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-In response to demand, a new and updated edition of the well received book on the local footpaths is available at Crick Post Office.
-The Graveyard study, mapping the locations of the readable gravestones in the closed Graveyard of St Margaret of Antioch Church, Crick is now available in PDF form in the Publications section.
The name 'Crick' probably evolved from the Celtic word 'Kreik', which became Old Welsh 'Creic', meaning a rock or cliff. The village itself is situated on the edge of the Northamptonshire plateau, so that the name 'Creic' is clearly descriptive of the position of the original settlement.
The earliest document, the Geld Roll (1077), and the Doomsday Survey of 1086, have the village spelling as ‘Crec’. According to Gover's 'The Place Names of Northamptonshire' there have been many variations of the name, e.g. Crec, Crek, (1086). Kreic, Creyk, (1201). Creke (1284). Criek (1328). Creek, Creake (1340). Kreke (1517). Creke, Cricke (1598). Creek (1610). Crieke (1618). The variations follow the language changes from Saxon to Norman-French and then old English. The earliest the present day spelling of Crick is seen in 1613.
It seems likely that the village first came into existence in its present location somewhere in the post-Roman period - Watling Street, forms Crick's western parish boundary and traces of Roman buildings have been found within the area of the present-day village, so there has been occupation in this area for a very long time. Earlier still, this area was inhabited by Bronze-age and Iron-age tribal groups, and many traces of round houses from this pre-Roman time have been excavated in a series of archaeological digs around the M1 and DIRFT industrial sites.
In the medieval and early modern period, Crick was a thriving manor - and thanks to the discovery of Crick's early manorial rolls and other medieval documents in one of Oxford's college archives, we have a unique picture of life in the village between about 1400 and 1700.
Up to 1777 and the implementation of the Enclosure act, farmers owned or rented multiple strips of land, or furlongs, scattered in the 4 great fields which surrounded the village. As these strips were repeated ploughed the middle of the strip became raised relative to the edges giving rise to the ridge and furrow pattern seen in many fields in the midlands. After 1777 the furlong system was replaced by single unified holdings for each of the farmers. Sheep farming was a popular livelihood and where fields were subsequently turned over to grazing the historic ridge and furrow pattern persists in the field surface.
At the time of the Doomsday book Crick had a population of 17 villagers (villeins), 6 smallholders (bordars), 4 slaves (serfs), 4 freemen (sokmen), and a priest. Together with the women and children, who were not counted, the population would have been around 120 people in 32 households, making Crick quite a large village. Later the ‘manor’ of Crick was divided, one third of its income being given as a founding gift to St John’s College, Oxford; the college remains the ‘Lord of the Manor’ to this day, although in name only. The population gradually increased so that by 1720 had risen to 600, living in 128 houses. Sheep farming and the processing and weaving of wool were predominant activities in the village.
But by the end of the century, with the industrial revolution providing large-scale mechanised wool processing and weaving, Crick’s rural wool industry went into decline. Houses were reclaimed and people were sent to the workhouse in the Derry, (then called the Wells).
Despite this Crick continued to be a largely self sufficient rural community through the 19th century with income coming from providing grazing land for the cattle and sheep drovers heading to local Midland markets or London. By 1861 the population of Crick had risen to 999, and a census revealed that there were: - 23 Farmers and Graziers. 3 Wheelwrights. 1 Saddler. 3 Boot and Shoe makers. 5 Innkeepers. 2 Beer Retailers. 1 Brewer. 1 Maltster. 2 Millers. 2 Blacksmiths. 3 Butchers. 3 Bakers. 4 Grocers. 2 Tailors. 1 Rope and Twine Maker. 1 Tallow Chandler and Ironmonger. 3 Builders. 2 Brick Makers. 1 Plumber and Glazier and 1 Surgeon. The woollen industry had completely disappeared by this time. But 50 years on, at the beginning of the 20th century, Crick’s population had dropped to just over 600 as villagers moved into industrialised towns such as Rugby.
Today the village continues to flourish, with an active and caring community. New housing has allowed the population to grow to around 2000 people and good transportation links gives easy access to employment possibilities in the surrounding towns.
In medieval times cottages were distributed along two roughly parallel streets. One was the present High Street-Church Street alignment. The other, to the east, was roughly along the line of Boathorse Lane, Lauds Road, Bury Dyke, and the footpath to Drayson Lane.
