{{Short description|Village in Warwickshire, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Use British English|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox UK place |country = England |official_name= Princethorpe |coordinates = {{coord|52.333501|-1.411314|display=inline,title}} |civil_parish = Princethorpe | population = 429 | population_ref = (2021) |shire_district= Rugby |shire_county= Warwickshire |region= West Midlands |constituency_westminster= Kenilworth and Southam |post_town= RUGBY |postcode_district = CV23 |postcode_area= CV |dial_code= 01926 |os_grid_reference= SP4068 |static_image_name= Princethorpe-Hightown - geograph.org.uk - 2118648.jpg |static_image_width= |static_image_caption= Buildings in Princethorpe }} '''Princethorpe''' is a village and civil parish in the Rugby district of Warwickshire, England. In the 2011 census the parish had a population 376, increasing to 429 at the 2021 census.<ref name="CitPop">{{cite web |title=PRINCETHORPE Parish in West Midlands |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/uk/westmidlands/admin/rugby/E04009686__princethorpe/ |publisher=City Population |access-date=11 December 2022}}</ref>
Princethorpe is located roughly halfway between the towns of Rugby {{convert|6.5|mi}} to the north-east, and Leamington Spa {{convert|6|mi}} to the south-west. It is at the centre of a busy junction between the A423 (Coventry to Banbury), B4453 (Rugby to Leamington) and B4455 (Fosse Way) roads. The village once had a pub called the Three Horseshoes, which was in business continuously from at least 1816 until it closed in 2023.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Three Horseshoes at Princethorpe |url=https://www.ourwarwickshire.org.uk/content/article/now-three-horseshoes-princethorpe |publisher=Our Warwickshire |access-date=11 December 2022}}</ref> Situated on Leamington Road in the village is Our Lady's Primary School. It is a primary school with around 100 children between the ages of 4 and 11.
Just outside the village is Princethorpe College, a Roman Catholic school. The school incorporates the buildings of the former St. Mary's Priory, which was founded by French Benedictine nuns from Montargis who sought asylum from the French Revolution in 1792. After several moves, they settled in Princethorpe in 1832, and established a priory and school. In 1966 it was purchased by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart who established it into its present form.<ref>{{cite web |title=Princethorpe College: Origins |url=https://www.ourwarwickshire.org.uk/content/article/princethorpe-college-origins |publisher=Our Warwickshire |access-date=11 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Princethorpe College: The Priory |url=https://www.ourwarwickshire.org.uk/content/article/princethorpe-college-priory |publisher=Our Warwickshire |access-date=11 December 2022}}</ref><ref name="warvbook"/>
The village has a history extending to at least the Roman period, related to the fact that the Fosse Way, an old Roman road ran through it. Two Roman settlements existed just south of the current village.<ref>{{cite web |title=Site of Roman settlement 200m s of Princethorpe |url=https://www.ourwarwickshire.org.uk/content/catalogue_her/site-of-roman-settlement-200m-s-of-princethorpe|publisher=Our Warwickshire |access-date=11 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Site of Roman settlement 400m s of Priory Farm, Princethorpe. |url=https://www.ourwarwickshire.org.uk/content/catalogue_her/site-of-roman-settlement-400m-s-of-priory-farm-princethorpe |publisher=Our Warwickshire |access-date=11 December 2022}}</ref> In the 1950s, a number of Roman coins were found in Princethorpe.<ref name="warvbook"/>
Its name likely derived from an Anglo-Saxon farmer called ''Pren''.<ref name="warvbook">{{cite book|title=The Warwickshire Village Book|date=2000|publisher=Countryside Books|isbn=1-85306-652-4|pages=150–152}}</ref> It was first mentioned in 1275–6.<ref name="BHOL">{{cite web |title=Parishes: Stretton-upon-Dunsmore and Princethorpe |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/warks/vol6/pp241-245 |publisher=British History Online |access-date=11 December 2022}}</ref> In the reign of Henry VI it came into the possession of the Hugford family of Emscote and stayed in that family until the reign of Henry VII when John Hugford sold it to Sir William Compton. Princethorpe was originally in the parish of Wolston but was made, for convenience, a separate parish with Stretton by an Act of Parliament in 1694 the reign of William III. Princethorpe is today still part of the ecclesiastical parish of Stretton-on-Dunsmore,<ref>{{cite web |title=Stretton-on-Dunsmore Warwickshire Family History Guide |url=https://www.parishmouse.co.uk/warwickshire/stretton-on-dunsmore-warwickshire-family-history-guide/ |publisher=Parishmouse Warwickshire |access-date=13 December 2022}}</ref> but became a separate civil parish in 1866.<ref>{{cite web |title=Princethorpe Tn/CP - Relationships and changes |url=https://www.visionofbritain.org/unit/10318488 |publisher=Vision of Britain |access-date=13 December 2022}}</ref> <gallery> File:Princethorpe College, Princethorpe, Warwickshire-geograph-3501703-by-Ian-Rob.jpg|Princethorpe College File:The Three Horseshoes, Princethorpe - geograph.org.uk - 3742298.jpg|The Three Horseshoes, Princethorpe </gallery>
== Notable people == Land-drainage reformer Joseph Elkington developed his drainage techniques while farming at Princethorpe.<ref name="Upton">{{Cite web| title = Farm engineer Joseph Elkington was an expert in his field| last=Upton| first=Chris| work = Birmingham Post| date = 2013-02-15| accessdate = 2013-02-16| url = http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/postfeatures/2013/02/15/farm-engineer-joseph-elkington-was-an-expert-in-his-field-65233-32809502/}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Princethorpe}} * [https://princethorpevillage.wordpress.com Princethorpe Village and Parish Council] * [https://www.ourwarwickshire.org.uk/content/location/princethorpe Princethorpe archives - Our Warwickshire] * [http://www.ourladysrc.warwickshire.sch.uk/ Our Ladys RC Primary School]
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Category:Villages in Warwickshire