GREAT LINFORD HISTORY
  • Home
  • About Great Linford
  • Education
    • Prichard's Charity School
    • Slade's School
    • St. Andrew's School >
      • The Story of St. Andrew's School
  • Great LInford Manor Park
  • Industry
    • Brick Making
    • The Canal >
      • A Disaster Averted?
      • The Newport Pagnell to Great Linford Canal
    • The Railway Station & line >
      • Newport Nobby on fIlm
      • Railway Tales from Great Linford
  • Law & Order
    • Cases >
      • Coroner's Juries
      • Fraud and Deceit
      • Poaching
      • Theft
      • The Stocks
      • Violent Crime
    • Policing
  • The Manor
    • The Manor Houses
  • People
    • Harry Bartholomew
    • The Cole Family
    • Kizby and Kezia Rainbow
    • The Meads
    • Reverend Richard Napier
    • The Scriveners
    • Uthwatt, Kings Andrewes & Bouverie >
      • John Uthwat (?-1674)
      • Daniel King (1670-1716)
      • Richard Uthwatt (1658-1719)
      • Richard Uthwatt (1699-1731)
      • Thomas Uthwatt (1693-1754)
      • Henry Uthwatt (1728-1757)
      • Frances Uthwatt (1728-1800)
      • Rev Henry Uthwatt Andrewes (1755-1812)
      • Henry Andrewes Uthwatt (1787-1855)
      • Reverend William Andrewes Uthwatt (1793-1877)
      • Augustus Thomas Andrewes Uthwatt (1798-1885) >
        • Andrewes v Uthwatt
      • William Francis Edolph Andrewes Uthwatt (1870-1921)
      • William Rupert Edolph Andrewes Uthwatt (1898-1954)
      • Stella Katherine Andrewes Uthwatt (1910-1996)
      • Other notable Uthwatts
    • The Ward & Robe Families
    • Sir William Prichard and family >
      • The Contested Subjects
  • Politics
    • A first political rally
    • The Conservative Association
    • Fisticuffs and dirty tricks
  • Religion
    • The Congregational Chapel >
      • Stories from the Chapel
    • St. Andrews Church >
      • The Bells
      • Monumental Inscriptions
      • St. Andrews Gravestones A-H >
        • St. Andrews Gravestones I-R
        • St. Andrews Gravestones S-Z
      • The Rectors >
        • Edmund Smyth
        • Francis Litchfield
        • Lawson Shan
        • Robert Chapman
        • Sydney Herbert Williams
        • William Smyth
      • The Stained Glass Windows
  • Sport
    • Blood Sports >
      • The Bucks Otter Hunt >
        • The Bucks Otter Hunt on film
        • Hunting glossary
        • Hunt staff
        • Opposition
        • The otterhounds and kennels
    • Boxing
    • Cricket
    • Darts
    • Football
  • Visiting
  • Blog

The history of Great Linford village and parish

This website collects a wide and growing repository of information exploring the history of the Buckinghamshire village and ancient parish of Great Linford. The charming historic village is adjacent to scenic Great Linford Manor Park, once the extensive private pleasure gardens of the lords of the manor, and is now considered one of the jewels of Milton Keynes.

Situated in the midst of the modern city and sheltering a treasure trove of historical buildings and changing landscapes that can be traced back centuries, the village became home in the late 16th century to the renowned astrological doctor the Reverend Richard Napier. The old rectory became famous as a place of medical and spiritual healing, and with its 17th century manor house, the church of St. Andrews, quaint olde-worlde High Street and scenic public parkland with cascading ponds, Great Linford remains a fascinating place to visit.

​It is hoped this website will provide readers interested in exploring further an insight into the past lives of its people and the rich historical legacy preserved within the original parish boundaries.
A guide to visiting Great Linford Manor Park, village and parish.
If you want to explore what things you can see and do in the village and parish, please check out this handy Great Linford visitors guide.

Pick a topic to learn more about Great Linford

Education

The Alms house school at Great Linford
Great Linford is notable for having had a school in one form another since 1702, when the Lord of the Manor, William Prichard established a charity school in the Almshouses. Read more about education in Great Linford.

Great Linford Manor Park

Great Linford Manor Park
Toward the end of the 1600s, the Lords of Great Linford set about creating so called pleasure gardens in the manor grounds, including a series of cascading ponds. Read more about Great Linford Manor Park.

