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Why Orston lost out to Bingham and Bottesford Other early churches in Nottinghamshire, such as Southwell and Mansfield, became important towns. Why did Orston not become as important? The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, reveals Orston was wealthier than Bottesford and Bingham, although Bottesford and Bingham had bigger populations. And Granby was even bigger. Orston: Households: 19 villagers. 3 freemen. 11 smallholders. 2 priests. Annual value to lord: 20 pounds in 1086; 30 pounds in 1066. source Bottesford: Households: 12 villagers. 60 freemen. 5 smallholders. 6 slaves. 1 priest. Annual value to lord: 15 pounds in 1086; 12 pounds when acquired by the 1086 owner. source Bingham: Households: 26 villagers. 14 freemen. 5 smallholders. Annual value to lord: 10 pounds in 1086; 10 pounds in 1066. source Use these links to OpenDomesday to search for information about your village. However by the twelfth century the nearby settlements at Bingham, Bottesford and Granby were bigger and more valuable than Orston. Bingham and Bottesford straddled an already-important trade route which evolved into the A52 (although the A52 was rerouted to the south during the 1980s) while Orston was on a more minor east-west route. And Granby steadily lost importance too. Again presumably because Granby was on a 'backwater' route running parallel to what became the A52. Being 'piggy in the middle' accounts for the comparative failure of other potentially important settlements during the Anglo-Saxon period. Avebury in Wiltshire is a good example. Like Orston it evolved from a seventh century church. By the eleventh century Avebury was destined to evolve into a town the size of Ramsbury or even Amesbury. But it didn't, because both Marlborough (about seven miles east) and Devizes (about ten miles south-west) were developed in the early twelfth century, and greatly distorted local commerce. Back to top of this page     Back to home page   This website does not gather or store any visitor information. Copyright Bob Trubshaw 2025 No unauthorised copying or reproduction except if all following conditions apply: a: Copy is complete (including this copyright statement). b: No changes are made. c: No charge is made. www.hoap.co.uk/chronicle

Chronicle entries home page what's new? the geology of the Vale the boundaries and rivers of the Vale long, long ago prehistory in the Vale prehistoric boundaries in the Vale north-south prehistoric routeways Romans roads in the Vale Roman settlements in and near the Vale long ago introduction to Anglo-Saxons place-names of the Vale waterborne transport around the sixth century Orston's early church Anglo-Saxon sculpture in the Vale why Orston lost out to Bingham and Bottesford what the Normans did for the Vale Granby's importance in 1086 Granby's lost castle the Vale's watermills in 1086 Romanesque sculpture in the Vale St Remigius why Bottesford is in Leicestershire the Vale in medieval times medieval gargoyles of the Vale Eastwell's chancel screen St Ethelburga's church other early saints Elston's old chapel Muston and Long Clawson saltways of the Vale the Vale's medieval tile collection the Vale in Tudor times Dissolution in the Vale not that long ago the Vale in the C17th the 'great and the good' of the Vale Bottesford's effigies 'wicked practice and sorcerye' the whales on the Whalley memorial Car Colston's bigoted GP cum JP the Vale's very own regicide Wiverton Hall five rare C17th fonts in the Vale pinfolds and pounds in the Vale dovecotes in the Vale the Vale in the C18th turnpiking the Vale gravestones and C18th trade routes goodbye 'Belvoir Angels' C18th gravestone carvers in the Vale Daffy's Elixir the Marquess of Granby Stilton from the Vale springs and spas of the Vale outstanding organs in the Vale Grantham canal changes in the Vale's agriculture since 1800 Eastwell's recusant priest house and chapel Colston Bassett's ruined church seems like yesterday windmills in the Vale stained glass in the Vale village life in the southern Vale 1850 to 1880 folklore of the Vale Flintham museum lacemaking in the Vale gypsum pits in the Vale brick and tile works in the Vale ironstone quarrying in the Vale ironstone railways ironstone quarries of Leicestershire (YouTube video) The Vale's railway stations Orston's famous architect Mothers Union banners of the Vale redundant telephone exchanges in the Vale WWII airfields and pillboxes in the Vale the Vale in 1944 location shooting at Belvoir Castle Screveton's giants researching and writing local history the Vale as a verb getting started free advice from 2005 asking curious questions (YouTube video) local history groups in and around the Vale Aslockton (Cranmer LHG) Bingham Heritage Trails Association Bottesford Eastwell Harby Harlaxton Hickling Redmile archive Belvoir Villages History and Memories Group Belvoir Angel Society Grantham Canal Society you may also be interested in free PDFs written by Bob Trubshaw Earliest Churches in Nottinghamshire How Anglo-Saxons Found Their Way Anglo-Saxon Leicestershire Conversations in Churchyards Little-known Leicestershire and Rutland Bob Trubshaw's YouTube channel Introduction to medieval carvings Anglo-Saxon and Romanesque carvings How Anglo-Saxons found their way Anglo-Saxon shrines at fords Meetings at triangles Rota's Land and Franni's Land Reading Romanesque fonts Church and manor The significances of square headdresses Early churches and waterborne trade Charnwood slate gravestones and C18th trade routes Ironstone quarries of Leicestershire Roman roads in north-east Leicestershire Salt ways in Leicestershire Why Melton Mowbray needed to called 'middle town' Evolving Anglo-Saxon agriculture Nottinghamshire's earliest churches Ploughs not piety? Economic regeneration in the C7th Were Anglo-Saxon weaving huts women-only places? Barrowby Until Now website Rutland Village by Village website Sepulchral Effigies of Leicestershire and Rutland