This historical timeline gives an overview of the origins of the name Cottingham (Coteingham, Cotyngham), how the village has grown over the years, changes in land ownership and how people were employed. Much of the information on this timeline has been taken from ‘Our Heritage’ by MP York, which you can find on our documents page.
Key facts and figures
- From 954 to 1541, Cottingham was owned by Peterborough Abbey.
- After the dissolution of the monasteries in 1536, the village reverted to the Crown, and Henry VIII passed it to Katherine Parr’s father, William Parr. When Parr’s nephew forfeited the family’s lands (for supporting Lady Jane Grey’s claim to the throne), Cottingham went to Elizabeth I, who granted it in fee to Sir Christopher Hatton. In 1777, the Hattons sold the ‘living’ of Cottingham to Brasenose College, Oxford.
- In the Domesday Book (1086), Cottingham was 840 acres in size. By the mid 1800s, this had almost quadrupled to 3,280 acres – 1,723 for Cottingham and 1,557 for Middleton. Over the same period, the population of the two villages grew from 183 to 1,034. In 2021, the population was 1,363.
- Hand loom weaving was the most common occupation from 1650 to the early 1800s, when mechanisation took over causing considerable hardship in the area. Farming and agriculture then took over as the main occupation, with ironstone quarrying starting up in earnest around 1881, providing ore for Corby’s steelworks. The Wallis and Linnell clothing factory, which opened on Rockingham Road in 1874, also provided employment. In 1901, the factory employed 31 villagers (25 women and 6 men).
A step through time
Ancient Britain
Prior to Roman occupation of Britain, England was divided into 22 tribal areas, each with their own king, or chief. At this time, Cottingham lay within lands occupied by the Coritani (or Corieltauvi) tribe, and Coritani coins have been found in Corby, Gretton and Kettering. There was also an iron age settlement on the hilltop where Rockingham Castle now stands.
43, Roman Britain
Cottingham can trace its roots back to Roman times. The Roman Road Via Devana from Leicester to Huntingdon (part of which later became the Gartree Way) runs along the route of Corby Road, School Lane and Ashley Road. Remains of a Roman Villa were also discovered when excavating for Bury Close. View maps...
410 to 874, Anglo Saxons
Between the 4th and 7th Centuries, Angles and Saxons from north Germany settled in Britain. At this time, England was roughly divided into seven kingdoms known as the 'Heptarchy' and Cottingham lay within the kingdom of Mercia. It is thought that the name Cottingham has Anglo-Saxon origins, with ham meaning town or settlement and ing denoting a tribal leader's sons, dependents or followers. Cottingham literally means 'homestead of Cotta's people, Cotta ('or Cotti') having been an Anglo Saxon chief. The same tribal name is found in Cottenham (Cambridgeshire), Cottingwith and Cottingley in Yorkshire. There is also another Cottingham in the east Riding of Yorkshire, which is purportedly the largest village in England by population.
874, Viking invasion
Mercia fell to Viking invaders in 874, and many Northamptonshire place names have viking origins. For example, Corby translates as 'Kori's village', with Kori having been a Viking chief, and 'by' being a common name ending in Scandinavia, especially Denmark. By 954, all of England south of the Humber was precariously united under a single Anglo-Saxon King, Athelstan (924-39), grandson of King Alfred the Great. Around this time, Cottingham was given to the Abbey of Burgh (Peterborough Abbey).
1066, The Normans and Rockingham Forest
Following the Norman invasion, William I built Rockingham Castle and also created the Rockingham Forest, a hunting area reserved for the king, that stretched from Stamford to Northampton and included Cottingham. Over the years, Rockingham Forest gradually reduced in size and was eventually disbanded by Charles II in 1832, but the area we are in is still referred to as Rockingham Forest today. More...
1196, Corby Hundred
In 1196, during the reign of Edward I, Stoke Hundred was absorbed into the Corby Hundred. The 1841 Census was the last to group parishes by Hundreds, but reference to Cottingham being in the Corby Hundred can be found as late as the 1914 Kelly's Directory.
1197, Anglo Saxon Chronicle
The Anglo Saxon Chronicle was a year-by-year record of events that started in the early 890s under the orders of King Alfred the Great. It was maintained by clerks at great ecclesiastical centres until the mid 12th Century, and at Peterborough Abbey until 1155. Following 30 years of civil war and unrest under King Stephen, the Chronicle reports that, in 1197, Martin de Bec, Prior at Peterborough Abbey, under the authority of the Pope, "got in the lands that rich men retained by force. From William Mauduit, who held the castle of Rockingham, he won Cotingham and Easton; and from Hugh de Walteville, he won Hirtlingbury and Stanwick, and sixty shillings from Oldwinkle".
1300s and 1400s
In 1370, Sir Henry Greene of Boughton, Chief Justice under Edward III, held Cottingham and Middleton, from the Abbey. In the 1400s, Sir William Palmer of Carlton had possession of the manor of 'Hill' in Middleton.
1500s
We see a number of changes of ownership in the 1500s. The population of the two villages in 1524 was around 400.
- 1525.The population of Cottingham and Middleton combined is 400.
