3 Village development

C h a p t e r 3

Village Development over the last

century

Our village has changed enormously during the 20th centur y, especially since the Second World War This chapter which describes how the fabric of the village – the houses and roads, public and local ser vices, utilities, and village s h o p s a n d f a c i l i t i e s – h a s g r o w n t o t h e p o i n t a t w h i c h w e s e e i t t o d a y M a n y o f t h e s e d e v e l o p m e n t s h a v e b e e n m o n i t o r e d , s o m e t i m e s a d m i n i s t e r e d a n d o f t e n i n s t i g a t e d , b y t h e Pa r i s h C o u n c i l , p a r t i c u l a r l y t h e p r o v i s i o n o f community facilities and the installation of local ser vices. Records from the council minutes as summarised by Helen Westlake and Edward ( Ted) McKay make an impor tant contribution to the first par t of the chapter.

V i l l a g e f a c i l i t i e s

S t r e e t l i g h t i n g P u b l i c l i g h t i n g h a s b e e n a v e r y c o n t r o v e r s i a l i t e m f o r t h e P a r i s h C o u n c i l . T h e f i r s t m e n t i o n , o f s i x p o s s i b l e l i g h t s , w a s m a d e i n 1 8 9 6 Photographic records show that a few oil-burning lamps existed in the early 1 9 0 0 s , i n d e e d t w o s t i l l e x i s t , i f n o t q u i t e i n t h e i r o r i g i n a l l o c a t i o n It i s likely they would have been privately maintained In 1923 a committee was set up to look into street lighting. In 1 9 3 4 , a p a r i s h m e e t i n g , a t t e n d e d by 70 people, over whelmingly rejected a proposal to install 12 lights at a cost o f £ 3 6 - 1 2 s ( £ 3 6 . 6 0 ) p . a . I t w a s another 12 years before 40 electors at a s i m i l a r m e e t i n g vo t e d i n f a vo u r o f 30 lights, for the winter months only, a t a c o s t o f £ 6 7 - 1 0 s ( £ 6 7 . 5 0 ) p . a . Ev e n t h e n , i t t o o k s e v e r a l m e e t i n g s b e f o r e t h e c o u n c i l c o u l d a g r e e t h e f i n a n c e s b e c a u s e t h e r u n n i n g c o s t s d o u b l e d t h e r a t e s . T h e R e v. A r c h walked out of the meeting in 1946 in protest The scarcity of materials after the war held up installation and then the Ministr y of Transpor t forbade all street lighting except where there had been traffic problems Eventually, the first street lighting was switched on at Christmas 1948.

Ever since, the numbers of street lights have increased as ne w housing

[Roger Pye]

areas were built A gradual progression t ow a rd s a l l - n i g h t l i g h t i n g a n d m o r e e f f i c i e n t , s o d i u m l i g h t s t o r e p l a c e t u n g s t e n o n e s , h a s b e e n a g re e d . T h e turnings into the village from the A5 were always dark and were considered a hazard. In 1999, this was solved as street lighting along almost a mile of the A5 was switched on

H o u s i n g Ho u s i n g i s n o t t h e re s p o n s i b i l i t y o f t h e P a r i s h C o u n c i l , b u t , a s w i t h p l a n n i n g p e r m i s s i o n , i t f r e q u e n t l y advises on local issues In the 1930s, t h e t h e n Towc e s t e r R D C b e g a n t o c o n s u l t a b o u t t h e n e e d f o r c o u n c i l h o u s i n g , w h i c h r e s u l t e d i n h o u s e

building in Blackwell End, the High Street and Church End After the war, a f o r m e r r u b b i s h d u m p a t F u r t h o L a n e w a s c l e a r e d f o r m o r e c o u n c i l house building in the late 1940s. The 1950s saw more houses built, often to r e p l a c e c o t t a g e s t h a t h a d b e e n demolished

The mid 1960s to early 1970s saw substantial growth of private housing The council does not appear to have opposed any of it, not even reacting to p r o p o s a l s f o r a p u b , r e s t a u r a n t a n d s h o p o n t h e Wo o d s F a r m development (Meadow View)!

T h e Pa r i s h C o u n c i l c o n s i d e r e d housing again in the late 1980s when c o n c e r n a b o u t t h e a v a i l a b i l i t y o f

Potterspury Parish Council

The first Parish Council meeting following the Local Government Act 1894 was held in the village school on 4 December 1894 Eleven nominations were received for the 11 seats on the council and Alfred J Smith (headteacher at the school), having been elected chairman for that meeting, read out the names and declared all duly elected The elected members first met on 13 December 1894 at the school Though he did not attend, His Grace the Duke of Grafton was unanimously elected as chairman and John Chettle as vice-chairman. That arrangement continued for some 20 years, until John Chettle resigned in 1914 and the Duke in 1915.

I n t h o s e d a y s , t h e c o u n c i l m e t f o u r t i m e s a y e a r, t h e m i n i m u m r e q u i r e d b y l a w. M e e t i n g s b e c a m e m o r e f r e q u e n t i n t h e 1 9 6 0 s , a n d h a v e b e e n m o n t h l y s i n c e 1 9 7 5 , w i t h p r o v i s i o n for the public to speak b e i n g i n t r o d u c e d i n 1 9 8 5 . T h e full council d e a l t w i t h a l l o f t h e b u s i n e s s u n t i l t h e 1 9 7 0 s , w h e n c o m m i t t e e s w e r e i n t r o d u c e d . Va r i o u s venues have been used, i n c l u d i n g t h e s c h o o l , t h e O l d S o c i a l r o o m , the village hall and the Wood Memorial Hall. The council has elected 2 0 c h a i r m e n ov e r 1 0 5 y e a r s , s o m e o f t h e m m o r e t h a n o n c e . T h e l o n g e s t c o n t i n u o u s s e r v i c e w a s b y t h e s e v e n t h D u k e o f G r a f t o n ( 2 1 y e a r s ) .

Only one woman, Mrs E Thacker (1949-51) has held the office of chairman The council has been ser ved by 12 parish clerks, the longest serving being the first, Alfred Smith, who was 25 years in office.

One member, Sidney Nor th, managed to be chairman and c l e r k ( u n p a i d ) a t t h e s a m e t i m e ( 1 9 4 4 - 5 ) No r t h w a s a c o u n c i l l o r f r o m 1 9 2 3 t o 1966, a total of 43 years. Even t h i s r e c o r d w a s b e a t e n b y E d w a r d D r u c e , w h o s e r v e d for 45 years, retiring when he c o u l d n o l o n g e r w a l k t o t h e m e e t i n g s f r o m Ho l l y Ho u s e Farm

Un t i l 1 9 3 1 , t h e n e x t t i e r o f l o c a l g ove r n m e n t w a s t h e Potterspur y Rural District Council. Thereafter, Towcester Rural District Council took over until 1974, when South N o r t h a n t s C o u n c i l came into being T h e c o u n c i l h a s n e ve r lacked nominations for seats The first election i s r e c o r d e d i n 1 9 2 7 , and in 1945 there were 22 nominations for 11 s e a t s n e c e s s i t a t i n g a poll. This situation has continued, even though in 1975 the number of s e a t s w a s i n c r e a s e d t o 1 3 , t h e h i g h e s t o f a n y parish in our district

I n 1 9 9 4 , t h e P a r i s h C o u n c i l c e l e b r a t e d i t s c e n t e n a r y b y e r e c t i n g a p l a q u e t o commemorate the first m e e t i n g . O n 7 December that year, a centenar y meeting was a t t e n d e d b y L o rd C h a r l e s Fi t z r oy, s o n o f t h e Du k e o f Grafton, and a histor y slide show was presented by Jack C l a m p, a p r e v i o u s c l e r k a n d a f o r m e r h e a d t e a c h e r o f Potterspur y primar y school

A l t h o u g h t h e a m o u n t o f business addressed by the Parish Council has increased over the years, some matters have always b e e n o n t h e a g e n d a . F o r instance, in 1899 the main topic w a s d r a i n a g e , a n d o n 1 0 F e b r u a r y 1 9 9 9 , t h e P a r i s h C o u n c i l w a s p l e a s e d t o h e a r a b o u t t h e a d o p t i o n o f M a y s Way sewers!

P o t t e r s p u r y P a r i s h C o u n c i l 1 9 9 9 o u t s i d e t h e v i l l a g e h a l l F r o m l e f t t o r i g h t :

Dennis Fitzgerald, Helen Westlake (Clerk), Mick Wootton, Jim Graves, Stephen Dring, John Soper, Anthony Cross, Ted McKay (Chairman), Steve Parkin, Geoff Lucas. In front: Jane Lynds, Lucie McKay.

Plaque commemorating the Parish Council centenary.

h o u s i n g f o r l o c a l p e o p l e l e d t o h o u s i n g n e e d s s u r v e y s . L o n g a n d c o m p l e x d e a l i n g s o v e r t h e i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f a s u i t a b l e s i t e f o r a l o c a l h o u s i n g s c h e m e w e r e f i n a l l y r e s o l v e d a n d a d e v e l o p m e n t o f 1 8 d w e l l i n g s a t C h e t t l e P l a c e w a s formally opened on 6 Februar y 1995.

R e c r e a t i o n a r e a s T h e f i r s t m e n t i o n o f p r o v i d i n g r e c r e a t i o n a l l a n d d a t e s t o 1 9 2 4 I n 1927, 12 residents formed Potterspur y P l a y i n g F i e l d A s s o c i a t i o n ( P P F A ) , w i t h t h e re m i t t o i d e n t i f y a s u i t a b l e location Mr Stewart offered a field at the rear of the Reindeer Inn for £55 p a but the offer was later withdrawn The search continued sporadically but t h e c o s t w a s a l w a y s c o n s i d e r e d prohibitive When the Blackwell End council houses were built in the late 1 9 4 0 s a n a r e a o f l a n d w a s m a d e available to the PPFA and equipment e r e c t e d . T h e r e m a i n i n g a r e a w a s t u r n e d i n t o a l l o t m e n t s I n 1 9 5 6 , i t w a s a g r e e d w i t h t h e v i l l a g e h a l l committee to have a play area at the rear of the hall for use by the children o f C h u rc h En d w h o k e p t p l a y i n g i n t h e ro a d . Wi t h i n a ye a r, t h e c o u n c i l r e c e i v e d c o m p l a i n t s a b o u t f o o t b a l l being played there and a netting fence was erected; the same complaints were received 30 years later in Mays Way

The rapid growth of the village in the 1960s encouraged the council to a c t A v a r i e t y o f s i t e s n o r t h o f t h e

High Street were discussed In 1968, M e a d o w V i e w f i e l d w a s f i n a l l y p u r c h a s e d w i t h a g r a n t f r o m t h e County Council and a loan of £3000. M a n y Pa r i s h C o u n c i l m e e t i n g s a n d

s i t e m e e t i n g s w e r e d e v o t e d t o p r o d u c i n g a p l a y i n g f i e l d f r o m t h e sloping land The field was levelled by m a c h i n e s t a k i n g o u t t h e h i l l b e yo n d Meadow View houses to build up low a r e a s c l o s e t o t h e b r o o k . T h e f i n a l surface was much too rough to play on a n d t h e a s s i s t a n c e o f v i l l a g e r s w a s sought to remove stones from the area Problems such as straying pigs crossing t h e f o o t b r i d g e a l s o h a d t o b e addressed! Meetings then concentrated o n t h e f a c i l i t i e s t o b e p r ov i d e d a n d how to run them. Discussions at these m e e t i n g s a n d t h e p e r c e i v e d n e e d t o a v o i d P a r i s h C o u n c i l e x p e n s e eventually led a group of villagers to f o r m t h e P o t t e r s p u r y S p o r t s a n d Social Club

In 1973, the Parish Council took responsibility for the maintenance of the small play area provided in the last phase of the Mays Way development I n t h e s a m e y e a r, t h e c o u n c i l t o o k

R o l l o f P a r i s h C o u n c i l C h a i r m e n a n d C l e r k s

C H A I R M E N

Du k e o f Gr a f t o n 1 8 9 4 – 1 9 1 5 Mr W. Patterson ( d i e d ) 1 9 1 5 – 1 9 3 1 L o rd Hi l l i n g d o n 1 9 3 1 – 1 9 3 6 M r S No r t h 1 9 3 6 – 1 9 3 8

M r E Dr u c e 1 9 3 8 – 1 9 4 2 M r S No r t h 1 9 4 2 – 1 9 4 5 M r L a w s o n 1 9 4 5 – 1 9 4 7 M r C Me a k i n s 1 9 4 7 – 1 9 4 9

M r s E T h a c k e r 1 9 4 9 – 1 9 5 1 M r J . So p e r 1 9 5 1 – 1 9 5 3 M r S . No r t h 1 9 5 3 – 1 9 5 5