Early dwellings were very simple huts, built from timber, wattle and daub or cob (dried, unfired clay mixed with chopped straw) with a thatched roof and unglazed shuttered windows. . Structural timber, especially hardwoods like oak, gradually became more scarce and so by the 17th century building in stone became the norm. Until the 19th Century when long distance transportation became possible with the canals and trains, building materials had to be locally sourced. Everything for house building came from a few miles radius of the village and could only be moved by horse and cart. Quarries were opened around the village to extract the local brown ironstone that was used in many of Crick buildings of the 1600 and 1700s. There were no building plans other than in the minds of the resident craftsmen and their apprentices and this, together with the availability and use of local materials, gives rise to the unique character of the village technically referred to as being ‘vernacular’ (literally 'of the place'). Roofs were thatched using reeds harvested from the local wetland, which still partially exists today behind the Eldonwall Industrial Estate and near the motorway.
In the late 1700s onward brick was used for house building, again locally sourced from brick pits and over 3 million were also supplied to construct the Crick tunnel on the canal. The brickyards in Crick continued to thrive up to the early 1900s.
With the development of mass transportation, housing stock and design becomes more generic, no longer vernacular. This is called 'polite' architecture - buildings of non-local style designed by an architect. Thatch was replaced by Welsh slate or tiles and house styles particular to a period become recognisable throughout the country:- Georgian, Victorian, 1930’s, 1960s, up to the present day. Examples of most of these polite styles can be seen in the village today.
With the exception of the St Margaret of Antioch Parish Church, which is grade 1 listed, there are 46 other grade 2 listed constructions, mostly houses dating from the 17 and 18th centuries, in Crick. The centre of Crick is designated as a "Conservation Area" by the local Planning Authority.
The canal came in 1814, and thrived for over 100 years. The wharf supplied coal and lime from the Midlands for Crick and the surrounding villages, and other goods from London.
The railway followed in 1884 but our railway station, which was shared with Kilsby village, closed 80 years later in 1964.
During that period all manner of domestic and agricultural goods were sent via the goods yard and there was a regular passenger service to Rugby and Northampton. The station supplied the local storage warehouse during the ‘Cold War’ period and later material for building the M1.
Watford Gap has carried major transport routes for 2000 years, from the Roman Watling Street to the M1. The railway and canal also share this route, which has brought trade to the area from early times and continues today with the logistics park of the Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT), and the M1. However the arrival of the M1, DIRFT, Costco, and Eldonwall has brought with it unwelcome visual, light and noise pollution which affects the entire village.
Amongst the many past residents who have left their mark on Crick are Archbishop Laud (the rector of Crick who became Archbishop of Canterbury), George ‘Cabin’ Smith (the champion of canal children), Thomas Edward Marson (farmer, painter and sportsman), Jack Haswell (world motor cycle champion), Gerald Le Champion (racing driver and pilot) and more recently the 1960’s pop group The Fortunes.
Crick remained an agricultural community into the mid-20th century. Today it is home for many industry and service workers in the region. Crick has a considerable number of recorded historic features. However, over recent years there have been several substantial housing developments which have increased the village size beyond what would have been expected. Further uncontrolled development will have an adverse effect on the historic character of the village, parish and community. For the history and heritage of the village to be preserved, future growth must be appropriate to maintain the rural context and feel of the village.
Jan 10th | A Northampton farmhouse through time. Kate Mawer |
Feb 14th | Oddities of London. Rob Welsford |
Mar 13th | AGM @ 7pm followed by Fame & Fortunes, Pirates and Murder. Bryan Turner |
Apr 10th | Quiz night. |
May 8th | Five hats and a Wig. Jackie Hibbert |
Jun 12th | Sulgrave Manor and the Washington Family. Martin Sirot-Smith |
Jul 10th | Lotions Potions and Dubious Cures. Susan Copperwheat |
Aug 14th | Summer outing to Chester House and the Northamptonshire Archaeological Archive |
Sep 6th Note this is Friday | An audience with Queen Elizabeth 1 -a joint meeting with FOSM (Friends of St Margarets) to be held in St Margarets' Church |
Oct 9th | Brandon Silk Mills and child labour. Ann Langley |
Nov 13th | The notorious Culworth Gang of South Northamptonshire. Richard Blacklee |
Dec 11th | Christmas social |
Image Library.
One of the first large-scale projects undertaken was the systematic collection and digitisation of as many old photographs, postcards, letters and other early visual records as possible. This is an ongoing project, more information can be found by clicking here.
House History
House history work involves the study of all available documentary records for a particular property and its successive owners, plus careful study of the form and construction of the property and its associated outbuildings where relevant. This is an ongoing project, more information can be found by clicking here.
May Day.
A project to record the names of all May Queens (and their Attendants, Heralds and Knights) since the first recorded appointments in 1931; this project is ongoing and needs recent appointments to be added.
(May Queen procession down Church St in 1928).
War Memorial.
This ongoing project provides information about each name on the Crick War Memorial, so that their sacrifices are not forgotten. A book is available on the work carried out so far -'Crick's Roll of Honour' – which records those who did not return. The project could be extended to include those from Crick who went to war and returned. This part of the project has yet to be started.
