- Hanslope
infobox UK place
country = England
official_name= Hanslope
unitary_england= Milton Keynes
lieutenancy_england=Buckinghamshire
region= South East England
constituency_westminster=Milton Keynes North East
post_town= MILTON KEYNES
postcode_area= MK
postcode_district= MK19
dial_code= 01908
population=
os_grid_reference= SP803471
latitude= 52.1168
longitude= -0.8279Hanslope is a
village in the Borough of Milton Keynes and is the centre of aCivil Parish of the same name. It is about 4 miles (6 km) WNW ofNewport Pagnell , about 4 miles (6 km) north ofStony Stratford , about 8 miles (11km) north ofCentral Milton Keynes and just south ofNorthamptonshire . For ceremonial purposes, it is inBuckinghamshire .History
Previously called "Hanslape" from the time of the
Domesday Book in 1086 right through to theVictorian era , it refers in Old English to a muddy place or slope belonging to a man called "Hama".There was once a
castle in theparish (that later becameCastlethorpe ), that was the seat of the Maudit family. In 1215 William Maudit had started a rebellion against KingJohn of England and was defeated in battle by the king's men. Following King John's death however, Maudit reclaimed his seat and founded a grand park in the parish, remnants of which can still be found in Hanslope today. The castle building has long since disappeared, though the grassy mounds of the motte-and-bailey groundworks can still be clearly seen.In the
medieval period it was amarket town , granted in 1293.In the Victorian period, most of the inhabitants of the village were employed in the manufacture of
lace . This was a common trade in Buckinghamshire, and Hanslope lace was renowned for being a particularly fine example.Parish church: Hanslope spire
A prominent feature of the village is the parish church, St James the Great. The church spire is exceptionally high (180 feet, almost 55m) and, because the village is already on a ridge, it can be seen from a very wide radius. The claim that "before
air pollution , it could be seen fromLondon " seems fanciful. The church has an open day in the summer when the tower is open to the public.Hanslope Park
About half a mile south-east of the village lies Hanslope Park. Once the manorial estate of the village, it is now owned by the UK
Foreign and Commonwealth Office , and is home toHMGCC (Her Majesty's Government Communications Centre); which researches, designs, develops and produces communications systems and equipment and related hardware and software. During the2nd World War , theRadio Security Service was based here; it is also rumoured to be home to the Technical Security Department of the UKSecret Intelligence Service .External links
* [http://www.mkheritage.co.uk/hdhs/frameset.html Hanslope & District Historical Society web site] History, census data, old photographs etc.
* [http://www.hanslopemethodists.org.uk/History.html Hanslope Methodist Chapel] History and recent events
* [http://www.mkanglocatholic.org.uk/stjinfo.htm St. James the Great, Hanslope] Anglican church
* [http://www.hanslopecc.co.uk Hanslope Cricket Club, Hanslope] Village Cricket Club
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