An Overview:

Ashton, written ‘ ASCE, and Aceshille “ or in much earlier records ‘ Esse, Essene, Esston and Asshen, is probably derived fron the Saxon, Aesc, an ash tree. There are three Ashton’s in Northamptonshire, which can be somewhat confusing when researching the history of the Ashton, in question.  However for us to journey through time as far as our records and study permits, we need to take a good look at the shire and county that Ashton resides.

For two thousand years Northamptonshire has been a crucible of English History.  It has heard the tramp of Roman Legions marching northward by what was commonly called the Watling Street or Ermine Street, or today we now know it as the A5.  Queen Boudicca poisoned herself after her famous defeat with the Romans to which 80,000 Britons were defeated and slaughtered a few miles from Ashton.   After this the great victors had gone back to Rome to save their ailing and crumbling Roman Empire.  The Saxons came up from the South and the Angles came from the East to people it.  It’s vast beautiful forests were the hunting grounds of the Danes and the conquering Normans.

Well before London was seen as the Capital, Northampton held the parliament and was all in but name, the capital of England.  Here at Northampton in its splendid castle the council met to enforce the constitutions of Claredon Palace to regulate the conduct of the clergy, Beckett defying Henry II and flying into exile.  Here met the Magna Carta barons.  Sad Henry II undertook the final journey of his wife Queen Eleanor and erected crosses at Geddington and Hardingstone as a mark of his devotion.  These crosses still stand and are now famous as the “Queen Eleanor Crosses”

The fortunes of war drove Henry VI to seek refuge in our forests and secret hideaways, a wanderer in his own kingdom. Under the “Queens Oak” at the Grafton Estate in 1461, Edward the IV found his future wife, Elizabeth Woodville.  Elizabeth recent widowed, was pleading for her dead husbands lands for her children.  Edward fell in love with her courage and beauty and married her. Unfortunately for him, he also married into her troublesome family, which lead to the mysterious deaths of the “Nephews in the tower” and then the eventual War of the Roses.  

Henry VIII and the great Elizabeth came in all their pomp and glory and a couple of centuries later the Royalist stronghold upheld by Prince Rupert and Sir John Digby were defeated in a bloody battle which destroyed the Manor House at Grafton and eventually saw the beginning of a new era of Parliamentarian rule following the battle of Naseby in north Northamptonshire.

Over the last two centuries we have seen Northamptonshire evolve into the shoe making capital of England as the industrial revolution took a firm grip and then the coming of the railways and canal waterways to speed up the carriage of goods and people. The two terrible world wars which left Ashton with many of its sons dead, a death of a beloved Princess and her body coming to rest at her ancestral home at Althrop House, and then the coming of a new historic millennium.

Early Times Locally:

The first recorded history of Northampton and its shire was in the Historica Eccle Stastica, written by the famous Bede.  Unfortunately due to the devastation of Northampton and its surrounding area by the Danes in the 9th century, many early documents would have been lost.  

The official recorded history of Ashton and Northamptonshire begins in the world famous Domesday Book and the Anglo Chronicles.  Also, Bridges (1791) and Baker (1836), both accomplished historians, who have written extensive and most valuable volumes on Northamptonshire.  However for actual physical evidence of Ashton and its shire’s history we look to the various excavations by archaeologists and to the exciting sites found and the items, which have been uncovered.

The first physical signs of human habitation have been uncovered at Duston, nine miles from Ashton. ( b ) Evidence of Palaeolithic habitants (0ld Stone Age; earliest period of human activity following the last Ice Age; Circa 15,000 BC – 10,000 BC), and a Neolithic Settlement (last phase of Stone Age (5,000 – 2,400 BC).  Amongst the find were numerous flints used as weapons and cutting tools.  These can be viewed at the Guildhall Museum in Northampton.