M r H . Pr o s s e r 1 9 5 5 – 1 9 5 7 Re v. R . R i c h a rd s 1 9 5 7 – 1 9 6 0 M r S . No r t h 1 9 6 0 – 1 9 6 1 M r W Ro b e r t s 1 9 6 1 – 1 9 6 3

M r H . Pr o s s e r 1 9 6 3 – 1 9 6 5 M r J . So p e r 1 9 6 5 – 1 9 6 8 M r H Pr o s s e r 1 9 6 8 – 1 9 7 0 M r R P y e 1 9 7 0 ( Ma y – Ju n e ) M r J R i c h a rd s 1 9 7 0 – 1 9 7 1 M r H Pr o s s e r 1 9 7 1 – 1 9 7 3 M r R P y e 1 9 7 3 – 1 9 7 4

M r L Sp e n c e r 1 9 7 4 – 1 9 7 7

Re v Ro n How e 1 9 7 7 – 1 9 7 9 M r M . O g d e n 1 9 7 9 – 1 9 8 2 M r B . A l l e n 1 9 8 2 – 1 9 8 8 M r M . Wo o t t o n 1 9 8 8 – 1 9 9 3

M r J . Di x o n 1 9 9 3 – 1 9 9 4

M r M . Wo o t t o n 1994 (May – Oct) M r E Mc K a y 1 9 9 4 –

C L E R K S

M r J Sm i t h 1 8 9 4 – 1 9 1 9

M r Ba r n a rd 1 9 1 9 – 1 9 2 2

M r J . Fa i r c h i l d 1 9 2 2 – 1 9 3 5

M r D . K e r r ( m e m b e r ) 1 9 3 5

M r D . K e r r 1 9 3 5 – 1 9 4 4

M r S . No r t h ( m e m b e r ) 1 9 4 4 – 1 9 5 1

M r Fo rd 1 9 5 1 – 1 9 5 6

M r J Wa r re n 1 9 5 6 – 1 9 7 2

M r J C l a m p 1 9 7 2 – 1 9 7 4

M r s Ma r s h a l l 1 9 7 4 – 1 9 7 5

M r C . Ab b o t t 1 9 7 5 – 1 9 8 0

M r J . C l a m p 1 9 8 0 – 1 9 8 4

M r s H . We s t l a k e 1 9 8 4 –

ov e r re s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r t h e Bl a c k w e l l E n d a n d v i l l a g e h a l l p l a y a r e a s , p r e v i o u s l y e q u i p p e d b y p u b l i c subscription, from a separate Playing Fi e l d C o m m i t t e e . T h e c o u n c i l h a s m a i n t a i n e d t h e f o u r p l a y a r e a s a n d a d d e d t o t h e p l a y e q u i p m e n t s i n c e t h e n . I n 1 9 9 8 , t h e r e b e g a n a f u n d a m e n t a l re v i e w o f t h e o u t d a t e d e q u i p m e n t a n d t h e c u r re n t n e e d s o f the village Following a questionnaire t o a l l re s i d e n t s , t h e l i m i t e d re s p o n s e indicated that residents did not wish to lose any of the village open spaces b u t o n e o r t w o p l a y a r e a s m i g h t beneficially change their character

V i l l a g e c h a r i t i e s a n d o t h e r g r o u p s Si n c e t h e 1 9 7 0 s , t h e Pa r i s h C o u n c i l h a s p r o v i d e d f i n a n c i a l s u p p o r t f o r b o t h t h e v i l l a g e h a l l a n d t h e Sp o r t s a n d S o c i a l C l u b , t o a s s i s t w i t h building works. Lengthy negotiations ove r t h e l e a s e f o r t h e Me a d ow Vi e w site of the club occupied the council i n t h e e a r l y 1 9 7 0 s a n d a g a i n i n 1994/5 It has always been the policy of the council to charge minimal rents to village groups, e g the Scouts and the football and cricket clubs T h e c o u n c i l i n h e r i t e d c h a r i t y t r u s t e e s t a t u s f r o m t h e e a r l y p a r i s h meetings of the 1890s It has always a p p o i n t e d t w o t r u s t e e s t o s h a r e t h e d u t y o f d i s t r i b u t i n g c o a l a n d b r e a d (money in the post-war years) to the p o o r o f t h e p a r i s h T h e c o u n c i l b e c a m e s o l e t r u s t e e o f t h e Bl a c k we l l E n d r e c r e a t i o n a r e a i n 1 9 8 1 , custodian trustee of the village hall in 1979, and it has supported the village n e w s l e t t e r, T h e O l d M a i l , s i n c e i t s inception in 1983.

I n t h e l a t t e r p a r t o f t h e 1 9 t h

centur y and early 20th centur y, when people were relatively poor and before t h e w e l f a r e s t a t e o r t h e N a t i o n a l H e a l t h S e r v i c e , l o c a l c l u b s a n d s o c i e t i e s w e r e e s t a b l i s h e d t o e n s u r e t h a t t h o s e w h o f e l l o n h a r d t i m e s would at least receive some degree of support in their time of need. One of t h e s e w a s t h e Po t t e r s p u r y, Ya r d l e y G o b i o n a n d F u r t h o M e d i c a l a n d B e n e f i t C l u b , s u p p o r t e d b y subscription and donations from the well-off such as the Duke of Grafton T h i s f u n d s t a r t e d i n 1 8 4 0 a n d i n 1 8 9 1 ( f o r w h i c h w e i l l u s t r a t e t h e published accounts), some 81 villagers

f r o m Po t t e r s p u r y w e r e s u p p o r t e d d u r i n g t h e y e a r , t h e r a t e o f s i c k a l l o w a n c e b e i n g 1 0 s p e r w e e k f o r men, 3s per week for women

Pr i o r t o t h a t i t w a s t o c h a r i t i e s that people turned in times of trouble. Potterspur y, like many villages, had a n u m b e r o f t h e s e c h a r i t i e s C l a r k e ’ s G i f t d a t e s f r o m 1 6 2 4 , a c c r u i n g a rental of £2 per annum on Woodford M i l l , R i n g s t e a d , K e t t e r i n g , f o r t h e b e n e f i t o f P o t t e r s p u r y p o o r T h e Cuthber t Ogle charity was jointly to support the parish vicar and the poor o f t h e t w o v i l l a g e s , a n d d a t e s f r o m 1 6 3 3 . T h e W h i t t l e b u r y Fo r e s t C o a l

P o t t e r s p u r y , Y a r d l e y G o b i o n a n d F u r t h o M e d i c a l

Meadow View playground with new equipment installed, 2000 [Peter Webb]

C h a r i t y w a s t o re p l a c e l o s t r i g h t s t o g a t h e r w o o d i n W h i t t l e b u r y Fo r e s t following Inclosure Peake’s Gift was known as the ‘Green Gowns’ charity, f o r p o o r w i d o w s i n Po t t e r s p u r y t o receive green gowns ever y two years L a t e r i t b e c a m e a n allocation of 10s ( 5 0 p ) f o r t h r e e w i d o w s o n c e a y e a r. T h e r e w a s a l s o t h e N i c h o l a s S a x b y Charity dating from 1672 to provide for repairs to the church of Potterspury, repairs to bridges and for relief of the sick and disabled These charities were administered by St Nicholas vicar and c h u r c h w a r d e n s u n t i l 1 9 9 8 w h e n a l l

( e x c e p t C l a r k e ’ s ) w e r e a m a l g a m a t e d i n t o t h e Po t t e r s p u r y a n d Ya r d l e y G o b i o n C o m b i n e d C h a r i t y a s t h e a m o u n t s o f m o n e y i n v o l v e d h a d diminished in comparison with average earnings The combined income is now a d m i n i s t e r e d a n n u a l l y b y t h e Pa r i s h Council.

Ty p i c a l o f t h e t y p e s o f c l u b t h a t sprang up to augment them was the Coal Club This was simply a means o f l o c a l l y o r g a n i s e d s a v i n g w h i c h enabled people to ensure an adequate supply of fuel

E n v i r o n m e n t a l i m p r o v e m e n t s

No mention of this issue is found in council minutes until 1937, when the refuse dump on Yardley Road was felt to be undesirable Another in Furtho Lane was a cause for worr y during the w a r : t h i s p r o b l e m w a s s o l v e d b y building houses on the site! In recent y e a r s , a V i l l a g e I m p r o v e m e n t s Committee has been a permanent part of the council

The first litter bin was bought by t h e c o u n c i l i n 1 9 6 2 w h e n l i t t e r a n d g e n e r a l u n t i d i n e s s f i r s t f e a t u r e i n d e b a t e . S i n c e t h e n , t h e c o u n c i l h a s a d d e d m a n y b i n s t h r o u g h o u t t h e village. Later in the 1960s the council h a d t o d i s c u s s i s s u e s s u c h a s Du t c h Elm disease and fowl pest but took no a c t i o n . S u b s e q u e n t c o u n c i l s h a v e provided funds for planting numerous t r e e s , n o t a b l y 4 0 a l o n g t h e A 5 t o commemorate the 40th anniversar y of t h e Q u e e n ’ s C o r o n a t i o n . C o n c e r n a b o u t s t u b b l e b u r n i n g w a s f i r s t m i n u t e d i n 1 9 8 0 , a n d t h e c o u n c i l re c e i v e d c o n t i n u a l c o m p l a i n t s a b o u t s m o k e a n d p o l l u t i o n u n t i l b u r n i n g w a s m a d e i l l e g a l i n t h e e a r l y 1 9 9 0 s . Concern about dog fouling dates back to 1967; complaints escalated until, in 1992, the council was the first in the district to enact a bye-law to impose controls on dogs in the play areas

N o t e v e r y v e n t u r e h a s b e e n s u c c e s s f u l In 1 9 8 6 , t h e c o u n c i l f i r s t c o n s i d e r e d t h e c r e a t i o n o f a p o c k e t p a r k a n d a v i l l a g e p o n d , b u t n o suitable site has ever been obtained In 1 9 9 5 , t h e r e w a s m u c h l o c a l enthusiasm for the purchase of part of Wakefield Wood for public access, but funds could not be found in time.

The council has pressed for better s t r e e t s w e e p i n g a n d s u p p o r t e d t h e r e c yc l i n g o f w a s t e T h e l a t t e r i s n o t new, however: in 1941, four boys were c o e r c e d i n t o c o l l e c t i n g w a s t e p a p e r a r o u n d t h e v i l l a g e a n d t o o k i t t o a d e p o t a t Po t t e r s p u r y H o u s e T h e y r e c e i v e d a C h r i s t m a s b o x f o r t h e i r efforts

T h e c o u n c i l h a s b e e n a c t i v e l y i n v o l v e d i n m a n y a n n u a l O p e r a t i o n Springcleans and was delighted when

and Benefit Club accounts of 1891

Potterspur y won the ‘Most Improved’ c a t e g o r y o f t h e No r t h a m p t o n s h i r e ’ s V i l l a g e o f t h e Ye a r c o m p e t i t i o n i n 1996 The council has acted as agent f o r No r t h a n t s C o u n t y C o u n c i l w i t h re g a rd t o t h e ve r g e m ow i n g f o r ove r 2 0 y e a r s , l e a d i n g t o a m u c h h i g h e r s t a n d a r d o f m a i n t e n a n c e a n d a n i m p r o v e m e n t i n t h e v i l l a g e appearance

A l l o t m e n t s S i n c e t h e c o u n c i l t o o k o v e r t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r B l a c k w e l l E n d r e c r e a t i o n a r e a i n 1 9 7 3 , i t h a s a d m i n i s t e r e d t h e e i g h t a l l o t m e n t g a r d e n s t h e r e . I n 1 9 9 7 , f a l l i n g d e m a n d l e d t o a d e c i s i o n t o r e d u c e numbers to four The responsibility is ver y small, but the picture might have b e e n d i f f e re n t b e c a u s e , i n 1 9 2 0 , t h e Pa r i s h C o u n c i l r e s o l v e d t o a s k t h e C o u n t y C o u n c i l t o p u r c h a s e t h e Poundfield Road allotment gardens so t h a t t h e y c o u l d b e l e a s e d . How e v e r, t h e Pa r i s h C o u n c i l’s c e i l i n g w a s £ 4 0 an acre whereas the Duke of Grafton’s agent bid £45 an acre and won The c o u n c i l d e c l i n e d t o e n t e r i n t o a n y l e a s e a r r a n g e m e n t ! C o n s e q u e n t l y, t h e s e a l l o t m e n t s a r e i n p r i v a t e o w n e r s h i p , a n d h a v e d w i n d l e d i n numbers over recent years as the site h a s b e e n d e v e l o p e d f o r s t a b l e s w i t h paddocks for horses

T h e C e m e t e r y

In 1979, the Parish Council took over responsibility from the Church for the general maintenance of the cemeter y Help from the Rainer Foundation was enlisted to clear the overgrowth, a task t h a t t o o k s e v e r a l y e a r s . T h e c o u n c i l undertook the repair of the cemeter y c h a p e l r o o f i n 1 9 9 0 , a n d i n 1 9 9 5 b e g a n t h e l o n g t a s k o f re p a i r i n g t h e b o u n d a r y w a l l a n d r e s t o r i n g t h e wrought iron gates With the help of grants from South Northants Council, this project was completed in 1999, in t i m e t o m a r k t h e M i l l e n n i u m . Me a n w h i l e , i t h a d b e c o m e o b v i o u s t h a t t h e c e m e t e r y w a s f u l l b u t , a f t e r negotiations with the Church and the C h a p e l , a l t e r n a t i v e b u r i a l arrangements were made and the need t o a c q u i r e a n e w c e m e t e r y w a s

a v o i d e d T h e P a r i s h C o u n c i l a l s o s u p p o r t e d Po t t e r s p u r y Im p r ov e m e n t Group which has created a Garden of Re m e m b r a n c e f o r t h e c e m e t e r y a s a Millennium project.

