![Footpath-near-Bugbrooke-by-Stephen-McKay](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Footpath-near-Bugbrooke-by-Stephen-McKay.jpg)
Bugbrooke is a village and
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 authority ...
in
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 is ...
, England, on a ridge overlooking the valley of the
River Nene
The River Nene ( or : see below) is a river in the east of England that rises from three sources in Northamptonshire.OS Explorer Map sheet 223, Northampton & Market Harborough, Brixworth & Pitsford Water. The river is about long, about of w ...
.
Location
Bugbrooke is situated about south west of
Northampton
Northampton () is a market town and civil parish in the East Midlands of England, on the River Nene, north-west of London and south-east of Birmingham. The county town of Northamptonshire, Northampton is one of the largest towns in England; ...
and 5 miles (8 km) north of Towcester. The
M1, one of the busiest motorways in England is about by the shortest route to junction 16.
History
The village's name's origin is uncertain. 'Bucca's brook', '
bucks' brook' or 'he-
goats
The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a domesticated species of Caprinae, goat-antelope typically kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a membe ...
' brook'.
![Bugbrooke-Mill-from-the-East-by-Alan-Murray-Rust](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Bugbrooke-Mill-from-the-East-by-Alan-Murray-Rust.jpg)
The village, named 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 manusc ...
of 1086 AD as "Buchebroc", is situated on the Hoarestone Brook, which flows through the village from south to north. The name of the stream is supposed to be a corruption of Horse-stone, as an old
packhorse
A packhorse, pack horse, or sumpter refers to a horse, mule, donkey, or pony used to carry goods on its back, usually in sidebags or panniers. Typically packhorses are used to cross difficult terrain, where the absence of roads prevents the use of ...
route crossed the brook by a
simple slab bridge just outside the village. When the stream was widened in the 1970s, the last of the medieval slabs was damaged beyond repair, but the pillars are still intact.
The brook meets the River Nene near Bugbrooke Mill. The first mill on the site was established in 800 AD, and by the time of the Domesday Book, this was the third-highest rated mill in England. It is now the site of Heygate's flour mill, whose large central tower can be seen for several miles around. Heygate's trucks, with their distinctive
maroon
Maroon ( US/ UK , Australia ) is a brownish crimson color that takes its name from the French word ''marron'', or chestnut. "Marron" is also one of the French translations for "brown".
According to multiple dictionaries, there are var ...
markings, can frequently be seen rumbling along Bugbrooke's main road.
Demographics
The 2001
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
shows a population of 2,773 people, 1,376 males and 1,397 female in 1,029 households. The 2010 population estimate is 2,924.
Governance
Bugbrooke is situated in the Parliamentary Constituency of
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 ...
, which is considered a "safe" Conservative seat. In the 2015, 2017, and 2019 General Elections, the seat was retained by the Conservative M.P.,
Chris Heaton-Harris.
Bugbrooke is 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 signif ...
unitary authority. Before
local government restructuring in 2021 it was in South Northamptonshire Council's two-member "Heyfords and Bugbrooke"
ward, covering the village as well as neighbouring
Nether Heyford
Nether Heyford is a village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire, England, close to the M1 motorway and the A5 and A45 roads, west of Northampton and northwest of London. The smaller village of Upper Heyford is about half a mile to the ...
and
Upper Heyford.
From May 2013 until its abolition, the Northamptonshire County Council seat of Bugbrooke joined with 10 other parish councils to form Bugbrooke division.
Bugbrooke
Parish Council meets monthly and is re-elected every four years.
Buildings and other facilities
Bugbrooke has an
Anglican church
Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of the ...
, dedicated to St Michael and All Angels which dates from the 13th century.
There are monuments to the Whitfield family from 1704 and 1734. There is an early 19th-century
rectory
A clergy house is the residence, or former residence, of one or more priests or ministers of religion. Residences of this type can have a variety of names, such as manse, parsonage, rectory or vicarage.
Function
A clergy house is typically ow ...
, now a private house, west of the church.
The
Baptist
Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...
chapel is dated 1808.
A row of yellow-brick cottages in Church Lane, close to the brook were built in 1844 in the
Gothic
Gothic or Gothics may refer to:
People and languages
*Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes
**Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths
**Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
style by
Edmund Francis Law
Edmund Francis Law, usually referred to as 'E. F. Law', (26 April 1810 – 14 April 1882, in Northampton) FRIBA was an English architect during the 19th century, notable for a large number of projects, particularly restorations, in th ...
and were originally a
National School with accommodation for the master.
