Earls Barton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Earls Barton |
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 Saxon tower of All Saints Church |
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 Earls Barton
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| Population | 5,387 (2011 census) |
| OS grid reference | SP8563 |
| Unitary authority |
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| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Northampton |
| Postcode district | NN6 |
| Dialling code | 01604 |
| Police | Northamptonshire |
| Fire | Northamptonshire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| EU Parliament | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament |
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| Website | Earls Barton Parish Council |
Earls Barton is a village and civil parish in Northamptonshire, England. It is famous for its very old Anglo-Saxon church and its history of making shoes. The village is part of North Northamptonshire. In 2011, about 5,387 people lived there.
Contents
History of Earls Barton
The village of Earls Barton started as an Anglo-Saxon settlement called Bere-tun. This name meant "a place for growing Barley." It was one of several villages built along the north side of the River Nene.
Before 1066, a powerful Anglo-Danish noble named Bondi the Staller owned the village. Around 1070, it was given to Waltheof, Earl of Northumbria. In 1070, Waltheof married Judith of Lens, who was the niece of William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book (a famous survey from 1086) shows that Judith owned the land and a mill in Buarton(e). Waltheof became the Earl of Northampton in 1071. It is believed that these connections to powerful Earls gave the village its "Earls" part of the name.
Some historians believe that the Earl of Huntingdon's barley farm was here, and his house stood where the church is now. You can still see the remains of a moat (a ditch around a castle or house) there. However, other historians think there was a Norman castle-motte (a type of castle with a mound and a courtyard) built very close to the church after the Norman conquest of England in 1066.
In the 1200s, people in Earls Barton started making shoes from leather bought in nearby Northampton. The village also had its own place for tanning leather, which stayed open until 1984. Later, in the 1300s and 1400s, making woollen cloth became a big home industry.
From 1801 to 1850, the village grew a lot, from 729 people to over 2,000. In 1880, the Barker shoe company was started in Earls Barton, and it is still there today.
Between 1913 and 1921, a type of rock called ironstone was dug up from two quarries (large pits) near the village. A special narrow railway, called a tramway, carried the ironstone to a ropeway. This ropeway then took the ore across the River Nene to a railway station, where it was loaded onto trains. Later, one of the quarries reopened to dig for white silica sand, which was also transported by a small tramway.
All Saints' Parish Church
The Church of England parish church of All Saints has been an important part of the village for many centuries. Its famous Anglo-Saxon tower was built around 970 AD. The church has been made bigger twice by the Normans in the 1100s.
Some interesting parts of the church include:
- An old Norman or Anglo-Saxon door at the western end. This was the church's first entrance.
- A medieval rood screen (a decorated screen that separates parts of the church).
- A font (for baptisms) and pews (benches) from the Victorian era.
- A modern inner porch and windows from the 1900s.
The church is mostly built from local ironstone and limestone. The tower itself was made from Barnack stone and filled with local limestone. What's special is that you can find something from every century, from the 900s onwards, in the church's structure or its decorations. Local artist Henry Bird also decorated the church.
The church was even shown on a postage stamp in 1972! Another famous Anglo-Saxon church is nearby in Brixworth.
Earls Barton also has a Methodist church on Broad Street, which is over 200 years old. It hosts many village groups. There used to be Baptist and Roman Catholic churches, but they are now used for other purposes, like a children's nursery and offices.
Village Life and Fun Facts
Earls Barton has a history of clever industries. Besides the Barker's shoe factory, there was a company that made woven labels. The White & Co factory made Tredair and Dr Marten's boots until 2003.
In the village's small market square, there is a pharmacy run by a member of the Jeyes family. This family invented and made Jeyes Fluid, a well-known cleaning product.
For fun, "Dr Fright's Night" halloween shows are held at White's Farm near Earls Barton. These shows are very popular with people from nearby villages and towns. When it snows, Kensit's field becomes a great place for sledging because it has a steep hill.
In 2019/2020, the local community took over running the village library. This happened after the county council changed its policy on public libraries.
Did you know that a small team in Earls Barton helped build the first Ferrari F1 monocoque chassis car? This was partly because of worker strikes in Italy at the time!
Local Sports
The village has a cricket team that has been playing since the late 1800s. The club has two teams in the Northamptonshire Cricket League, plus teams for younger players (U11s, U13s, U15s, U17s).
The local football team, Earls Barton FC, also started in the late 1800s. When Northampton Town FC (nicknamed The Cobblers) was formed in 1897, their very first game was against Earls Barton United (EBU) on September 18, 1897. Northampton Town won 4-1. Today, Earls Barton United Football Club plays in the Premier Division of the Northants Combination.
Earls Barton Stadium was a place for greyhound racing and speedway (motorcycle racing) from the 1940s to the 1970s. It also hosted Go Karting and Banger racing (car demolition races).
"Earls Barton Motors" was the home of Aubrey Leighton, who was Britain's 1957 stock car World Champion. He was known for being great at building and racing stock cars.
Village Planning
In 2012, the Parish Council helped create a Neighbourhood Plan. This plan helps decide how the village will grow and develop over the next twenty years. Local residents worked together to create it, and it was approved after a vote in 2015.
Shops and Businesses
In April 2017, the last bank or building society branch in the village closed. This happened because more people are doing their banking online. The Post Office in the village also changed in 2016. The main Post Office closed, and a smaller counter opened inside the Premier store on Station Road.
In the past, Earls Barton had many bank branches, including Nationwide, Midland Bank, Barclays Bank, and Lloyds Bank.
Today, pubs in Earls Barton include the Stag's Head, the Saxon Tavern (which opened in an old Lloyds Bank branch), and The Old Swan. During a health crisis in 2020, The Old Swan even gave free stew to the community, delivered to homes!
White's Nursery has a market shop and show grounds. They host events like Car Shows throughout the year.
Community Groups
Earls Barton has many active community groups:
- 1st Earls Barton Boys Brigade
- Badminton Club
- Earls Barton Fire Station
- Earls Barton Historical Society
- Earls Barton Primary School
- Earls Barton Library
- Earls Barton United Football Club
- Earls Barton Museum of Village Life
- Earls Barton Music
- Earls Barton Scout Group
- Earls Barton Parish Council
- Earls Barton Tennis Club
- Earls Barton Youth Club
- Saxon Pre-School
- Starfruit Youth Theatre Company
- Under The Tower - Drama Group
- Pied Piper Pre-School
- Earls Barton Carnival
- Earls Barton Soap Box Derby
Images for kids
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Earls Barton Village centre
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Earls Barton Church
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The Old Church Door
See also
In Spanish: Earls Barton para niños