Early Times in Ashton:

A mile from Ashton, west of Grafton fields farms.  ( c ) A pre-historic site was uncovered which dates back to 2,500 BC (End of Neolithic period and the start of  The Bronze age) This site has a dark area and is believed to be the main communal cooking area.  Late Iron Age (Last pre-historic age 800BC – Roman invasion AD 43.) Pottery sherds were also found to be scattered near to the A508.  South of Grafton Lodge a large Roman site, most likely the remains of a farmstead has been also been uncovered.
Early Ashton?

Roman Times in Ashton:

Ashton too has evidence of Roman inhabitation, which boasts of a Roman Villa up on Stoke Road, close to the A508.  It really is no mystery as to what would have been the deciding point of why the Romans would have been attracted to Ashton and its neighbouring countryside.  Ashton is so water rich and this was essential for everyday survival and would have been close to markets and civilisation.  Even today when you take a walk around the various fields and walkways you can feel the spring under your feet of the constant spring of water.   

A Roman Villa

The Romans were infamous for their passion of spring water and their Spa’s.  Ashton is also perfectly situated a few miles from the famous Watling Street.  Roman coins have been found near to the Ashton Manor House and Roman Pottery has also been uncovered of various types.  One coin is silver of Vespasion (AD 69 – 70) the others are bronze and copper.  The latter from Seaby’s Catalogue, appears to be of Constantine II (AD 337 – 40.) These coins were found by Mr Turley of Ashton 1948/9, whilst field walking.

After the initial thrust by Julius Caesar in 55BC and an unsteady Roman government of short duration, the Britons remained unaffected until Emperor Claudius sent an army over commanded by Plautius.  It wasn’t until 80AD under the Roman army commanded by Julius Arigicola that the north of England was penetrated and a series of forts erected connected by earthen rampart to keep out the Barbarians in the North.  Later in 208 it was replaced by an 80-mile wall.

The Romans built roads to speed up the process of travel and to enable them to respond quickly to any rebellions and therefore to govern more effectively.  The Watling Street Way (A5), and originally called by its Latin name of Vitellii Strata Via, is one of the most important factors in the history of Ashton’s area.  Watling Street Way goes almost as straight as an arrow from London to Chester and was the most important road in Romanised Britain.

When one considers that the Romans had neither map nor compass, nor much in the way of earth moving or tree felling equipment, it is a remarkable construction.  As a frequent commuter myself I can honestly say that it is still one of the most important roads today for both commercial and private usage.  I wonder whether the Romans that built it could have possibly imagined that the road would still be used everyday nearly 2 thousand years later!  Roman settlements and markets sprung up along the Watling Way and Lactodorum, (Towcester) 5 miles from Ashton, is a classic example of this.   Another Roman Villa ½ mile from Ashton at Stoke Bruerne has been uncovered and this would have been common of most settlements a couple of miles from the Watling Way.

In AD47 the real conqueror of South England, Aulus Plautius returned to Rome where he received a great ovation but then disappeared into Roman oblivion.  A succession of legates followed and there was a general peace and prosperity for at least 12 years.  In AD 59, Rome appointed the more ruthless Suetonius Paulinus as legate with orders to quell the influential Druidical worship and power which was extremely strong in England and Wales. In AD59 Suetonius Paulinus took the 14th Legion northwards up the Watling Street, camping along the way passing through Ashton’s neighbourhood and invaded Anglesey smashing the Druids with immense ferocity and left a blood bath of destruction.

Back in the South East the Roman taxes had been much increased and at this time Prasutagus King of the Iceni, died leaving half of his property to Emperor Nero as a propitiatory gift and half to be divided by his daughters.  However the Romans seized the full estate.  Prastuagus’s widow, Queen Boudicca found this far too much to bear and her overtaxed tribesmen agreed and protested most vigorously.  Boudicca was taken by the Romans and scourged and her daughters raped.

From out of East Anglia burst a revolt, which was to shake the Roman power in Britain to its very roots.  Paulinus having assessed the odds decided to leave London to its fate and travelled up North on the Watling Street.  Boudicca captured and burnt London and marched to Verulamium (St Albans).  The city was captured and burnt and all the inhabitants slain.

