Great Houghton nr. Northampton / Hocthone / Hoctune / Hohtone / Houghton Magna / Houghton Major / Houghtone / Houthun / Houton / Michel / Moche

The VCH (Northampton, vol. 4, 1937) Notes: "William de Houghton presented, as husband of Isabel Daubeney, the advowson" [NB: WdeH died ca. 1239, and his wife, Isabel d'Aubigney ca. 1262], which would indicate a church existed here at the time]. The VCH (ibid.) further reports "The church of The Assumption [...] was found to be 'greatly decayed' in 1753, [...] and in the following year was taken down and rebuilt [...] No part of the old church has survived, unless it be the vice, or newel staircase leading to the first floor of the tower. [...] The font and pulpit are modern and in the Gothic style." A brief history of this church in the Parish web site [www.stmarysgreathoughton.org.uk/history.html] [accessed 4 June 2012] notes: "Although there are records of repair work being carried out in the 16th and 17th centuries, the church gradually fell into disrepair. By 1753 the building was in such a poor state that it was pulled down. [...] it was around this time that it got its present name, St. Mary Blessed Virgin. The rebuilt church is almost certainly on the same site as the original - the spiral staircase and lower portion of the bell tower retain the old stone and are much older than the rest of the building. [...] In 1842 a gallery was installed at a cost of £48, and four years later a new font was installed." [NB: we have no information on the font of the medieval church here].