I know, I know I shouldn’t have a ’favourite’ venue, but as long as you keep it between us I can tell you, Crockwell Farm is way up there for me. With the perfect mix of formal and casual, and a lots of different spaces to use, it’s a venue with character, charm and flexibility. As we all know though, it’s what you do with it that matters!
Becca & Chris filled their venue with smiles, laughter, and chilled summer bbq vibes. The garden games were particularly competitive, and the drinks were flowing for their big celebration. With a background in design, Becca created much of the visuals herself, and what she didn’t create she had a firm hand in designing alongside the fabulous suppliers involved.
Crockwell Farm is situated in the county of Northamptonshire, between the towns of Banbury and Daventry and surrounded by the quaint small villages of Canons Ashby, Eydon, Moreton Pinkney and Woodford Halse.
Daventrys history date back thousands of years with Bronze Age activity being found around the local area. Evidence of Iron Age occupation is scattered throughout the region with Britains fourth largest hill fort being found close by. Local legend has it that Daventry has Danish origins as the town was once know as ‘Dainty’ – or ‘Dane Tree’, depending on pronunciation. However, more recent theories suggest that it’s origins are Anglo-Saxon with ‘Dafa’s Tree’ (Dafa potentially being the founder of the town) and the tree potentially being the local meeting place, possibly on Borough Hill.
The town is mentioned in the Doomsday book of 1086 as Daventrei and belonged to Countess of Judoth, niece of William the Conqueror. Daventry Priory was built around 1108 and in 1203 the first market was recorded in the town which was now benefiting from it’s location close to Watling Street, the old Roman road and now the main route from London to the Midlands.
During the English Civil War, after storming the Parliamentarian garrison at Leicester, King Charles I’s army stayed in and around Daventry which on their way to relieve a siege at Oxford, with the king himself staying in the Wheatsheaf Inn.
Northampton itself, historically first came to note during the Iron Age when a series of hill forts were constructed around the area. Notable ones could be found at Arbury Camp, Rainsborough, the previously mentioned Borough HIll, and Hunsbury Hill. During the first century, most of what was Northamptonshire became the territory of the Catuvelluani, a Belgic tribe. These, in turn, were conquered by the Romans in 43AD. The Roman road of Watling Street then passed through the area, bringing it to prominence, with the important town of Lactodorum being established which is where modern day Towcester now sits.
Northampton, located in the East Midlands of England, has a rich history dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period. Its name, “Northampton,” comes from “North Hamtun,” meaning “Northern homestead,” reflecting its importance as a settlement. By the 9th century, it had become a key center of trade. In 1189, King Richard I granted the town a charter allowing it to hold markets and fairs, solidifying its role as a significant medieval town.
Northamptonshire eventually became part of the kingdom of Mercia when the Romans left and it’s county town saw an important battle in 1215 at the Siege of Northampton Castle and had role to play in the emergence of the Magna Carta.
During the Wars of the Roses, Northampton was the site of the Battle of Northampton in 1460, where the Yorkists defeated the Lancastrians. In the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution transformed the town, with Northampton becoming the world center of the footwear industry, often referred to as the “shoe capital of the world.”
Nearby towns within Northamptonshire include Wellingborough, Kettering, Rushden, Daventry, and Towcester, all contributing to the region’s history and economy. Key historical figures from Northampton include William the Conqueror, who built a castle there in 1065, and John Clare, the renowned poet known as the “Northamptonshire Peasant Poet,” whose works centered on nature and rural life. Another important figure is Sir Thomas Tresham, an architect famous for designing landmarks like the Rushton Triangular Lodge, and Charles Bradlaugh, a 19th-century political activist and Member of Parliament who advocated for atheism and secularism. These figures, along with Northampton’s history as a medieval hub and an industrial powerhouse, continue to shape the town’s cultural and historical identity.
