Burton Latimer - History & Development: The Street Names of Burton Latimer

Article compiled by John Meads

The Street Names of Burton Latimer


Left - the original style of enamelled street signs, white on blue Centre - the revised 1960s style of cast plate, black on white with a narrow traditional-style typeface Right - the current design of larger, plain typeface on pressed steel signs

Many newcomers to Burton Latimer, and not a few natives of the town, are living in streets or roads with names that mean nothing to them. Housing developers seem to like names with a theme, for example the waterside bird theme: Kingfisher Drive, Swan Close etc; the river theme: Trent Crescent, Tweed Close, etc; the agricultural theme: Cornfield Way, Harvest Close etc; the woodland theme: Spinney Road, Woodland Drive, etc; and the uninspiring North, South, East and West Avenues, named by the Urban District Council in the 1920s.

Although some of our streets have names that are common to towns and villages all over the country, some have a special significance to Burton Latimer and were named for a particular reason. Hopefully, the following list will demonstrate that not all street names have to follow a pattern, and that the old Parish Council, the old Urban District Council and now the Town Council have recognised that a community’s identity can be accentuated by choosing names that commemorate the past.

As a service to family history researchers who come across references to Rows, Cottages and Terraces, when studying things like census records, the list below now includes the explanation of all these older locations, many of which have now disappeared. Links to other relevant features and explanations elsewhere on the website have also been included.

Acorn Park	A site containing over 30 single and double park homes.
Addis Close	Named after Jack Addis, who was involved in the Scout movement in Burton Latimer nearly all his life. The long-established Burton Latimer Troop had closed down and Jack was asked to re-start it in the 1930s before his service in WW2. After demobilisation, he continued where he left off and saw the scout movement in Burton Latimer grow until it became what it still is today, one of the largest in the county. In the 1980s he formed The Marching Pathfinders, a scout band, which travelled to parades and competitions all over the country. Jack won all the highest scouting awards that are given by the movement both in this country and overseas. He was supported by his wife Edna who was also heavily involved in scouting and guiding for much of her life. In addition to his scouting work Jack was a tireless worker for the annual gala and helped to raise thousands of pounds for scouting and charitable causes. Jack was aged 89 when he died in 2005.
Aldwinckle Road	Burton Latimer was part of the ancient Huxloe Hundred. Aldwinckle Road and nearby streets are named after other villages in the Hundred.
Alexandra Street	Mainly built at the turn of the 19/20^th century during the reign of Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, after whom it was named.
Alice Drive/Diana Way/Grace Court	One of a trio of roads with a "princess" theme. Named after Princess Alice of Gloucester, late widow of the Duke of Gloucester, both of whom paid several visits to Burton Latimer; Diana, Princess of Wales, who also came here, and Princess Grace of Monaco (who most Burtonians saw only at 'The Electric Palace' Cinema in the 1950s!)
Altendiez Way	Named after Altendiez in Germany, one of the towns with which Burton Latimer is twinned.
Ambler's Yard	High Street. The Ambler family were prominent business people and property owners in Burton Latimer in the 19^th century. The yard stood next to the Band Club and was also known as Band Club Yard. Demolished and Latimer Close flats built on part of its site.
Andrews Yard	Church Street, west of Attfield’s farmhouse. Origin of the name unknown. Demolished, and a pair of semi-detached council bungalows were built on its site in the 1960s.
Ashby Close	Starting in his teens, Douglas Ashby made the history of Burton Latimer and its people his life’s work. His other interests involved first the Baptist Church and then the Parish Church , where he was a Churchwarden for many years. He served on the Urban District Council for many years and was elected its chairman on four occasions; he also served on Kettering Borough Council. He was a collector of antiques and a guide at Deene Hall. His main interest, however, was his native town and he was an avid collector of photographs and documents connected with its history. Because of these he had a thorough knowledge of Burton Latimer families, and copies of the photographs that he collected form the nucleus of the Heritage Society’s photo archive. Almost nine hundred original photographs and hundreds of his other documents are stored at the County Record Office. Douglas, who never married, died aged 73 in 2002.