Queen Boudicca

Boudicca marched north to just South of Towcester, (a) and within a few miles of Ashton.  Boudicca and her army of Britons met with two legions of the Roman Army, which in numbers reached at least 10,000 men.  Boudicca was mounted in a chariot with her daughters in front of her.

Local legend has it that this battle took place at the poignantly named “Boudicca’s dip” which is ½ mile south of Towcester and just before the turn to Shutlanger on the Watling Street about 4 miles from Ashton.  The Briton army consisted of clan after clan and other men joined the cause as Bouddica’s army journeyed up the Watling Street.  These warring Britons would have been so highly taxed that they would have eagerly joined the cause as their families were left starving in their efforts to pay the Romans.  Although no official recorded history reports that local people took up arms with Boudicca, it would be hard to imagine that indeed there was no direct local involvement in the revolt.  

In previous peaceful centuries the Britons lived fairly passively under the Roman occupancy, as the Britons embraced the roman way of living.  However when their families were left starving just to pay the harsh taxes imposed to support Rome and its desperate struggle to maintain the huge but crumbling Roman Empire, one can one only deduce that all the local Briton’s would have given supplies, arms and themselves to rid themselves of the tax burden and of course the Romans.

What an amazing sight with Boudicca leading the way.  It is noted that 80,000 Britons fell during this conflict and less then 400 Roman soldiers were mortally wounded.   One can only imagine the state of destruction that was left in the wake of this battle and obviously it would have been left to the locals to bury the dead and to have fed the victorious Romans who would have been left exhausted from their battle.  In 448 AD the Romans left as the Roman Empire was crumbling and the soldiers had to return home.
                                                                                            

The Dark Ages:

The Romans had been in England for nearly 400 years and with their departure they also left England undefended and therefore at danger to other invaders.  It didn’t take long before the invaders came.  In 449 AD the Angles, Saxons and Jutes came.  In Ad 430 a plague had spread through England with such multitude that the living were scarcely sufficient to bury their dead and therefore when the Saxons came from the south and the Angles and Jutes came from the East there was hardly any resistance.  Two centuries later the Anglo-Saxons settled “Hamtune”, now Northampton.  The Britons became one nation with the Anglo-Saxons adopting their laws and language.

The next invasion of England was by the Danes and although Alfred the Great saved the county from complete conquest by his great victory at Ethendue in 878, the Danes were allowed to settle in part of England. Ashton is uniquely placed on this given border allocated to the Danes and therefore Ashton would have had to live under the “Dane Law” In real terms this would have meant that each dweller within Ashton would have had to pay “Protection money” to the Danes.  One could also imagine that many skirmishes could have occurred in or near Ashton with the Danes and the Anglo-Saxons as Ashton is literally on the border.  However the Danes once in possession of their protection money would have killed anyone who tried to do any unjust action to one of the people in their protection.

The first mention of “Hamtune” is in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles under the year 914, which indicated that the Danes then mostly occupied the surrounding district as well as the town.  If we look at the names of “East Hunsbury,West Hunsbury and Danecamp” it is clearly named after the Danish occupation.  I always smile when I do my weekly shop at Tesco’s in East Hunsbury, because this is where the Danes made their famous camp and looked down the hill at their enemy and I wonder what they would have thought of modern day living.  A ferocious lot at the best of times it would be interesting to see what car rage would prevail should one of “Anglo-Saxon lot” choose to park in a space that they had ear-marked first!

Dane Law

                                                                                            

The Dark Ages in Ashton:

It is once again difficult to ascertain the affects on Ashton during these turbulent times, but we know from history that it was very rare that the Anglo Saxons reoccupied Roman Villa’s when the Romans left.  Therefore the Roman Villa on stoke road would almost certainly been abandoned and the villagers would have moved closer together to protect themselves in the wake of the Romans leaving.  The plague would have taken its toll and many people would have been lost.  Once the Angles, Saxons and Jutes arrived the people would have been very passive and have given minimal resistance.  However the Danes were absolutely ferocious and would have easily been a match for the terrifying Vikings that had sacked many northern towns.  The residents of Ashton would have been terrified of Dane occupation and would have paid the Dane Law in fear of retribution.