P u b l i c t r a n s p o r t

The Parish Council has often lobbied for improvements to bus ser vices since t h e 1 9 3 0 s We l e a r n f r o m C r i c k e t C l u b m i n u t e s t h a t t h e c l u b d o n a t e d £3 in 1953 towards the cost of a bus s h e l t e r n e x t t o t h e v i l l a g e h a l l t o c o m m e m o r a t e t h e c o r o n a t i o n o f Q u e e n El i z a b e t h I I . T h e b u s s h e l t e r was funded by donations from village o r g a n i s a t i o n s a n d b u i l t by vo l u n t a r y labour However its upkeep caused the c o u n c i l m u c h t r o u b l e a n d i t w a s demolished in 1974.

C o n c e s s i o n a r y t r a v e l t o k e n s f o r p e n s i o n e r s w e r e f i r s t i n t r o d u c e d i n 1 9 7 6 , a n d t h e c o u n c i l h a s b e e n responsible for their distribution ever since.

L a w a n d o r d e r

A n o t h e r i n h e r i t a n c e f r o m t h e 1 9 t h c e n t u r y w a s t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r a p p o i n t i n g t h r e e p a r i s h c o n s t a b l e s from amongst the residents This was done without fail until October 1941 w h e n t h e d u t y w a s r e v o k e d . I t i s i n t e re s t i n g t o n o t e t h a t i n c i d e n c e o f v a n d a l i s m i s n o t m e n t i o n e d i n t h e c o u n c i l m i n u t e s u n t i l 1 9 5 6 T h e re a f t e r t h i s s u b j e c t h a s o c c u p i e d an increasing amount of council time without any real solution being found. T h e c o u n c i l h a s s u p p o r t e d t h e Ne i g h b o u r h o o d Wa t c h s c h e m e s i n c e it began in the 1980s

S i g n i f i c a n t n a t i o n a l e v e n t s Celebrations to commemorate historic events, such as coronations or the end o f w a r , w e r e f u n d e d b y p u b l i c subscription, and usually organised by t h e Pa r i s h C o u n c i l Fo r e x a m p l e , i n 1 9 1 9 a Pe a c e C e l e b r a t i o n Fu n d w a s s e t u p a n d £ 1 7 - 1 8 s - 1 d ( £ 1 7 9 0 ) collected and spent on a good time for all, including a hot dinner for 65 exs e r v i c e m e n a t t h e A n c h o r I n n I n 1936 the coronation of Edward VIII

was to be marked by a parade, a peal of bells, sports, children’s teas, gifts of m o n e y f o r t h e e l d e r l y a n d a v i l l a g e dance, all paid for by a house to house collection. In the event, a late change m e a n t t h e s e c e l e b r a t i o n s i n s t e a d marked the coronation of George VI in 1937! The last mention of an event o f t h i s k i n d w a s t h e c o r o n a t i o n o f E l i z a b e t h I I i n 1 9 5 3 , w h e n t h e council was involved in organising a firework display

T h e F i r s t Wo r l d Wa r d o e s n o t feature widely in the council minutes but the Second World War saw extra m e e t i n g s a n d d u t i e s I n O c t o b e r 1938, an emergency meeting was held t o a p p o i n t a i r r a i d w a r d e n s a n d a v i l l a g e m e s s e n g e r , t o d i s c u s s t h e b i l l e t i n g o f 3 2 0 p e o p l e , t r e n c h construction, gas raid precautions and a mobile ambulance ser vice The clerk re s i g n e d i n 1 9 3 9 b u t h i s re s i g n a t i o n was not accepted, presumably because o f t h e d i f f i c u l t i e s o f f i n d i n g a successor at that time!

In 1 9 4 0 , t h e s c h e d u l e d e l e c t i o n s were deferred and the existing council s t a y e d i n o f f i c e u n t i l 1 9 4 2 Tw o m e m b e r s s e r v e d o n a Po t t e r s p u r y C o m f o r t s F u n d c o m m i t t e e . Permission was granted to remove the iron railings from around the Church End green for scrap iron. The ‘Dig for V i c t o r y ’ c a m p a i g n , w h i c h i n v o l v e d cultivation of unused land for growing vegetables to supplement rations, was discussed, but no action was taken as t h e re we re n o u n e m p l oye d m e n a n d ever yone had their own garden

D u r i n g t h e w a r y e a r s , m a n y m e e t i n g s we re c a n c e l l e d a s m e m b e r s w e r e w o r k i n g o v e r t i m e f o r t h e w a r e f f o r t . A s s o o n a s t h e w a r e n d e d , h o w e v e r , m e m b e r s w e r e m u c h i n v o l v e d i n m e e t i n g u r g e n t h o u s i n g needs, distributing gifts of food from t h e C o m m o n w e a l t h , r a i s i n g m o n e y f o r V i c t o r y D a y a n d e r e c t i n g a w a r m e m o r i a l ( w h i c h b e c a m e a r o l l o f honour in the church)

P u b l

M o s t o f t h e s e r v i c e s t h a t w e n o w r e g a rd a s u t i l i t i e s , t h e w a t e r s u p p l y,

i c S e r v i c e s a n d U t i l i t i e s

t h e s e w e r a g e , a n d t h e g a s a n d e l e c t r i c i t y s u p p l i e s , h a v e o n l y a p p e a r e d i n t h e v i l l a g e d u r i n g t h e 2 0 t h c e n t u r y, s o m e m u c h l a t e r t h a n y o u m i g h t i m a g i n e . T h e r e a r e a l s o s e r v i c e s s u c h a s p o s t a n d t e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s t h a t a r e administered nationally

Wa t e r s u p p l y

In the early years the village had relied o n n a t u r a l s p r i n g s w h i c h w e r e l a t e r s u p p l e m e n t e d b y a l a r g e n u m b e r o f wells sunk on various properties in the v i l l a g e In 1 8 9 6 , a f t e r a n i n c re a s e i n the cases of typhoid fever, 60 residents a t t e n d e d a m e e t i n g a b o u t c o n t a m i n a t i o n o f t h e s u p p l y, a n d i t was recorded that ‘All wells are liable t o c o n t a m i n a t i o n a n d a l l d r i n k i n g w a t e r s h o u l d b e b o i l e d ’ A r o u n d about 1912 (according to Hilda Faux’s ‘ M e m o r i e s ’ ) a r u d i m e n t a r y w a t e r m a i n w a s l a i d i n t h e v i l l a g e t o s e r ve t h e ‘ p u m p s ’ , w h i c h w e r e n o t t r u e pumps, but standpipes turned on by l i f t i n g t h e h a n d l e A b o u t f i v e w e r e l o c a t e d t h r o u g h t h e v i l l a g e , n o t including one on Watling Street used for watering passing horses.

B y 1 9 2 0 , a s m a l l n u m b e r o f h o u s e s w e r e a l s o c o n n e c t e d , a m o n g them Woods farmhouse and Elmfield f a r m h o u s e T h e s u p p l y c a m e f ro m a w e l l i n a f i e l d o n t h e o t h e r s i d e o f Wa t l i n g S t r e e t t o t h e r e a r o f t h e ‘police houses’. This location was far e n o u g h a w a y f r o m h a b i t a t i o n t o p re ve n t a n y c o n t a m i n a t i o n f ro m t h e d r a i n s A c ove re d t a n k , l o c a t e d o n a t o w e r t o g i v e e n o u g h p r e s s u r e , w a s filled from the well, at first by a wind p u m p , l a t e r s u p p l e m e n t e d b y a n e n g i n e . I t w a s c o m m o n i n t h e summer months for the supply to dr y u p , a n d t h e n v i l l a g e r s f i l l e d v e s s e l s from two springs in the village, one in Blackwell End and another in Church End. Older residents recall how cool a n d s we e t t h i s w a t e r w a s . It a p p e a r s t h a t m a n y d i d n o t b o t h e r t o b o i l i t before drinking it, but have sur vived anyway

The local supply was in use until a f t e r t h e Se c o n d Wo r l d Wa r At t h i s t i m e , J o h n S m i t h , t h e v i l l a g e b l a c k s m i t h , w i t h M r Po w e l l ’ s h e l p ,

l o o k e d a f t e r t h e p u m p a n d a l s o rationed the supply in dr y summers to a f e w h o u r s a d a y. A f t e r t h e Se c o n d Wo r l d Wa r t h e w a t e r m a i n w a s eventually upgraded and fed into most e x i s t i n g h o u s e s T h i s s u p p l y c a m e f r o m m a i n s c o n n e c t e d t o t h e Bu c k s Wa t e r B o a r d s u p p l y r e s e r v o i r s T h e o l d w a t e r t owe r b e c a m e d e re l i c t a n d was demolished in about 1969. A new r e s e r v o i r w a s c o n s t r u c t e d i n t h e w o o d s a t Po i n t ’ s C o p s e b e y o n d t h e Wakefield estate on the road towards Wicken, and this was enlarged in the 1 9 7 0 s a s t h e p o p u l a t i o n i n P o t t e r s p u r y a n d t h e o t h e r l o c a l villages exploded. The supply is now provided by Anglian Water and is fed from Rutland Water

A l t h o u g h t h e v i l l a g e h a d b e e n u n d e r g o i n g a l l t h e s e c h a n g e s , t h e Wa k e f i e l d e s t a t e h a s c o n t i n u e d t o e n j o y i t s o w n s u p p l y f r o m s p r i n g s n e a r P a u l e r s p u r y, a n d i s s t i l l n o t connected to the mains

E l e c t r i c i t y s u p p l y

Mains electricity came to the village in 1933, supplied by the Nor thampton Electric Light and Power Company In the following year the Parish Council w r o t e t o t h e c o m p a n y c o m p l a i n i n g a b o u t t h e h i g h c o s t p e r u n i t A d i s p u t e e n s u e d a s t o j u s t w h a t t h e charges were! Four old pence per unit ( 2 p ) w a s q u o t e d b y t h e c o u n c i l b u t the company claimed it was less than h a l f t h i s . E i t h e r w a y, t h i s w a s expensive when £2 a week was a good w a g e Ou r e l e c t r i c i t y s t i l l re a c h e s u s by long stretches of overhead lines; as a r e s u l t , t h e v i l l a g e s t i l l h a s t h e o c c a s i o n a l b r e a k i n s u p p l y d u r i n g s e v e r e s t o r m s , h i g h w i n d s o r h e a v y snowfalls.