Austin Rise	Named in honour of three members of the Austin family who lost their lives during the First World War.
Bakehouse Lane	One of the earliest named thoroughfares in the town. It not known where in the lane the bakehouse was situated, but the lane is mentioned in the Churchwardens Accounts as early as 1641: "Layd out for repairing of two bridges one in the bakehouse lane and the other one against Bensons house both being in the Church wayes…." These bridges were probably over the brook, now culverted and running under the lowest part of Bakehouse Lane and under Church Street near the Conservative Club. It would be more than 150 years before the nearby bakehouses were built in Church Street and Kettering Road .
Ball's Lane	see Station Road (below)
Barlow Court	Named after the Barlow family, which had extensive business interests in the town for over a hundred years. These interests included a cake shop, butchery, drapery and grocery shops; building, ironstone mining, brick making and farming. Charles Barlow, who died in 1923, was a County Alderman , District and Parish councillor. His sons Frank and Alfred and grandson Roland were also Urban District councillors.
Barlow's Cottages	At right angles to Kettering Road on the Station Road corner. Belonged to the Barlow family, which was a prominent 19^th and 20^th century business- and property-owning family. Demolished when the garage premises were enlarged. Now Latimer Hire stands on the site.
Barnwell Close	Burton Latimer was part of the ancient Huxloe Hundred. Barnwell Close and nearby streets are named after other villages in the Hundred.
Battle 's Cottages	Church Street , on the right approaching the Cranford Road corner. Owned by William Battle who had a brewery at the rear. Demolished for road widening in the late 1960s.
Bird Street	Named after Thomas Bird (died 1917) who was manager of the Burton Ironstone Company, which had extensive ironstone pits to the north-eastern end of the town. The houses were built by the company as homes for its workers.
Brands Hatch Close	Off Higham Road on the "Motorsports Estate". Named after a motor-racing venue.
Brent Close	Off Station Road. One of the streets named after waterside birds near the Pocket Park and River Ise.
Brickyard Row	This row of redbrick cottages stood east of the Infants School facing the brickyard. They were demolished in the 1960s and the site now forms part of the school playing field. To read more about this area, click here.
Britannia Cottages	These still stand in Cranford Road between Woodcock Street and Bird Street . Possibly built by an ironstone mining company for its workers.
Brooks Close	Named after Nurse Agnes Brooks (died 1971) who was Burton Latimer's midwife for 43 years.
Bridle Road	Until the mid-1920s, when the first houses were built, this was an unadopted bridle path used by pedestrians, riders and horse drawn vehicles. It started at the end of Polwell Lane and finished in Finedon Road alongside the site of the present day Bosworth’s Nurseries. Also called Bridle Way and Bridle Lane .
Brown's Row	A row of thirteen terraced houses running east to west at the top of Pigott’s Lane where the fire station now stands. Built in the late 1870s by Ann Brown (née Croxen) widow of William Brown, formerly a licensee at the Dukes Arms. To read more about Brown's Row, click here.
Buckby Drive	Named in honour of five members of the Buckby family who lost their lives in the First World War and two in the Second World War.
Bunting Close	Off Station Road. One of the streets named after waterside birds near the Pocket Park and River Ise.
Cadwell Close	Off Higham Road on the "Motorsports Estate". Named after a motor-racing venue.
Caroline Terrace	A row of stone cottages which still stands in Finedon Road between Rosebery Street and Finedon Street . Possibly named after George IV's wife, Queen Caroline.
Centurion Way	Off Station Road. No explanation - an odd name for a street surrounded by others with wildfowl themed names.
Charles Close	Off Regent Road near its junction with Victoria Street, presumably named after Prince Charles
Church Street	Although it contains St. Mary’s Church, the town's most ancient building, it has not always been known as Church Street . At one time, the street was called Cranford Road all the way from Bakehouse Lane eastwards, and in various censuses and documents, I have seen it referred to as Church Road , Town Street and Main Street East .
