The Boddingtons

Location

The Parish of Boddington consists of two villages - Upper Boddington, parts of which are approximately 500 feet above sea level, and Lower Boddington, about 3/4 of a mile to the south, which descends about 100 feet.

Google Map

For a Google aerial map and satellite view of the parish, click here.

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History

The spelling of Boddington has changed over the centuries from Botendon in Domesday Book (1086) through Bottelendon (12th century Survey of Northamptonshire), and Budinton in the Calendar of Close Rolls (1244) to Botyngdon (1358), Botyndoun (1396) and Botyngdon (1428). When it became established as Boddington we do not know, but on some 19th century maps it was spelled with only one d. The origin of the name could be Botas Hill (dun) or, as Baker surmises, it could be compounded of Boten, a contraction of the Saxon plural of botl, a habitation, and dune or done, a down, which corresponds with the situation of the upper village.

At the time of Domesday Book, there were two major landowners of Boddington, the Count of Mortain (half brother to William the Conqueror, and the largest single landowner after William) and Williams nephew, Earl Hugh. Both of these men let their lands. Previously the lands had belonged to Saxons, Turi and Aschil, freely. By the 12`" century this land had passed to Fulc Paynell, the Fee of Chester, William Meschin and the Fee of the Bishop of Lincoln.

In medieval times each village had its own land and field system. Evidence of medieval earthworks has been found in both villages, and until recently could still be seen in the large field at the junction of Townsend Lane and London End in Upper Boddington where there was a long hollow-way running from London End to Chapel Lane.

The villages appear to have had separate common fields, but both were enclosed under a single Act of Parliament in 1758. Ridge and furrow in these fields exist on the ground or can be traced on aerial photographs over almost the whole Parish, except in a small area north of Upper Boddington known as Little Common. A segment of the Parish Award Map can be seen in Mr. Bromets book based on the Rev. Maynards memoirs.

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