Wappenham
Encyclopedia
Wappenham is a linear village
and civil parish
in Northamptonshire
, England. It is 5 miles (8 km) south-west of Towcester
, north of Syresham
and north-west of Silverstone
and forms part of the district of South Northamptonshire
. At the time of the 2001 census
, the parish's population was 266 people (the 2010 estimated population is 271).
.The red-brick vicarage, east of the church, built in 1833 as a home for his father Reverend Thomas Scott who was vicar of Wappenham at the time, was Gilbert Scott's first work, built while he was still an assistant architect. Pevsner describes it as ...only remarkable for being Sir George Gilbert Scott's first building. The village also contains four other houses designed by Gilbert Scott, and on the village green there is a still-functional red K6 telephone box
designed by Gilbert Scott's grandson Giles Gilbert Scott
.
The Manor House
Wappenham west of the church is dated 1704.
The church is 13th century and dedicated to St Mary. There a several monuments including one to Thomas Lovett of Astwell Castle
(d.1492)and another Thomas Lovett (d.1542), Constance Butler (d.1499) and Sir Thomas Billing (d.1481), Chief Justice, of Biddlesden Abbey
, Buckinghamshire
.
Wappenham had its own railway station
until 1951, on the former Towcester
/Banbury
line between Helmdon
and Greens Norton Junction. The last train on the line ran on 12 July 1953.
Linear village
In geography, a linear village, or linear settlement, is a small to medium-sized settlement that is formed around a transport route, such as a road, river, or canal. Wraysbury, a village in Berkshire, is one of the longest villages in England....
and civil parish
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 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. It is 5 miles (8 km) south-west of Towcester
Towcester
Towcester , the Roman town of Lactodorum, is a small town in south Northamptonshire, England.-Etymology:Towcester comes from the Old English Tófe-ceaster. Tófe refers to the River Tove; Bosworth and Toller compare it to the "Scandinavian proper names" Tófi and Tófa...
, north of Syresham
Syresham
Syresham is a village and civil parish in the English district of South Northamptonshire. It is near Brackley town and close to Silverstone Circuit. It is surrounded by villages and hamlets such as Biddlesden, Whitfield, Northamptonshire, Helmdon, Silverstone and Wappenham, and the border with...
and north-west of Silverstone
Silverstone
Silverstone is a village and civil parish in Northamptonshire, England. It is about from Towcester on the former A43 main road, from the M1 motorway junction 15A and about from the M40 motorway junction 10, Northampton, Milton Keynes and Banbury...
and forms part of the district of South Northamptonshire
South Northamptonshire
South Northamptonshire is a local government district in Northamptonshire, England. Its council is based in Towcester.The district is rural and sparsely populated with just over 79,293 people in 2000 and 91,000 in 2008, a 14.8% increase. The largest town in the district is Brackley, which has a...
. At the time of the 2001 census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
, the parish's population was 266 people (the 2010 estimated population is 271).
Buildings
Wappenham has some of the earliest architectural works by Sir George Gilbert ScottGeorge Gilbert Scott
Sir George Gilbert Scott was an English architect of the Victorian Age, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches, cathedrals and workhouses...
.The red-brick vicarage, east of the church, built in 1833 as a home for his father Reverend Thomas Scott who was vicar of Wappenham at the time, was Gilbert Scott's first work, built while he was still an assistant architect. Pevsner describes it as ...only remarkable for being Sir George Gilbert Scott's first building. The village also contains four other houses designed by Gilbert Scott, and on the village green there is a still-functional red K6 telephone box
Red telephone box
The red telephone box, a public telephone kiosk designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, is a familiar sight on the streets of the United Kingdom, Malta, Bermuda and Gibraltar, and despite a reduction in their numbers in recent years, red boxes can still be seen in many places and in current or former...
designed by Gilbert Scott's grandson Giles Gilbert Scott
Giles Gilbert Scott
Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, OM, FRIBA was an English architect known for his work on such buildings as Liverpool Cathedral and Battersea Power Station and designing the iconic red telephone box....
.
The 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...
Wappenham west of the church is dated 1704.
The church is 13th century and dedicated to St Mary. There a several monuments including one to Thomas Lovett of Astwell Castle
Astwell Castle
Astwell Castle is a manor house in Northamptonshire, England about south-west of Wappenham. It is a listed building and part of the parish of Helmdon, a village west.-15th-16th century:...
(d.1492)and another Thomas Lovett (d.1542), Constance Butler (d.1499) and Sir Thomas Billing (d.1481), Chief Justice, of Biddlesden Abbey
Biddlesden Abbey
Biddlesden was a Cistercian abbey founded in 1147 by Arnold de Bosco , steward to the Earl of Leicester. An abbot was deposed for now unknown reasons in 1192 and in the 14th to 15th centuries there was a long running dispute with the parish of Wappenham concerning the collection of tithes...
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
.
Wappenham had its own railway station
Wappenham railway station
Wappenham was a railway station on the Stratford-upon-Avon and Midland Junction Railway which served the Northamptonshire village of Wappenham between 1872 and 1951. Serving a relatively rural area, the station saw considerable goods traffic generated by local farming communities, but passenger...
until 1951, on the former Towcester
Towcester
Towcester , the Roman town of Lactodorum, is a small town in south Northamptonshire, England.-Etymology:Towcester comes from the Old English Tófe-ceaster. Tófe refers to the River Tove; Bosworth and Toller compare it to the "Scandinavian proper names" Tófi and Tófa...
/Banbury
Banbury
Banbury is a market town and civil parish on the River Cherwell in the Cherwell District of Oxfordshire. It is northwest of London, southeast of Birmingham, south of Coventry and north northwest of the county town of Oxford...
line between Helmdon
Helmdon
Helmdon is a village and civil parish in the district of South Northamptonshire, Northamptonshire, England. The parish covers an area of about and includes the village of Helmdon and the hamlets of Astwell and Falcutt.-Geography:...
and Greens Norton Junction. The last train on the line ran on 12 July 1953.