Industry & Trade

Industry & trade in Great Linford
For a small rural village, there was a surprising amount of industry & commerce taking place,  with a busy canal wharf and a long history of brick making. Read more about industry and commerce in Great Linford.

Law & Order

Law and Order in Great Linford
There was no police station in Great Linford, but until the creation of a national police force, local constables were appointed to keep order. Punishments could include time in the stocks.  Read more about law and order in Great Linford.

People

People of Great Linford
Did you know that Great Linford had a resident photographer from about 1880 to 1930? In this section you can find out about his life, and also the stories of other people who lived and worked in the village. Read more about people in Great Linford.

Politics

Political life in Great Linford
We take voting for granted, but there was a time when only a tiny handful of people were allowed to vote. Politics was also every bit as divisive as it can be today, and things could become very heated. Read more about the history of politics in Great Linford.

Religion

Religion in Great Linford
The church of St. Andrews is an ancient edifice that contains elements potentially dating back to late Saxon or early Norman times. But there is much more to the story of religion in Great Linford, including a strong dissenting tradition.  Read more about religion in Great Linford.

Sport

Sport in Great Linford
The village has a proud sporting tradition, with a league topping football team and a well regarded darts team. It has also had its oddities, such as a famous performing horse, but equally there is a darker sporting history due to the presence of the Bucks Otter Hunt. Read more about Sport in Great Linford.

Do you have some history to share?


​Do you have some knowledge about the history of Great Linford? It doesn't have to be ancient history. Perhaps your family has a connection to the village, or you have some old photographs you would like to share? Why not get in touch?


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Contact - Links
  • Home
  • About Great Linford
  • Education
    • Prichard's Charity School
    • Slade's School
    • St. Andrew's School >
      • The Story of St. Andrew's School
  • Great LInford Manor Park
  • Industry
    • Brick Making
    • The Canal >
      • A Disaster Averted?
      • The Newport Pagnell to Great Linford Canal
    • The Railway Station & line >
      • Newport Nobby on fIlm
      • Railway Tales from Great Linford
  • Law & Order
    • Cases >
      • Coroner's Juries
      • Fraud and Deceit
      • Poaching
      • Theft
      • The Stocks
      • Violent Crime
    • Policing
  • The Manor
    • The Manor Houses
  • People
    • Harry Bartholomew
    • The Cole Family
    • Kizby and Kezia Rainbow
    • The Meads
    • Reverend Richard Napier
    • The Scriveners
    • Uthwatt, Kings Andrewes & Bouverie >
      • John Uthwat (?-1674)
      • Daniel King (1670-1716)
      • Richard Uthwatt (1658-1719)
      • Richard Uthwatt (1699-1731)
      • Thomas Uthwatt (1693-1754)
      • Henry Uthwatt (1728-1757)
      • Frances Uthwatt (1728-1800)
      • Rev Henry Uthwatt Andrewes (1755-1812)
      • Henry Andrewes Uthwatt (1787-1855)
      • Reverend William Andrewes Uthwatt (1793-1877)
      • Augustus Thomas Andrewes Uthwatt (1798-1885) >
        • Andrewes v Uthwatt
      • William Francis Edolph Andrewes Uthwatt (1870-1921)
      • William Rupert Edolph Andrewes Uthwatt (1898-1954)
      • Stella Katherine Andrewes Uthwatt (1910-1996)
      • Other notable Uthwatts
    • The Ward & Robe Families
    • Sir William Prichard and family >
      • The Contested Subjects
  • Politics
    • A first political rally
    • The Conservative Association
    • Fisticuffs and dirty tricks
  • Religion
    • The Congregational Chapel >
      • Stories from the Chapel
    • St. Andrews Church >
      • The Bells
      • Monumental Inscriptions
      • St. Andrews Gravestones A-H >
        • St. Andrews Gravestones I-R
        • St. Andrews Gravestones S-Z
      • The Rectors >
        • Edmund Smyth
        • Francis Litchfield
        • Lawson Shan
        • Robert Chapman
        • Sydney Herbert Williams
        • William Smyth
      • The Stained Glass Windows
  • Sport
    • Blood Sports >
      • The Bucks Otter Hunt >
        • The Bucks Otter Hunt on film
        • Hunting glossary
        • Hunt staff
        • Opposition
        • The otterhounds and kennels
    • Boxing
    • Cricket
    • Darts
    • Football
  • Visiting
  • Blog