During this time Christianity came to England and was adopted by Danes and Saxons but still the Druid religion reigned supreme and the old superstitions that went with it.  The Danes became numerous and the current king of the Anglo-Saxons. King Ethelred ordered the Danes to be slaughtered on 13th of November 1012.  The King of Denmark Sweyne then invaded England and became King.  His son Canute married the widow of Ethelred and ruled Denmark, Norway and England.  Ethelred’s son Edward the Confessor became King in 1043 and as history has now well documented died in 1066 causing William The Bastard of Normandy to invade Hastings in 1066 and eventually conqueror England.  On Christmas day 1066 William crowned himself king and was proclaimed William I of England and Duke of Normandy.
                                                                                            

The Norman Conquest:

In 1086 William ordered an exhaustive inventory of all his English lands and towns, which was later to be known as the Domesday Book. This information was collected at Winchester, corrected and then fair copied by one writer into a single volume.  The whole undertaking took 12 months.  Another copy was made but this took a little bit longer than the first.  If you ever get the chance to see the Domesday book you will be amazed at the beauty of the tiny writing which of course was all done by one person.
Domesday Book
                                                                                            

Norman Times in Ashton:

Villagers were grouped in administrative districts called (g) “Hundreds” which formed regions within shires.  Ashton was part of the Cleyley Hundred.  As mentioned before there are two other Ashton’s in Northamptonshire.  One is in  the Polebrook Hundred and the other in the Nassaburgh Hundreds.  Ashton or Asce as it was anciently written was in the possession of Winemar and in the hands of his under-tenants at the time of the Domesday Book.  Dodin held 1 hide and 4 parts; Bondi held 4 parts of ½ a hide; Mauif held 2 ½ virgates (about 75 acres).  Before the Conquest these lands were in the freehold of Alden Aldrich, and Siward and were valued at 22 shillings, but were advanced to 36 shillings.  In the reign of Henry II, Robert Fitz-Anketill was certified to hold 1 hide and 2 small virgrates here, of the fee of William Mauduit; the descendant of Winemar.

It was in Norman times that the first part of Ashton’s church was built. (b) This was a small oblong chapel built of stone. The font however is of Saxon origin and therefore quite rare due to its age.  Therefore we have to deduce that this font was bought from an unknown source and placed within the chapel due to its earlier than Norman origin.   The lid to the font was made a couple of centuries later, most probably in the 13th century and placed on top of the font.
                                                                                             

1300s:

In 1315 on the death of Philip Le Lou his effigy was placed in the chapel.  Also known as Philip the Wolf, the effigy is made of wood, one of less than 100 hundred figures in England and ten of those are in Northamptonshire.  As you look at the tall battered figure in chestnut, his helmeted head is resting on a cushion, his hands clasped in prayer, his one surviving foot resting on a lion.  Broken and worn, with a loose flowing mantle over his armour; the figure still looks full of vigour.  Here it had lain on a stone tomb with a frieze of ballflowers carved by a 14th century craftsman.

Keeping company with the chestnut knight is a knight in alabaster from the same far-off age of fighting men; he is John Herteshull who died in 1365 and is shown wearing the same armour as the Black Prince in Canterbury Cathedral  

The Black Prince
In 1320 the tower, nave, chancel and porch were added to the chapel.  The tower is of saddleback design, which is also very rare. (b) In 1420 new perpendicular windows were put in to replace the original ones but one of these windows can still be seen in the chancel.
                                                                                             

1500s

In the 15th century the Colpepper’s held the manor, which in 1537 reverted to the King, Henry VIII.  At this time the porch was added to the door on the south wall of the church.  Very striking are the brasses on another tomb showing Robert Marriott and his wife of Elizabethan days, and two imposing processions of nine sons and six daughters.  The father is wearing an ample Merchant’s robe faced with fur, and there are quaint rhyming verses telling us a little about “this ancient man”

