Ashby St Ledgers is a village in the
West Northamptonshire
West Northamptonshire is a unitary authority area covering part of the ceremonial county of Northamptonshire, England, created in 2021. By far the largest settlement in West Northamptonshire is the county town of Northampton. Its other signific ...
district of
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire (; abbreviated Northants.) is a county in the East Midlands of England. In 2015, it had a population of 723,000. The county is administered by
two unitary authorities: North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire. It ...
, England.
[OS Explorer Map Map 223 - Northampton & Market Harborough (1:25 000) ] The
post town
A post town is a required part of all postal addresses in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and a basic unit of the postal delivery system.Royal Mail, ''Address Management Guide'', (2004) Including the correct post town in the address increases ...
is
Rugby in Warwickshire. The population of the
civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authorit ...
at the 2011 census was 173. The
Manor House
A manor house was historically the main residence of the lord of the manor. The house formed the administrative centre of a manor in the European feudal system; within its great hall were held the lord's manorial courts, communal meals w ...
is famous for being a location for the planning of the
Gunpowder Plot
The Gunpowder Plot of 1605, in earlier centuries often called the Gunpowder Treason Plot or the Jesuit Treason, was a failed assassination attempt against King James I by a group of provincial English Catholics led by Robert Catesby who sough ...
in 1605.
Location
The nearest large towns are
Rugby
Rugby may refer to:
Sport
* Rugby football in many forms:
** Rugby league: 13 players per side
*** Masters Rugby League
*** Mod league
*** Rugby league nines
*** Rugby league sevens
*** Touch (sport)
*** Wheelchair rugby league
** Rugby union: 1 ...
, north west, and
Daventry
Daventry ( , historically ) is a market town and civil parish in the West Northamptonshire unitary authority in Northamptonshire, England, close to the border with Warwickshire. At the 2021 Census Daventry had a population of 28,123, making ...
, south. The
A5 road
A5 Road may refer to:
;Africa
* A5 highway (Nigeria), a road connecting Lagos and Ibadan
* A5 road (Zimbabwe), a road connecting Harare and Francistown
;Americas
* Quebec Autoroute 5, a road in Quebec, Canada
* County Route A5 (California) or B ...
, following the course of the
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
Watling Street
Watling Street is a historic route in England that crosses the River Thames at London and which was used in Classical Antiquity, Late Antiquity, and throughout the Middle Ages. It was used by the ancient Britons and paved as one of the main ...
, passes about a mile east. Rugby has the nearest railway station on the
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line (WCML) is one of the most important railway corridors in the United Kingdom, connecting the major cities of London and Glasgow with branches to Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and Edinburgh. It is one of the busiest ...
, with trains to London
Euston and several other parts of the country. It is about north via the A5 to the
M1 London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
to
Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other English counties, functions have ...
motorway
A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms i ...
junction 18 and about south to junction 16.
History
Ashby St Ledgers was first mentioned in the
Domesday Book
Domesday Book () – the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book" – is a manuscript record of the "Great Survey" of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 by order of King William I, known as William the Conqueror. The manus ...
, which gave the place name as Ascebi ("ash tree settlement"). In
Norman
Norman or Normans may refer to:
Ethnic and cultural identity
* The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries
** People or things connected with the Norm ...
times, a
church
Church may refer to:
Religion
* Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities
* Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination
* Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship
* C ...
was erected on the site, dedicated to
Saint Leodegarius, from whom the modern-day name is derived.
Notable buildings
Manor House
The
manor was given as a gift to
Hugh de Grandmesnil
Hugh de Grandmesnil (1032 – 22 February 1098), (known in French as ''Hugues'' and Latinised as ''Hugo de Grentmesnil'', aliter ''Grentemesnil'', etc.), is one of the proven companions of William the Conqueror known to have fought at the Battle ...
by
William the Conqueror
William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first House of Normandy, Norman List of English monarchs#House of Norman ...
and passed to various other occupants until 1375, when it passed into the
Catesby family and became their principal residence.
The manor was briefly confiscated after the attainder and execution of
William Catesby
William Catesby (1450 – 25 August 1485) was one of Richard III of England's principal councillors. He also served as Chancellor of the Exchequer and Speaker of the House of Commons during Richard's reign.
The son of Sir William Catesby o ...
, one of
Richard III's counsellors, after the defeat at the
Battle of Bosworth
The Battle of Bosworth or Bosworth Field was the last significant battle of the Wars of the Roses, the civil war between the houses of Lancaster and York that extended across England in the latter half of the 15th century. Fought on 22 Au ...
in 1485, but was later returned to his son, George. It passed down the male line to
Robert Catesby
Robert Catesby (c. 1572 – 8 November 1605) was the leader of a group of English Catholics who planned the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605.
Born in Warwickshire, Catesby was educated in Oxford. His family were prominent recusant Catholics, and ...
's father, Sir William Catesby, who managed to hold on to the property in spite of massive debts caused by recusancy fines and years of imprisonment for his brave adherence to the
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
* Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...
faith.
