Little Harrowden
| Little Harrowden | |
| Northamptonshire | |
|---|---|
 St Mary's Church, Little Harrowden | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SP868713 |
| Location: | 52°19’59"N, 0°43’35"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 892 (2011) |
| Post town: | Wellingborough |
| Postcode: | NN9 |
| Dialling code: | 01933 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | North Northamptonshire |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Wellingborough |
Little Harrowden is a village in Northamptonshire, about three miles north-west of Wellingborough, off the A509 road. The 2011 Census recorded the population of the parish as 892.
The village is in one of the longest and narrowest parishes in Northamptonshire and is built around the Church of St Mary the Virgin, which dates back to circa 1190. The population of the parish is spread across various occupations from industrial in the east to farming in the west.
The local primary school has been established for approximately 350 years and, along with the village hall, acts as a focal point in the village. The pub however, The Lamb, closed in 2022.
The village's name means 'Heathen temple hill'.[1]
Parish church
St Mary's church dates mainly from the Norman period and is a Grade II* listed stone building in the Transitional style, from Early English to Decorated; and consists of chancel, with south vestry, clerestoried nave of four bays, aisles, south porch and, until 1967, an embattled western tower, containing a clock and four bells.
The oldest part of the church is the main south doorway which dates from c 1195, and exhibits some good Norman work. This was the south doorway of an aisle-less 12th century church. There is also a smaller door of the same period, also on the south side. To this early building a south aisle was first added. Then early in the 14th century the nave was extended eastwards, a new chancel built, a north aisle was remodelled and extended, giving the church essentially its present shape.
The north aisle was built in 1850, replacing one demolished at an earlier date. The organ was erected by subscription in 1876.
The tower was originally surmounted by a spire, but this fell in a storm in 1703 and was not rebuilt. The impressive Norman tower itself became unsafe and was demolished in September 1967.The tower was replaced by a single storey vestry with a glazed tower arch and bellcote at the apex, housing the smallest of the original four bells.
The lower part of the gothic tower arch has been filled with a high quality war-memorial oak screen which has the names of the men from the parishes of Great and Little Harrowden that were killed in the Great War. Brass plaques added to the screen have the names of those men that perished in World War 2.
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Little Harrowden) |
References
- Nikolaus Pevsner: The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, 1961; 1973 Penguin Books ISBN 978-0-300-09632-3
