West Farndon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids West Farndon |
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 A road at West Farndon |
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 West Farndon
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| OS grid reference | SP528515 |
| Civil parish |
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| District |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Daventry |
| Postcode district | NN11 |
| Dialling code | 01327 |
| Police | Northamptonshire |
| Fire | Northamptonshire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| EU Parliament | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament |
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| Website | Woodford cum Membris |
West Farndon is a tiny place called a hamlet in England. It's also known as a deserted medieval village, which means it was once a busy village in the Middle Ages but was later abandoned. West Farndon is located about three-quarters of a mile southwest of Hinton, Northamptonshire. It is part of the larger local area known as the civil parish of Woodford cum Membris.
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The History of West Farndon
West Farndon has a long and interesting past, going back thousands of years. From ancient Roman times to the Middle Ages, this small area has seen many changes.
Early Roman Settlement
Archaeologists have found pieces of Roman pottery west of where West Farndon is today. These pottery pieces date back to the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD. This discovery tells us that there was likely a Roman settlement or small community living here a very long time ago.
West Farndon in the Domesday Book
In 1086, a very important record called the Domesday Book was created. This book was a huge survey ordered by William the Conqueror to list all the land and property in England. The Domesday Book mentions that West Farndon had two small manors. A manor was a large estate or area of land, usually with a main house, where people lived and worked.
How the Village Became Deserted
If you visit West Farndon today, you can still see signs of the old village. There are earthworks, which are changes in the shape of the land, east and south of the current hamlet. These earthworks show how big the old village used to be.
In 1760, a new law called an Inclosure Act was passed. This law changed how land was farmed in the area, including in nearby Hinton. Before this, farmers used an open field system, where land was divided into many strips and farmed together. The Inclosure Act ended this system, and much of the land was fenced off into private fields. By 1840, a lot of the original village of West Farndon was empty and deserted.
You can still see the patterns of the old common fields today. These patterns are called ridge and furrow, which look like long, wavy lines in the ground. They were created by old farming methods where soil was ploughed into ridges.
Things to Do in West Farndon
Even though it's a small place, West Farndon is a stop for people who enjoy walking and exploring the countryside.
The Jurassic Way Footpath
The Jurassic Way is a long distance footpath that goes through West Farndon. A footpath is a path or trail specifically for walking. The Jurassic Way is a popular route for hikers and walkers who want to explore the beautiful landscapes and history of the area.
