Source: A combination of the memoirs of Arthur Paul and A potted history of Rothersthore written by Mike Barber, himself taking inspiration from some older villagers namely Don Horn and Dennis Tucker.

Rothersthorpe was possibly first established as a settlement by the Celts in the Bronze Age, prior to the Romans coming to Britain in AD 43, and establishing themselves for the next 50 years or so. During their stay they built the Watling Street (A5), crossing the old Jurassic Way (Banbury Lane), a pre-historic route which ran between Lincoln and Glastonbury, they also established a Roman villa near Gayton, this villa was located on the border of Rothersthorpe.

Over a period of approximately 300 years the power of Rome diminished and the Romans in Britain were defeated by the Saxons from North Germany and Denmark in about AD 450. During the Saxon period, several separate Kingdoms were created, but by the 8^th century only three main ones were remaining. These were Northumbria, Mercia, and Wessex, by no means a United Kingdom able to defend itself against the Danes who were constantly attacking the country. It was Alfred the Great who finally united the country and together with his son Edward the Elder, persuaded people to defend themselves against the Danes. It is certainly possible that Edward the Elder (who was already established at Passenham) had gathered an army together at Towcester (the old Roman town of Lactodorum) and fought a pitched battle with the Danes on the outskirts of Rothesrthorpe. Also interesting is the word 'bury' from the Saxon 'bura' (a place of defence), there being a 'Bury Mount' at Towcester, 'The Bury' within the village (now often referred to as the Berrys) and also 'Hunsbury Hill' very close by.

The Saxons referred to Rothersthorpe as Thorpe of Thrupp which originates from the Saxon word Torp meaning a village. It was administered by a Saxon Thegn or overlord called Tochi. Thorpe could be of Danish/Viking origin as a similar village exists in Fykat, Denmark which was established in about AD 800.

The village developed around the central area known as the 'Bury' The word Bury derived from the Anglo-Saxon word 'Bura' which means a fortress or place of defence. It was established with 2 ditches, the inner one is still visible and the whole area is scheduled as an 'ancient monument'. The outer ditch is only partly visible but it can be assumed that to follow North Street and then to the rear of the bungalows on Banbury Lane, crossing Church Street and continuing to the rear of Poplars Farm, rejoining North Street at its junction with Milton Road. The ditch was visible from the rear of the properties on Banbury Lane but currently the plot land is overgrown.

It is interesting that this settlement lies in close proximity to Hunsbury Hill on which there was a Iron Age encampment known as Danes Camp together with another encampment at Briar Hill, overlooking the causeway crossing of the River Nene at Duston Mill. It may also be significant that a house in North Street adjacent to the 'Bury' is called 'Danesfield'.

As aforementioned it is highly likely that the settlement was started way back in the Neolithic or Early Bronze as it lies adjacent to the pre-historic Jurassic Way (now Banbury Lane) and follows the same pattern of many settlements established at that time.

Banbury Lane used to be a 'Green Lane', and ascended Hunsbury Hill adjacent to 'Danes Camp' on the line of the underpass crossing of the A43. The lane is now completely covered by housing.

Rothersthorpe was referred to in the Doomsday as 'Torp' and its ancient mediaeval field system can still be seen in the remains of ridge and furrow, visible in fields to the south of Kislingbury road. The land was held by Goisfried Alselvi and Gunfrid de Cioches and was worked by 15 Villeins, 7 serfs and 5 Bordars. The land passed through the centuries to a number of overlords During the reign of King John, Rothersthorpe Manor was administered by William of Arras and in 1209 by Simon of Patteshall for 'ten pounds and the services of knighthood'. In 1350 the land passed through the female line to Thomas de Faucouberge. In Elizabeth I's reign, the manor was held by the family of Englefield and thereafter it passed into the hands of the Howes family. by the seventeenth centruary, the Howes family appeared to be quite weathly with a Manor House (now Poplars House) and a smal possibly Dower House (now Manor House), which had a large dovecote, reputed to be the largest in England.

Place names like Fish Lane or Fishers Lane (now the land Church Steet) indicate that at one time the brook was dammed for fishponds long since disappeared.

Rothersthorpe slowly developed over the years and at the time of the Enclosure Award of 1810 most of the properties were stone-built and located within the outer ditch. Surprisingly older maps indicate a number of properties to the south adjacent to Poplars/Dicken's Farm, together with another road system which has long since disappeared but which is perhaps significant in completing the circular line in the outer ditch of the Bury. The major landowner at this point was Abraham Caldecott who owned 700 acres. His substantial house, now Poplars Farm stands to the south of Church Street. He also owned three other stone built farmhouses now known as Manor Farm, the Manor (both Church street) and Danesfiled in North Street. Other landowners were John Howes who held 48 acres, Mark Howes 79 acres and the poor of St Giles of Northampton who owned 42 acres. The population was recorded as 197.

