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The
village of Earls Barton is as old as the hills - well almost! The
name comes from Bere-tun, which is Saxon for "a place for growing
barley", and its oldest building is the world famous Saxon
tower of the parish church, situated right in the village centre.
It's one of the oldest churches in England.
The
Saxon tower. |
I moved
to Earls Barton in 1994 after having lived in Northampton for many
years. I was looking for somewhere with the feel of a village but
the amenities of a town and Earls Barton fitted the bill.
Earls
Barton is mentioned in the Domesday Book and grew in the 14th Century
with the manufacture of woollen cloth but the village is best known,
like many places in Northamptonshire, for its boot and shoe industry.
A
cobblers' life
For
the historians amongst you, the best place to visit is Earls Barton
Museum of Village Life which is situated in the grounds of Barker's
Shoe factory. It's open on saturdays and admission is free - try
it: it's well worth a look. You can find out how shoe workers lived,
how they worked and how they shopped.
Jeyes:
not just fluid. |
As
well as the parish church, the village square also boasts a rare
sight nowadays: an original red telephone box! It is now a listed
building and can't be removed or damaged without special permission.
It's near one of the finest shops in the village, Jeyes Chemists.
Yes, this is the same Jeyes as those famous cleaning fluid chaps.
Pop in, you'll be surprised - not only can you get anything from
the chemist, you can buy a myriad of gifts, have a meal in the coffee
shop or even fit out a doll's house!
Drama
under the tower
For
those culture vultures among you there's a thriving drama group
in the village called the Under the Tower Drama Group. As the name
suggests, they meet and rehearse under the tower of the church.
Many other clubs and societies exist in the village including a
local history society, a music society and even a badminton club.
More
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I was looking for somewhere with the feel of a village but the
amenities of a town and Earls Barton fitted the bill. 
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