Harlaxton
Encyclopedia
Harlaxton is a village and civil parish
in the South Kesteven
district of Lincolnshire
, England. It lies on the edge of the Vale of Belvoir
and just off the A607, 2 miles (3.2 km) south-east from Grantham
and 12 miles (19.3 km) north-east from Melton Mowbray
.
dated 1086 and called Herlavestune. The name derives from the Old English Herelaf+tun, meaning "estate or farm of Herelaf". In 1740 a burial urn was uncovered in the village containing Roman coins so it seems likely that a settlement existed here since then. The history of Harlaxton village is tied up with that of Harlaxton Manor
.
The original manor house dated from the 14th century and stood south of the church off Rectory Lane where the original moat can still be seen in gardens there. It is recorded as having been used as a hunting lodge by John O Gaunt. It was purchased and occupied by the De Ligne family around 1475 eventually standing empty from 1780 until 1857 when it was pulled down. By this time the present Harlaxton Manor
had been built some distance to the East of the village.
As is the case in so many English villages the fortunes of the village was intrinsically tied up with those of the Lords of the Manor and the Estate. Many of the villagers would have been employed in a variety of posts by the estate and their houses and cottages tied to or rented by the estate. This remained the case in Harlaxton until 1937 when the estate was broken up. Many of the villages had already found employment elsewhere by World War I when transport improvements made this a reasonable option. The bulk of the older houses in the village were built by the De Ligne and Gregory families. The Nottingham to Grantham canal passes a mile to the north of the village and was a valuable source of commerce for the village in the early 19th century.
During World War I a Royal Flying Corps
aerodrome was constructed at the rear of the manor house. The airfield stood vacant between the wars but became RAF Harlaxton
between 1942 and 1957, latterly operating as a relief landing ground for flying training units from RAF Cranwell
.
. Piped water was not introduced until the 1940s and some of the wells previously used survive. One of the gateways to the original manor house
still stands on Rectory Lane.
Since WWII the village grew considerably in size and population with several small developments either side of the main Grantham
/ Melton Mowbray
road. It now has a population of just over 700. There is a post office
, church, primary school, doctor’s surgery, village store and village hall. There is also a sports and social club and a bowls club. Although there was already the Golden Lion public house
in the centre of the village, in the latter part of the 19th century the Gregory Arms was built by the Squire John Sherwin Gregory on what is now the A607 junction.
and south aisle
from the early 13th century. It is dedicated to St Mary and St Peter. Of perpendicular style, it is built from a mixture of ironstone and limestone ashlar. The church has an early 14th century tower with clasping buttresses to the lower stages and angled buttresses above. The south porch was built around 1850. Inside most furniture dates from the 19th century but there are several alabaster memorials from the 14th and 15th. The re-cut octagonal font
dates from around 1400. The church tower was restored in 1891. The graveyard is extensive and well kept.
. In July 2010 the villagers joined supporters of the Grantham Canal
Society in the reopening of the newly-restored Harlaxton Wharf. The Grantham Canal Partnership has applied for Lotttery Funding
to restore two derelict locks as part of an Inland Waterway’s Association skill training scheme.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the South Kesteven
South Kesteven
South Kesteven is a local government district in Lincolnshire, England, forming part of the traditional Kesteven division of the county. It covers Grantham, Stamford, Bourne and Market Deeping.-History:...
district of Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, England. It lies on the edge of the Vale of Belvoir
Vale of Belvoir
The Vale of Belvoir is an area of natural beauty on the borders of Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire in England. Indeed, the name itself derives from the Norman-French for beautiful view.-Extent and geology:...
and just off the A607, 2 miles (3.2 km) south-east from Grantham
Grantham
Grantham is a market town within the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It bestrides the East Coast Main Line railway , the historic A1 main north-south road, and the River Witham. Grantham is located approximately south of the city of Lincoln, and approximately east of Nottingham...
and 12 miles (19.3 km) north-east from Melton Mowbray
Melton Mowbray
Melton Mowbray is a town in the Melton borough of Leicestershire, England. It is to the northeast of Leicester, and southeast of Nottingham...
.
History
The village is mentioned in the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
dated 1086 and called Herlavestune. The name derives from the Old English Herelaf+tun, meaning "estate or farm of Herelaf". In 1740 a burial urn was uncovered in the village containing Roman coins so it seems likely that a settlement existed here since then. The history of Harlaxton village is tied up with that of Harlaxton Manor
Harlaxton Manor
Harlaxton Manor, built in 1837, is a manor house in Harlaxton, Lincolnshire, England. Its architecture, which combines elements of Jacobean and Elizabethan styles with symmetrical Baroque massing, renders the mansion unique among surviving Jacobethan manors....
.
The original manor house dated from the 14th century and stood south of the church off Rectory Lane where the original moat can still be seen in gardens there. It is recorded as having been used as a hunting lodge by John O Gaunt. It was purchased and occupied by the De Ligne family around 1475 eventually standing empty from 1780 until 1857 when it was pulled down. By this time the present Harlaxton Manor
Harlaxton Manor
Harlaxton Manor, built in 1837, is a manor house in Harlaxton, Lincolnshire, England. Its architecture, which combines elements of Jacobean and Elizabethan styles with symmetrical Baroque massing, renders the mansion unique among surviving Jacobethan manors....
had been built some distance to the East of the village.
