Farthingstone is a village in West Northamptonshire in England. It is close to the major trunk routes of the M1 junction 16, M40 motorway, and A5 road, at the head of a valley and is 7 miles (11 km) south of Daventry and 3.5 miles (5.6 km) south west of Weedon Bec.[2]
Demographics
The population at the 2001 census was 179,[3] increasing to 193 at the 2011 census.[1]
The parish church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, dates from the late 13th century and is now grade II* listed.[4] The church is constructed of ironstone, which was quarried locally, and the tower was added in the 13th century being located at the west end of the church.[5][6] The whole church renovated in the 1920s by the Agnew family, owners of Punch magazine, as a memorial to family members killed in World War I.[7] Since 2006, the parish has formed part of the Lambfold benefice, together with the parishes of Blakesley, Maidford, Litchborough and Adstone.[8]
Early history
The villages name probably means, 'Farthegn's farm/settlement'. Alternatively, perhaps less likely is, 'farm/settlement of Farndon's people'.[9]
To the north-east of the village, south of Castle Dykes Farm, is evidence of a univallate hillfort and the buried remains of a Bronze Age barrow. This is a recorded national monument.[10] To the north of Castle Dykes Farm is Castle Dykes, a Norman motte castle with three baileys. In 1712, workmen digging on the site of the castle found a "room with a vaulted stone roof, and another room beneath and rudely carved stones with human figures on them".[11][12]
Farthingstone was listed in the Domesday Book as Fordinestone. Other Medieval spellings include Fardenston, Ferdingstone, Fardingestun and Fardyngton. The village was given to the Earl of Moreton by his half-brother, William the Conqueror. The land belonged to the Fawsley Hundred.[13]
Geography
The village, which is about 472 feet (144 m) above sea level, lies at the headwaters of two streams that run east into the River Nene.[14] Farthingstone is 7 miles (11 km) equidistant from both Daventry to the north west, and Towcester to the south east.[15] To the north of the village, towards the village of Everdon, there is extensive woodland.[16]
Recreation
There used to be an 18 hole golf course but this was sold and then closed pending redevelopment into a high end lifestyle retreat.[17] Every summer, the Farthingstone Foot Fest takes place, which is a marathon and other shorter distance events, and aims to raise money for charity. The course takes walkers or runners over a number of stiles and through kissing gates in a figure of eight loop around the village.[18]
^Pevsner, Nikolaus; Cherry, Bridget (2002). Northamptonshire (2 ed.). London: Yale University Press. p. 213. ISBN0-300-09632-1.
^Patrick, Judith; Bailey, Bruce (2013). "Farthingstone: a Mecca for Edwardian Architecture and Art". Northamptonshire Past and Present (66). Northampton: Northamptonshire Record Society: 29–32. ISSN0140-9131.
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