Deenethorpe

16 DEENETHORPE

(OS 1:10000 ^a SP 99 SW, ^b SP 99 SE, ^c SP 98 NE)

The small, generally rectangular, parish of only 600 hectares, lies almost entirely on the S.E. side of the Willow Brook, on land sloping mainly S.E. between 220 ft. and 340 ft. above OD. It is entirely covered with Boulder Clay except along the valley of the Willow Brook where narrow bands of limestones, marls and sands outcrop. Judging from its shape the parish was clearly once part of Deene and the name of the village suggests that it originated as a secondary settlement of Deene (PN Northants., 163).

Medieval and Later

^b(1) Settlement Remains (SP 95959185), formerly part of Deenethorpe village, on the S. side of the road to Benefield, on the steep side of a valley. A map of c. 1585 (NRO) shows a series of small closes along the road, but by then already without buildings. A low mound, almost ploughed-out, still exists and a large quantity of medieval pottery, including Lyveden wares, has been found on this site.

(2) Cultivation Remains. The date of enclosure of the common fields of the parish is not known, but they still existed in the late 16th century for they are shown on a map of c. 1585 (map in NRO). At that time there were four open fields around and to the S. of the village as well as extensive areas of old enclosures in the S.E. of the parish, W. and S.W. of Langley Coppice. These fields still existed in 1633 (map in NRO) but by the mid 18th century enclosure had been completed and the present fields had already been made (NRO, map of Deenethorpe, about 1720–40). Ridge-and-furrow of these fields, in end-on and interlocked furlongs of C or reversed-S form, exists or can be traced on air photographs, and more can be seen W. of Langley Coppice in an area already enclosed by the late 16th century and called Langley Closes (RAF VAP CPE/UK 2109, 3106–10, 4105–10, 4244–9; F21/58/RAF 2319, 0007–8).