Churchill Way	Commenced in 1965, the year of the death of Sir Winston Churchill, Prime Minister during the Second World War (1939-45).
Club Cottages	Three ironstone cottages that still stand on Church Street , to the west of Attfield’s Farm. The passageway to their back doors also served Andrews Yard (see above).
Coles Close	A recent building development on the site of the former Coles Boot Company factory. The business was started by John Wallace (Orr) Coles in 1908 and closed in the late 1970s. The Coles Group of factories became the town’s largest boot and shoe employer on several sites around the town. Its founder, John Wallace Coles, served on the Parish Council and was the first chairman of the Urban District Council when it was constituted in 1923. He died in 1937. The TV personality, Rev. Richard Coles, is his great-grandson.
Co-operative Cottages	The name generally given to properties owned by Burton Latimer Co-operative Society. Four still stand in Church Street almost opposite the Conservative Club and two are in Duke Street near the former Co-op premises.
Cooper's Yard	See Nichols' Yard (below)
Copse Close	Off Spinney Road. Named to be in keeping with the countryside themed names of streets in that area.
Coppice Close	Off Poplar Road. Named to be in keeping with the countryside themed names of streets in that area.
Cranford Road	Before the bypass and A14 were built, this road was the link between Burton Latimer and Cranford. ‘ Black Bridge ’ carried the road over the Kettering – Cambridge railway line before joining the Kettering – Thrapston road, which at the time was designated the A604.
Croft Close	Off Higham Road on the "Motorsports Estate". Named after a motor-racing venue.
Croxen Close	On the site of a brickworks first owned by John Croxen (died 1868) and later by his family, who also kept The Duke’s Arms. Nearby, School Lane , Croxens Long Row and Croxens Yard have now disappeared and have been replaced by Latimer Close, Burton House and Normandy Close. To read more about the Croxen's Yard area, click here.
Denford Close	Burton Latimer was part of the ancient Huxloe Hundred. Denford Close and nearby streets are named after other villages in the Hundred.
Denton Court	Named after the Denton family on whose land the Meadowside Estate ( Churchill Way and its side roads, courts and closes) and part of Queensway were built. The family farmed in Burton Latimer for nearly forty years from Home Farm on the High Street right down to the River Ise. The farmhouse was demolished to make way for the new shops and housing at the entrance to Churchill Way. To read more about the development of the site of Denton's Farm, click here.
Diana Way/ Alice Drive/Grace Court	One of a trio of roads with a "princess" theme. Named after Diana, Princess of Wales, who came here; named after Princess Alice of Gloucester, late widow of the Duke of Gloucester, both of whom paid several visits to Burton Latimer; and Princess Grace of Monaco (who most Burtonians saw only at 'The Electric Palace' Cinema in the 1950s!)
Donnington Road	Off Higham Road on the "Motorsports Estate". Named after a motor-racing venue.
Duckland	“A lane called Duckland” is referred to in a 1632 glebe terrier. Its modern equivalent is not known.
Duke Street	Hope Cottage, at the top of the street, has an 1879 date-stone and is one of only four buildings in the street on the 1884 Ordnance Survey map. Most of the remaining houses were built in the late 1880s and 1890s. It is unclear whether the street was named after The Duke’s Arms Inn (first mentioned in 1849) which is opposite its junction with High Street or, less likely, after the Duke of Buccleuch who was a generous benefactor when the Church School was enlarged in the late 19^th century and who owned Buccleuch Farm on the main road to Finedon.
Eady Road	The Eady family name goes back many generations in Burton Latimer and was first mentioned in the parish registers in 1539. The families have been farmers, shepherds, millers, shopkeepers and market gardeners but Eady Road was named after Joseph Eady, a shoe manufacturer who died in the 1930s.
East Avenue	The first council houses in Burton Latimer, Nos: 92 to 110 Station Road, were built in 1921/22, provided by Kettering Rural District Council. The same contract saw the building of four houses in South Avenue, Nos: 1 to 11 and 2 to 20 East Avenue and Nos: 1 to 15 and 2 to 12 West Avenue. In 1931, Burton Latimer Urban District Council completed what was known as ‘the New Estate’ by building the remainder of East and West Avenue and adding North Avenue
Eider Close	Off Station Road. One of the streets named after waterside birds near the Pocket Park and River Ise.
