{{Short description|Hamlet in Northamptonshire, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}} {{Use British English|date=September 2013}} {{infobox UK place |country= England |official_name= Astwell |static_image_name= Ramblers Association commemorative signpost - geograph.org.uk - 449306.jpg |static_image_caption= Signpost commemorating the Astwell mill, 1935–1995 |coordinates = {{coord|52.0916|-1.1141|display=inline,title}} |population= |civil_parish= Helmdon |unitary_england= West Northamptonshire |lieutenancy_england= Northamptonshire |region= East Midlands |constituency_westminster= Daventry |post_town= Brackley |postcode_district= NN13 |postcode_area= NN |dial_code= |os_grid_reference= |london_distance= }}
'''Astwell''' is a hamlet in Northamptonshire, England. With Falcutt, it is part of the civil parish of Helmdon, but formerly Astwell was split between the parishes of Syresham and Wappenham.<ref name="Abstract1831">{{cite book |title=Abstract of the Answers and Returns made pursuant to an Act: Passed in the Eleventh Year of the Reign of His Majesty King George IV. Intituled "An Act for taking an Account of the Population of Great Britain, and of the Incriease or Diminution thereof." |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=zQFDAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA435|edition=Public domain |year=1831 |page=435}}</ref> The hamlet is {{convert|6|mi|0}} northeast of Brackley and {{convert|17+1/2|mi|0}} by road southwest of the county town of Northampton. Today the hamlet contains little more than the Astwell Castle and a mill.
==History== The hamlet's name means 'eastern spring/stream'.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Northamptonshire/Astwell |title = Key to English Place-names}}</ref>
[[File:Astwell castle, Northhamptonshire.jpg|thumb|left|Astwell Castle in 1913]] The De Wauncys were amongst the earliest holders of the Astwell manor since the Norman conquest of England. A Robert de Wauncy, who witnessed Magna Carta, is documented as holding the manors of Astwell and Fancote (Falcutt) in the reigns of Henry III and Edward I.<ref name="Gurney1848">{{cite book |last=Gurney |first=Daniel |title=The record of the house of Gournay. [With] |url= https://archive.org/details/recordhousegour00gurngoog |accessdate=19 February 2012 |year=1848 |page=[https://archive.org/details/recordhousegour00gurngoog/page/n115 367]}}</ref> In 1453, a John Thorn of Brackley is recorded as being a witness to a grant of land in Astwell, Northamptonshire,<ref name="GenealogyGenealogists2005">{{cite book |author1=Association for the Promotion of Scholarship in Genealogy |author2=American Society of Genealogists |title=The Genealogist |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=KrJnAAAAMAAJ|year=2005|publisher=The Association |page=112}}</ref> The manor maintained close links to nearby Syresham.<ref name="GenealogyGenealogists2005"/> when the son of Arthur Brooke made an exchange, to Thomas Lovett II (d. 1492), the first of the Lovett family, who held it for the next hundred years.<ref name="Evans1918">{{cite book |last=Evans |first=Herbert Arthur |title=Highways and byways in Northamptonshire and Rutland |url= https://archive.org/details/highwaysandbywa00evangoog |accessdate=19 February 2012 |edition=Public domain |year=1918 |publisher=Macmillan |pages=[https://archive.org/details/highwaysandbywa00evangoog/page/n328 310]–}}</ref>
The building of Astwell Castle is attributed to Thomas Lovett II. His grandson, George Shirley, lived here; and from his great-grandson, Robert Shirley, 1st Earl Ferrers, the manor descended to Washington Shirley, 5th Earl Ferrers (1722–78). The Astwell fields were enclosed in 1761,<ref name="RoyalCommission1982">{{cite book |author=Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England) |title=An inventory of the historical monuments in the County of Northampton |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=-3gvAAAAMAAJ|date=June 1982|publisher=HMSO |isbn=978-0-11-700994-3 |pages=86, 88}}</ref> and two years later, the manor was sold to Richard Grenville-Temple, 2nd Earl Temple (1711–1779).<ref name="Waters1878"/><ref name="Society1995">{{cite book |title=Northamptonshire past & present |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=vZRnAAAAMAAJ|year=1995|publisher=Northamptonshire Record Society |page=69}}</ref> He was succeeded by his nephew, George Nugent-Temple-Grenville, 1st Marquess of Buckingham (1753–1813), and his son, Richard Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Chandos (1776–1839) was also associated with Astwell. In 1841, there were 6 houses and 46 inhabitants at Astwell.<ref name="Whellan1874"/> Richard Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, 2nd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos (1797–1861) sold Astwell in 1850 to the Earl of Southampton, who sold it 12 years later to Lord Penrhyn (1800–86).<ref name="Whellan1874"/> In 1871, there were only 5 houses and 37 inhabitants,<ref name="Whellan1874"/> and, according to the ''Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales'' of 1870–72 by John Marius Wilson, the hamlet had become a sportsmen's resort.<ref name="visionofbritain.org.uk"/>