G a s s u p p l y

The last of the utilities to reach us –a n d s t i l l n o t a va i l a b l e i n a l l p a r t s o f t h e v i l l a g e – w a s g a s . A s u p p l y o f coal/town gas arrived in August 1966, M e a d o w V i e w b e i n g t h e f i r s t a r e a c o n n e c t e d b y E a s t M i d l a n d s G a s Board. The supply, and all appliances, w a s c o n v e r t e d t o n a t u r a l g a s a f e w years later

S e w a g e d i s p o s a l T h e r e h a d b e e n s o m e c r u d e d r a i n s laid in the early 19th centur y to take away kitchen slops etc These appear to have simply emptied into the brook

C h o l e r a o u t b r e a k o f 1 8 5 4

B e f o r e t h e v i l l a g e h a d a p i p e d w a t e r s u p p l y t h e r e w e r e r e g u l a r outbreaks of typhoid and cholera, d i s e a s e s t h a t w e r e o ften fatal and p i c k e d u p f r o m c o n t a m i n a t e d d r i n k i n g w a t e r. O n e v i r u l e n t outbreak occurred in 1854, when 19 deaths from cholera were recorded in t h e Pa r i s h R e g i s t e r o v e r a t w o month period during September to N o v e m b e r . C h i l d r e n w e r e par ticularly susceptable and 10 of t h e f a t a l i t i e s we re u n d e r s i x ye a r s o l d . T h re e d e a t h s w e re f r o m o n e family, Eliza Wootton and her two d a u g h t e r s , P h o e b e , a g e d 7 , a n d Eliza, aged 2, all on the same day They were followed by three more Wo o t t o n c h i l d r e n , b u t f r o m different families Two others who d i e d f r o m t h e s a m e f a m i l y w e r e R a c h e l P r i c e , a g e d 1 7 , a n d h e r brother Robert, aged 4

Water tower soon after installation [Source: Jack Clamp]

Wa t e r p u m p o n t h e A 5

He n r y St e w a r t r e c a l l s t h a t d u r i n g and after the First World War, many h o m e l e s s p e o p l e t r a v e l l e d o n f o o t along the A5, and b e c a m e a n u i s a n c e a s t h e y w e r e f o r e v e r k n o c k i n g o n d o o r s a s k i n g f o r w a t e r t o d r i n k An approach was m a d e t o t h e Duke of Grafton, a n d h e f i n a n c e d t h e e r e c t i o n o f a w a t e r p u m p o n the Puxley side of t h e A 5 n e a r t h e

w i t h o u t a n y t r e a t m e n t , a n d w e r e f r e q u e n t l y r e g a r d e d a s t h e c a u s e o f d i s e a s e , i n c l u d i n g t y p h o i d a n d c h o l e r a , i n t h e v i l l a g e . T h e Pa r i s h Council and chief property owner, the D u k e o f G r a f t o n , o f t e n b e c a m e involved in repairs to this antiquated s y s t e m S o m e i m p r o v e m e n t s w e r e m a d e i n t h e l a t e 1 9 t h c e n t u r y w h e n f i l t e r b e d s w e r e c o n s t r u c t e d n e x t t o t h e b ro o k d ow n s t re a m f ro m C h u rc h End However sewage disposal was for most by bucket, the contents of which were taken away by cart and spread on n e i g h b o u r i n g f i e l d s . A n e w s e we r a g e scheme was discussed in 1937, but in

brook. It was also used as a watering trough for horses and ponies pulling carts and traps Unfortunately it was n o t p r o p e r l y protected from the w e a t h e r , a n d d u r i n g t h e h e a v y f r o s t a n d s n o w i n 1947 the steel core p i p e s p l i t a n d c o u l d n o t b e r e p a i r e d B y t h a t t i m e t h e p u m p h a d o u t l i v e d i t s usefulness as mains w a t e r h a d a r r i v e d in the village

1 9 4 5 t h e P a r i s h C o u n c i l w a s s t i l l asking the night soil men not to call w h e n t h e c h i l d r e n w e r e g o i n g t o s c h o o l a n d m o r n i n g m i l k w a s b e i n g delivered. It was not until 1954 that p r o p e r m a i n s s e w e r a g e c a m e t o t h e village Ver y deep trenches were laid in several par ts of the village and along the line of the brook beyond Church E n d t o p i p e s e w a g e a w a y t o O l d Stratford treatment works This now g o e s t o A n g l i a n Wa t e r ’ s t r e a t m e n t w o r k s a t C o t t o n Va l l e y i n M i l t o n K e y n e s . E v e n o n t h e n e w e r e s t a t e s p r o b l e m s h a v e a r i s e n w i t h s u bstandard drains and it wasn ’ t until the

m i d 1 9 9 0 s t h a t t h e L i m e s e s t a t e s e w e r s w e r e a d o p t e d b y A n g l i a n Water

P o s t a l a n d t e l e p h o n e s e r v i c e s K e l l y ’ s D i r e c t o r y o f 1 8 4 7 s h o w s Po t t e r s p u r y a s h a v i n g a p o s t o f f i c e w i t h M r E S c r i v e n e r a s p o s t m a s t e r Scrivener, who was also a butcher and grocer, was still in post in 1861, when t h e m a i l w a s d e l i v e r e d t o t h e p o s t office from Stony Stratford at 7 a m a n d c o l l e c t e d a t 6 p m A s f a r a s i s known the office was already situated at 26 High Street, where it remained until 1984.

By 1869 the Osborne family had started their long association with the p o s t o f f i c e , w h i c h w a s t o l a s t a b o u t 1 2 0 y e a r s W i l l i a m O s b o r n e h a d become the postmaster, and the village also had a Sunday collection at 11.50 a . m . I n 1 8 7 1 C h a r l o t t e O s b o r n e b e c a m e p o s t m i s t r e s s , b u t b y 1 8 7 4 George Osborne had taken over, while c o n t i n u i n g i n t h e f a m i l y t r a d e a s w h e e l w r i g h t . T h e f i r s t m e n t i o n o f Potterspur y as a telegraph office is in 1 8 9 4 I t i s l i k e l y t h a t t h e o n l y collection point was at the post office until a post box was fixed to the fence o f T h e O l d S o c i a l a t t h e t o p o f Church Lane, around about 1900

I n t h e e a r l y y e a r s o f t h e 2 0 t h c e n t u r y Po t t e r s p u r y p o s t o f f i c e a l s o h a n d l e d m o n e y o r d e r s a n d w a s a

T h e V i l l a g e P o p u l a t i o n

Firm records of the village population go back only to t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e 1 9 t h c e n t u r y, w h e n t h e re w e re o n l y a b o u t 7 0 0 r e s i d e n t s . T h e p o p u l a t i o n e x p a n d e d r e a c h i n g a p e a k o f n e a r l y 1 1 0 0 i n 1 8 5 0 a n d t h e n remained fairly static until 1890 despite the prevalence of large families. The population star ted to decline and w a s l i t t l e m o r e t h a n 7 0 0 a g a i n w h e n t h e Wa k e f i e l d estate was broken upin the 1920s There was no real recover y until the 1960s when Meadow View and the L i m e s e s t a t e s w e r e b u i l t a n d t h e v i l l a g e p o p u l a t i o n expanded to almost double its size Since that time the p o p u l a t i o n h a s a g a i n s t a b i l i s e d T h e p o p u l a t i o n str ucture and its change from the late 19th to the late 20th centuries will be examined in Chapter 10

The old pump on the A5 [Hilda Faux’s ‘Memories’]

s a v i n g s b a n k G e o r g e O s b o r n e w a s s t i l l p o s t m a s t e r, a n d a p p e a r s t o h a ve remained so until after 1914 By 1910 t h e v i l l a g e h a d t w o d a i l y d e l i v e r i e s f r o m St o n y St r a t f o rd , a t 7 a m a n d 11 45 a m , and collections at 12 45 p m a n d 6 3 5 p m T h e S u n d a y collection remained at 11.50 a.m. By 1 9 1 4 a t e l e p h o n e h a d a r r i ve d a t t h e post office but could only be used for calls in the local area! British Telecom records show that a manual telephone e x c h a n g e w a s o p e n e d a t Ya r d l e y G o b i o n o n 1 6 M a r c h 1 9 1 4 T h e number of Potterspur y post office was Yardley Gobion 1.

By 1920 the postmaster was W O s b o r n e . T h e n e x t m a j o r c h a n g e a p p e a r s t o b e s o m e t i m e b e t w e e n 1928 and 1931 when the mail sorting office was moved to Northampton W O s b o r n e d i e d i n 1 9 3 2 a n d w a s succeeded by Ger tr ude Osborne She i n t u r n w a s s u c c e e d e d b y h e r s o n Fre d , w h o m a y h a ve b e e n k n ow n t o many reading this book. Fred always k n e w w h a t s o r t o f t i m e yo u h a d o n h o l i d a y f ro m t h e p o s t c a rd s yo u s e n t t o f r i e n d s a n d r e l a t i v e s b a c k i n t h e village He nearly always commented

a b o u t i t o n y o u r r e t u r n a n d s o m e p e o p l e t h e n t o o k t o a d d re s s i n g t h e i r c o m m e n t s t o F r e d a s w e l l a s t h e recipients!

W i t h t h e i n c r e a s e i n h o u s e b u i l d i n g a f t e r t h e w a r i t b e c a m e necessar y for houses in the village to be numbered (by the 1950s).

I n 1 9 8 4 t h e p o s t o f f i c e w a s transferred to the Cottage Stores The

p o s t b o x l o c a t e d i n t h e w a l l o f 2 6 High Street remained there for a few more years, and the same box, bearing a George VI inscription (GVIR), was then transferred to the junction with Mays Way This marked the end of an e r a o f o v e r 1 5 0 y e a r s o f m a i l collection at 26 High Street.

There are two other post boxes in Potterspur y: one opposite the village

V I L L A G E D E V E L O P m E N T

T h e H i g h S t r e e t w i t h the village post office in t h e m i d d l e d i s t a n c e , before it was altered [Mrs Mary Nunnari]

The post office counter within the Cottage Stores as it was in the 1990s [John Hellins School]

h a l l , w h i c h r e p l a c e d t h e o n e a t t h e end of Church Lane, and another at t h e j u n c t i o n o f B l a c k w e l l E n d w i t h Watling Street Both these boxes bear the Elizabeth II inscription (EIIR)

The telephone ser vice had moved on as well The manual exchange was r e p l a c e d i n a b o u t 1 9 3 7 b y a n ‘ u n a t t e n d e d a u t o m a t i c e x c h a n g e ’ i n t h e N o r t h a m p t o n R o a d a t Ya r d l e y G o b i o n . T h e b r i c k b u i l d i n g t h a t h o u s e d i t i s s t i l l t h e r e , a s a g a r d e n w o r k s h o p T h e ‘ n e w ’ e x c h a n g e n e a r t h e C o f f e e Po t I n n w a s o p e n e d i n 1 9 7 3 , m a k i n g u s p a r t o f t h e Mi l t o n Keynes numbering area In 1993 this w a s i n t u r n r e p l a c e d b y a d i g i t a l exchange, located in just a corner of the same building – such is progress! The village has two phone boxes, one near the village hall and the other on Watling Street by the bridge over the brook.

R a d i o

No one today can remember who had t h e f i r s t r a d i o i n t h e v i l l a g e , b u t s e ve ra l re m e m b e r o l de r b ro t h e rs a n d o t h e r r e l a t i v e s f i d d l i n g w i t h c a t ’ s whisker sets in the early 1920s when the first weak signals were heard from L o n d o n . A t r a n s m i t t e r o p e n e d a t D a v e n t r y i n Ju l y 1 9 2 5 r e l a y i n g t h e B B C Na t i o n a l S e r v i c e A s h o p n e a r t h e A n c h o r I n n w o u l d r e c h a r g e a c c u m u l a t o r s ( re c h a r g e a b l e b a t t e r i e s ) and many houses sported aerials that ran the full length of the garden. The village now receives strong FM VHF s i g n a l s f r o m t h e t r a n s m i t t e r a b o v e B o w B r i c k h i l l , l e s s t h a n 1 0 m i l e s away

T e l e v

i s i o n

Te l e v i s i o n b r o a d c a s t s r e s t a r t e d a f t e r the Second World War in 1946, and b y 1 9 4 8 Fr a n k A t k i n s h a d t h e f i r s t T V re c e i ve r i n Po t t e r s p u r y, f o l l owe d b y J i m m y M i l n e a w e e k l a t e r T h e s i g n a l f r o m t h e A l e x a n d r a P a l a c e t r a n s m i t t e r i n L o n d o n w a s r a t h e r p o o r , f a d i n g r a p i d l y b e c a u s e o f c h a n g i n g w e a t h e r a n d p a s s i n g aircraft. Jimmy Milne remembers that h i s T V c o s t £ 4 9 , w h i c h w a s l o t o f money in the 1940s! Early TV owners

w e r e o f t e n k e e n t o s h a r e t h e i r n e w p u r c h a s e s , i n v i t i n g i n t h o s e l e s s f o r t u n a t e t o s e e s p e c i a l e v e n t s T h e S u t t o n C o l d f i e l d B B C t r a n s m i t t e r o p e n e d i n 1 9 4 9 , g i v i n g a b e t t e r s i g n a l , a n d I T V o p e n e d i n t h e M i d l a n d s i n 1 9 5 7 . U H F 6 2 5 l i n e s T V, w h i c h s o o n g a v e u s c o l o u r a s w e l l , p r o v i d e d p a r t s o f Po t t e r s p u r y w i t h a s i g n a l f r o m t h e O x f o r d t r a n s m i t t e r i n 1 9 7 0 , f o l l o w e d b y Sa n d y He a t h i n B e d f o rd s h i re a y e a r later In the late 1990s, Sandy Heath s u p p l i e s B B C 1 , B B C 2 , A n g l i a I T V, Channel 4 and Channel 5 The ne w d i g i t a l T V s e r v i c e s c a n n o w b e r e c e i v e d f r o m S a n d y H e a t h , a n d , j u d g i n g f r o m t h e n u m b e r o f w a l lm o u n t e d d i s h a n t e n n a e , a b o u t 3 0 % o f t h e h o u s e s i n t h e v i l l a g e h a v e satellite TV