Ensleigh Close	There is no information about the origin of this name. We would welcome your ideas.
Fidlers Lane	Another lane mentioned in the 1632 glebe terrier that has disappeared or been renamed.
Finedon Close	A small development off Finedon Road.
Finedon Road	In the 1632 glebe terrier, a ' Finedon Way ' is mentioned. After the Kettering to Higham road was turnpiked in the 18th century, this would probably have been the favoured route to Finedon and, unless the River Ise was in flood, it is likely that this was the quickest route to the old heart of that village. It was very busy in the late 1800s being used by carts and wagons from the Burton Latimer quarries taking iron ore to Finedon Furnaces. It was also known as 'Finedon and Harrowden Road' .
Finedon Street	It would have been so named because of its proximity to Finedon Road . Building started in about 1880 and it was the first street in that part of Burton Latimer known at the time as ‘New Town’. ‘New Town’, which is thought to have also referred to Alexandra Street and probably Duke Street , grew with the development of the shoe industry. The censuses show the growth of Finedon Street : 1881 - 33 families, 1891 - 41 families and 1901 - 73 families. In contrast, there were only three families in Duke Street in 1881 and Alexandra Street did not exist. In 1891: Duke Street - 20 families and Alexandra Street -13 families; in 1901 Duke Street - 41 and Alexandra Street - 71. In 1896, Henry Whitney & Joseph Westley founded the town’s first purpose-built boot & shoe factory in Finedon Street . The top of the street ended at a farm gate that led to the allotment fields but, in the 1960s it was linked to Churchill Way , part of which had been built on the allotments.
Forest Close	Off Spinney Road. Named to be in keeping with the countryside themed names of streets in that area.
George Street	Built by Burton Latimer Urban District Council in 1937, the year of the accession to the throne of George VI, and named after him. The majority of its first tenants had been re-housed from condemned cottages in yards off the High Street and High Causeway.
Glade Close	Off Heath Way. Named to be in keeping with the countryside themed names of streets in that area.
Glebe Road	Built on former Glebe land. This was land assigned to the Incumbent of the parish who received the rents paid by the farmer using it as part of his benefice. For many years, before being built on after the Second World War, the land was used as allotments.
Goodwood Close	Off Higham Road on the "Motorsports Estate". Named after a motor-racing venue.
Grace Court/ Alice Drive/Diana Way	One of a trio of roads with a "princess" theme. Named after Princess Grace of Monaco (who most Burtonians saw only at 'The Electric Palace' Cinema in the 1950s!); named after Princess Alice of Gloucester, late widow of the Duke of Gloucester, both of whom paid several visits to Burton Latimer; and Diana, Princess of Wales, who also came here.
Groome Street	Off Higham Road on land owned by the Groome family of Barnfield Farm.
Hawthorn Road/Hawthorn Close	Hawthorn Close and Hawthorn Road may have been named because of the preponderance of hawthorn hedges in the fields on which they were built. Alternatively, it could have been a name left over from when the Spinney Road Estate roads were given the names Elm and Poplar a few years earlier.
Heath Way	An extension of Spinney Road. Named to be in keeping with the countryside themed names of streets in that area.
Heron Close	Off Station Road. One of the streets named after waterside birds near the Pocket Park and River Ise.
High Causeway	That part of the High Street now occupied by the library and former health centre building, now the Civic Centre. So-called because the pavement was so much higher than the road level and needed two steps up to it. To read more about the High Causeway, click here.
High Street	Not commonly referred to as High Street until the 1870s/80s. Previously it had been called Main Street and the southern part, Finedon Road . The area now occupied by the library and former health centre was referred to as the 'High Causeway' due to the height of the pavement compared to the road level. The area of the High Street around the present war memorial was always known as The Cross and was the site of the village cross, whipping post and stocks, referred to several times in the seventeenth century Constable’s Accounts.
