Finedon
Coordinates: 52°20′02″N 0°39′35″W / 52.3340°N 0.6597°W
| Finedon | |
 St Mary's Parish Church |
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 Finedon
Finedon shown within Northamptonshire |
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| Population | 4,188 |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | SP9171 |
| District | Wellingborough |
| Shire county | Northamptonshire |
| Region | East Midlands |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Wellingborough |
| Postcode district | NN9 |
| Dialling code | 01933 |
| Police | Northamptonshire |
| Fire | Northamptonshire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| EU Parliament | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament | Wellingborough |
| List of places: UK • England • Northamptonshire | |
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This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2009) |
Finedon is a civil parish and village in the Borough Council of Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, with a population at the 2001 census of 4,188 people.[1] Along with Wellingborough, it is twinned with Wittlich, Germany, and Niort, France.
In 1086 when the Domesday Book was completed, Finedon was a large royal manor, previously held by Queen Edith. At this time the village was known as Tingdene, which may originate from the Danish word Ting meaning assembly, together with the Saxon Dene for valley or vale. Tingdene and the later version, Thingdon, were used until the early nineteenth century until finally Finedon became the commonly accepted version, both in written format as well as in pronunciation.[2]
The importance of Finedon at the time of the Domesday Book is clear, as with a population of 102 it was one of only four towns listed with a population greater than 50 in Northamptonshire - the others being Northampton, Brackley, and Rushton.
The Bell Inn also claims to be listed in the Domesday Book, but the current building does not date back to this period, and there is evidence that the site of the original inn was situated several hundred metres away. However, the main building was built around 1598, with the current imposing façade added in 1872.
The Parish Church, St Mary's, is a magnificent mid-14th century church with an aisled and cloistered nave of four bays. The current parish priest is Rev Richard Coles, former member of pop group The Communards. The tower houses a ring of eight bells in the key of D with the tenor weighing just over 21 hundredweight (about 1.1 tonnes).[3] The church also boasts an impressive organ which was probably originally built for St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle in 1704[4]. It was installed in 1717, rebuilt in 1872, and restored in 1960[5], and it retains its tracker action. Popular legend has it that Handel played on the organ before it came to Finedon, but this has never been decisively proved.
Finedon hides away many fascinating buildings which many residents of the town are unaware of. Possibly Finedon's most historical building was the Volta Tower, built in 1865 by Mr Mackworth Dolben. This sadly collapsed in 1951 due to not being constructed with any mortar but the legendary building was a local landmark when it stood.
Finedon is in the Borough Council of Wellingborough, although many of the inhabitants are anxious to assert Finedon's distinct identity and not be assimilated into the larger town of Wellingborough.[citation needed]
Finedon has a small country park which is officially called Finedon Pocket Park. The local name for the park area (The Pits) is derived from its historical use as an ironstone quarry.
Nearby communities include Irthlingborough, Burton Latimer and Little Harrowden.
[edit] People from Finedon
- The poet Digby Mackworth Dolben was brought up at Finedon Hall
- Arthur Henfrey (1867-1929) Cambridge University, Corinthians and England footballer, was born and died in Finedon
- Current
- Since April 2011 the parish priest is the Reverend Richard Coles.[6]
[edit] References
- ^ Office for National Statistics: Wellingborough (Non-Metropolitan District). Retrieved 9 November 2009
- ^ John Bailey, Finedon Otherwise Thingdon, 1975, ISBN 0950425001
- ^ Finedon Bellringers
- ^ National Pipe Organ Register, N03520
- ^ National Pipe Organ Register, N03521
- ^ Daily Telegraph report
- John Bailey, Finedon Revealed, 1987, ISBN 095042501X
- John Bailey, Look at Finedon, 2005, ISBN 0950425028
- Finedon Historical Society, Finedon Yards
- Audrey Ellis, Memories of Finedon http://www.audrey-ellis.co.uk
- Rosemary Pearson, The Top School
[edit] External links
Media related to Finedon at Wikimedia Commons
- Finedon Online Your connection to local Finedon information
- Church of St Mary the Virgin, Finedon online Parish Magazine
- Finedon Bellringers Information about the Bellringers
- A Pictorial view of Finedon A selection of Photographs of Finedon
- [1] Finedon Past & Present
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