Timeline - a trip through the past

It is sometimes difficult to put into context the order in which relevant events in village history took place.
 
A 'Timeline' follows which shows the sequence of Denton related important events with periodic additions (in green text) of other national (or international) happenings at the same time.
 
Hopefully this helps set the scene as to how local events fitted into the wider picture.
 
 

 

A TIMELINE OF DENTON HISTORY

 

1271

Ramsay Abbey land on tenancy to John De Cave and William de Bradfielde

 

13th Century

Oldest  remaining parts of Denton church built

 

1284

 John de Hastings, holds land in Parva Dudington and other surrounding villages as part of Huntingdon estate – later these were to pass to the Compton family

 

1297

Laurence of Preston holds one knight’s fee in village

 

1316

John De Cave now holding land along with Margaret De Meuse, a Whiston landowner.

 

1337

The Hundred Years War begins

 

1540

Earliest date of Church registers

 

1569

Edward Griffin, a descendent of the family of the Earl of Gloucester died. By then the Compton family was occupying the lands they owned. The village was now named Dodington.

 

1570

Date of earliest church plate, a cup.

 

1574

Building of Castle Ashby House commenced

 

1580

Francis Drake sails round the world

 

1606

Thatched cottage built on site now occupied by Yew Tree House.

 

1619

Plaque in church relating to Sir William Andrew’s support of church.

 

1625

Date of founding of oldest church bell in Denton church tower

 

1629

Date of founding second, tenor, church bell in Denton church

 

1629

Date stone on Church commemorating rebuilding.

 

1639

The village is now known as Deynton Parva, Doddington Parva, or Nether Doddington. Henry, Lord Spencer has recovered the lands of the Manor of Denton.

 

During 17th century

Earliest meetings of Society of  Protestant Dissenters of Baptist Denomination

 

during 17th century

Original building of dovecote.

 

1647

James Compton, 5th Earl of Northampton now dealing with the affairs of the lands his family owns.

 

1649

Charles 1 beheaded

 

1665

The Plague hits Yardley Hastings but Denton mostly misses its effects.

 

1670

Records report a total of 75 households in Denton.

 

C1670

Wareing Farm House built, Wareing Lane

 

C1675

Manor Farm House and outbuildings built.

 

1675

Church Farm House, Main Street built.

 

1676

Denton’s population is calculated to be 320

 

1700

Village population quoted as 360

 

1720

Village now named Little Dodington, Divington Parva or Denton. John Bridges Northamptonshire Survey quotes the total area of the village as ‘about thirty-three yard-lands’ – around 990 acres.

 

C1750

White Hart Inn – now Upper & Lower Gatehouses built

 

1754

Local area marriage records show only 17 ladies out of 169 who wed could sign their name – Denton ladies were at the very bottom of the list!

 

1770

Captain Cook reaches Australia

 

1770

The Inclosure Act passed relating to ‘the Parifh of Denton otherwife Divington Parva’.

 

1777

Militia lists show 34 Denton men ‘ liabel to serve in the militia’

 

1789

Robinson’s Cottage, Main Street built.

 

 

 

 

C1800

Former forge in Bedford Road built. – now outbuilding to Stone House

 

1801

Village population 378

 

1802

First Baptist building specifically for worship built

 

1807

Rev Paul A. Irby became rector of Denton and Whiston

 

1807

The slave trade is abolished in the British Empire

 

1811

Village population 379

 

C1812

Grange Farm House and outbuildings built

 

1813

Datestone of Stone House, Bedford Road

 

1821

Village population 475

 

1826

Baptist movement acquire cottages for worship

 

1827

Northampton to Bedford trunk road (now A428) built

 

1827

3rd church bell, treble cast by Taylors of Loughborough

 

1828

Church reopened after major rebuilding.

 

1829

Building of Denton’s first school on Church Way started.

 

1830

New school opened.

 

1831

Village population 527

 

1834

Houses of Parliament burn down

 

1838

Victoria Coronation Oak planted on Village Green.

 

1841

Village population 557

 

1849

Miss Martha Underwood headteacher at school

 

1851

Rev L. C. R. Irby took over from Rev P.A.  Irby on his retirement

 

1851

Religious attendance survey – more than half villagers attend worship

 

1851

Village population 595

 

1861

Village population 578

 

1866

Church organ bought and installed

 

1868

Extra classroom built on school

 

c.1870

Miss Cecilia White headteacher at school

 

1871

Village population 619

 

1872

Bedford to Northampton railway opened - crossing Denton to Horton Road

 

1872

First FA Cup final

 

1872

New wing built on school

 

1885

David & Sarah Brearley teachers at school

 

1891

Village population 487

 

1892

Denton became a separate benefice – Rev.T. Amys appointed vicar

 

1893

Compton House,Vicarage Lane built.

 

1893

‘Backside’ – path between Gate Houses up to Compton House built

 

1895

Rose Cottages, Main Street built

 

1896

Church re-opened after significant internal refurbishment

 

1898

William & Louisa Jones teachers at school

 

1898

Vicarage Farm House, Vicarage Lane built.

 

1899

Churchyard closed for burials by privy council order.