Higham Road	In the 1632 glebe terrier a reference is made to ' Higham Way '. For many years it was known as 'Higham Hill' and is part of the turnpike road from Kettering to Higham Ferrers, as was the rest of the road through the town. The area at the junction of Higham Road, Finedon Road and High Street was known as ‘Spring Hill’ or 'Washbrook Hill' due no doubt to the presence at the bottom of the hill of a spring and also a brook, now culverted, where sheep were given their annual dip. Burton Latimer Sewage Farm was once situated off Higham Road on the former ‘Mix-It’ site, now the site of the Jacques Road development.
Hillary Close	The development came in 2010-11, as the former Buckby Brothers shoe factory, latterly I M Kelly Ltd, was demolished and the whole site redeveloped. The origins of the name are unclear. As the road is accessed via Pioneer Avenue, the name may or may not be a reference to Sir Edmund Hillary - one of the first two men to climb Mount Everest in 1953 - and therefore a true pioneer. Many Burtonians feel that an opportunity was missed when it was given this name as it stands on the site of Buckby's factory and should have been named after a family that has given more lives in the service of their country than any other in Burton Latimer as can be seen on the war memorial for WW1 and WW2
Hillside	A terrace of houses, which are still standing, facing Higham Road where the High Street meets Finedon Road . Many local people referred to it more commonly as Newman's Row.
Hobbs Yard	A yard reached by the northernmost entry leading off of the High Causeway. The origin of the name is possibly refers to a Mr Hoobs, who is shown as owning adjacent land on the 1803 enclosure map. The yard gradually seems to have acquired the name Wallis Yard after a Mr Wallis opened a small shoe manufacturing unit in one of the buildings there in the late 19th century. Demolished in the mid-1930s. To read more about the yards behind the High Causeway, click here.
Hollands Drive	One of the town’s newer roads, it is built on land once known by many as “ Holland ' s Field”. Up to the 1950s, this land was used as a playground by Burton children, who played around the brook and went “sledging” there in the winter. The field, with those around it, was farmed by Vincent Holland who lived at Hilly Farm, High Street. Mrs. Holland was the sister of Edgar Denton and Miss Daisy Denton who owned the farm opposite Hilly Farm.
Hollow Wood Road	A new development in 2007 on a long strip of land formerly owned by the Cooper family, who ran a smallholding there. The road leads directly towards a small patch of ancient woodland located down in a hollow, known for centuries as 'Hogs Hole" and marked as such on Ordnance Survey maps. The local version in the last century was always "Hugs 'Ole" or "Uggies"... The new road name is possibly a sanitised reference to all that!
Hurst Close	Off Woodland Drive. Named to be in keeping with the countryside themed names of streets in that area.
Isemill Road	Off Higham Road. A considerable distance away from the Ise Mill on Finedon Road!
Islip Close	Burton Latimer was part of the ancient Huxloe Hundred. Islip Close and nearby streets are named after other villages in the Hundred.
Jacques Road	The Reverend William Baldwin Jacques came to St. Mary’s, Burton Latimer, in February 1895. He and his wife Gertrude, née Cross, raised three sons and a daughter here and were a very popular couple, giving very generously towards the parish church and its organisations. They were a wealthy family; Mrs Jacques owned land and property in the parish and also provided a stained glass window and other significant furnishings in the church. She also took over the ownership of St. Crispin’s to be used as a parish hall and which later became known as the Preston Memorial Hall. Sadly, Mr. Jacques, having moved to Orlingbury in 1911, died there, aged 49, in 1913. Three years later their eldest son was killed in the First World War and Mrs. Jacques subsequently provided the church with one bell in his memory and a second in remembrance of her husband. Mrs. Jacques was patron of the living of Burton Latimer until 1935, when she presented it to the Bishop of Peterborough.