St re e t w a s i n ve r y p o o r c o n d i t i o n a t that time The canal system caused the final demise of the potter y industr y in P o t t e r s p u r y, a s i m p o r t s c o u l d b e brought in cheaply from Staffordshire

The nearby Grand Union Canal was c o m p l e t e d i n 1 8 0 5 T h e re m a y h a ve b e e n s o m e i m p a c t o n t h e v i l l a g e a s there was a need for accommodation f o r t h e ‘ n a v v i e s ’ ( n a v i g a t o r s ) w h o p a s s e d t h r o u g h t h e a r e a d u r i n g i t s c o n s t r u c t i o n Go o d s f o r Po t t e r s p u r y could then be unloaded on the wharf a t Ya rd l e y Go b i o n T h i s w o u l d h a ve been cheaper and might almost have been quicker than by road, as Watling

R a i l w a y s A s w i t h t h e c a n a l s , a l t h o u g h t h e y n e v e r p a s s e d w i t h i n t h e p a r i s h boundar y, the coming of the railways a f f e c t e d v i l l a g e l i f e , b e c a u s e a l a r g e w o r k f o r c e d e s c e n d e d o n t h e a r e a d u r i n g t h e i r c o n s t r u c t i o n . T h e London & Birmingham Railway was opened as far as Denbigh Hall bridge at Bletchley in April 1838, and for six months passengers were conveyed up Watling Street to Rugby by stagecoach u n t i l t h e w h o l e l i n e w a s f i n a l l y o p e n e d T h e n e a r e s t s t a t i o n t o Potterspur y was Castlethorpe As with Ya rd l e y w h a r f, t h e g o o d s y a rd t h e r e b e c a m e a t r a n s h i p m e n t p o i n t f o r f r e i g h t t o Po t t e r s p u r y. T h e r a i l w a y later had a larger impact on the village as Wolverton Works became the first m a j o r e m p l o y m e n t a l t e r n a t i v e t o agriculture Many local craftsmen now employed in a variety of occupations ‘did their time’ as apprentices in the works, until the training school shut in 1987

R o a d s

An important reason for Potterspur y ’ s e x i s t e n c e i s w i t h o u t d o u b t t h e

C o m m u n i c a t i o n s a n d t r a n s p o r t C a n a l s

Crossroads at Anchor corner on Watling Street in the early 1900s when telegraph poles lined the road [Mrs Mary Nunnari]

P o t t e r s p u r y

R o a d N a m e s

BEECH HOUSE DRIVE is named after Beech House Farm to which it leads; it is also known as The Drift

BLACKWELL END is thought to have been named after a blaec wielle (dark spring) presumably located at this end of the village

BROWNSWOOD DRIVE Brownswood is a farm and field at the other side of Watling Street, thought originally to be a corruption of Brantesworth or Brants’ worth, the worth (clearing) created by brand (burning).

CHETTLE PLACE is named after John Chettle, formerly a farmer at Beech House Farm, churchwarden and Parish Councillor.

CHURCH END is the road running alongside the church at the eastern end of the village, formerly called Lower End

CHURCH LANE is the lane leading to St Nicholas Church

ELMFIELD CLOSE is built on part of Elmfield Farm. Elmfield farmhouse is 1 High Street

FURTHO LANE originally the lane leading to Furtho; now all but a few hundred metres is just a bridleway.

GRAFTON CLOSE is named after the dukes of Grafton who owned most of the land around the village and resided at Wakefield Lodge for several centuries.

HIGH STREET is the main street connecting both ends of the village, shown on maps back to the 1700s

HOMESTEAD WAY is built on Home Farm The former farmhouse is Corn Cottage, 75 High Street

MAYS WAY is in part built on the site of May’s Transport Cafe which was on Watling Street and closed with the opening of the M1 The break in the kerb line at the entrances are still visible on the A5.

MEADOW VIEW originally started out as Grafton Fields but this might have been confused with Grafton Close, and so the name was changed to reflect its location, overlooking the fields beyond the brook

NORTH WAY is named after Sid North who was a parish councillor a n d a m a i n s t a y o f t h e Un i t e d R e f o r m e d C h u r c h f o r

many years

POUNDFIELD ROAD runs alongside land that was the site of the village cattle pound.

SANDERS LANE origin unknown; has also been called Cock Lane, being located alongside the Cock Inn

THE COACHYARD is built on the site of Smith’s Coaches garage and yard

THE ORCHARD is named after the fruit trees which occupied the site until the 1980s

WATLING STREET The name for the Roman road extending from London to Wroxeter (near Shrewsbur y), derived from Waetlingacaester, the Anglo-Saxon name for St Albans, through which it passes. In the village it is often called the A5, but has also been called Stratford Road (south of the High Street) and Towcester Road (north of the High Street)

WOODS LANE is named after Woods Farm alongside which it ran When Woods Farm was sold Meadow View was built on the land The Cottage Stores occupies what was Woods farmhouse.

presence of Watling Street, providing d i re c t c o m m u n i c a t i o n f ro m L o n d o n t o H o l y h e a d , a n d b r i n g i n g m a n y p e o p l e t o t h e v i l l a g e t h ro u g h o u t t h e last 2000 years No major roads join t h e Wa t l i n g S t r e e t i n t h e v i l l a g e , which has helped to preser ve the rural a t m o s p h e r e , d e s p i t e t h e i n c r e a s e i n traffic.

The most used minor road leaving Po t t e r s p u r y i s t h e Ya r d l e y G o b i o n road which connects with the A508, a m a i n r o u t e t o No r t h a m p t o n . Mo o r End road leaves Watling Street to the n o r t h - w e s t o f Po t t e r s p u r y p r ov i d i n g a n a l t e r n a t i v e r o u t e t o Ya r d l e y Gobion From Watling Street opposite the High Street a lane to Puxley and Wicken also leads to the main drive of Wa k e f i e l d L o d g e . A s i n g l e t r a c k , par tly unfenced and originally gated, l e a v e s Wa t l i n g S t r e e t s o u t h o f Potterspur y to join the road to Puxley T h e r e w a s o n c e a n o t h e r t r a c k , c o n t i n u i n g F u r t h o L a n e t o F u r t h o a n d C o s g r o v e , b e y o n d . A l l t h e s e r o a d s , a n d w h a t w e n o w c a l l H i g h S t r e e t , C h u r c h L a n e , C h u r c h E n d , Wo o d s L a n e , S a n d e r s L a n e a n d Blackwell End, appear on maps dating from the late 18th centur y, and most have remained roughly the same. The exceptions are that the track to Furtho is now only a bridleway, and the gated r o a d t o P u x l e y f r o m t h e s o u t h o f Potterspur y lost its gates in the early

demolished in the 1950s and replaced by semidetached bungalows [Mrs Edith Brooker]

1 9 6 0 s In t h e 1 9 3 0 s , m a n y re q u e s t s were made to eliminate the ford and t o p i p e t h e b r o o k i n S a n d e r s L a n e , a n d i n 1 9 3 8 t h e m a i l v a n u n f o r t u n a t e l y t i p p e d o v e r i n t h e w a t e r A c u l v e r t w a s b u i l t w h e n t h e o l d h o u s e s c l o s e t o t h e b r o o k w e r e demolished in the mid 1950s

A c c o rd i n g t o h i s t o r i a n s , a n c i e n t d rove r s ’ t r a c k s p re c e d e d t h e c re a t i o n o f Wa t l i n g S t r e e t a s a f i r s t c l a s s h i g h w a y b y t h e R o m a n s . W h i l e t h e alignment remains, physical evidence o f i t s Ro m a n a n d e a r l i e r o r i g i n s h a s l o n g s i n c e b e e n o b l i t e r a t e d b y t h e later works. Watling Street was one of t h e e a r l i e s t a n d p o s s i b l y b i g g e s t Ro m a n r o a d - b u i l d i n g p r o j e c t s t o b e u n d e r t a k e n i n E n g l a n d I t w a s c o m p l e t e d f r o m R i c h b o r o u g h ( n e a r D o v e r ) t o Wr o x e t e r a n d o n t o Chester around AD 50. The road was r e p u t e d t o b e 2 4 f e e t ( 7 4 m e t r e s ) w i d e w i t h a c a m b e r e d f o u n d a t i o n I r o n i c a l l y, i t w o u l d h a v e b e e n completed in time for Boudica’s army to use it to move north after sacking London and Verulamium (St Albans) to meet the Roman legions in one of the bloodiest battles on English soil

T h e c o n d i t i o n o f t h e r o a d m u s t h a v e d e c l i n e d o v e r t h e f o l l o w i n g centuries until the late 16th centur y, when an Act of Parliament made each parish responsible for maintaining its own highways This was supposed to mean one week’s labour each year by

e v e r y p a r i s h i o n e r , u n d e r t h e super vision of a parish sur veyor This did not really work, and in the early 1 8 t h c e n t u r y p r i v a t e A c t s o f Parliament set up turnpikes The big c h a n g e h e re w a s t h a t t h e e x p e n s e o f maintenance passed from the parish to the road user Potterspur y lay between t h e t u r n p i k e g a t e s a t O l d St r a t f o r d a n d a t t h e t o p o f t h e h i l l b e f o r e

To w c e s t e r I n 1 7 3 1 i t t o o k a s t a g e c o a c h f r o m L o n d o n o v e r t w o days to reach Birmingham and more than four days to reach Manchester!

The opening of the Grand Union Canal in 1805 led to a decline in the

C a r s

i n t h e V i l l a g e

F r o m o u r 1 9 9 8 q u e s t i o n n a i r e , there were 670 cars kept by village residents Scaled up for those not responding, it suggests that nearly 9 0 0 c a r s a r e d i s t r i b u t e d a m o n g j u s t l e s s t h a n 6 0 0 r e s i d e n c e s , m a k i n g a b o u t 1 5 c a r s f o r e a c h one.

Around 1950, there were only 15 cars in the whole village, and not m u c h c o n g e s t i o n , d a n g e r f o r c h i l d r e n o r o b s t r u c t i o n o f t h e r o a d s t h e n ! D o u g Ho l l o w a y h a s c o m p i l e d a l i s t o f t h o s e o w n i n g cars at that time

There was Mr Bailey (farmer); Mr Lawson (garage owner); Sgt Ostle ( p o l i c e m a n ) ; M r So p e r ( f a r m e r ) ; M r Je f c o a t e ( b a k e r ) ; M r Pe a r s o n (butcher); Mr G Brown (railway w o r k e r ) ; M r W. B . B r y a n ( a g r i c u l t u r a l c o n t r a c t o r ) ; M r S We b s t e r ( c a r w o r k e r ) ; D r H G r i e r s o n ( r e t i r e d a r m y d o c t o r ) ; M e s s r s E . & J . S m i t h ( c o a c h o w n e r a n d b l a c k s m i t h ) ; R e v R R i c h a r d s ( v i c a r ) ; M r S N o r t h (insurance agent); Miss Crawford ( o f T h e C o t t a g e ) ; M r s M . G r a t t o n - H o l t ( o f P o t t e r s p u r y House)

Inclosure map of 1776 showing village roads of the time [Peter Webb: with permission of Northamptonshire Record Office]

Potterspury RDC road roller Tom Tapp with shovel and John Tapp with broom [Source: Jack Clamp]

n u m b e r o f w a g o n s p a s s i n g a l o n g Wa t l i n g St r e e t . H o w e v e r, t h e c a n a l p r o v e d t o o s l o w f o r p a s s e n g e r s a n d p e r i s h a b l e g o o d s , a n d i n 1 8 1 5 t h e government, under pressure from the General Post Office, put sums aside to u p g r a d e t h e r o a d f r o m L o n d o n t o H o l y h e a d u n d e r t h e s u p e r v i s i o n o f Thomas Telford. By the mid 1830s it was completed, and the stagecoach to M a n c h e s t e r t o o k o n l y 1 8 h o u r s A t t h i s t i m e t h e m a j o r i t y o f t h e 2 8 0 c o a c h e s p e r w e e k t h r o u g h S t o n y S t r a t f o r d a l s o c a m e t h r o u g h Potterspur y

However, this boom was cut short w h e n , i n 1 8 3 8 , t h e L o n d o n t o B i r m i n g h a m r a i l w a y a r r i v e d a n d , despite the abolition of tolls in 1868, traffic on Watling Street had declined u n t i l t h e a r r i va l o f t h e m o t o r c a r i n the 1890s By then the road was again i n a b a d s t a t e , m a d e w o r s e b y t h e speed and weight of motor vehicles In 1904 four motorists were summoned a t St o n y St r a t f o rd Pe t t y Se s s i o n s f o r t r a v e l l i n g t h r o u g h Po t t e r s p u r y a t s p e e d s o f m o r e t h a n 3 0 m p h Fi n e s were £5 with costs.