File:Gunpow1.jpg, left, A contemporaneous engraving of the conspirators (detail Detail(s) or The Detail(s) may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Details'' (film), a 2003 Swedish film
* ''The Details'' (film), a 2011 American film
* ''The Detail'', a Canadian television series
* "The Detail" (''The Wire''), a television epis ...
). By Crispijn van de Passe the Elder.[The Gunpowder Plot Conspirators]
Crispiijn van de Passe, National Portrait Gallery, accessed 12 March 2010 Use a cursor to explore
poly 1379 85 1548 90 1555 261 1647 332 1602 432 1661 500 1700 962 1163 964 1142 757 1193 595 1121 589 1149 531 1082 556 1236 470 1160 630 Robert Catesby
Robert Catesby (c. 1572 – 8 November 1605) was the leader of a group of English Catholics who planned the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605.
Born in Warwickshire, Catesby was educated in Oxford. His family were prominent recusant Catholics, and ...
poly 1028 301 1225 67 1332 71 1313 230 1237 298 1276 335 1265 387 1227 499 1054 559 1163 651 1136 734 1091 859 986 483 Guido Fawkes
poly 1603 292 1684 152 1693 34 1812 33 1826 276 1862 307 1862 969 1791 968 Thomas Winter
poly 802 308 861 264 886 71 1024 77 991 252 1058 261 1016 328 986 482 841 727 814 730 812 614 764 521 Thomas Percy
poly 679 216 679 112 696 50 729 11 795 11 862 100 862 232 852 276 791 313 833 322 830 394 777 431 707 398 682 347 681 280 731 276 738 260 John Wright
poly 485 233 470 73 401 54 401 2 590 3 569 70 585 101 629 122 637 208 734 262 713 279 662 281 665 379 691 372 718 412 775 451 759 481 760 516 757 574 793 645 801 722 722 706 654 613 654 554 632 508 500 459 496 404 558 380 508 328 432 303 417 257 488 259 Christopher Wright
poly 174 129 172 53 314 56 323 135 480 218 478 253 405 254 421 305 553 376 477 411 494 466 626 516 650 558 649 623 713 716 856 739 871 744 1016 641 1060 757 1032 803 976 791 976 791 917 806 929 969 359 969 203 813 166 661 171 570 210 507 Robert Winter
Dr. Robert W. Winter (July 17, 1924 - February 9, 2019) was an architectural historian. He was the Arthur G. Coons Professor of the History of Ideas, Emeritus, at Occidental College, Los Angeles. He is particularly known for his contributions ...
poly 2 188 112 206 189 363 203 503 156 591 159 683 156 754 237 935 223 966 3 967 Thomas Bates
rect 0 0 1869 974 Use a cursor to explore or press button for larger image & copyright
desc none
The manor's central location was convenient to the houses of the Catesbys' many friends and relations, which supposedly made Ashby St Ledgers a type of 'Command Centre' during the planning of the
Gunpowder Plot
The Gunpowder Plot of 1605, in earlier centuries often called the Gunpowder Treason Plot or the Jesuit Treason, was a failed assassination attempt against King James I by a group of provincial English Catholics led by Robert Catesby who sough ...
. In the room above the Gatehouse, with its privacy from the main house and clear view of the surrounding area, Robert Catesby, his servant
Thomas Bates and the other conspirators are said to have planned a great deal of the Gunpowder Plot.
[John Goodall]
"Ashby St Legers (''sic''): A spectacular house where the Gunpowder Plot was hatched"
''Country Life'', 3 November 2017. Catesby was killed with some other plotters at
Holbeche House
Holbeche House (also, in some texts, Holbeach or Holbeache) is a mansion located approximately north of Kingswinford, now in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley but historically in Staffordshire.Aikin, L. p.244 Some members of the Gunpowder P ...
, whereas his servant was executed in the following January.
Following Robert Catesby's death in 1605, the manor was confiscated by the crown as the property of a
traitor
Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplo ...
. However, Lady Anne Catesby had a life interest in a large portion of the property, given her by her husband at their marriage. This preserved a portion of the estate from alienation, and though an attempt was made in 1618 to reverse that, the settlement remained. In 1612, it was purchased by Bryan I'Anson (1560-1634),
Sheriff of the City of London
Two sheriffs are elected annually for the City of London by the Liverymen of the City livery companies. Today's sheriffs have only nominal duties, but the historical officeholders had important judicial responsibilities. They have attended the ju ...
.
[Lawrence James]
''The Middle Class: A History''
ittle, Brown, 2006 repr. London: Abacus, 2011, . He was the father of
Sir Bryan I'Anson, 1st Bt., of Ashby St Ledgers;
Gentleman of the Bedchamber to
Charles I of England
Charles I (19 November 1600 – 30 January 1649) was King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. He was born into the House of Stuart as the second son of King James VI of Scotland, but after hi ...
