Althorp (lost settlement)

Althorp
Lost settlement
Grounds of the park where once the village stood
Country	England
Region	East Midlands
District	Daventry
Municipality	Althorp
Location	South-west side of Althorp park
Althorp within Northamptonshire
Map Ref: SP678648

The lost village of Althorp is within the grounds of the Althorp estate in the English county of Northamptonshire.^[1] The village is recorded in the Domesday Book. In the 15th century, the manor was held by the Catesby family who were probably responsible for clearing the settlement, for by 1505, the records show that there were no tenants. In 1508, the parish, including the cleared settlement of Althorp, was sold to John Spencer of Wormleighton in Warwickshire. By 1577, the land in the parish had been divided into four large sheep pastures.^[2]

Remains today

There are some signs of earthworks on the site but much has been damaged by later activities such as ploughing. The main feature is a broad hollow way which runs up the hillside and is 1.5 metres in depth. There are several platforms on the south side of the hollow which are thought to be the sites of dwellings.^[3]

References

1. ‘OS’ Explorer Map, Northampton & Market Harborough 223 ISBN 978-0-319-46396-3
2. K.J. Allison, The Deserted Villages of Northampton Leicester: Leicester University Press (1966:34) ASIN: B0010HP1G0
3. An Inventory of Archaeological Sites in North-West Northamptonshire (1981) HMSO, ISBN 0-11-700900-8

Coordinates: 52°17′N 1°00′W / 52.28°N 1.00°W