History

Pre-Foundation^[1]

First known to have been called Yrtlingaburg around AD 780, during King Offa’s Reign. The endorsement “Endorsed: I Offa, by the gift of God, king of the Mercians, at the request of Wehthun, bishop of the South Saxons, will write my agreement to the above land and confirm it with the sign of the Lord's cross. … This was lawfully done in the place which is called Yrtlingaburg.” Is an early reference to Christian activities in Irthlingborough.

In the doomsday^[2] book of 1086 Irthlingborough is called Erdiburn. It later became Artleborough.^[3] Its name was reverted to a modern spelling of its Saxon name in the 19th Century. Erdiburn is the name used by Irthlingborough Historical Society for their website.

Founded^[4]

In 1375 John Pyel (Mayor of London 1372) obtained a royal licence to found the college of St. Peter, Irthlingborough, a college for six secular canons—one of whom should be dean—and four clerks, but died before his intention was actually carried out. The design was eventually accomplished by his widow, Joan, in 1388. Their memorial can be found in the John Pyel Chapel on the south side of the main altar.

Monastic/Lantern Tower^[5]

Unusually amongst Northamptonshire churches Irthlingborough church has a lantern tower ( a feature normally associated with churches on the Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire fens). This dates back to the days before the Nene valley was bridged or drained, in those days there was a river ford between Higham Ferrers and Irthlingborough, but due to the boggy nature of the un-drained valley, fogs were frequent and much worse than today. To guide travellers across the Nene and marsh's monks built two Lantern Towers at Higham and Irtlhlingbrough and would light fires in the lantern's. Today the road is maintained and lit by the county council on behalf of the Department of Transport.

Recent

Recent developments have included a new organ over the west door; the addition of the Albert Underwood room replacing some of the North Transept, (providing much needed kitchen and toilet facilities); and a floor replacing one removed many years ago in the tower allowing the bells to be rung from a higher level and freeing the floor below for other uses, (principally the crèche).

Historical References

1. Diocese of Chichester Capitular Records Transcript of a document from Offa’s Parliament at Irthlingborough AD 780.

2. Oxford Dictionary of British Place Names.

3. William Page’s A History of the County of Northampton: Volume 3 gives a good account of more recent events.

4. The College of Irthlingborough A History of the County of Northampton: Volume 2, R.M. Serjeantson, W.R.D. Adkins (editors) 1906

5. Who was John Pyel? And Where is his tower? Roy York