In Henry III’s time, the manorial unit of Ashton was held by Philip Lovell, who conveyed it to Robert Le Lou or Lupus or Wolf:  John le Lou, his son and Emma his wife.  He held the property as mesne proprietor, but in 1307 Philip le Lou levied a fine of it, and in the ninth year of the reign of Edward II was certified Lord of the Manor.  In the fourteenth year of Edward III (1341) John de Hardreshull levied a fine of the Manor and in the twentieth year of the same reign, accounted for the fourth part of a knight’s fee here, as held of the fee of William Mauduit.

Sir John Hardreshull left three daughters, and when his estate was divided, Ashton was included in the allotment of Elizabeth, the eldest, wife of John Colepeper.  The Colepepers continued as Lords of the Manor till Alexander Colepeper, and his son Thomas Colepeper, Esquire conveyed it to Henry VIII in 1537, in exchange for other lands.  Whilst included in the crown properties, it  was devised to the families of Marriott, Goldsmith and Rye.


In the thirty-third year of Henry VIII’s reign (1541), Ashton Manor was annexed to the Honour of Grafton, an estate that stretched from Hardingstone to Haversham, and from Whittlewood to Yardley Chase.  It was at the Honour of Grafton estate that Henry VIII heard the great news from Cardinal Wolsey in 1529 that his marriage had been dissolved from his Queen Catherine and consequently he could marry his then mistress, Anne Boleyn.  Queen Anne of course, was famously the mother of the future Elizabeth I and eventually lost her head for dubious claims of witchcraft and adultery.  

The great Elizabeth herself came in all her pomp and glory in 1575 to see her great favourite Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, who at that time held the Manor at Grafton.  Elizabeth held her cousin, Mary Queen of Scots, prisoner for many years at Fotheringay Castle, also in Northamptonshire.   This followed Scottish and papist rebellions in Mary’s name.  Mary was reluctantly beheaded on Elizabeth’s orders and some say that Elizabeth from that day had “Blood on her hands” and consequently tarnished “Good Queen Bess’s name”

Queen Elizabeth I
Robert Dudley
                                                                                            

The Civil War

In 1642 the Civil War raged between the Royalists and  the Parliamentarian’s and at this time Northampton itself was fortified as a major Parliamentarian Garrison, however the King had control of Banbury and held the castle as an outpost.  The south-western part of Northamptonshire and its surrounding villages was therefore disputed territory.  On 14th October 1643, Prince Rupert the King’s senior commander advanced with 2,000 horses and 700 on foot.  Prince Rupert took Towcester and of course this was a major win due to the Watling Street being such an important road.
                                                                                             

The Siege of Grafton

At this time the effect on the local residents of 14 regiments in Towcester was very hard.  They reportedly ate the poor people out of house and home.  The Royalist’s also held Grafton under Sir John Digby until the great siege of the Manor in December 1643, Casualties were light on the parliamentarian side but heavy on the Royalists.   Both sides used cannon to great effect and as Ashton is just a mile away one can only imagine the sheer horror of the struggle for supremacy between the King and Parliament must have been for not only its participants but for the local villages close by. The Parliamentarians were of course the victors and they demolished Grafton House on Christmas day.
                                                                                            

Ashton as part of Grafton Estate

In 1675 the Manor of Ashton and the rest of its land passed into the Honour of Grafton.  At this time it was Henry Fitzroy, natural son of Charles I, Earl of Euston and newly created Duke of Grafton, that held this Honour.

(f) The layout of the village had hardly changed since the 17th century; with the majority of dwellings changing very little; the remaining small run down cottage’s were in urgent need of repair as were the large important buildings such as the Manor.
                                                                                             

The Canal and Railway come to Ashton

The only major change was the emergence of the railway line, which cut the village in half.  The building of the railway line commenced during the early 1830’s.  Unlike the opening of the nearby Grand Union Canal, the railway line also had a significant effect on the village’s local employment characteristics.  After it was completed in 1841, many of the members of the village started to become rail road labourers; while a number of men also started to work at a coach works in Wolverton.