. In 1703, Esther I'Anson (Sir Bryan's elder brother John's great-granddaughter) sold the manor to Joseph Ashley, a London draper. When his great nephew, also called Joseph Ashley, died in 1798, the manor passed to his daughter, Mary, who was the wife of Sir Joseph Senhouse. Their daughter, Elizabeth, married Joseph Pocklington in 1835, and the manor remained in their family until 1903, when it was sold to
Ivor Guest, 1st Viscount Wimborne
Ivor Churchill Guest, 1st Viscount Wimborne, KP, PC (16 January 1873 – 14 June 1939), known as Lord Ashby St Ledgers from 1910 to 1914 and as Lord Wimborne from 1914 to 1918, was a British politician and one of the last Lords Lieutenant of ...
,
who had previously rented it for hunting.[Annabel Freyberg]
"Rescuing the home where the Gunpowder Plot was hatched"
''The Telegraph'', 1 March 2013.
Viscount Wimborne's grandson and namesake, Ivor Guest, 3rd Viscount Wimborne
Ivor Fox-Strangways Guest, 3rd Viscount Wimborne (2 December 1939 – 17 December 1993) was a British peer.
Early life
Ivor Fox-Strangways Guest was born on 2 December 1939. He was the son of Ivor Grosvenor Guest, 2nd Viscount Wimborne (1903– ...
, sold the estate in 1976. It passed through a series of owners, including the British Airways
British Airways (BA) is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in London, England, near its main hub at Heathrow Airport.
The airline is the second largest UK-based carrier, based on fleet size and passengers ...
Pension Fund, who separated the manor house from the rest of the estate. In 1998 the 3rd Viscount's son Ivor Guest, 4th Viscount Wimborne, bought the house, which had fallen into neglect,[ and restored it over two years.][ It was purchased by his cousin, Henry Guest, and his wife Nova.][
The original medieval manor house was gradually replaced by later buildings, starting with a new range probably erected by the Catesbys in the early Tudor period. The I'Ansons created the main façade and an adjacent tower in the first half of the 17th century, together with another freestanding building across the court from the surviving medieval building. After being widowed in 1828, Mary Senhouse took up residence in the manor and expanded it in Jacobean revival style; a lifesize oil painting on the cellar door of a "Herculean" figure brandishing a club dates to this period and presumably alludes to the Guy Fawkes association of the house. The house was further expanded throughout the 19th century and then under the ownership of the Wimborns extensively remodelled by Edwin Lutyens, who worked on it for 40 years, the longest commission of his career, while also carrying out other commissions in the village. He created a new garden façade and a new range with its own tower, and behind the Jacobean façade, new Edwardian rooms with the floor lowered to give added height to the interiors. Rubble stone was used for the new building to blend with the original cut stone; some salvaged antique building elements were also used, including a complete medieval house from ]Ipswich
Ipswich () is a port town and borough in Suffolk, England, of which it is the county town. The town is located in East Anglia about away from the mouth of the River Orwell and the North Sea. Ipswich is both on the Great Eastern Main Line ...
that had been on exhibit in London in 1908.[ Lutyens' interiors were partially modified in the late 20th century, including demolition of the north wing, but the house was restored by the 4th Viscount Wimborne at the start of the 21st century.][
The Baker family bought the Ashby St Ledgers estate from the British Airways Pension Fund in 1982. It includes an organic ]dairy farm
Dairy farming is a class of agriculture for long-term production of milk, which is processed (either on the farm or at a dairy plant, either of which may be called a dairy) for eventual sale of a dairy product. Dairy farming has a history th ...
, a country sports centre and Chapel Farm, which 150 years ago was the home of Thomas Arnold, the headmaster of Rugby School
Rugby School is a public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 13–18) in Rugby, Warwickshire, England.
Founded in 1567 as a free grammar school for local boys, it is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain. ...
. The Bakers sold the estate to The Crown Estate in 2005.["Queen buys gunpowder plot estate"]
BBC News, 22 October 2005. It will continue to be run as an agricultural business, but governed by its Rural Directorate.
Other buildings
The church is dedicated to Saint Leodegarius and has wall paintings showing the Passion of Christ
In Christianity, the Passion (from the Latin verb ''patior, passus sum''; "to suffer, bear, endure", from which also "patience, patient", etc.) is the short final period in the life of Jesus Christ.
Depending on one's views, the "Passion" m ...
'' ca.'' 1500, with 18 scenes, and the flagellation
Flagellation (Latin , 'whip'), flogging or whipping is the act of beating the human body with special implements such as whips, rods, switches, the cat o' nine tails, the sjambok, the knout, etc. Typically, flogging has been imposed on ...
of St Margaret, ''ca.'' 1325.[Pevsner, pp. 89–90, with illustration of the wall paintings.]
The village has a pub, the Olde Coach House Inn.
Ashby Lodge, a house built by Londoner George Arnold in the early 1720s on the edge of the manor estate, was demolished in the 1920s.[
]
References
External links
*
{{authority control
Villages in Northamptonshire
Gunpowder Plot
West Northamptonshire District
Civil parishes in Northamptonshire