Catesby is a

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. Civil parishes can trace their origin to the ancient system of parishes, w ...

West Northamptonshire West Northamptonshire is a Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Northamptonshire, England, and was created in 2021. It contains the county town of Northampton, as wel ...

, England. There are two hamlets, Lower Catesby and Upper Catesby, each of which is a

shrunken village An abandoned village is a village that has, for some reason, been deserted. In many countries, and throughout history, thousands of villages have been deserted for a variety of causes. Abandonment of villages is often related to epidemic, ...

. The site of the

abandoned village An abandoned village is a village that has, for some reason, been deserted. In many countries, and throughout history, thousands of villages have been deserted for a variety of causes. Abandonment of villages is often related to epidemic, ...

of Newbold is also in the parish. The 2001 Census recorded a parish population of 76. Catesby Priory was a community of

Cistercian The Cistercians (), officially the Order of Cistercians (, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint Benedict, as well as the contri ...

nuns in Lower Catesby, founded in about 1175 and suppressed in 1536. The Priory then became a private residence, Catesby House. There was no separate church for the village: the graveyard and chapel of Catesby House served the community. The lexicographer, Rev.John Parkhurst was born at Lower Catesby. In the eastern part of the parish is

Catesby Tunnel Catesby Tunnel is a disused railway tunnel in Northamptonshire on the route of the former Great Central Main Line. Its northern portal is about south of Catesby Viaduct and west of Upper Catesby, with the tunnel ending at Charwelton to the ...

, a tunnel on the former Great Central Line that was completed in 1897 and has been disused since 1966.

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Civil parishes in Northamptonshire {{Northamptonshire-geo-stub