A large village rather than a town, Brixworth is however the most interesting and substantial settlement to the north of Northampton. It is also one of the oldest, boasting one of the most outstanding buildings to have survived Anglo-Saxon period in Europe – the parish church of All Saints (which is separately treated under “Churches“).
Dating from the 8th century, with developments in both 9th and 10th, the church must have been the centre of an important Anglo-Saxon settlement that fell into decline with the rise of Norman Northampton. It grew again in prosperity in the late 16th early 17th century when the Manor House on Harborough Road was built in that effective local style with banding of limestone and iron stone.
The Saunders family built Brixworth Hall in the 17th century which was brought up to date by William Smith of Warwick in 1743. Though the house was demolished in the 1950’s its stable block survives (now Lake House).
As elsewhere in the county religious descent was a feature here. The Methodist chapel founded in 1811 was extended in 1860, and the Chartists met here in the 1840s. Also from this period survives the workhouse (now part of the rural district office) in the Spratton Road built by James Milne in 1836.
In all a handsome village with a Heritage Centre near the church. Outside its confines are now to be found The Mercedes Benz High Performance Centre by Oculus Building Construction (2007) and further beyond Chesham Memorial Cross erected to the memory of Charles, 3rd Lord Chesham who died out hunting with the Pytchley in 1907.
