Desborough

For the hundred in Buckinghamshire, see Desborough (hundred).

Coordinates: 52°26′23″N 0°49′02″W / 52.4398313636°N 0.817156604269°W / 52.4398313636; -0.817156604269

Desborough
Desborough  Desborough shown within Northamptonshire
Population	8,500 (Parish)
OS grid reference	SP805835
Parish	Desborough
District	Kettering
Shire county	Northamptonshire
Region	East Midlands
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	KETTERING
Postcode district	NN14
Dialling code	01536
Police	Northamptonshire
Fire	Northamptonshire
Ambulance	East Midlands
EU Parliament	East Midlands
UK Parliament	Kettering
List of places: UK • England • Northamptonshire

Desborough is a town in Northamptonshire, England. It is one of the founding 12 members of the Charter of European Rural Communities^[1] and through this has links with 26 other EU member towns and villages. Through the Desborough and District Twinning Association^[2] the town is twinned with Neuville de Poitou in the Vienne departement of France and with Bievre in Belgium.

Overview

Desborough developed around the spinning and weaving industries, by the nineteenth century specialising in silk. Many archaeological finds from the Celtic and Anglo-Saxon periods have been made in the town, some of which have been inducted into the collection of London's British Museum. The Desborough Mirror is an example of this. Desborough is 8 km (5.0 mi) south-east of Market Harborough, 8 km (5.0 mi) north-west of Kettering and 8 km (5.0 mi) south-west of Corby.

The Kettering Leg of the Student cross pilgrimage leaves from near Desborough every year.

The A6 Rothwell-Desborough Bypass opened on August 14, 2003.

Notable buildings in the town include the thirteenth century parish church. The Domesday Book of 1086 refers to Desborough, in modern day Northamptonshire, as a 'place of judgement'. In fact the name itself is thought to have derived from 'Disburg' which meant a sacred and fortified place.

The Cross, Desborough.

In the High Street, as a centrepiece of what is now the Market Square, stands a pillar. Locals call it the Town Cross, despite it being a square column with a stone ball on top. It is perhaps better referred to as an obelisk. Its origins are thought to be a gateway pillar from Harrington Hall.

Desborough's origins lie in the Bronze Age some 2000 years BC. Urns from this period have been found in and around the town. The most important archeological find was the 1st Century Desborough Mirror which is now in the British Museum as is an Anglo-Saxon necklace found in the Paddock Lane area of the town which comprises gold beads, a gold cross and a red garnet. Other stone artifacts are on display in the parish church of St Giles.

St Giles Church

St Giles Church is the oldest surviving building in the town having been built in about 1225 AD. It is believed to stand on the site of an earlier Saxon church. Relics of the town's history including part of an Anglo-Saxon cross carved from stone, a Tudor rood screen and reminders of the Civil War. Close by the church is the 18th century Church House the 19th century Desborough House with its stucco and Doric pillars, now the Services Club.

On 7 September 1969 the Anglican (Church of England) and Methodist partnership was inaugurated in the presence of the Bishop of Peterborough and the Chairman of the Oxford District. Since that time a Methodist minister has been working in equal partnership with the Anglican vicar. St Giles is part of the United Benefice of Desborough and Brampton Ash with Braybrooke and Dingley.^[3]

St Giles has regular church festivals including one of the UKs longest running (since 1998) and largest (over 100 trees) Christmas Tree Festival. The trees are contributed by local organisations, companies, individuals and families.

In addition to the parish church there is a Baptist church,^[4] a United Reformed Church and the Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Trinity.

The Old Manor House

The Old Manor House in Gold Street retains many features of its late 17th century origins. Ferdinando Poulton, a Roman Catholic lawyer was Lord of the Manor, reputedly one of the Gunpowder Plot conspirators.

Employment

In the 17th century the town developed as a spinning and weaving centre. Using local wool and flax, the town's factories produced fine cloth and linen until the mid 19th century. Silk weaving then developed in a Paddock Lane factory.

To counter exploitation by agents and employers, local men founded the Desborough Co-operative Society in 1863. Starting with local shops and then a corset and lingerie factory, the Desborough Co-op still has a department store, a bank, a supermarket, a travel agents, a ladies shoe and clothing shop and a couple of corner stores.

The former Co-op Corset Factory is now owned by Eveden Ltd^[5] making lingerie and swimwear. The site includes the original Victorian factory and, immediately opposite, Eveden's warehousing and UK factory shop.

The former Co-operative Society Sports Ground with its football field and tennis courts is now the site of a major housing development called Desbeau Park. Desbeau was the name of one of the range of lingerie made at the Corset Factory.

The Desborough Co-op was recently purchased by the larger East Midlands Co-op who have since closed the bank and the ladies shoe and clothing shop. They have also turned one of the corner shops in to a funeral directors.

Schools

There is one primary school and one infant/junior school in Desborough, Loatlands Primary School,^[6] Havelock Infants,^[7] and Havelock Junior^[8] but no secondary school so children aged 11–16 mostly attend Montsaye Community College in Rothwell.^{[citation needed]}

New development

Several housing projects are currently taking place, such as "The Grange", a joint project by several house building companies, and Jelson Homes's "Carisbrooke Grange".

Magnetic Park is a project to build a business park in Desborough, most construction has been completed.^{[citation needed]}

There were plans to build a Sainsburys near Magnetic Park but Kettering Borough Council’s planning committee turned down the company’s proposals. Committee members voted 4-3, with one abstention, against the plans.^[9]

References

1. ^ European Charter
2. ^ Twinning Home Page
3. ^ 4churches.net
4. ^ http://www.desboroughbaptist.org.uk
5. ^ Eveden
6. ^ Loatlands School Web Site
7. ^ Havelock Infant School Web Site
8. ^ Havelock Junior School
9. ^ Sainsburys-desborough.co.uk

External links

• Desborough & District Twinning Association & Charter
• Desborough's Community Blog
• Eveden
• Co-op
• Havelock Infant School Webpage
• Desborough Amateur Dramatics Society
• Desborough Genealogy