Desborough
| Desborough | |
|---|---|
  Desborough Location withinNorthamptonshire | |
| Population | 10,697 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | SP805835 |
| Civil parish |
|
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | KETTERING |
| Postcode district | NN14 |
| Dialling code | 01536 |
| Police | Northamptonshire |
| Fire | Northamptonshire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament | |
Desboroughis a town inNorth Northamptonshire,England, lying in theIseValley betweenMarket HarboroughandKettering.It was an industrial centre for weaving and shoe-making in the 19th century and had a long association with theCo-operativemovement.[1]
History
[edit]
Desborough's origins lie in the Bronze Age of about 2000 BC. Urns from that period have been found in and around the town.[2]
Many archaeological finds from theIron Ageand theAnglo-Saxonperiod have also been made. Some, such as the 1st-century Desborough Mirror[3][4]and the Anglo-Saxon Desborough Necklace,[5]are now in the possession of theBritish Museum.[6]
Domesday Book(1086) refers to Desborough as a "place of judgement". The name itself is thought to have derived from 'Disburg', which meant a sacred and fortified place. In the High Street centrepiece of what is now the Market Square stands a pillar that is called locally the Town Cross, though it is a square column topped by a stone ball. It is thought to have served as a gateway pillar from Harrington Hall.
From the 17th century, Desborough developed around thespinningandweavingindustries. The town's factories used local wool and flax to produce fine cloth and linen until the mid-19th century. Silk weaving then developed in a Paddock Lane factory and shoe-making also gained importance.
Transport
[edit]Desborough lies five miles (8 km) south-east of Market Harborough, north-west of Kettering, and south-west of Corby. TheA6Rothwell–Desborough bypass opened on 14 August 2003.
Between 1857 and 1968, Desborough had arailway station,opened and operated by theMidland Railway(later theLondon, Midland and Scottish Railwayand, after nationalisation,British Rail). This was part of an extension of its network fromLeicestertoBedfordandHitchin,but it was closed under theBeeching cuts.
Churches
[edit]Desborough has anAnglicanparish church, St Giles's, along with a Baptist church,[7]a United Reformed Church,[8]and the Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Trinity.[9]
St Giles's Church (Anglican) is the oldest surviving building in the town, dating from about 1225. It is believed to stand on the site of an earlier Saxon church. Its relics from the town's history include part of an Anglo-Saxon cross carved from stone, a Tudorrood screen,and reminders of theEnglish Civil War.Close by the church is the 18th-century Church House, with stuccoed Doric pillars. This became Desborough House in the 19th century and is now the Services Club.
Partnership
[edit]On 7 September 1969, an Anglican/ Methodist partnership was inaugurated in the presence of the Bishop of Peterborough and the Chairman of the Oxford District.[10]Since then a Methodist minister has been working in partnership with the Anglican vicar. St Giles is part of the Anglican united benefice of Desborough and Brampton Ash with Braybrooke and Dingley.[11]It has regular church festivals, including one of the United Kingdom's largest and longest-running Christmas tree festivals (over 100 trees, held since 1998). The trees are contributed by local organisations, companies, families and individuals.
The Kettering Leg of the annualStudent Crosspilgrimage toWalsinghamstarts near Desborough.
The Old Manor House
[edit] |
The Old Manor House in Gold Street retains features of its late 17th-century origins.Ferdinand Poulton,a Roman Catholic lawyer, was Lord of the Manor and reputedly one of the 1605Gunpowder Plotconspirators.
Government and community
[edit]Governance of Desborough lies (in descending order) with the North Northamptonshire Unitary Council (From April 2021) and the local DesboroughTown Council.[12]
Desborough belongs to the Charter of European Rural Communities, which links it to 27 other EU member towns and villages.[13]It is twinned withNeuville de Poitouin theViennedepartment ofFranceand withBièvrein theWalloonregion of Belgium.[14]
The Desborough Community Development Trust campaigns for improvements to the town.[15]
Co-operative movement
[edit]With the intention of preventing exploitation of workers by agents and employers, local men founded the Desborough Co-operative Society in 1863. Starting with local shops and then a corset and lingerie factory, the Desborough Co-op once had a department store, a bank, a supermarket, a travel agents, a ladies' shoe and clothing shop and a number of corner stores.
After several mergers, the town is now served by the Central England Co-op. Over the years, a number of its functions have ceased, including the bank branch and the ladies' shoe and clothing shop. However, a Co-operativeundertakershas opened in one of the former corner shops.
The former Co-op Corset Factory, now owned by Wacoal Eveden Ltd[16]makes lingerie and swimwear. The site includes the original Victorian factory, and immediately opposite, Eveden's warehousing and UK factory shop. The former Co-operative Society Sports Ground with a football field and tennis courts is now covered by a housing development, Desbeau Park – Desbeau being the name of a range of lingerie made at the Corset Factory.
