DFG Map Notes

Below is some more information about the locations described on the DFG map described in Historical Tour of St James End.

a

St James Mill (Duston Lower Mill) SP749592.

Early monastic mill, belonging to St James Abbey on the north side of the millstream, straddling the millbrook. Today at river end of Millbrook Close, adjacent to public footpath to River Nene. No building visible. Ceased post-1945.

b

The Green Man. SP743606

On the corner of St James Road and St James Mill Road. Tollhouse 1739 to 1764. Still a public house, renamed Thomas A Becket.

c

St James Square. Major road junction of Banbury Lane and Moor Lane (1730), now of Weedon Road (A4500, previously A45) and Harlestone Road (A428). SP741607.

Position of Turnpike (1765), southwest corner of Square (demolished for road widening), was position of Tollhouse. Pictured in works of Fred Golby (A History of Old Duston and Old St James [p.102] and Duston and St James [p.77]). From this corner, Abbey Street commences. To the west, on the south side, is St James Working Men’s Club just inside Weedon Road.

(m)

This was the position of St Margaret’s Church – annexed to the Vicarage of

(St Luke’s) Duston about AD 1259. (See “m” on map), SP740607.

d

The Rover Public House (previously Red Rover, The Red House) SP746608. Not illustrated on the map. 

To the west, in Malcolm Drive, the Millbrook entrance to the Abbey Mill is still visible. SP745608. To the east, the conduit still exists underground. Nothing visible.

e

St James Abbey Church. SP734607 to SP735606 approx.

Part of Abbey Site 1173 to 1546, demolished post-1546. Abbey Works 1909. Express Lifts 1917 to 1999. Now demolished and replaced by blocks of flats. Nothing visible.

g

St James Abbey Farm and Water Mill. SP737604 approx.

 

 

(h)

Constructed on the south side of the east/west Roman Road.  The Abbey being on the north side. Now part of the Saints Rugby Football Ground, only visible remains are the millbrook flowing out of the Saints ground and across their training area. Traversed by public footpath Abbey Street to Sixfields (SP740607 to SP727600), (“h” on map). Previously medieval road to Kislingbury.

j

St James Spring. Start of the main millbrook to St James Abbey Mill. SP730609. Now much reduced in flow but still runs. In private house garden, rear of Duston Road. Not accessible.

Off map – Duston Upper Mill. SP729596. Dallington Mill. 743610.

m

St Margaret’s Church (see c), was 'Little Bully Acre – Free' in 1730.

Now under St James Working Men’s Club or thereabouts.

 

 

n

The Conduit. At the head of the 'the Conduit' was a wellhead in the stable block of the only property in this position in 1886, SP734612. It is stated to feed a stone pipe with shaped cover running to the Abbey latrines. s to n is the north/south line of projected Roman road, which may have passed this spot. From Dr J Williams’ dig site 1970’s maps.

Now part of The Avenue, Dallington, the Victorian house still stands, but the stable block is demolished and replaced by modern housing. The wellhead is covered and forms a decoration in a private house garden. Not accessible.

t

Westbridge  SP746603

t to w is the probable east/west Roman road line. The older bridges were east of the present modern bridges and probably north (if Roman) and south (if Saxon), (highly conjectural); Westbridge is also a small district of Northampton.

w

Further west of Duston village, Berrywood Road is generally accepted as the Old Roman Road to Bannaventa, but off this map.

x

Site of major road junction from antiquity. SP733608

Site of nine-acre Roman cemetery (discovered 1860 to 1871). Cherry Lane junction. Duston Road re-routed to this spot 1884. Turnpike re-routed from this point 1765. Still major road junction of Peverel Way, Ross Road, Weedon Road, Cherry Lane and Duston Road. Roman town under old part of Ross Road Industrial Estate on embankment cemetery under Homebase car parks and industrial estate. Part of town under community tip as far as modern gymnasium (Weedon Road, down to Walter Tull Way). Nothing visible today, apart from southeast corner of embankment, used as iron stone railway yards 1855 to 1909.


Related Topics

Historical Tour of St James End

 

 

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