Kettering Road	An obvious name for the road to our nearest large town. Although in the early censuses it was referred to as Main Street - North End, by 1901 it was commonly known by its present name. Before the A14 was built, the road began at the corner of Bakehouse Lane and continued northward to the railway bridge, after which it was usually known as Barton Road although there were eight dwellings in Burton Latimer Parish with a Kettering Road address for election purposes.
Kingfisher Way	Off Station Road. One of the streets named after waterside birds near the Pocket Park and River Ise.
Knighton Close	Named after two members of the Knighton family who lost their lives in the First World War.
Knockhill Close	Off Higham Road on the "Motorsports Estate". Named after a motor-racing venue.
Langley Court	Thought to have been named after the development company that built the surrounding estate.
Lansom Close	Named after Clive Lansom, who started working for Burton Latimer Urban District Council as rent collector in 1937 and retired as a well-respected Clerk to the Council in 1973. Over the years he acted as honorary treasurer to many of the town’s organisations. Two of his brothers died in the First World War which would have qualified the family to have a street named after it.
Latimer Close	Named after one of the two original Burton Manors. The name was given to the sheltered housing development in the 1960s which replaced the old houses in Croxen's Close and Ambler's Yard (see above). To read more about the Croxen's Yard area, click here.
Lily Close	Off Virginia Crescent. No explanation.
Long Row	Or ‘Croxen’s Long Row’, off the High Street, built in the 1870s and demolished in the 1960s. The Croxen family, publicans since the 1840s, one of whom owned the brickyard, had other cottages built in the 19^th century. The Burton House sheltered accommodation now stands on the site. To read more about the Croxen's Yard area, click here.
Lowick Close	Burton Latimer was part of the ancient Huxloe Hundred. Lowick Close and nearby streets are named after other villages in the Hundred.
Lyden Close	Off Higham Road on the "Motorsports Estate". Named after a motor-racing venue.
Mackintosh Close	Named after R.J. (Bob) Mackintosh who, starting in 1936, was an Urban District Councillor for over thirty years, a County Councillor and a County Alderman . He was elected chairman of the Urban District Council no less than five times. He was a manager at Finedon Wagon Works and took a leading role in many of Burton Latimer’s organisations.
Main Street	See High Street and Kettering Road (above).
Mallard Drive	Off Station Road. One of the streets named after waterside birds near the Pocket Park and River Ise.
Mallory Way	Off Higham Road on the "Motorsports Estate". Named after a motor-racing venue.
Maycock's Yard	A yard reached by the southernmost entry leading off of the High Causeway. Origin of the name unknown, but perhaps named after Thomas Maycock who was living there in 1881. Demolished in the mid-1930s. To read more about the yards behind the High Causeway, click here.
Meads Court	Named after the Meads family who had a dairy business in the town for eighty years from 1915. Its founder, William Meads, who once served as a Parish Constable, handed over the business to his son Walter in the early 1930s and he continued with his son John and daughter Cynthia until his death in 1970. The business then continued another twenty five years until it closed in 1995. Walter served as an Urban District councillor for nearly thirty years until his death.
Meeting Lane	So named because of the chapel or meeting house built there in 1744 by the Baptists who, until then, had had to travel to surrounding towns and villages for a place to worship. The first pastor was John Yeomans, a carpenter and grazier who owned land at the end of the lane which he left to the Church which is now the site of the sheltered accommodation named ‘ Yeomans Court ’. He also left his farmhouse for the benefit of the minister and it then became known as ‘The Manse’ and later ‘The Limes’. The lane was also the site of the village pound where stray animals were impounded until their owners paid a fine to have them released.
Meeting Row	See Quincey's Row (below)
Miller Road	Named after Councillor Arthur Gambrell Miller (usually known as A.G.), the son of a landlord of The Thatchers Arms, who founded a very successful plumbing and decorating business in Duke Street and who served variously as a Parish, Urban District and County councillor for over forty years until 1950. In 1942, after the death of Mrs. Preston, its owner, he purchased ‘The Poplars’ for offices for the Urban District Council, which was unable to buy it itself due to wartime financial regulations. When the regulations were relaxed, he sold it to the council at cost. (‘The Poplars’ is now the home of the Heritage Room Museum )
Morby Court	Named after Councillor Albert Morby, who was was a councillor for over thirty years. He was chairman of Burton Latimer Urban District Council twice, chairman of the Town Council three times, a member of the County Council and its chairman for three years and Mayor of Kettering while he was a Borough Councillor. He was a governor of several schools, blood donor organiser, and president of the Darby and Joan Club. He died in 1998.
