Parochial History of Brixworth by Rev. A.K.Pavey, Vicar of Brixworth

In medieval times the lordship was divided into 3 manors.

In the time of King Henry VIII (1509 – 1547) Wolfage appeared as separate site and was entered in the parish registers as Wolfage Park.

A map dated 1555 containing topographical notes of the area near to existing ruins of Wolfage Manor indicate royal connections – field names include:

The Palace, The Palace End Rick, Palace Meadow.

A mill called Kingsmulne

To Wolfage belonged part of the manor (Bridges, Northants. Vol.ii, p80) seems to show an earlier settlement than the rest of the manor.

The church stood on its hill – the Saxon village nestled at some distance from it under the SW side of the valley, and that church and village were connected by a boundary, “linch”, or embankment and ditch.

“Wolfage” is possibly the name of a Saxon settlement – near the Spratton station.

Received its name from ‘Wolfade’, the murdered Christian son of Wolphere, King of the Mercians .

Wolphere died in 675 and was succeeded by his brother, Aetheldred.

Brictric, King of the West Saxons (died 800) invaded the area and may have wanted to remove all trace of the Mercians – particularly a royal palace like Wolfage – named after a Mercian prince

After the battle of Burford in the year 752 or 754 the name changed from Wolfage to Bricclesworde in the name of Brictric, King of Wessex.

In time becomes Brictricesworde (estate of Brichtric) which ultimately is called the modern Brixworth.

Source:

Bridges, Northants gives derivation of Brixworth from plentiful supply of water – numerous wells – eg. Bartlett’s Well.

Writes of Wolfage as if the manor of Brixworth belonged to it and not the reverse.

Deed dated 1770 relates “… to all manor or lordship … piece of ground whereon a capital messuage or a Mansion House commonly called or known by name of Wolfage, formerly stood ( but was then demolished)

* settlement of Wolfage could be older than present site of village of Brixworth.

Source:

The Northamptonshire Antiquarian Society during years 1964 and 1965Sir Thomas Tresham and his buildings.

The Treshams – originally a Gloucestershire family.

Thomas Tresham – first to settle in Northamptonshire.

between 1395 and 1435 Treshams acquired first Northamptonshire manor of Sywell.

His son, William, represented the County in Parliament 12 times between 1423 and 1449.

He acquired Rushton in 1437 – principal family seat.

Murdered in Moulton in 1450 – reasons obscure – his son, Thomas was with him but survived.

Thomas’s son, John – Sheriff of Northamptonshire in 1506, married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir James Harington of Hornby in Lancashire.

Inherited the Manor of Brixworth ( including Wolfage Manor) in 1492 and held it until his death in 1498.