Apethorpe (pronounced App-thorp)[ Office for National Statistics: Apethorpe CP. Retrieved 3 November 2009] former Manorialism and ecclesiastical parish in Northamptonshire, England (in the North Northamptonshire district), situated 11 miles west of the City of Peterborough. The 2001 census records a population of 130,[ epns.nottingham.ac.uk - Survey of English Place-Names] The village's name means 'Api's outlying farm/settlement'.
Location
The village is approximately north of the Northamptonshire
market town of
Oundle, northeast of
Corby, and west of
Peterborough. The nearest railway stations are in Corby for London St Pancras and Peterborough for London King's Cross. London is about via the A1 road.
Features
Church
St Leonard's Church, Apethorpe is mostly Perpendicular but has a chapel of 1621
and tower partly 1633. There is a huge monument to Sir Anthony Mildmay (d.11 September 1617)
and another smaller one to Sir Richard Dalton (d.1442). Mildmay was the eldest son of Sir
Walter Mildmay, an English statesman who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer of England under Queen Elizabeth I and also founded Emmanuel College, Cambridge. Sir Anthony inherited the family estate and was knighted in 1596 when he was appointed ambassador to Henry IV of France.
Apethorpe Palace
The Willow Brook bounds the eastern edge of the village, which contains the Grade I listed historical monument of
Apethorpe Palace, former seat of the Earl of Westmorland.
It has been owned by the Baron von Pfetten since 2014.
[ Streetmap.co.uk . Retrieved 3 November 2009]
The pub
In 1904 Leonard Brassey made many alterations to the village, a number of cottages were built and the old Westmorland Arms was replaced by a new public house, The King's Head. This closed in 2016 and reopened in 2020 as The Willow and Brook, before again closing in 2023. The pub is owned by Baron Von Pfetten.
Other structures
There is a
stocks and
Pillory just west of the church. The
Dovecote on the palace ground is 18th century listed as Scheduled Monument. Pevsner also mentioned Blue Field Farm northeast as having an interesting barn with a cross-cartway through it.
Roman villa
The remains of the villa lie about 500 yards (450m) southeast of the palace and were excavated in 1859.
A courtyard of
230 by 240 feet contained the main buildings. The main block on the north side had
and fine geometric
with two other wings and a bath block. Slate from
Collyweston was used for the roofs. Pottery found included
terra sigillata and
Castor ware. Coins located the main period of use as the 4th century AD.
There was a well in the centre of the courtyard. Two small un-inscribed house-
were found. One coin of Septimius Severus, the remainder Constantinian (?), possibly indicating the date of the main phase of the villa. In successive phases of building there appears to have been at least one aisled building in the same position relative to a winged corridor house at
Ickleton. The villa combines a dwelling house with an aisled house.
[ On-line archaeology , retrieved 1 January 2010]
Notable former residents
The village was home to the actor
Rowan Atkinson.
External links
