Stanwick Parish Council - About the Parish Council

Stanwick is a pleasant village situated approximately one mile south west of Raunds.

Stanwick Parish Council, established in April 2000 following several years of campaigning by local residents, was formerly a Ward of Raunds Urban District Council and subsequently Raunds Town Council.

The Parish Council comprises of 7 members and Council meetings are held bi-monthly, on Thursdays, in the Old School Rooms, High Street at 7.00 p.m.

A Brief History of Stanwick

There was a Roman settlement in Stanwick and the site of a villa was pinpointed in 1979. Trial trenching in 1984 by English Heritage exposed three mosaics attributed to the mid fourth century. Major archaeological excavations followed, and continued until 1991. The Roman Villa site, close to Stanwick by-pass, revealed a particularly fine example of a villa floor mosaic, a cemetery, the foundations of a temple and other farm buildings and houses, making what must have been a small village. These settlements were mostly deserted when the Roman Empire collapsed, though much of the Roman-British population survived. Society then changed as Roman Britain was transformed into Saxon England.

In the 10th century, Stanwick was referred to as ‘Stan Wigga’. Later it was mentioned in the Domesday Book as ‘Stanwige’ and in 1137 in the Anglo Saxon Chronicle as ‘Stanwigga’.

It is generally believed that the name means ‘Stone dwellings’ ‘Stone farm’ or ‘Stone village’. It has been suggested that this could be because the village was noted for its quarries and houses built of stone, or that it could have derived its name from the Roman Villa, which was built of stone.

St Laurence Church was built circa 1224, on the site of an earlier Church, of which virtually nothing remains. It dominates the local landscape and its octagonal tower and spire are considered an architectural beauty. The weather cock is 137 feet above ground, and was given to the church in 1880 by the then landlord of the Duke of Wellington Public House.

In the Middle Ages, Stanwick was under the authority of the Abbotts of Peterborough. Among the duties of the Abbott was to appoint the Rectors of Stanwick. Since the Reformation, the Lord Chancellor has appointed the Rectors on behalf of the Sovereign.

In 1745, a muster of two companies of 100 men each, marched from Stanwick to fight against Bonny Prince Charlie. The tragedy of this muster was not the number killed in Carlisle, but the greater number who died with smallpox which was rife amongst the troops.

Until the 18th century employment in Stanwick was mainly agricultural. Then the village began to grow with the leather and boot industries. According to a statistical survey of shoemakers in Northamptonshire, Stanwick returned a larger than average proportion of shoemakers to all listed men between 1762-81. Census records tell us that during the years 1841-1851, women began to be employed in the shoe trade as well.

Shoemaking at this time was carried out on an outwork basis, with the first shoe factory in Stanwick being built, it is said, by Cave of Rushden in 1890.

In the last fifty years Stanwick has grown rapidly and now has approximately 750 houses. Many of the streets are named after former Rectors.

Richard Cumberland was the son of the Rev. Denison Cumberland. He was born a year after his father became Rector of Stanwick in 1732. Richard went on to become a famous dramatist and is buried in Poet’s Corner in Westminster Abbey. Richard described Stanwick in his memoirs as ‘that retired and tranquil spot.’

Other Rectors that have given their name to Stanwick are Ralph of Collingham (first recorded Rector at the Church in 1224), William de Casterton, John Manningham, Richard Cleburne, Dr George Mansfield, John FL Eagle, Dr William Dolben and Dr Peter Needham.

The first national school, in high street, was opened in 1838, funded by grants and contributions from local dignitaries and landowners. It was extended in 1876 to provide better facilities.

The current school was opened as an Infant School in 1899 and in 1931 following a period of remodelling it was reopened as Stanwick Junior and Infants School. The Old School was then closed, but reopened for a short time in 1940 to accommodate the evacuee children and their teachers.

 In 1998, a voluntary group Stanwick MM was formed to raise funds to erect a Village Sign in Spencer Parade as a permanent commemoration of the Millennium. The design of the sign, installed August 2000 includes St Laurence Church; ears of wheat (representing agriculture); a boot (representing the boot and shoe industry and also the Duke of Wellington who is believed to have had his boots made in Stanwick) and a Roman helmet (representing Stanwick’s Roman heritage).

Details contained in this history were kindly supplied by Mrs J Cutmore, author of ‘Stanwick – A Retrospective Glance’