Little Brington
Encyclopedia
Little Brington is a village
in Brington civil parish, in the Daventry district
of Northamptonshire
, England
.
but no nave
. Frederick Spencer, 4th Earl Spencer
(1798–1857) built the church of St John as a chapel of ease
and a memorial to his first wife, the former Elizabeth Georgina Poyntz whom he had married in 1830.
The church consisted of a chancel, nave and tower with a tall spire and was built in the local brown ironstone of the area. In the 19th century and early in the 20th services were held on a regular basis. The Earl had provided the church for the convenience of villagers from Little Brington and Nobottle
, who found it difficult to attend St. Mary’s in Great Brington
(almost 1 mile distant). St John's could seat approximately 150 people and was licensed for baptisms and marriages; funerals and burials were held in Great Brington St Mary's.
By the 1940s, the church had fallen into a state of disrepair, mainly because of a leaking roof. The main body of the church was demolished after the war in 1947. At the request of the Air Ministry, however, the distinctive tower with its octagonal spire was spared. It had become a landmark to navigators and likely serves the same purpose today. The spire, at , can be seen for many miles in every direction and is invariably a mystery to passersby; the narrow entrance to the circular staircase within the tower has been sealed up to deter vandals.
was born in Little Brington in 1921.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in Brington civil parish, in the Daventry district
Daventry (district)
The Daventry district is the largest local government district of western Northamptonshire, England. The district is named after the town of Daventry which is the administrative headquarters and largest town...
of Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Little Brington church
Little Brington church is notable for having a spireSpire
A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
but no nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
. Frederick Spencer, 4th Earl Spencer
Frederick Spencer, 4th Earl Spencer
Vice-Admiral Frederick Spencer, 4th Earl Spencer KG, CB, PC , styled The Honourable Frederick Spencer until 1845, was a British naval commander, courtier and Whig politician. He initially served in the Royal Navy and fought in the Napoleonic Wars and the Greek War of Independence, eventually rising...
(1798–1857) built the church of St John as a chapel of ease
Chapel of ease
A chapel of ease is a church building other than the parish church, built within the bounds of a parish for the attendance of those who cannot reach the parish church conveniently....
and a memorial to his first wife, the former Elizabeth Georgina Poyntz whom he had married in 1830.
The church consisted of a chancel, nave and tower with a tall spire and was built in the local brown ironstone of the area. In the 19th century and early in the 20th services were held on a regular basis. The Earl had provided the church for the convenience of villagers from Little Brington and Nobottle
Nobottle
Nobottle is a hamlet in the Daventry district of the county of Northamptonshire in England. It borders the Althorp estate, which owns much of the property. Nobottle used to have a 600yd rifle range , now shut by the MOD some 20 years. The Midshires Way long distance footpath passes through Nobottle....
, who found it difficult to attend St. Mary’s in Great Brington
Great Brington
Great Brington is a village in the Daventry district of the county of Northamptonshire, England. The village, in the civil parish of Brington, has a population of about 200. The parish church is dedicated to St Mary the Virgin and St John....
(almost 1 mile distant). St John's could seat approximately 150 people and was licensed for baptisms and marriages; funerals and burials were held in Great Brington St Mary's.
By the 1940s, the church had fallen into a state of disrepair, mainly because of a leaking roof. The main body of the church was demolished after the war in 1947. At the request of the Air Ministry, however, the distinctive tower with its octagonal spire was spared. It had become a landmark to navigators and likely serves the same purpose today. The spire, at , can be seen for many miles in every direction and is invariably a mystery to passersby; the narrow entrance to the circular staircase within the tower has been sealed up to deter vandals.
Persons of note
The Australian cricket umpire Ted WykesTed Wykes
Edgar Frederick Wykes, OAM, was an Australian cricket Test match umpire. His family emigrated from the UK to Australia in 1925 as assisted immigrants....
was born in Little Brington in 1921.