 

1900

Dentonian Sydney Robinson wins gold, silver & bronze medals at Paris Olympics

 

1901

Death of Queen Victoria

 

1901

Oak tree planted on green to commemorate coronation of King Edward VII.

 

1901

Village population 439

 

1901

Racehorse ‘Grudon’ trained at The Elms won Grand National

 

1909

Baptist chapel extension opened

 

1910

Further extension of school buildings

 

1910

Oak tree planted on village green to commemorate coronation of King George V.

 

1911

Village population 416

 

1913

Knight’s offer occasional passenger service on carrier’s lorry

 

1920

War memorial in churchyard unveiled

 

1921

Village population 381

 

1921

Mr & Mrs George Battison take over as teachers at school

 

1922

First broadcasts by BBC

 

1925

First timetabled bus service offered by Knights

 

1927

Church reopened after major rebuilding works

 

1931

Village population 414

 

1931

By-Pass built and opened

 

1935

Rev. T. Amys dies

 

1936

Rev H. C. R. Eltoft appointed vicar

 

1936

Yew Tree House, Northampton Road built

 

1938/9

Council build 4 pairs of houses in Northampton Road

 

c.1940

Land Army Hut constructed by War Office in Vicarage Lane.

 

1940

Denton platoon of Home Guard formed

 

1940

Telephone box installed by old school playgrounds

 

1940

War spy  parachutes ,lands and is captured at The Elms

 

1940

Winston Churchill becomes Prime Minister

 

1947

Council build houses in By-Pass Way – originally called New Road

 

1950s

Pump on Village Green saved by local ladies

 

1951

Village population 449

 

1953

Mr & Mrs Martin Jones appointed school teachers on Mr & Mrs Battison’s retirement

 

1954

Denton Women’s Institute founded

 

1956

Quart Pot ceased to be a pub and became private house.

 

1959

Council build bungalows on corner of Main Street and The Leys

 

1960

First episode of Coronation Street broadcast

 

1960

Concrete culvert for brook installed as flood prevention measure

 

1960

Idea of mural scheme for church first suggested

 

c.1960

Grange Farm outbuildings demolished

 

c.1960

Houses in Northampton Road (North side) built by Adkins and Shaw.

 

1961

Village population 414

 

1962

Railway line closes to passenger traffic

 

1962

Land Army Hut bought by parish as village hall

 

1964

Rev. Harry Bamber replaced Rev. Eltoft as vicar

 

1964

Railway closed to non-military goods traffic

 

1966

Rev Colin Symes replaced Rev Bamber as vicar

 

1968

Rev Jim Davies replaced Rev. Symes as vicar

 

1969

Tree planted on village green to commemorate investiture of Charles as Prince of Wales

 

1970

The Maltings built in Main Street for Victor and Marjorie Hill.

 

1971

Decimal currency introduced

 

1971

Village population 650

 

1971

Conservation area around central Denton created by Northampton R.D.C

 

1972

Youth Club reopened

 

1975

Miss Sue MacGowan appointed head teacher on retirement of Mr Jones

 

1976

Church mural scheme completed

 

1976/7

Bridge Meadow houses built

 

1978

Richard Wilkins appointed headteacher at school

 

1978

Baptist chapel centenary celebrated

 

1979

Scare over possibility of airport at Yardley Chase

 

1980

‘Old Orchard’ House in The Leys built.

 

1980

Houses in built in ground of Vicarage Farm House, Vicarage Lane.

 

1981

Village population 779

 

1981

Rail line finally closed by Ministry of Defence

 

1982

Argentina invades Falkland Islands

 

1982

Present village hall built and opened in place of old one.

 

1982

Houses on South side of Northampton Road built

 

1982

Present school in Vicarage Lane built and opened

 

1982

Old school buildings sold and used as commercial premises.

 

1984

Denton church combined with Yardley Hastings, Castle Ashby, Whiston and Grendon churches  as single living.

 

1984

Houses in Wareings Lane built on what was Perrett’s Yard.

 

1984

Rev. Alec Benniams replaced  Rev James Davies as vicar

 

1984

Charles Wells buy The Red Lion pub from Mann’s Brewery

 

1985

Alan Harper takes over as school head teacher

 

1986

Doctors’ surgery built and opened in Vicarage Lane

 

1988

Rev. Michael Ryall replaced Rev Benniams as vicar

 

1988

Shop on Church Way, formerly ‘Messengers’, became private dwelling

 

1990

Margaret Thatcher resigns

 

1990

David Croot appointed as head teacher at school

 

1991

Denton Co-Operative Society formally wound up

 

1992

Orchard Close development completed behind doctors surgery

 

1997

Baptist Chapel ceased as place of worship and became dwelling.

 

1997

Denton Co-Op building demolished in Main Street

 

1997

School extension built (new hall etc)

 

1999

Millennium stained glass window installed in church

 

1999

House built in The Leys now called The Rectory

 

2000

Village Millennium sign erected

 

2000

Former butchers shop in Main Street converted to private dwelling

 

2001

Village population 779

 

2002

Fr. David Spokes replaced Rev Ryall as vicar

 

2007

Denton WI wound up and replaced by Ladies Lunch Club

 

2007

Dentist’s surgery opened in Vicarage Lane