EAST HUNSBURY NORTHAMPTONSHIRE.
From an early age when visiting my grandfathers farm and standing outside of the house looking over towards northampton and seeing the bright street lights .i mentioned to my aunt Nancy Gulliver i would one like to live in a house on the hill looking over towards the farm. Little did i know that 42 years later i would have a house on the hill with the front facing towards the farm . Most of the houses were built around the 1980s . There is a doctors surgery, dentist,two schools. Tesco supermarket and smaller shops including a take away. a pub called the Collingtree.There is also a bus service to town.Plenty of parks and green spaces for children to play and people to take their dogs for walks.All within a short drive of the town centre or MI motorway.
Houses were built on the land that had previously been farm land . the land had been farmed by Mr Frost and Mr Penn.
Many houses have been built on the land along with supermarket and cafe and chip shop, florist, chemist ,public house[Collingtree] .Sports centre with swimming pool.
Collingtree village.3miles from Northampton town centre
Just out side of Collingtree village was a large mansion . This was built for Pickering Phipps in 1871. He died in 1890
He was the local brewer of Northamptonshire. [ Phipps Brewery Bridge Street Northampton.] He was MP for Northampton twice and Mayor of Northampton twice.
The house was called Collingtree Grange, after his death it was sold to Mr Sears the shoe factory owner, who went on to own Trueforms shoe shops.Mr Sears is buried in the church yard of St Columba. Collingtree.
A village fete took place each year. during the 1950`s Nancy Gulliver took some of our family to these as a treat. We met many people there.
Famous people who live there are Baroness Knight of Collingtree. She is the daughter in law of Jessie knight who lived at Harpole Hall .She taught many students drama and put on plays at the New Theatre Abington Street .Northampton. Of which i appeared in MAKE BELIEVE as a japanese girl in a pink silk kimona.
Baroness Jill Knight was a regular customer at PH.JEYES 227 Wellingborough Road in 1960s.We got to know her well.
Harvey of Weston Favell were vicars of St Colombus Church, Collingtree.
Nancy Gulliver was a house maid at the Weston Favell home of the HARVEY family. Margaret Bodily of Blakesley was the cook. Elsie Deacon from Sandy Bedfordshire.
All three ladies kept in touch all of their lives meeting up at Glebe Farm once a year.None of them got married or had a family.
Each year a village fete was held.Nancy would take us along to enjoy the afternoon and meet people.
John Newton preached at ST Colombus Church. He wrote the hymn AMAZING GRACE.We also sang it at George Clarkes funeral. A hymn that i asked to be played on the ST.Cross Hospital radio , when i was told that i was going blind because of a tumor of the brain. We attended St Georges Church RUGBY and a lay preacher came in and done a service of laying on of hands . touching my head and saying prayers together in the help that i would be able to live a normal life again. With care and watching my diet and am leading a normal life.Since then i have dedicated my life helping those less well off than me.
More information can be found on .http.//www.justcollingtree.co.uk
Collingtree Grange . Collingtree . Northampton.built in 1871.demolished in 1963. All that is left is an arch way and gate and 2 gatehouses.
Now called Collingtree Park, with very large houses and a old person home and Virgin sport centre
