Maxey

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Maxey
Northamptonshire

St Peter's Church
Location
Grid reference: TF125085
Location: 52°39’47"N, 0°20’17"W
Data
Post town: Peterborough
Postcode: PE6
Dialling code: 01778
Local Government
Council: Peterborough
Signpost in Maxey

Maxey is a village and ancient parish in the Soke of Peterborough in Northamptonshire, adjacent to the border with Lincolnshire. The village is located between Peterborough & Stamford and south-west of The Deepings. It is home to nearly 700 residents.

The main focal points are the one remaining Public House (Blue Bell), the Church of St Peter & the Village Hall. Each provides a range of social functions throughout the year. There are a surprising number of businesses based in the village, including a few working farms.

The northernmost point of the parish on the River Welland adjacent to Market Deeping also forms the northernmost point of the county.

History

Maxey can trace its 'modern' roots back over 1,000 years. However, archaeological excavation of the area has provided ample evidence of continuous occupation for over 4,000 years. Lolham Bridges, on the outskirts of Maxey between Helpston and Bainton, were originally built in the Roman era.[1]

Rescue archaeology before gravel workings began revealed details of a large Henge in Maxey[2] Discovered from Aerial Photographs in 1956 by Dr. J.K. St Joseph and last excavated by Francis Pryor in 1979-81 the henge was 126 metres in diameter, one of the largest known. It was part of an entire landscape[3] of neolithic features, including a cursus and barrows. Along with the large and mysterious ritual village at nearby Etton this collection of sites has featured in Pryor's writing about large scale ritual landscapes.[4]

The village web site has a detailed account of life in Maxey between the 9th and 12th centuries[5]

References

  1. Lolham Bridges Hidden Heritage (retrieved 19 December 2009)
  2. "National Monuments record for Maxey Henge". http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=1030942. 
  3. "National Monuments record for Maxey Complex". http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=350120. 
  4. Pryor, Francis. Seahenge: A Quest for Life and Death in Bronze Age Britain.. Harper Collins. ISBN 0-00-710192-9. , An archaeological autobiography
  5. "Maxey 1000AD". http://www.maxey.co.uk/ad1000.htm.  from the village web site

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material
about Maxey)