T h e d u s t h u n g i n c l o u d s w h i l e the road was made of little more than rolled gravel or chippings; it was not until after the First World War that a tarmac surface was laid Watling Street w a s e x t e n s i v e l y u p g r a d e d p a s t t h e v i l l a g e i n t h e 1 9 3 0 s a n d t h e r o a d j u n c t i o n s m o d i f i e d t o a l l o w m o t o r

t r a f f i c b e t t e r v i s i b i l i t y a n d i m p r o v e s a f e t y T h e r o a d t o P u x l e y a t t h e c r o s s r o a d s o p p o s i t e t h e Hi g h St r e e t was diver ted down the hill by about 5 0 m . Po u n d f i e l d R o a d r a n a l o n g

Potterspur y House wall and was also diver ted by about 20 m By the mid 1950s traffic had become chaotic and a c c i d e n t s w e r e f r e q u e n t Fo l l o w i n g council pressure, the Poundfield Road junction with the A5 was widened in 1 9 5 7 a n d , i n 1 9 6 1 , t h e Hi g h St re e t junction by the village hall was altered w i t h t h e l o s s o f t h e Ju b i l e e O a k In 1965 the Anchor Inn was demolished to allow widening of the High Street at the A5 junction.

The pattern changed again when the M1 was opened in 1959 and the A 5 b e c a m e v i r t u a l l y d e s e r t e d ove r n i g h t T h i s l e d t o t h e c l o s i n g o f May’s Cafe and the local filling station ( Go o d w i n s , b e t we e n t h e Ol d Ta l b o t and Reindeer inns) by the early 1970s. In recent years the building of Milton Keynes has allowed the dualling of the A5 through the city, which has made Watling Street a useful alternative to t h e c o n g e s t e d M 1 , a n d t r a f f i c l e v e l s a r e h i g h o n c e a g a i n . I n 1 9 9 8 , t h e P a r i s h C o u n c i l w a s s u c c e s s f u l i n o b t a i n i n g a s p e e d l i m i t o n t h e A 5 t h ro u g h t h e v i l l a g e , a m e re 7 0 ye a r s after it was first requested!

P u b l i c T r a n s p o r t U n i t e d C o u n t i e s a n d E a s t e r n National (the depot at Stony Stratford belonged to Eastern National) opentop double deck buses ran through the village en route to Northampton from Stony Stratford from the early 1920s T h e s e w e r e r e p l a c e d b y c l o s e d - i n double deckers, just before the Second World War In recent years the level of ser vice dropped, and ‘ pay as you board – o n e m a n o p e r a t i o n ’ b e c a m e t h e norm. Apart from peak time journeys m o s t b u s e s a r e n o w s i n g l e d e c k e r s Re c e n t l y a s e r v i c e v i a Towc e s t e r h a d been added as well as a direct bus to M i l t o n K e y n e s i n t h e m o r n i n g returning in the early evening. There had been no ser vice to Towcester since M i d l a n d R e d r a n f r o m L o n d o n t o

Blackwell End in the early 1900s [Mrs Mary Nunnari]

Blue Ball Inn, on the right in Church End in the early 1900s [Mrs Mary Nunnari]

B i r m i n g h a m a l o n g Wa t l i n g S t r e e t T h i s s e r v i c e s t o p p e d n e a r t h e Hi g h Street junction until the m i d 1 9 7 0 s Fo r s e ve r a l ye a r s , Je f f s C o a c h e s h a ve run a weekly ser vice to Banbur y. Smith’s Coaches grew as a private c o a c h o p e r a t o r w i t h i n t h e v i l l a g e from a sideline of taking men to the Wolver ton Works on wooden benches placed in the back of a coal lorr y The c o m p a n y h a d g r o w n t o s e v e r a l coaches by the late 1980s, operating m a n y s c h o o l c o n t r a c t s a s w e l l a s p r i v a t e h i r e . T h e b u s i n e s s o p e r a t e d u n t i l 1 9 9 2 f r o m a d e p o t o n w h i c h The Coachyard near Woods Lane in the High Street was built.

A t v a r i o u s t i m e s , w o r k s b u s e s have taken villagers to a large number o f d e s t i n a t i o n s I n t h e e a r l y 1 9 7 0 s t h e y r a n t o t h e Wo l v e r t o n r a i l w a y w o r k s , W i p a c , P l e s s e y ( To w c e s t e r ) , T h e O p e n U n i v e r s i t y, a n d t h e Pi a n o f o r t e Wo rk s ( Ro a d e ) Howe ve r by the late 1970s car ownership in the a r e a i n c r e a s e d t o a l e v e l a t w h i c h t h e s e b u s s e r v i c e s w e n t i n t o d e c l i n e and were eventually discontinued.

T h e B u i l d i n g s

A s we g o i n t o t h e t h i rd m i l l e n n i u m there are just under 600 dwellings in t h e v i l l a g e . T h e b u i l d i n g s a re va r i e d i n b o t h t y p e a n d c o n s t r u c t i o n , w i t h

around a sixth being older than 100 ye a r s a n d s o m e t w o - t h i rd s u n d e r 4 0 y e a r s o l d . F o r t u n a t e l y, s e v e r a l t r a d i t i o n a l s t o n e a n d t h a t c h e d p r o p e r t i e s h a v e s u r v i v e d t o g i v e a n impression of the village in the 17th and 18th centuries

T h e r e a r e s e v e r a l 1 7 t h c e n t u r y h o u s e s s t i l l s u r v i v i n g i n t h e H i g h S t r e e t , B l a c k w e l l E n d a n d C h u r c h E n d . A t t h a t t i m e , t h e m a j o r l o c a l e m p l oy m e n t w a s a g r i c u l t u re , a n d i n t h e p r o v i s i o n o f s e r v i c e s f o r t h o s e w o r k e r s a n d t h e i r f a m i l i e s . T h e r e w e r e s e v e r a l f a r m h o u s e s w i t h i n t h e v i l l a g e , a n d c o t t a g e s c o n s t r u c t e d t o

h o u s e f a r m l a b o u r e r s w e r e m o s t l y made from local materials Walls were o f c o u r s e d l i m e s t o n e r u b b l e w i t h t h a t c h e d r o o f s a n d w o o d e n l i n t e l s , a n d t h e e x t e r i o r w a l l s w e r e u s u a l l y rendered and whitewashed. There was a quarr y on Duffers, Duffys, Dovers ( o r w a s i t o n c e D ov e Ho u s e ? ) Hi l l , w h i c h c o u l d h a v e p r ov i d e d m a t e r i a l f o r m a n y o f t h e c o t t a g e w a l l s . T h i s t y p e o f c o n s t r u c t i o n c o n t i n u e d i n t o the early 18th centur y. However, the local stone was not hard-wearing and n o t a g o o d f a c i n g s t o n e . B e t t e r quality stone could be obtained from limestone quarries at Pur y End

T h e i m p r o v e m e n t o f t h e r o a d s a n d t h e c o m i n g o f t h e c a n a l a n d r a i l w a y i n t h e f i r s t h a l f o f t h e 1 9 t h c e n t u r y l e d t o c h a n g e s i n c o n s t r u c t i o n a s m o r e l a s t i n g s t o n e , b r i c k a n d s l a t e c o u l d b e t r a n s p o r t e d from fur ther afield. Some bricks and roof tiles were made locally: there was a brickpit and works near The Gullet Farm just outside the parish towards Towcester that was still active in the early 20th centur y

B y t h e m i d d l e o f t h e 1 8 t h centur y, the Duke of Grafton’s estate had been set up at Wakefield Lodge, a n d ov e r t h e n e x t c e n t u r y o r m o r e , d w e l l i n g s w e r e b u i l t f o r e s t a t e l a b o u r e r s Wa t l i n g S t r e e t b e c a m e a m a j o r s t a g e c o a c h r o u t e a n d s e v e r a l c o a c h i n g i n n s a n d s h o p s o p e n e d i n t h a t a r e a . T h e v i l l a g e w a s n o w

Thatched cottages on the High Street, long since demolished, with The Old Schoolhouse visible to the right. [Mrs Mary Nunnari]

The Old Schoolhouse, once thatched, now tiled [Peter Webb]

g ro u p e d m a i n l y a ro u n d t w o c e n t re s , L ow e r E n d c o m p r i s i n g w h a t i s n ow k n o w n a s C h u r c h E n d a n d C h u r c h L a n e , a n d U p p e r E n d c o m p r i s i n g Watling Street, Blackwell End and the w e s t e n d o f t h e H i g h S t r e e t . F o r

m a n y y e a r s , t h e d u k e s o f G r a f t o n e x e r t e d a s t r o n g i n f l u e n c e o n t h e p rov i s i o n o f h o u s i n g a n d s e r v i c e s i n the village Duchess Row, at 47 to 53 High Street, was a fine example of an e f f o r t t o p r o v i d e b e t t e r h o u s e s f o r

workers, and Potterspur y School owes i t s e x i s t e n c e t o t h e f o u r t h D u k e Factor y Row, at 31 to 45 High Street, was built in 1840, in stone with slate roofs These developments along the H i g h S t r e e t h e l p e d c l o s e t h e g a p b e t w e e n t h e t w o h a l v e s o f t h e village.

T h e l a c k o f b u i l d i n g i n t h e f i r s t h a l f o f t h e 2 0 t h c e n t u r y c a n b e p u t down to two main factors: a decline in b o t h t r a v e l l e r s a n d t r a d e a l o n g Wa t l i n g St re e t , f o l l ow i n g t h e r i s e o f the railways, and the break up of the G r a f t o n e s t a t e i n t h e e a r l y 1 9 2 0 s , w h i c h r e s u l t e d i n e v e n m o r e j o b l o s s e s . D e s p i t e e m p l o y m e n t f o r craftsmen and labourers in Wolverton Wo r k s , f r o m t h e m i d 1 9 t h c e n t u r y until the 1950s there was a continuing d e c l i n e i n p o p u l a t i o n I t i s n o t surprising, therefore, that only a fe w examples of typical village homes are still standing Others did sur vive until just before the Second World War, for e x a m p l e t h o s e n e x t t o T h e O l d

P o t t e r s p u r y M i l l

We know from the Domesday Book that the village had a mill, which would most likely have been on the same site as the present structure Little is known of the earlier mills, but there is a record of a water mill on this site in 1 6 8 9 - 9 0 w h e n a b e l l f o u n d e r w a s u s i n g t h e a d j o i n i n g property This was one of the largest mills in the area: it h a d f o u r m i l l s t o n e s ( a t w o - s t o n e m i l l w a s c o n s i d e re d large) It was powered by water from the brook, held in a m i l l p o n d ( t h e m i l l d a m ) a t t h e r e a r o f t h e b u i l d i n g , augmented first by a steam engine then much later by a tractor engine. The water would only run the overshot wheel for about an hour without replenishment. In the mid-1850s there was a fire at the mill, and the present mill buildings date from about that time so presumably it was a rather serious fire. Until the early 1930s the right of way to the mill from Church End was through the brook at the bottom of the churchyard (there was no roadway to it) In times of flood there was a right of way to the rear of the mill from the High Street through the yard by the garden of 102 High Street, next to The Ropewalk The milldam was filled with surplus soil when the main sewer was laid in the village in 1953-4. The millstones were still in use by the Holloway brothers to grind feed for their livestock until 1960 when the water wheel, gears and shafts were stripped out and sold for scrap In 1985, when the mill was converted into three dwellings, the tall

c h i m n e y w a s l e a n i n g a n d h a d t o b e d e m o l i s h e d a n d rebuilt (because it is a listed building). A brick plinth course in the old chimney carried round all four sides of the chimney and the stonework of the main building had b e e n b u i l t r o u n d t h i s , i n d i c a t i n g t h a t t h e c h i m n e y o r i g i n a l l y p r e - d a t e d t h e m a i n b u i l d i n g T h e o l d millstones stand in the garden today

Duchess Row in the early 1900s [Mrs Mary Nunnari]

Mill from the church tower in the late 1930s [Doug Holloway]

Wa k e f i e l d L o d g e

F r o m t h e 1 7 t h u n t i l t h e e a r l y 2 0 t h century Wakefield Lodgece of the dukes of Grafton, who had a major influence on the lives of local people and on the e c o n o m y o f Po t t e r s p u r y a n d t h e neighbouring villages Much earlier, in the reign of Henry II, a hunting lodge stood on Wakefield Lawn, an area of open grassland in the midst of what was Whittlewood Forest. In 1541 the estate was made part of the Honor of G r a f t o n . A f t e r t h e C i v i l Wa r, J o h n Claypole, son-in-law of Oliver Cromwell, b e c a m e t h e f o r e s t w a r d e n a n d constructed the predecessor of the present house In keeping with those times, it had a rather plain structure

I n 1 6 7 3 , a f t e r t h e r e s t o r a t i o n , Wakefield and Euston in Suffolk were given to the Earl of Arlington, and on his death in 1685 passed to his son-in-law, Henry Fitzroy Henry had been created Duke of Grafton in 1675 His son the second Duke h a d t h e p r e s e n t h o u s e b u i l t b y W i l l i a m K e n t It w a s completed about 1748-50 Kent was also the architect of H o l k h a m H a l l i n No r f o l k , H o r s e G u a r d s Pa r a d e i n London, and many other fine buildings

The house is an impressive structure, described as being in the Palladian style but with flattened arches over the Venetian windows of the main floor repeated on the first floor The walls were constructed from sawn blocks of a mellow limestone The interior includes a two-storied hall with a wooden gallery modelled on the Queen’s House at Gre e n w i c h T h e re i s a s u b s t a n t i a l s t o n e c h i m n e y p i e c e d e c o r a t e d w i t h e m b l e m s o f t h e c h a s e : a f o x ’ s h e a d , a badger’s head, bows and spears To one side of this hall is a circular cantilevered staircase, surmounted by a dome, again modelled on a similar structure at Greenwich.