Notably the Chequers sat on the opposite side of North Street to its current position, the village bosted two blacksmiths (possibly!) and a windmill situated on Banbury Lane.

In the 19^th century there were signs of inhabited areas to the south of the old village of Rothersthorpe. Apart from the buildings in the Leys there were, also the ruins of cottages at the bottom of the Lane. The garden is still in use. Also, there was a well just inside the gate used for the water supply, and in Fishers (or Moses) Close (behind the Church) there was a well with a pump to the left of the path to Gayton, which suggests buildings being located close by.

Later in history the Bury was used as a place where the sheep rearing farmers of Wales would congregate to barter their sheep that they had shepherded all the way from Wales along the old Jurassic track of Banbury Lane. The drover's tracks can often be recognised by the existence of very wide verges on both sides of the highway. Alternatively, farmers would bring cattle which were herded into the enclosure at night to keep them safe from marauders before journeying on to Eastern England.

In the early years of the 20th century Rothersthorpe was always written of as a forgotten village. It was not situated on a main road and the roads in and out of the village were made up of dirt and patched up with clinker (the stony residue from burnt coal or from a furnace) from Hunsbury Hill Furnaces. The clinker was broken into small pieces and the patches were left on the road to be rolled in by the wheels of various iron tyred vehicles. The roads were narrow and the grass verge wide and farmers grazed their cattle on the grass and clover.

The village once boasted of two resident roadmen who really kept the village tidy. They were Frank Botterill who lived in the middle house down the Lane (since been converted from a workshop to a house) and John James who lived in one half of the cottage opposite the chapel (59 Church Street which used to be two farm cottages). The street surface was very poor and were patched with furnace clinker as aforementioned. There were no paths like there are today. Weeds were prolific and most of the roadmen's time was spent weeding. As there were no wheelie bins the rubbish in Church Street the rubbish was emptied by the Church yard wall. Also, another dump was by the Church yard wall in Fishers Lane.

From Arthur's notes: I mentioned about Rothersthorpe being called a forgotten village. I have an article which is from an old directory which was published before the turn of the century. The most important thing to happen at that time was the rebuilding of the Baptist Chapel in 1892 and I don't think any further building occured done in the village until the Memorial Hall/Village Hall started in 1924. The article goes thus: "A Forgotten Village. Although within an easy two miles of Northampton's borders, there are few places in Northamptonshire so little known as Rothersthorpe, commonly called "Thrupp", a small parish of 250 population. Seldom visited, it is not even mentioned in "Murray's Handbook of Northamptonshire", and yet as a distinguished American says, it has more history than any of the great cities of the United States. Rothersthorpe indeed goes back to the mists of early civilisation. It is upon Banbury Lane, that remarkable tribal way and frontier which can be traced from the Eastern Sea to the Western, and the course of which is strewn with ancient forts and defences". (Continuation) The very name of Rothersthorpe tells of earliest times, for it is Saxon for "Cattle Town", that is cattle enclosure, and it may be that the fortification still remaining gave the place its name. Local tradition tells of a running fight with the Danes from Rothersthorpe "Bury's" to Hunsbury Hill along Banbury Lane, as if the huge entrenchments at either end were earthworks thrown up on the eve of barbaric battle. The fort can be clearly traced although part has been destroyed. It is of the usual British type, a deep trench with the earth thrown on the inside. The protected area is about two acres, sufficient for a small village, cattle, and all. The oxen were no doubt driven in at night for protection against opposing tribes, marauding bands and wild beasts. The land where these entrenchments are is called "The Bury's".

The scribe who wrote about our forgotten village was very critical in his (or her) comments about the old place. This was in the 1890s and I quite agree. Up to the 1930 time no building was done and there were about 60 houses in the village and many of these had thatched roofs (18 I believe).

The very old church had the north and south aisles restored about the time of the First World War. The church is dedicated to St Peter & St Paul and this early writer, writes as follows: Locally it is said to be one of the oldest churches in England, a legend which has grown around its woebegone and dilapidated appearance. It is one of the unrestored parish churches in the County and the villagers think it must be exceedingly ancient because it looks like falling down. Perhaps there was a Saxon church there, probably there was one in Norman times, but until we get to the Early English period nothing is known. The font is most definitely Norman. The place seems to have been greatly neglected all round. In the wall of the south aisle is to be seen the unoccupied canopied tomb of a founder and in the north wall is a locker, still in use, with the original door and curious iron hinges. The heavy wooden door is very old. The position of the Early English saddled back roof is clearly seen on the bell tower, and the Sanctus bell turret, which is in danger of falling down, once had a bell in it, but taken out and sold for five shillings. The walls are white-washed and in one place on the south aisle wall was a mural which in later years was covered with white-wash. Early English was about the year 1220 AD.