Burton Latimer is a town in North Northamptonshire, England, approximately from Kettering. At the 2011 census, its population was 7,449.
History
Burton (Latimer) appears in 3 entries in the Domesday Book of 1086.
Tenant-in-chief and Lord in 1086: Guy of Raimbeaucourt. Households: 21 villagers. 18 smallholders. 1 slave. Ploughland: 14 ploughlands (tre). 3 lord's plough teams. 9 men's plough teams. Other resources: 3.0 lord's lands. Meadow 20 acres. Woodland 0.5 acres. 2 mills, value 0.8. Phillimore reference: 41,1
Tenant-in-chief in 1086: Bishop Geoffrey of Coutances. Lord in 1086: Walkelin of Harrowden. Households: 9 villagers. 5 smallholders. 1 slave. 1 female slave. Ploughland: 5 ploughlands (land for). 2 lord's plough teams. 3.5 men's plough teams. Other resources: Meadow 15 acres. Phillimore reference: 4,9
Tenant-in-chief in 1086: Bishop Geoffrey of Coutances. Lord in 1086 Richard
Households: 3 villagers. 1 smallholder. 1 slave. Ploughland: 3 ploughlands (land for). 1 lord's plough teams. 1 men's plough teams. Other resources: Meadow 6 acres. Phillimore reference: 4,12
In the reign of Edward the Confessor (1042-1066), Earl Ralph, probably the Earl of Hereford, held 8½ hides of land, which constituted, until the first half of the 13th century the whole of the Manor of Burton, and paid the service due from 1.5 Knight's Fees.
In 1086 the manor was held directly from the king by Guy de Reinbuedcurt (Reimbeaucourt), whose youngest son, Richard, was the tenant under Henry I (1100-1135). Richard is said to have pledged the manor in payment of a gambling debt to the king, who then granted it to hold at pleasure, to Alan de Dinant, a Breton who defeated the champion of the King of France near Gisors.
The second part of the town's name is derived from the le Latimer family who lived there in the 13th century. The first part of the name usually means fortified farmstead or farmstead near a fortification. Before the arrival of the Latimers, it was known as 'Burtone'.
Industrial history
Burton Latimer grew in the 19th Century around the ironstone quarrying, clothing and footwear industries. A watermill used for grinding corn was converted and used at various times in the 19th century for the manufacture of silk and worsted and for carpet-weaving, followed by its conversion to a steam mill to make chicory, mustard, animal foodstuffs and flour. The mill was acquired in the 1930s and became the home of Weetabix, which is also produced in Corby.
Ironstone quarrying began in about 1872 to the north of the town, to the south of the Kettering, Thrapston and Huntingdon Railway. More quarries were started in the west in the vicinity of Polwell Lane and more extensively on the east side of the town. The last pits ceased production of iron ore in 1921. The ore was taken by gauge tramways to the mainline railways. At first the tramways were worked by horses but steam locomotives were introduced from about 1892. The quarry near Polwell Lane was re-opened in 1925 for the extraction of ganister. The tramway to the main railway from this quarry was operated by small diesel locomotives. The quarry ceased production in 1983.
By 1885, the first four clothing factories had opened, followed in 1898 by the first shoe factory, and Burton grew rapidly to become a small, thriving light-industrial town.
By 2000 the town's new bypass and the building of the A14 made the town attractive again as a manufacturing and distribution centre. High-profile national firms like Versalift, Alpro Soya and Abbeyboard have based themselves on the north side of town.
Landmarks
A notable building in the town is the parish church, dedicated to St Mary the Virgin, which was consecrated in 1147. The Norman church was remodelled and added to at various times up to about 1310. It was restored and the tower rebuilt in 1866. It contains a number of medieval wall paintings, a 15th-century chancel screen and some memorial brasses. The oldest of the latter is located between the south arcade and chancel screen and features the coat of arms of the Boyville family; it was almost certainly placed there in the early 16th century to commemorate Richard Boyville, his wife Gresyll and their children.
The war memorial was erected in 1922.
The town is home to the land-owning Harpur family, who have owned the Grade I listed Burton Latimer Hall since 1760, together with other land around the town.
There is a Jacobean House, built in 1622, which was formerly a school.