Harpole, United Kingdom

In the 17th century, after the feudal manorial lands had been broken up into parcels of land, and had been sold to local yeomen, Harpole experienced a burst of building activity typical of much of the country and referred to as ‘The Great Rebuilding.’ Many of the older buildings along the High Street date from around this time, typified by stone boundary walls and steep roofs.

The village was a thriving community in the 18th century and there are several listed buildings from this period. In around 1815, the Manning family built the Hall out of the profits made from the brewing industry and extensive farming in the surrounding area. The enclosure award in Harpole was made in 1778 and amongst other things made provision for the establishment of a school. It was however not until 1835 that a purpose made building was constructed.

Agriculture dominated until the mid-19th century. However, shoemaking had been one of Harpole’s staple trades. Local factors set up their agencies in the village, and many houses were extended to accommodate a shop where uppers were hand stitched before being taken to Northampton for finishing.

Many of the buildings from the 1850’s onwards are brick built, with Welsh slate roofs. In 1876 an early Cooperative movement was set up in Harpole. Ten years after it opened the Harpole Society had 193 members and purpose-built premises on the corner at the junction of Larkhall Lane and Upper High Street. It had a butchery with slaughter house attached, a bakery and general stores, a chemist and a millinery as well as a coal yard.

Sources disagree on the etymology of the village's name. It may be derived from Old English horu ‘dirt’ + pōl ‘pool’ or may refer to a location characterized by a har (a term for a hare) and pole (a term for a hill or mound). An alternative etymology is suggested by the parish council: In the Domesday Book the village is named Horpol with ‘Hor’ being the Saxon word for bound or limit, and ‘Pol’ that for pool.

The White Swan was situated on Park Lane. The Bull was situated on High Street and permanently closed in December 2021, being converted into a private dwelling.

In April 2022 archaeologists found an early Christian Anglo-Saxon era burial site of a woman of high social standing at an area in Harpole being developed for housing by Vistry. The discovery was announced in December 2022 and described as "the most significant early medieval female burial ever discovered in Britain".