Ringstead, Northamptonshire
| Ringstead | |
|---|---|
| Population | 1,461 (2011 census) |
| OS grid reference | SP9875 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Kettering |
| Postcode district | NN14 |
| Dialling code | 01933 |
| Police | Northamptonshire |
| Fire | Northamptonshire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament | |
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (November 2009) |
Ringstead is a small village and civil parish in Northamptonshire, England, forming part of the East Northamptonshire district. It is located approximately 15 miles north-east of Northampton. At the time of the 2011 census, the parish's population was 1,461 people.[1]
The River Nene runs directly past the village in a series of locks. During the 1980s, major sand and gravel excavations took place all around Ringstead leaving many man-made lakes and islands. There is a local primary school situated next to St Mary's church, which is host to the famous Ringstead flower festival. Ringstead was the birthplace of Alfred Roberts, the father of Margaret Thatcher. Ringstead was also the birthplace of William Tuttle, who settled in Charlestown, Massachusetts in 1636. His descendants number in the tens of thousands today. Notable among them are: Daniel S. Tuttle, Bob Newhart, Sinclair Lewis, A. Theodore Tuttle, Ernest Hemingway, Gerald Ford, Jonathan Edwards (theologian), Aaron Burr, Drew Gilpin Faust & Annette Bening
Sport
Football
The village has a relatively successful sporting tradition in football. They have had a team representing the village for over 100 years since it was established in 1896. Ringstead Rangers includes a men's team, a men's reserve team, an under 17s, under 14s and an under 9s team. All the teams play their home matches at Ringstead recreational ground and their traditional strip colours consist of red and black. The teams have been known to sport various other strip colours, especially in their away strips, including orange, blue and pink.
Pool
There is a significant interest in pool in Ringstead, which takes place at the Village Social Club. The team currently plays in Division 3 of the East Northants league.
Other sports
The village club also has a skittles team and facilities for darts, bingo and dominoes as well.
Other Famous Faces
Ringstead is also the location of Chef Scott Seabrooks The Woodford Mill Tea Rooms situated by the Willy Watt Marina Complex. Ringstead has a very large boating community and features over 250 river craft moored across both Willy Watt Marina and Blackthorn Lake Marina's.
Ringstead is also a regular place for holiday makers to visit due to Ringsteads river attractions such as The Woodford Mill Tea Rooms, Stanwick Lakes, Pocket Park as well as the sports arenas of Santa Pod, Rockingham & Silverstone Race Circuits.
Walking and cycling are popular, with a National Lottery funded cycle, bridal and footpath track running between Stanwick Lakes and Islip, the Nene Way running through the area and the Kinewell Lakes nature reserve all offering easy walking.
Tradition
According to tradition, the entrance to St Mary's churchyard was (or is) haunted by the ghost of a village girl, Lydia Atley, who disappeared in 1850. What were thought to be her skeletal remains were unearthed in 1864 in a local orchard; the village butcher, Weekly Ball, was tried for Lydia's murder but acquitted because it proved impossible to conclusively identify the skeleton as that of the missing girl.[2]
References
- ^ Office for National Statistics: Ringstead CP: Parish headcounts. Retrieved 15th July 2015
- ^ Codd, Daniel. Mysterious Northamptonshire (2009). Breedon Books Publishing Company. p.28. ISBN 9781859836811.
External links
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