K e n t a l s o u n d e r t o o k t h e o r i g i n a l l a y o u t o f t h e g r o u n d s , b u t a f t e r h i s d e a t h i n 1 7 4 8 t h e w o r k w a s continued by ‘Capability’ Brown The lake – then described as a pond – was in existence on a smaller scale in 1725 but was mentioned as the Great Pond in 1745. This casts some doubt on the story that Brown designed the lake. A ha-ha, still in existence, was constructed to keep animals out of the house gardens without having a fence to spoil the view.

T h e s e c o n d D u k e w a s p a s s i o n a t e l y d e v o t e d t o hunting, and after the house was completed the stable block was erected, in a similar style to the house, but in red b r i c k w i t h a s l a t e r o o f. T h e r e w e r e s o m e 1 5 s t a l l s o r storerooms with flats on the floor above.

The house was extended in both the 18th and 19th centuries, but these extensions were demolished in the mid 1940s Even in its reduced state, it went for auction in 1955 as having 13 bedrooms

The gallery

[Mr R N Richmond-Watson] The spiral stair [Mr R. N. Richmond-Watson]

The Lodge [Mr R. N. Richmond-Watson]

S c h o o l h o u s e , a n d b e t w e e n t h e C o c k Inn and 28 High Street In latter years a number of thatched houses had their t h a t c h c ov e r e d ov e r w i t h c o r r u g a t e d i r o n ( 7 5 H i g h S t r e e t – s e e c o l o u r section) or removed and replaced with t i l e s ( 1 Fu r t h o L a n e – s e e l a t e r t h i s c h a p t e r ) ; t h e g i v e - a w a y i s t h e v e r y steep sloped roofs.

B y t h e 1 9 3 0 s m a n y o f t h e o l d c o t t a g e s we re u n o c c u p i e d , h a d f a l l e n into decay, and were declared unfit for h a b i t a t i o n T h e D i s t r i c t C o u n c i l decided to provide council houses to r e p l a c e t h e m , o f b r i c k c o n s t r u c t i o n w i t h m a i n s s e r v i c e s . T h e f i r s t w e r e built in the High Street in 1933 (see c o l o u r s e c t i o n ) , o n l a n d w h i c h w a s a l l o t m e n t s , o p p o s i t e Gr a f t o n Te r r a c e ( Fa c t o r y R o w – s e e c o l o u r s e c t i o n ) , f o l l owe d by o t h e r s i n Bl a c k we l l En d and in Church End next to the village h a l l T h e s e c o n d Wo r l d Wa r inter vened and those in Fur tho Lane, Po u n d f i e l d Ro a d , Gr a f t o n C l o s e a n d m o s t o f t h o s e i n C h u r c h E n d w e r e n o t b u i l t u n t i l t h e l a t e 1 9 4 0 s , a n d m o r e f o l l o w e d i n t h e 1 9 5 0 s i n Wa t l i n g St r e e t , t h e Hi g h St r e e t a n d Blackwell End. There were also some b u n g a l o w s c o n s t r u c t e d i n S a n d e r s L a n e a n d B r o w n s w o o d D r i v e i n t h e late 1950s.

The real post-war building boom d i d n o t r e a c h Po t t e r s p u r y f o r m a n y years, owing mainly to the lack of local

employment. By the early 1960s, car ownership became more common and people were able to travel farther from h o m e t o w o rk Po t t e r s p u r y s u d d e n l y became ripe for development and, in the eight years from 1964 to 1972, the n u m b e r o f d w e l l i n g s r o s e b y a b o u t 8 0 % a n d t h e p o p u l a t i o n , s w o l l e n by young families, doubled!

De e l e y s s t a r t e d b u i l d i n g i n 1 9 6 4 o n t h e L i m e s e s t a t e , a t f i r s t s o m e d w e l l i n g s i n t h e H i g h S t r e e t , t h e n s o m e t i m e l a t e r , H o m e s t e a d Wa y, Br ow n s w o o d Dr i v e , No r t h Wa y a n d Mays Way A variety of detached and s e m i - d e t a c h e d t w o o r t h r e e b e d b u n g a l o w s a n d h o u s e s w e r e b u i l t

Several of these had an unusual layout i n t h a t v e h i c l e s w e r e g a r a g e d a t t h e r e a r o f t h e p r o p e r t i e s w i t h o n l y f o o t p a t h a c c e s s a t t h e f ro n t . Mo s t o f the houses had integral garages; many h a ve s i n c e h a d e x t e n s i o n s a d d e d a n d the garages converted into living space

M a c k e n z i e H i l l f o l l o w e d a t t h e end of 1965, building Grafton Fields, n o w M e a d o w V i e w, w h i c h w a s p re v i o u s l y p a r t o f Wo o d s Fa r m , a n d the first houses were occupied in June 1966 Apart from a handful of slightly l a r g e r t h re e - b e d d e t a c h e d h o u s e s , a l l t h e o t h e r s w e r e b u i l t t o t h e s a m e t h r e e - b e d r o o m l a y o u t H o w e v e r, b y a d j u s t i n g t h e p o s i t i o n o f e a c h h o u s e and using the same layout for detached a n d s e m i s , s o m e s i x v a r i a n t s w e r e c r e a t e d T h e d e s i g n i s d i s t i n c t i v e because of its ver y shallow pitch roofs with wide overhang As on the Limes estate, so many have had extensions of v a r i e d l a y o u t s i t h a s a l m o s t b e c o m e difficult to spot the original design

O n b o t h e s t a t e s , o p e n p l a n g a r d e n s w i t h b u r i e d s e r v i c e s g a v e a pleasing outlook to modern-style brick h o u s e s w i t h p l e n t y o f w i n d o w a r e a . Each dwelling was provided with space for off-road garaging. The two, three or four car family was not foreseen in the 1960s!

T h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f M i l t o n Keynes from the early 1970s, and the e x p a n s i o n o f N o r t h a m p t o n a t t h e same time, has ensured plenty of job o p p o r t u n i t i e s . T h i s h a s m a d e

Meadow View houses under construction in the mid 1960s [Geoff Lucas]

The Stables, a modern stone-faced building in Church End [Roger Pye]

D e l i v e r i e s

When people could not travel as easily as now, it was customar y for tradesmen to deliver. In the 1930s lots o f s u p p l i e s w e r e d e l i v e r e d t o t h e v i l l a g e : Wa t t s a n d B e c k a n d H a m m o n d s b r o u g h t b r e a d ; D a v e n p o r t s ’ B r e w e r y c a m e r o u n d door to door with beer ( Da ve n p o r t s h a d a b i g depot in Old Stratford i n w h a t i s n o w a t y r e d e p o t ) ; B e r t To w n s e n d , a b u t c h e r, came from Towcester.

The International S t o r e s a n d T i b b e t t s G r o c e r i e s f r o m S t o n y d e l i v e r e d g r o c e r i e s ; m i l k c a m e f r o m Elmfield Farm and was d e l i v e r e d b y S y d H o l l o w a y o n a b i k e , a n d h e a l s o b r o u g h t v e g e t a b l e s , s e l l i n g them from a horse and car t.

I n t h e l a t e 1 9 6 0 s H a m m o n d s a n d H a s e l d i n e s delivered bread, Davenpor t ’ s still delivered beer, K G

Potterspur y a popular village to live in a n d c a u s e d t h e v a l u e o f p r o p e r t y t o rise steeply. The provision of the lowc o s t h o u s e s i n C h e t t l e P l a c e w a s a n e f f o r t t o r e m e d y t h i s . C u r r e n t l y, d e v e l o p m e n t i s r e s t r i c t e d t o t h e v i l l a g e o u t l i n e , s o b u i l d i n g i n re c e n t years has been the infilling of spaces between existing proper ties Some infilling continues, but it is generally to p r o v i d e l a r g e r c u s t o m - b u i l t h o u s e s , some of which are brick-built, others have been faced in stone

V i l l a g e s h o p s a n d b u s i n e s s e s

E a r l y i n t h e 2 0 t h c e n t u r y, m o s t village shops and businesses ser ved an almost self-sufficient community and p r o v i d e d e m p l o y m e n t . T h e r e h a d been up to six public houses or inns a t t h e s t a r t o f t h e c e n t u r y, b u t t h e B l u e B a l l a n d t h e R e d L i o n s o o n closed The Reindeer and the Anchor sur vived until the 1960s but only the C o c k a n d t h e O l d Ta l b o t r e m a i n t o d a y A t v a r i o u s t i m e s t h e r e w e r e

Sm i t h d e l i v e r e d c o a l , a n d t h e G i d d i n g s , m e a t . T h e Co-op delivered milk and groceries, and Reg ‘the veg ’ Brown delivered vegetables until the early 1980s

B y t h e 1 9 9 0 s d e l i v e r i e s h a d d e c re a s e d f u r t h e r, w i t h D a i r y C r e s t s u p p l y i n g m i l k , w h i c h f o r m a n y y e a r s w a s d e l i v e r e d b y D a v i d M a y b r e y w h o o f t e n h e l p e d o u t w i t h village events (one year, h i s m i l k f l o a t w a s F a t h e r C h r i s t m a s ’ sleigh!)

T h e o n l y o t h e r d e l i v e r i e s a re t a k e a w a y m e a l s , r e f l e c t i n g t h e c h a n g i n g p a c e o f l i f e H o w e a n d C o t o u r the village on Monday e v e n i n g s a s t h e y h a v e for the past 20 years or more Another fish and chip van comes to the village on Fridays, and Chinese food on Thursdays

three bakehouses, at least seven sweet s h o p s ( f o u r w e r e s o - c a l l e d ‘ t a b l e s h o p s ’ ) u p t o t h r e e b u t c h e r s , f o u r g e n e r a l s t o r e s , t h r e e d a i r i e s , a Po s t O f f i c e , a f i s h a n d c h i p s h o p , t w o p e t r o l f i l l i n g o p e r a t i o n s , a n d a n under takers Village people depended on the local shops as few had cars to

g e t t o n e i g h b o u r i n g t o w n s T h e r e w e r e a l s o r e g u l a r d e l i v e r i e s o f g r o c e r i e s , c l o t h e s a n d i r o n m o n g e r y f r o m S t o n y S t r a t f o r d s h o p s . W i t h greater personal mobility most regular d e l i ve r i e s h a ve c e a s e d a n d t h e s h o p s in the village have closed one by one Only the Cottage Stores and with it

Ivy Cottages on Watling Street next to the High Street, demolished in the 1960s [Mrs Mary Nunnari]

Church End in the early 1900s with Charles Stewart’s carrier’s cart [Mrs Mary Nunnari]

the Post Office remain to ser vice the v i l l a g e ; t h e l a s t b u t c h e r ’ s c l o s e d i n 1977, the baker’s in the early 1970s, and the dair y by 1966 An exception is the Wakefield farm shop, which is a re l a t i ve l y re c e n t ve n t u re b u t , l i k e s o many of today’s businesses along the A 5 , i s g e a re d t o p a s s i n g t r a d e r a t h e r than local custom

F o r m e r s h o p s

On Watling Street, south of the High Street junction, in the row known as Ivy Cottages, Mrs Elsie Osborne ran a small shop, selling mainly sweets and t o b a c c o . S h e w a s a l s o a g e n t f o r M i d l a n d R e d c o a c h s e r v i c e s w h i c h w o u l d p i c k u p o u t s i d e h e r s h o p It closed at the end of the 1960s when the row of cottages was demolished to i m p rove v i s i b i l i t y a t t h e Hi g h St re e t r o a d j u n c t i o n T h i s s i t e i s n o w a grassy bank between the A5 and the wall alongside Elmfield farmhouse

