Welcome to Bugbrooke Village

Named in the Domesday Book of 1086 AD as "Buchebroc", Bugbrooke is also twinned with Iteuil in France

About

The village was well established by the time of the Doomsday Book 1086AD, and its recorded name of Buckebroc is likely to mean "Brook of the Bucks or Bucca's Brook" after the man who gave his name to Long Buckby. The present spelling appeared about 1559. The association of the name with badgers is erroneous but has nevertheless given its name to the Rugby Club and become the emblem of the village. It was first used as an emblem by the Football club and has also been adopted by the Primary School.

Bugbrooke has always been situated near to important communication routes. Banbury Lane, south of the village is thought to have been a prehistoric track way, then a Drovers way. The A5 (Watling Street) was built by the Romans, linking Dover to Chester. The Grand Union Canal, originally called the Grand Junction Canal, arrived in 1796 on its way from London to Birmingham. The railway, now the West Coast Line, was constructed in 1832, and the MI Motorway was completed in 1959. Heygates Mill is the headquarters of one of England's largest independent millers. The first mill on the site was established in AD800. In 1086 it was the 3rd highest rated mill in England. The packhorse "clapper" bridge dates from the 16th century when wool used to be carried over the Hoarstones brook by ponies. When the stream was widened in the 1970s the last of the ancient slabs was damaged beyond repair. The remaining pillars can still be seen beneath the modern wooden structure.

St Michael and All Angels church celebrated its 700th anniversary in 1970, It was originally dedicated to the Assumption of our Lady, later to become St Mary's, and in the 19th century its present dedication of St Michael and All Angels was established.

The village has been and still is an important centre for non-conformist religion. In the 17th century Quakerism was popular, and many villagers were imprisoned for their belief. The Baptist chapel was built in 1808, flourishing for a century and a half. Presently the Jesus Fellowship uses the chapel.

The church and many of the houses in the village are built with marlstone, a form of sandstone interspersed with ironstone, most of which was quarried at Duston and Harlestone. A full history of the village can be read in "Bugbrooke 2000BC – 2000AD" which was produced to commemorate the Millennium in 2000.