Footpaths and Heritage Trail.
Routes through the village and footpaths to the parish boundary are described, together with points of historic interest. The information, together with a contextual introduction about the village, was published in two books entitled 'Walks & More' and 'Crick Heritage Trail'. Thanks to energetic volunteers willing to walk the routes, Jim Goodger has updated the out of print Walks & More book. The reprinted 'Walks & More -Rewalked' book is available in Crick Post Office.
Crick News 'History Matters'.
Part of the work of the History Society is to provide History notes as a regular feature in Crick News. This is ongoing.
Crick People.
A collection of illustrative biographies of a few of Crick's colourful people, reflecting the development of the village's character through the ages. The book includes three Lords of the Manor, an Archbishop of Canterbury, several rectors - some of them good, some not so good! - a champion of impoverished canal children, a local artist, a motor cycling champion, a racing driver and pilot, the first 'gong' man, a pop group, an industrialist, and a Crick Treacle Miner - all in 'A Few Crick People', available from the Post Office.
Oral histories.
We are beginning to collect conversations with long lived Crick residents to gain a personal sense of what life was like in the village in former times. If you would like to take part then please contact us.
Information Boards.
As you walk through the village you will see some heritage boards with information provided by the Crick History Society. We will continue to be a source for such information as and when required.
In the Village: | In the Parish: |
Washbrook (Sheep washing) | Crick Railway Station (A5 - DIRFT) |
Washbrook (Turnpike Milestone) | Shenley (DIRFT - Railport) |
St Margaret's View (Iron Age settlement) | |
Fallowfields (Medieval Track) | |
Crick Wharf (Celebrating 200 years of the canal) | |
Elms Farm Public Open Space (Village Centre)-awaiting |
200th Anniversary of Crick Canal.
The Crick History Society organised a weekend on 9th and 10th August 2014 to celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the official opening of Crick Tunnel and the canal at Crick on 9th August 1814. The original opening had been attended by Canal Company worthies. This time the local dignitaries included the Chairs of Northamptonshire County Council, Daventry District Council, Crick Parish Council and Vice-Chair of Market Harborough District Council plus the Chief Executive Officer of Canal & River Trust. A plaque was unveiled at the start of two days of celebration which included displays of canal arts, craft and antiques and demonstrations of working canal horses. Crick History Society mounted an exhibition of the canal, tunnel and wharf, which was supported by re-enactor Andrew Ashmore taking the role of Benjamin Bevan the civil engineer for this arm of the canal. The restored President and Kildare working boats, from 1908 demonstrated what living conditions were like for working boat families and the President's steam engine interested many of the visitors. A main attraction was being taken through the tunnel by boat and carried back to the wharf in a 1929 Midland Red charabanc. The event was funded by generous support from the Northamptonshire Community Foundation and Tim Langer, the then owner of Crick marina. A book - Crick and the Canal - has been produced to record the history of the canal in Crick Parish and the celebration. It is available to buy from Crick Post Office.
Mapping the graveyard of St Margaret of Antioch.
Until now there appears to have been no map or records relating to where the historic graves are situated in the closed graveyard. There are many graves which are now unmarked and others have gravestones of a stone that has eroded with time making then unreadable. The readable gravestones were logged by the Rugby Family History Group in 2009 but this needed to be mapped onto the graveyard.
A study in September 2023 to map the gravestones is now available as a downloadable PDF and all the readable headstones can now be located both on a map and in the graveyard using a coordinate scheme.
(The picture below is a sketch of the church done in 1755; with rather fewer graves than today)
Crick today.
Today is tomorrow's history. Whilst we have information, news items and photographs of yesteryear in our archive, in 50 yrs time what will be there about today? This is the basis of this project, to collect and collate present day information.
House deed transcription.
Nationally, house deeds are being phased out and with it the loss of the history of the houses they recorded. We have photographic records of a number of the deeds of Crick houses which we would like to have typed up and made searchable so their full value can be utilised.
Crick Historic village trail leaflet
The pdf can be downloaded, double side printed on standard A4 paper, and folded to form a leaflet describing a walking trail around Crick village, pointing out places of historic interest A free copy can also be picked up at Crick Post Office and most of the village pubs. "I’d just like to say how much I have enjoyed visiting Crick with the aid of your Historic Village trail and the information on this site. Thank you" Chris Long
St Margaret of Antioch Crick graveyard
A downloadable PDF file of a study by Crick History Society to map the readable gravestones in the closed graveyard of Crick Parish Church.
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Crick History Society General Inquiries
Crick History Society Archivist
Rugby Local History Research Group Rugby Family History Group
Old Archived Crick Website (not fully functioning) - West Northants History/Crick