I n t h e r o w n e x t t o t h e A n c h o r Inn along Watling Street at the other s i d e o f t h e H i g h St r e e t t h e r e w a s a butcher’s, Dick Valor, which closed in t h e l a t e 1 9 3 0 s N e x t t o t h a t w a s D a n n y E a l e s ’ c y c l e a c c e s s o r y s h o p which closed at about the same time D a n n y u s e d t o r i d e a t h r e e - w h e e l e r bike in the village, and sold batteries, cycle puncture outfits, etc. He also rec h a r g e d a c c u m u l a t o r s ( t h e l e a d - a c i d b a t t e r i e s n e e d e d t o r u n v a l v e r a d i o

s e t s ) f o r s i x p e n c e a t i m e , a n d h a d chewing gum dispensing machines at the front of the shop on either side of t h e d o o r A t t h e e n d o f t h e r o w o f stone cottages, next to the brook, Lil S t e w a r t s o l d s w e e t s , a n d l a t e r, f i s h and chips from a wooden hut in the garden

On the site that’s now Churchill’s g a r a g e t h e r e u s e d t o b e t w o p e t r o l p u m p s w i t h l o n g s w i v e l a r m s t h a t r e a c h e d o u t o n t o Wa t l i n g S t r e e t w h e r e c u s t o m e r s s t o p p e d t o f i l l u p T h e r e w a s a l s o a r e p a i r w o r k s h o p

The business was Lawson’s for many y e a r s a n d t h e n G o o d w i n ’ s M a n y n e w c o m e r s i n t h e l a t e 1 9 6 0 s h a d

a c c o u n t s t h e r e b e c a u s e o f d o u b l e Green Shield stamps on offer with the petrol Enjoying a resurgence in trade, it clung on until the mid 1970s

A t t h e j u n c t i o n w i t h B l a c k w e l l E n d , D r u c e ’ s F a r m ( n o w H o l l y House) was both a baker y and a dair y. A general stores and grocer y shop at 60 Blackwell End was closed in 1968 This was Emswor th’s shop, later r un b y t h e C o t t r e l l s , a n d t h e n Ma u r e e n L e i g h t o n L i l B l a c k w e l l s o l d s w e e t s e t c , i n a t h a t c h e d h o u s e n e x t t o t h e b r o o k ( w h e r e a b u n g a l o w n a m e d A s h w i c k n o w s t a n d s ) , a n d w a s t h e v i l l a g e s u p p l i e r o f f i re w o rk s . L i l a n d Teddy Ratcliffe, her lodger, would sit b y t h e f i r e i n t h e r o o m w h e r e t h e s h o p c o u n t e r w a s . T h e c o u n t e r h a d w i r e n e t t i n g a l o n g t h e t o p t o s t o p l i t t l e f i n g e r s r e a c h i n g t h e a r r a y o f sweets

Near the A5 entrance to the High St re e t , o p p o s i t e El m f i e l d f a r m h o u s e , A n c h o r Ho u s e w a s r u n a s a g ro c e r y, p r ov i s i o n a n d d r a p e r y s h o p, k n o w n v a r i o u s l y a s C l a r k e ’ s , B e e t o n ’ s , t h e n Wintle’s in 1962, Weir’s in 1966, and f i n a l l y St o n e ’ s b e f o r e c l o s i n g i n t h e 1980s Two doors along, The Retreat w a s o n c e a b u t c h e r ’ s s h o p T h e outline of the shop front can still be s e e n w h e re i t w a s b r i c k e d u p i n t h e g a b l e e n d a l o n g s i d e t h e Hi g h St re e t

footpath

Fu r t h e r a l o n g , T h e O l d B a k e r y w a s t h e m a i n v i l l a g e b a k e r y, r u n b y

The Spar Stores, at the High Street entrance, closed in the 1980s

(Source: John Giddings]

Lawson s garage and pumps on Watling Street. [Source: Jack Clamp]

t h e Je f c o a t e s f o r m a n y ye a r s u n t i l i t closed in the early 1970s It was the p l a c e w h e r e v i l l a g e r s b r o u g h t t h e i r Su n d a y ro a s t a n d Yo rk s h i re p u d d i n g t o b e c o o k e d A g r e e n a n d g o l d HOVIS sign was still attached to the side wall several years later

T h e o l d P o s t a n d Te l e g r a p h

O f f i c e l o c a t e d i n t h e s m a l l b r i c k a n n e x o f a t h a t c h e d b u i l d i n g n e x t d o o r w a s o w n e d a n d r u n b y t h e Osborne family for many years; they a l s o t o o k i n s h o e r e p a i r s To t h e r e a r t h e y h a d a w h e e l w r i g h t s ’ a n d u n d e r t a k e r s ’ y a r d a n d a w o r k s h o p w i t h a s a w m i l l p o w e r e d b y a

steam traction engine

The butcher’s and slaughterhouse i n t h e H i g h S t r e e t , o p p o s i t e M a y s Way, was run in the early years of the c e n t u r y b y D a v i s , t h e n b y B u t t o n , Pe a r s o n , a n d t h e n t h e G i d d i n g s –father, then son. It closed as a butcher’s i n 1 9 7 7 w h e n A l a n St a n t o n b o u g h t t h e p r o p e r t y a n d m o d e r n i s e d t h e slaughterhouse; it remained in use till t h e e a r l y 1 9 9 0 s Je s s B r a d b u r y a n d A l b e r t We b s t e r w o r k e d a s slaughtermen They would also go out to householders when the family pig was to be killed. Many pigs were led a l o n g t h e H i g h S t r e e t t o t h e slaughterhouse, squealing all the way.

In t h e r ow o f h o u s e s t h a t s t o o d where the Cock car park is now, Mrs Be a t r i c e Ta p p s o l d g ro c e r i e s , s we e t s , t o b a c c o a n d p a r a f f i n P a r t o f t h e Cock was once a butcher’s.

The Cottage Stores was formerly Wo o d s F a r m H o u s e , w h e r e t h e Beasleys had a dair y and Miss Taylor s o l d i c e c r e a m . M r a n d M r s Av e r y m ove d t h e i r g ro c e r y s t o re h e re f ro m Fu r t h o L a n e i n 1 9 6 6 . T h e s h o p h a s expanded many times under a series

Furtho Lane cottages as they were in 1916. [Hilda Faux’s “Memories”]

o f d i f f e r e n t o w n e r s , a n d f o r a s h o r t while it had a launderette as well The last major change was to incorporate t h e Po s t O f f i c e i n 1 9 8 4 d u r i n g t h e t i m e t h a t P h i l a n d S u e B a t e s w e r e proprietors.

M r s H o w a r d ’ s , t h e f i r s t o f f o u r t h a t c h e d c o t t a g e s n e x t t o T h e O l d Schoolhouse, was another ‘table shop’, selling sweets. Two doors down, Mrs Ta p p a l s o s o l d s w e e t s s u c h a s l i q u o r i c e , Sp a n i s h p i p e s , e t c . T h e s e premises closed in the late 1930s The c o t t a g e s w e r e e v e n t u a l l y d e m o l i s h e d a f t e r t h e S e c o n d Wo r l d Wa r a n d replaced by council houses

A small sweet shop was r un by Mr and Mrs Jefcoate in Woods Lane and clos e d ab ou t 1 9 5 0 Dick Walke r was t h e b a r b e r i n t h e 1 9 4 0 / 5 0 s I n f i n e we a t h e r, h e c u t h a i r u n d e r t h e a p p l e tree, at other times it was in the coal barn!

Sm i t h’s C o a c h e s o c c u p i e d a l a r g e s ite w he re coache s we re garage d ne ar Wo o d s L a n e f o r m a n y y e a r s ( s i n c e b e f o re 1 9 4 0 ) . T h e b u s i n e s s c l o s e d i n t h e e a r l y 1 9 9 0 s . Mo d e r n s t o n e - f a c e d h o u s e s , T h e C o a c h y a r d , h a v e b e e n built on the site.

Opposite The Coachyard was the v i l l a g e s m i t h y f o r m o s t o f t h e 2 0 t h

centur y Many lads can still remember having a go at pumping the bellows to raise the fire. After the smithy closed in the early 1970s the premises were used f o r m a n u f a c t u re o f e l e c t r o n i c c i r c u i t boards It was demolished in the mid 1990s and two houses built.

Cy r i l A s h f o r d s t a r t e d a d a i r y i n Furtho Lane in 1946 when he bought S o p e r ’ s v i l l a g e m i l k r o u n d w i t h h i s demob pay after the war He purchased h i s m i l k f r o m S o p e r ’ s f a r m a n d

i n s t a l l e d a p a s t e u r i s i n g a n d b o t t l i n g p l a n t L a t e r t h e s h o p w a s b o u g h t by Mr Aver y who ran it as a grocer y store, before moving in 1966 to the Cottage Stores.

May’s Cafe was a transport cafe on Watling Street near Potterspur y House. I t w a s s t a r t e d a s l i t t l e m o r e t h a n a wooden shack in the mid 1930s and grew to be one of the largest transpor t c a f e s o n t h e A 5 It o f f e r e d b e d a n d breakfast facilities for lorr y drivers and its name became famous countr ywide It was used as a changeover point for drivers. With the opening of the M1 in 1959, trade dwindled and the cafe c l o s e d i n t h e e a r l y 1 9 6 0 s S o m e o f Mays Way bungalows are built on the site – hence the name It is said that G l e n n M i l l e r ’ s b a n d w e r e t a k i n g r e f r e s h m e n t h e r e w h e n n e w s c a m e t h r o u g h o f t h e b a n d l e a d e r ’ s d i s a p p e a r a n c e o v e r t h e E n g l i s h Channel

C u r r e n t s h o p s a n d b u s i n e s s e s T h e C o t t a g e S t o r e s i n t h e c e n t r a l Hi g h St r e e t i s t h e o n l y s h o p l e f t i n t h e v i l l a g e , a n d p r o v i d e s a n i m p o r t a n t f a c i l i t y f o r t h e i n s t a n t n e e d s o f re s i d e n t s a n d t h o s e w i t h o u t t r a n s p o r t I t f u n c t i o n s a s a c o n v e n i e n c e s t o r e , i n c o r p o r a t i n g n e w s a g e n c y, c o n f e c t i o n e r y, g r o c e r y a n d Po s t O f f i c e T h e r e h a v e b e e n

Cottage Stores in 2000, having recently changed hands. [Peter Webb]

1 Furtho Lane, once a pair of thatched cottages, since extended and for about 20 years was a dairy with a pasteurising and bottling plant [Peter Webb]

n i n e p r o p r i e t o r s s i n c e i t w a s o p e n e d i n 1 9 6 6 , t h e l a t e s t b e i n g St u a r t a n d L i n d a B r o u g h a l l a n d t h e l o n g e s t s e r v i n g , P h i l a n d S u e B a t e s f r o m 1 9 8 3 t o 1 9 9 3

T h e Su p e r Sa u s a g e C a f e t e r i a , o n t h e A 5 n e a r M o o r e n d R o a d , w a s f o r m e r l y t h e Ne l s o n C a f e , a n d i s t h e o n l y t r a n s p o r t c a f e re m a i n i n g t o d a y I t h a s a l w a y s d e p e n d e d o n p a s s i n g t r a d e f o r b u s i n e s s s i n c e i t w a s e s t a b l i s h e d b y a c o u p l e w h o c a m e f r o m N e l s o n i n L a n c a s h i r e ( h e n c e

t h e o r i g i n a l n a m e ) j u s t b e f o r e t h e S e c o n d Wo r l d Wa r A r t h u r C o t t r e l l t o o k i t ov e r s o o n a f t e r t h e e n d o f t h e w a r a n d e x p a n d e d i t . T h e p o p u l a r i t y o f t h e c a f e e n a b l e d i t t o s u r v i v e t h e d o l d r u m s c a u s e d b y t h e o p e n i n g o f t h e M 1 , a n d i t i s n ow p o p u l a r w i t h t h e t r a v e l l i n g p u b l i c , a s w e l l a s l o r r y d r i v e r s .

R o m a n Wa y G a rd e n C e n t r e w a s e s t a b l i s h e d a t t h e p r e s e n t a d d r e s s i n 1 9 7 6 , b y D e n n i s a n d El a i n e Mu n d y w h o b u i l t u p t h e b u s i n e s s u n t i l i t

c h a n g e d h a n d s i n 1 9 9 9 L i k e t h e Wa k e f i e l d Fa r m S h o p , w h i c h s e l l s f re s h f o o d a n d s p e c i a l i s t g ro c e r i e s , i t d e p e n d s m a i n l y o n p a s s i n g t r a d e a l t h o u g h b o t h s e r v e t h e l o c a l population as well. Reindeer Antiques was probably established because of its location, easily accessible to customers, and in a building with character, but l i k e t h e h i g h t e c h n o l o g y c o m p a n i e s , B l u e M o u n t a i n S y s t e m s a n d P D E l e c t r o n i c s , i s a c t i v e n a t i o n a l l y a n d internationally.

Part of the Wakefield Country Courtyard [Ian Thompson]