On 30 November 1943 a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber, No. 42–3048 from USAAF station 109 Podington of the 327th bomb squadron, 92nd bomb group, 8th bomber command crashed near the castle farm buildings. It had taken off on its way with the rest of the squadron on a mission to bomb the industrial complex at Solingen, Germany. All 10 crew members died in the crash.<ref name="Helmdon">{{cite web |url=http://www.helmdon.com/history/memorable_date_in_1943.htm |title=30th November - A Memorable Date in 1943 |last=Ratledge |first=Derek |date=19 February 2012 |access-date=19 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305123829/http://www.helmdon.com/history/memorable_date_in_1943.htm |archive-date=5 March 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On 9 November 2008, Lt Col Terry Hayes, Deputy Commander of the USAF 422nd Air Base Group at RAF Croughton laid a special wreath and read out the names of the US airmen. The men were included in the 2008 Remembrance Service at Helmdon parish church.<ref name="Helmdon"/>
==Geography== Astwell is in southwest Northamptonshire. It is on a tributary of the River Tove, {{convert|6|mi|0}} northeast of Brackley,<ref name="visionofbritain.org.uk">{{cite web |url= http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/place_page.jsp?p_id=7544 |title=Astwell Northamptonshire |work=visionofbritain.org.uk |publisher=University of Portsmouth |accessdate=18 February 2012}}</ref> and about {{convert|1|mi}} south of Wappenham.<ref name="Whellan1874">{{cite book |last=Whellan |first=Francis |title=History, topography, and directory of Northamptonshire |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=NRAHAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA501|edition=Public domain |year=1874 |publisher=Francis Whellan and co |page=501}}</ref> By road, Astwell is {{convert|12|mi|0}} northeast of Banbury and {{convert|17|mi|0}} southwest of Northampton.<ref name="GM">{{cite map |title= Maps |publisher=Google Maps}}</ref> It covers about {{convert|1760|acre}}. Astwell Mill is in the northern part of the hamlet on the Helmdon–Wappenham road,<ref name="RoyalCommission1982"/> {{convert|450|m|yd|abbr=off}} north of the castle,<ref name="(England)1982">{{cite book |author=Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England) |title=An inventory of the historical monuments in the County of Northampton |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-3gvAAAAMAAJ|date=June 1982|publisher=HHSO |isbn=978-0-11-700994-3}}</ref> along the road west of Astwell Spinney and fish ponds.<ref name="GM"/>
==Notable people== * Thomas Lovett III (1473–1542), son and heir of Thomas Lovett II, born here, and became High Sheriff of Northamptonshire and King's Escheator.<ref name="Waters1878">{{cite book |last=Waters |first=Robert Edmond Chester |title=Genealogical memoirs of the extinct family of Chester of Chicheley: their ancestors and descendants |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=OaxCAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA55|edition=Public domain |year=1878 |publisher=Robson & Sons |page=55|isbn=9785873350841 }}</ref> He married Elizabeth Boteler.<ref name="RichardsonEveringham2005">{{cite book |last1=Richardson |first1=Douglas |last2=Everingham |first2=Kimball G. |title=Magna Carta ancestry: a study in colonial and medieval families |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=wHZcIRMhSEMC&pg=PA527|year=2005|publisher=Genealogical Publishing Com |isbn=978-0-8063-1759-5 |page=527}}</ref> * Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon (1707–1791), born here, was patroness of the Calvinistic "Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion".<ref name="Evans1918"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{OpenDomesday|SP6044|astwell|Astwell}}
Category:Hamlets in Northamptonshire Category:West Northamptonshire District