Sport and leisure
[edit]At 09:00 every Saturday morning, there is aparkrunevent. This is a free 5km run/walk, which starts at the leisure centre, with the course then going through The Plens nature reserve and the Green Space. The event started on Saturday 20th July 2024.
Every Sunday morning, local volunteers organise Desborough Greenspace juniorparkrunheld a Desborough leisure centre, a free 2km event aimed at increasing physical activity in children aged 4-14 years and providing volunteering opportunities within the community for all ages. In 2019 it won the thenKettering Borough Councilcommunity project of the year, followed by theNorthamptonshire Sportaward for the countywide community project of the year.
In 2022,North Northamptonshire Council(NNC) won an International Green Apple Environment Award in a national campaign to find the greenest companies and organisations. This was based on Desborough Greenspace, which was established in 2012 as a large 22-hectare site that would be far less formally managed with a vision to create a very large and accessible natural space for local people as well as biodiversity.
Desborough has aNon-League footballteam,Desborough Town F.C.,which plays at Waterworks Field.
The town's leisure complex was built in the later months of 2012. It holds a gym, a café, a football court, a basketball court and an outside skate park.
Targetcraft Archers club meets at nearby West Lodge Rural Centre. Desborough Green Space Junior parkrun takes place there every Sunday morning at the Leisure Centre.
Media
[edit]Local news and television programmes are provided byBBC EastandITV Anglia.Television signals are received from theSandy HeathTV transmitter.[17]
Local radio stations areBBC Radio Northampton,Heart East,Smooth East Midlands(formerlyConnect FM) and Shire Sounds, community based radio station.[18]
The town is served by these local newspapers,Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph,Harborough MailandNorthampton Chronicle and Echo.[19][20][21]
Education
[edit]The town has a primary school-cum-infant/junior school, consisting of Loatlands Primary[22]and combined Havelock Infant and Junior schools.[23]Secondary education takes place outside the town.[24]
Notable residents
[edit]In birth order:
- John Reynolds (fl. 1600s), a tinker known as "Captain Pouch" and a leader of the 1607 anti-enclosureMidland Revolt,was said to be from Desborough.[25]
- Jane West(1758–1852), novelist, poet and writer of conduct literature, was brought up in Desborough.
- Lewis Cave(1832–1897), aQueen's Benchjudge, was born in Desborough.
- Lawrence Holland(1887–1956), played forNorthamptonshireand died in Desborough.
- F. R. G. Heaf(1894–1973), professor of medicine andtuberculosisresearcher, was born in the town.
- Cecil Kilborn,aBradford Cityfootballer in 1919–1924, was born in Desborough in 1902.
- Reggie Meen(1907–1984), heavyweight boxer, won the British title in 1931.
- Andy Sawford(born 1976),Labour Partypolitician andCorbyMP, was born in Desborough.
References
[edit]- ^"Desborough Co-operative Society Jubilee Souvenir".A Family Story.Retrieved12 September2012.
- ^"British History Online – Desborough".Retrieved16 August2017.
- ^"British Museum – The Desborough Mirror".Retrieved13 September2012.
- ^"About Desborough Heritage Centre – The Official Website for the Town of Desborough in Northants".Desboroughheritagecentre.co.uk.Retrieved12 September2012.
- ^"British Museum – The Desborough Necklace".Retrieved16 August2017.
- ^Desborough Heritage CentreRetrieved 18 January 2017.
- ^"Desborough Baptist Church".Retrieved12 September2012.
- ^"Desborough United Reformed Church".Retrieved16 August2017.
- ^"Welcome to Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church, Desborough".Retrieved16 August2017.
- ^"Church partnership marks 40 years".BBC News. 7 September 2009.Retrieved16 August2017.
- ^"Four Northamptonshire Churches".Retrieved16 August2017.
- ^"Town Council".Desborough Town Council. 31 March 2012. Archived fromthe originalon 25 February 2013.Retrieved12 September2012.
- ^"Charter Members".Charter of European Rural Communities. Archived fromthe originalon 16 August 2017.Retrieved16 August2017.
- ^"Our twin towns and cities".Kettering Borough Council.Retrieved16 August2017.
- ^Site under development. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
- ^Eveden
- ^"Full Freeview on the Sandy Heath (Central Bedfordshire, England) transmitter".UK Free TV.1 May 2004.Retrieved12 November2023.
- ^"Shire Sounds".Retrieved12 November2023.
- ^"Northamptonshire Telegraph".British Papers.10 July 2013.Retrieved12 November2023.
- ^"Harborough Mail".British Papers.14 October 2013.Retrieved12 November2023.
- ^"Northampton Chronicle and Echo".British Papers.19 July 2013.Retrieved12 November2023.
- ^"Loatlands Primary School".Loatlands Primary School.Retrieved16 August2017.
- ^"Havelock Schools Website".Havelock Schools.Retrieved16 August2017.
- ^Secondary schools near DesboroughRetrieved 30 October 2017.
- ^Stow, John(1615).The Annales, or Generall Chronicle of England.London. pp. 889–890.Retrieved8 August2019.
External links
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