There is a
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 ...
at the north-east end of the village with a wide-arched entrance to the yard. This was restored in the
Tudor style by
Edmund Francis Law
Edmund Francis Law, usually referred to as 'E. F. Law', (26 April 1810 – 14 April 1882, in Northampton) FRIBA was an English architect during the 19th century, notable for a large number of projects, particularly restorations, in th ...
in 1881.
The village has three
pubs
A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...
: "The Bakers Arms" in the High Street; "The Wharf" alongside the Grand Union Canal and "The Five Bells"
opposite the church. Bugbrooke Medical Centre, situated in Levitts Road, provides a range of General Practice (GP) and other medical services, with a pharmacy and sub-post office on the same site. .
Bugbrooke Community
Primary School
A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary e ...
is in the High Street, and a large
comprehensive school
A comprehensive school typically describes a secondary school for pupils aged approximately 11–18, that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude, in contrast to a selective school system where admission is res ...
,
Campion School, serving Bugbrooke and several nearby villages, is situated on Kislingbury Road on the eastern approach to the village. It was built in 1966-68 with extension in 1972-72 and was the first purpose-built comprehensive in the county.
A village magazine, "Bugbrooke Link",
is published bi-monthly, and includes regular reporting of Church, Parish Council and sports events.
Sport and leisure
Bugbrooke
Rugby Union
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...
Football Club was established in 1977 and is located to the east of the village on Camp Close, Bugbrooke. The club have 3 senior XV teams playing in the
Midland Division, and an active Junior section.
Bugbrooke St Michaels F.C.
Bugbrooke St Michaels Football Club is an English football club based in Bugbrooke, Northamptonshire. They are members of the and play at Birds Close.
History
The club was established in 1929 and named after the village church. They joined ...
was established in 1929 and is named after the village church. The club plays on Birds Close, off Gayton Road, Bugbrooke. They have both Men and Ladies senior teams and a junior section. Nicknamed 'The Badgers', they play in the English
United Counties League
The United Counties League (also known after its sponsor as the ''Uhlsport United Counties League'') is an English football league covering Northamptonshire, Rutland and Bedfordshire and most of Leicestershire as well as parts of Buckinghamshi ...
.
Bugbrooke Cricket Club is located on The Doc White Cricket Ground, Camp Hill Farm, Bugbrooke. The club have three senior Saturday XI teams that compete in the
Northamptonshire Cricket League
The Hevey Building Supplies Northamptonshire Cricket League is the top level of competition for recreational club cricket in Northamptonshire, England, and since 1999 has been a designated ECB Premier League. The league headquarters is based i ...
, and a Sunday friendly XI side that compete in and around the region.
Bugbrooke Badminton Club was established in 2010 and is based at Campion Secondary School, Kislingbury Road, Bugbrooke. Bugbrooke BC compete in the Northamptonshire Badminton League
There is a large, modern community centre at Camp Close on the southern edge of the village. Adjacent to this is a large sports field.
Other features
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 ...
railway and the
Grand Union Canal
The Grand Union Canal in England is part of the British canal system. It is the principal navigable waterway between London and the Midlands. Starting in London, one arm runs to Leicester and another ends in Birmingham, with the latter st ...
run adjacent to the south-west of the parish, with the
A5 major road a little further to the west, while the M1 motorway runs to the north-east.
Bugbrooke is also the birthplace of the
Jesus Army
The Jesus Army, also known as the Jesus Fellowship Church and the Bugbrooke Community, was a neocharismatic evangelical Christian movement based in the United Kingdom, part of the British New Church Movement. The name ''Jesus Army'' was specifi ...
, which sprang out of the Baptist Chapel in the centre of the village, which it continues to use regularly.
Northampton's
Express Lift Tower
The National Lift Tower (previously called the Express Lift Tower) is a lift-testing tower built by the Express Lift Company (a lifts division of the General Electric Company (GEC)) off the Weedon Road in Northampton, England. The structure ...
can be seen from the village about to the east.
Bibliography
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References
External links
Campion SchoolJesus ArmyHeygates MillsUnusual Rigging
Bugbrooke Marina
{{authority control
Villages in Northamptonshire
West Northamptonshire District
Civil parishes in Northamptonshire