, Pury End, Paulerspury, Northamptonshire, p.3 (checked) (Report). SNN102131.

<6> Hall, D N, 1973, A post-medieval kiln-site at Paulerspury, Northamptonshire, 3/67 (checked) (Article). SNN77045.

<7> Partida, T., 2013, Historic Environment Report Zone 2: Whittlewood - A Royal Forest, (unchecked) (Report). SNN109239.

<8> Hall D., 2001, The Woodland Landscapes of Southern Northamptonshire, p.33-46 (unchecked) (Article). SNN102520.

<9> Billington V., 2000, Woad-Growing in Northamptonshire, p.59-70 (unchecked) (Article). SNN102516.

<10> Riden P.; Insley C., 2002, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p. 245-289 (Series). SNN102540.

<11> Blood, N K, 1974, Field Investigator's Comments, F1 NKB 20-DEC-74 (Notes). SNN116074.

<12> Miscellaneous documents, SP 7145 1:2500 permatrace (Document). SNN57469.

<13> Royal Air Force, Vertical Aerial Photography, Air Photographs (RAF CPE/UK/1926, 3236-40, 5236-40) (Photographs). SNN104890.

Record last edited

Jul 28 2026 11:44AM