As is the case in so many English villages the fortunes of the village was intrinsically tied up with those of the Lords of the Manor and the Estate. Many of the villagers would have been employed in a variety of posts by the estate and their houses and cottages tied to or rented by the estate. This remained the case in Harlaxton until 1937 when the estate was broken up. Many of the villages had already found employment elsewhere by World War I when transport improvements made this a reasonable option. The bulk of the older houses in the village were built by the De Ligne and Gregory families. The Nottingham to Grantham canal passes a mile to the north of the village and was a valuable source of commerce for the village in the early 19th century.
During World War I a Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
aerodrome was constructed at the rear of the manor house. The airfield stood vacant between the wars but became RAF Harlaxton
RAF Harlaxton
RAF Harlaxton was a Royal Air Force station near the village of Harlaxton, south west of Grantham, Lincolnshire, England. The airfield was located in a triangle of flat fields midway between Harlaxton Manor and the nearby village of Stroxton.Originally constructed as a Royal Flying Corps...
between 1942 and 1957, latterly operating as a relief landing ground for flying training units from RAF Cranwell
RAF Cranwell
RAF Cranwell is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire close to the village of Cranwell, near Sleaford. It is currently commanded by Group Captain Dave Waddington...
.
Buildings and Amenities
After 1857 many of the buildings utilised building materials from the demolished manor house. Between 1758 and 1822 George De Ligne was responsible for the building and repair of much of the village including the rows of cottages on The Drift near the Nottingham to Grantham canal; his initials can be seen on the cottages. Originally wattle and daub, they were refinished by De Ligne in red brick as are many of the buildings in the village, with added embellishments of stonework. No less than 36 of the dwellings in the village are grade 2 listed. There are a significant number of unusual architectural features in the older buildings including distinctive chimneys, rounded pillars and overstated porches and verandas. There are statues in gardens, listed gazebos, a duck pond, and substantial dry stone walls. Near the village store is a pillar on a double base known as the obelisk which is likely the remains of a market crossMarket cross
A market cross is a structure used to mark a market square in market towns, originally from the distinctive tradition in Early Medieval Insular art of free-standing stone standing or high crosses, often elaborately carved, which goes back to the 7th century. Market crosses can be found in most...
. Piped water was not introduced until the 1940s and some of the wells previously used survive. One of the gateways to the original manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
still stands on Rectory Lane.
Since WWII the village grew considerably in size and population with several small developments either side of the main Grantham
Grantham
Grantham is a market town within the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It bestrides the East Coast Main Line railway , the historic A1 main north-south road, and the River Witham. Grantham is located approximately south of the city of Lincoln, and approximately east of Nottingham...
/ Melton Mowbray
Melton Mowbray
Melton Mowbray is a town in the Melton borough of Leicestershire, England. It is to the northeast of Leicester, and southeast of Nottingham...
road. It now has a population of just over 700. There is a post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, church, primary school, doctor’s surgery, village store and village hall. There is also a sports and social club and a bowls club. Although there was already the Golden Lion public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
in the centre of the village, in the latter part of the 19th century the Gregory Arms was built by the Squire John Sherwin Gregory on what is now the A607 junction.
The Church
A grade I listed building, parts of the church date from 1323 or earlier; the nave and north arcade from the late 12th and the south arcadeArcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
and south aisle
Aisle
An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other...
from the early 13th century. It is dedicated to St Mary and St Peter. Of perpendicular style, it is built from a mixture of ironstone and limestone ashlar. The church has an early 14th century tower with clasping buttresses to the lower stages and angled buttresses above. The south porch was built around 1850. Inside most furniture dates from the 19th century but there are several alabaster memorials from the 14th and 15th. The re-cut octagonal font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
dates from around 1400. The church tower was restored in 1891. The graveyard is extensive and well kept.
Today
According to a 2004 village design statement to the South Kesteven District Council in response to redevelopment plans, residents were not keen to see further housing development that could "alter the unique character of this conservation village". Harlaxton has a mixture of retired residents and young families, and is socially cohesive. Although close to amenities in Grantham, the statement also notes the village's post office, store, surgery, school, village hall and clubs, and that it is set in woodland, is surrounded by farmland, has habitat for wildlife and views of Belvoir CastleBelvoir Castle
Belvoir Castle is a stately home in the English county of Leicestershire, overlooking the Vale of Belvoir . It is a Grade I listed building....
. In July 2010 the villagers joined supporters of the Grantham Canal
Grantham Canal
The Grantham Canal is a canal that runs for 33 miles from Grantham, falling through 18 locks to West Bridgford where it joins the River Trent. It was built primarily to allow for the transportation of coal to Grantham. It opened in 1797, and its profitability steadily increased until 1841...
Society in the reopening of the newly-restored Harlaxton Wharf. The Grantham Canal Partnership has applied for Lotttery Funding
Heritage Lottery Fund
The Heritage Lottery Fund is a fund established in the United Kingdom under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. The Fund opened for applications in 1994. It uses money raised through the National Lottery to transform and sustain the UK’s heritage...
to restore two derelict locks as part of an Inland Waterway’s Association skill training scheme.