Local knowledge

My local history investigation has stumbled to a slight halt as I struggle to find the time to keep ploughing through the books. However, this week should be a bit quieter and after I have Christmas party nr 2 on Friday I should be able to get back to them.

So, what interesting facts have I uncovered so far:

• There was a village called Milton in which there was a family called Keynes. Hence the name of Milton Keynes.
• Apparently at one point in time there were castles in Newport (Pagnell), Lavendon and Wolverton - no trace remains of these now although most likely the stones were used to build other buildings in the area.
• In 1619 a body was found in a church in Newport Pagnell for some reason the bones were filled with lead.
• During the height of the plague in in 1625 a total number of 113 people died in Stony Stratford. During a second outbreak in 1640 another 102 people died. In Newport Pagnell in 1666 there were 40 people who died of the plague in one day!
• In 1795 there was an earthquake in the area.
• Old Stratford used to be called Stony Stratford but it declined in importance and the name was passed on to its younger brother just across the river and that is why we now have Old Stratford and Stony Stratford.
• Both Wolverton and Calverton are mentioned in the Domesday book of 1086.

It is quite interesting to read all these things that happened in the past, I do love history anyway and reading about a place where you now live is very interesting.
One thing that is quite funny is that the book about the History of Newport Pagnell actually dates from 1842. The historic updates stops around that year but for me reading it in the present that still leaves quite a few years to cover! I'll have to see if I can fill in some of those blank years with another trip back to the library.