Titchmarsh, Northamptonshire

Titchmarsh is a village and civil parish in North Northamptonshire, England. The 2001 census recorded a parish population of 543 people,^[1] increasing to 598 at the 2011 Census.^[2]

Titchmarsh
Titchmarsh Location within Northamptonshire
Population	598 (2011 Census)
OS grid reference	TL0279
Unitary authority	North Northamptonshire
Ceremonial county	Northamptonshire
Region	East Midlands
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Kettering
Postcode district	NN14
Dialling code	01832
Police	Northamptonshire
Fire	Northamptonshire
Ambulance	East Midlands
UK Parliament	Corby
Website	Titchmarsh Village
List of places UK England Northamptonshire 52.404°N 0.495°W / 52.404; -0.495

History

The village's name means 'Young goat marsh'. Maybe, perhaps, 'marsh of Ticcea'.^[3]

Titchmarsh Castle was in fact a fortified manor house with a moat.^[4] Sir John Lovel received a licence to crenellate it in 1304^[5] but it was in ruins by 1363.^[4]

The Church of England parish church of Saint Mary may originally have been 12th century, as a Norman doorway of that date survives in the chancel.^[5] The doorway is not in its original position but has been re-set.^[5] The north aisle and arcade are 13th century.^[6] The ornate Perpendicular Gothic bell-tower is notable. Dr. F.J. Allen, who was an authority on the notable late medieval Somerset towers, described St. Mary's tower as "the finest parish church tower in England outside Somerset".^[6] The tower, including the pinnacles, is 103 feet (31 metres) high.^[7] Many of St. Mary's church windows are also Perpendicular Gothic; with three, four or five lights.^[6]

As a boy the poet John Dryden lived here and probably received his first education in the village.^{[citation needed]} There is a monument to him in St. Mary's parish church.^[5]

Brookside Farmhouse was built in 1628 and enlarged in the 18th century. It is believed to have been the family home of the Drydens.^[4] The Pickering almshouses were built in 1756.^[4]

Amenities

One hundred years ago the village had two public houses: the Dog and Partridge^[8] and the Wheatsheaf.^[9] The Dog and Partridge has been converted into a residential property. A shop was officially opened on 21 September 2007 by the gardener and television presenter Alan Titchmarsh.^[10] The village has a primary school.^[11] Children from the parish travel to Oundle for secondary education.

References

1. "Titchmarsh CP: Parish headcounts". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 25 November 2009.
2. "Civil Parish population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
3. "Key to English Place-names".
4. Pevsner & Cherry 1973, p. 433.
5. Page 1930, pp. 142–149.
6. Pevsner & Cherry 1973, p. 432.
7. Flannery, Julian (2016). Fifty English Steeples: The Finest Medieval Parish Church Towers and Spires in England. New York City, New York, United States: Thames and Hudson. pp. 364–369. ISBN 978-0-500-34314-2.
8. The Dog and Partridge Archived 19 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine
9. The Wheatsheaf
10. Sullivan, Ted (24 September 2007). "When Titchmarsh came to Titchmarsh". Retrieved 25 November 2009.
11. "Titchmarsh Primary School". Retrieved 25 November 2009.

Further reading

• Page, W.H., ed. (1930). Victoria County History: A History of the County of Northampton, Volume 3. pp. 142–149.
• Pevsner, Nikolaus; Cherry, Bridget (1973) [1961]. Northamptonshire. The Buildings of England. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. pp. 432–433. ISBN 0-14-071022-1.

External links

• Map sources for Titchmarsh, Northamptonshire