During the 19th century there were a number of village craftsmen who had their businesses, which provided sources of employment.  George Shakeshaft had a building business, Thomas Mills owned and operated a Coal Delivery Business, and there was a small garage and a smithy.  Thatcher, Cordwainer and Stonemason Farms provided the locals with milk, meat and eggs.  Ashton had general stores, a sweetshop, bakery and others selling shoes, cotton, pins etc. It seems strange today that we have to travel all the way to Roade to obtain these items.

The First World War had a dramatic effect on Ashton because the farm labourers that actually survived the carnage that was so predominant in this “War to end all wars” did not have their jobs kept open for them.  These men were forced to look elsewhere to support their families and in many cases they moved away.
                                                                                            

Grafton Estate Sale

In 1919 due to financial reasons the Duke of Grafton was forced into selling his property.  Although many of the Duke’s tenants were able to buy the houses that they occupied, others simply could not afford to do so and were forced to move elsewhere.

After the Second World War there was no population movement away from the village as employers had been encouraged by the government to make special provisions for those employees that had laid down their lives for their country.

At this time Ashton Vale Farm had become by the far the largest and most important property with Rectory Farm and Rectus Farm being sold to then Vale Farm owner John Bliss.  Today Mr and Mrs Zanotto own this property.
                                                                                            

Archaeological finds at Ashton

In October 1994, a single archaeological trench was excavated by Northamptonshire Archaeology (d) at the scheduled ancient monument of Ashton Manor moated site. Several pieces of ceramics were found, some dating back as far as 1200.  The causeway itself held ceramics that suggested a mid 18th century construction.  An excavated layer contained many flecks of charcoal, together with several small fragments of animal bone and two small sherds of medieval shell-tempered coarseware pottery were found in the inner area, which suggests an AD1100-1400 presence.  However more intensive excavation would have to be undertaken for this to be confirmed.

Northamptonshire Archaeology (e) undertook another Archaeological Watching Brief in February and March 2000 during the construction of a garage and carport by Mr and Mrs Hunter.  Mid late 12th to 15th century pottery that had lain relatively undisturbed was found and ties in with the suggested founding of this moated site on the grounds of its early shape.  It is also in the period that the documentary history records the Le Lou family holding the manor.  With so little pottery found from the top layer, the date must be taken cautiously.  This is especially the case as most early medieval buildings even in these rich moated sites were often timber with posthole structures.  It may be that a later date for the structure’s use should be considered.  The demise of the structure may have occurred during the later 15th century during the Colepeper family tenure of the manor.

Whatever date Ashton Manor may hail from it is very fortunate in having the Hunters as its “Guardians.”  Andrew and Lindsay are both very keen on history and have ensured that the newly restored Manor has kept all its original character.  If you are fortunate enough to be invited inside, you must journey up the glorious staircase and visit their sitting room/Library and then afterwards visit the garden that Andrew has planted complete with herbs, the aroma is quite delicious.

Local legend has it that a tunnel existed from the Manor.  Where is went no one knows.  “The Big House” existed 3 hundred years ago, opposite the Rugby Club and it would be fascinating to know about the inhabitants and how old it is.  The Roman Villa up on Stoke Road has never really been excavated, a medieval watermill, and the list grows.  One thing is for certain though; Ashton is a beautiful unique village.  Our type of village is becoming very rare as similar villages are being developed and estates are popping up like mushrooms.  History and village life are disappearing and we must preserve our village for the next generations that will follow.


Dr Julie Russell
(c) 2002

                                                                                            

Notes:

(a) Sir Frank Markham, History of Milton Keynes Volume 1
(b) Arthur Mee History of Northamptonshire
(c) Grafton Regis, by Charles Fitzroy and Keith Harry
(d) Archaeological Watching Brief. October 1994
(e) Archaeological Watching Brief and Recording.  February 1996
(f) Ashton Appraisal 1996
(g) William Wellan