- 1535. Henry VIII's survey of the possessions of monasteries recorded Cottingham back in control of Peterborough Abbey with yearly revenues of £45.17.4d and profits from woods at £16. Of this, £12 was deducted by the King for the guard at Rockingham Castle and £3.1.8d for Robert Chapman, Bailiff of Cottingham manor, who had taken the manor on lease for a period of 21 years in the mid 16th Century at a rental of £8 a year. Source: MP York, Our Heritage.
- 1536. After the dissolution of the monasteries, William Palmer of Carlton became Bailiff of Cottingham-cum-Desborough.
- September 1541. Peterborough Abbey was reconstituted as a cathedral and lost much of its land. Cottingham reverted to the Crown.
- 28 February 1543. Henry VIII granted Cottingham manor and rectory to William Parr (Lord Parr of Horton, father to Henry's last wife Katherine), passing to his nephew William Parr, Earl of Essex, later Marquis of Northampton, in August 1547.
- 1553. William Parr's estates were forfeited for supporting Lady Jane Grey's claim to the throne, and the manor returned to the Crown. During the reign of Mary Tudor, the manor was valued at £51.10.7d.
- 1560. "The vill of Cottingham and Middleton, which is a hamlet of the same vill" were confirmed in the hands of Queen Elizabeth, who granted them in fee to her Chancellor Sir Christopher Hatton. He was responsible for the appointment of Richard Bancroft, future Archbishop of Canterbury as Rector of Cottingham.
1614, Copyholders
Cottingham and Middleton are unusual in having many copyholders, local gentry who, in 1614, purchased from the Lords of the Manor the rights to own, manage and sell land and property. The Copyholders have had a marked influence in the development of the local communities including building the villages' first school in Middleton in 1766 and, in 1854, installation of iron water pipes and pumps to channel the natural spring water prevalent in the villages. More...
1676, Brasenose College, Oxford
The Hattons sold the 'advowson' of Cottingham to the Principals and Fellows of Brasenose College, Oxford, giving them the right to to appoint a clergyman to the 'living' of Cottingham and receive the income from it.
1777 - militia and hand loom weaving
The English Militia was a kind of early 'home guard', raised to defend the nation against invasion or rebellion. Men served in the militia for three years and were chosen by ballot. On the militia lists for 1777, you can see that weaving was a common occupation for villagers at this time. In fact hand loom weaving was the most common occupation in the western area of Rockingham Forest from 1650 to the early 1800s, when mechanisation led to the industry's collapse and much poverty in the area.
1801 Census
A Census has been collected in England and Wales every 10 years since 1801 (except 1941, during the second World War). In 1801. the population of Cottingham and Middleton combined was 882. The population had more than doubled since 1524, when the two villagers were home to around 400 people.
1813, Enclosure
Parliamentary enclosure took place in the late 18th / early 19th Century and, in Cottingham and Middleton, in 1813. Under enclosure, local landowners partitioned the land with hedges, which meant that a lot of previously common land, where the locals would have grazed their animals, was suddenly off bounds. In nearby Wilbarston, villagers rioted when the local landowners came in to try and enclose the fields!
1841 Census
In 1841, the population of Cottingham was 623 and there were 411 people living in Middleton.
- Some of the street names are different to today. Church Street was King Street and Water Lane was Church Lane. Corby Road only took its name in the 1870s, having previously been known as George Street and Priory Street (1841 Census), Town Street (1861 Census) and an extension of High Street (1871 Census).
- 84% of working males were employed in farming and agriculture with only 11% of females working, almost exclusively in domestic service.
1881 Census
In 1881, there were 631 people living in Cottingham. The 1841 Census was the last to group parishes by Hundreds, but reference to Cottingham being in the Corby Hundred can be found as late as the 1914 Kelly's Directory. Nearly three quarters (70%) of the villagers were born in Cottingham
1901 Census
In 1901, the population of the village of Cottingham had reduced slightly to 519, with 293 people in the Hamlet of Middleton.
- Farming and agriculture remained the primary occupation for males, but ironstone quarrying had also started up in the area, employing 17 men. The Wallis and Linnell clothing factory which opened on Rockingham Road in 1874 employed 31 villagers (25 women and 6 men).
- There were 14 children aged 13 to 15 going out to work. All aged 13, John Cook was employed as a page boy at The Rectory, Annie Jarvis as a tailoress at the clothing factory and William Claypole worked on his dad's farm. 14 year old Fred Pauler worked as a clerk at the clothing factory.
- The average age was 32 for males and 28 for females, with the oldest villager being Ann Claypole (aged 87).
- The most popular names were John and Elizabeth.
- Nearly three quarters (71%) of the villagers were born in Cottingham.
1854 to 1914, Trade directories
The Kelly's, Post Office and Harrod & Co Directories were very much like today's Yellow Pages. They contained a list of all the businesses and tradespeople located in the village, along with details of the local gentry, landowners, charities and facilities. These directories record a total acreage for Cottingham of around 1,723 acres, and 3,280 acres when taken together with Middleton. More...
2001 Census
In 2001, the estimated population for Cottingham was around 910, with the average age being 43.6.