Mutlow Drive	Brian Mutlow was a Scout as a boy and rose through the ranks to become County Commissioner. He was Treasurer at St. Mary's Church and county organiser for the Princes Trust and local representative of SSAFA. He died in 2011. His father Arthur Mutlow was Burton Latimer's last stationmaster. He served as an Urban District Councillor and County Councillor until the early 1970s. He served many local organisations until his death in the early 1970s
Newman Street	Named after the Newman family. Alfred Newman was landlord of the Dukes Arms from 1877 until he died in 1888. He was succeeded as landlord by his wife Elizabeth until she retired in 1903. Although she kept a public house, she was also a member of the Baptist Church and was also England ’s first lady Parish Councillor through being elected by her Liberal supporters to the Board of Guardians. Their son, William James, was a painter, plumber and decorator who lived at Ashwell House (opposite the scout headquarters) and the family had many of the houses in Newman Street built on land that had previously been parkland, which resulted in the streets in that area being known informally as 'The Park'.
Newman's Row	A commonly-used alternative local term for Hillside.
Nichols’ Row	Church Street . This and Nichols’ Yard (see below) were named by the Nichols family who were builders, masons and property owners since the first half of the 19^th century. Nichols Row was demolished in the 1960s and the site is now part of the public car park opposite the Olde Victoria.
Nichols’ Yard	High Street, sometimes also referred to as Cooper’s Yard. Now demolished but once stood between Hilly Farm and the Red Cow Inn. To read more about Nichol's Yard, click here.
Normandy Close	Built on land sold to the developer by the Burton Latimer Ex-Serviceman's Organisation - a separate body from the British Legion. The development started in 2009 - the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy.
North Avenue	The first council houses in Burton Latimer, Nos: 92 to 110 Station Road, were built in 1921/22, provided by Kettering Rural District Council. The same contract saw the building of four houses in South Avenue, Nos: 1 to 11 and 2 to 20 East Avenue and Nos: 1 to 15 and 2 to 12 West Avenue. In 1931, Burton Latimer Urban District Council completed what was known as ‘the New Estate’ by building the remainder of East and West Avenue and adding North Avenue.
Orbit Mews	Built by the Orbit Housing Association on the site of the Churchill Way Filling Station.
Osborne's Row	Meeting Lane . Named by James Osborne, a prominent late 19^th century farmer and quarry owner. It stands at right angles to the street and further along is Osborne Terrace, which is parallel to the street.
Osborne's Terrace	see Osborne Row (above)
Oulton Close	Off Higham Road on the "Motorsports Estate". Named after a motor-racing venue.
Park Road	A puzzle, this one! Nothing to do with ‘The Park’ mentioned above, it could have been named by the developers because of its proximity to the recreation ground. However, the first houses built in the road were built at the Regent Road end where, before it was developed, there were several residential caravans on a caravan park – hence the name?
Pembrey Close	Off Higham Road on the "Motorsports Estate". Named after a motor-racing venue.
Pigott's Lane	Sometimes spelled Piggott’s Lane, and Pickett’s Lane in the 1881 census. Until the former health centre and library were built, this was an unmade road leading to Brown’s Row, some houses at the rear of cottages on the High Causeway, and the Coles Boot Company factory. There are Picketts, Piggitts and Piggotts in the parish registers as far back as 1692, in the early days described mostly as labourers and weavers. The lane could have got its name from one of these families that lived in it years ago. It is now one of the accesses to Coles Close, built on the site of the factory. To read more about Pigott's Lane, click here.
Pintail Close	Off Station Road. One of the streets named after waterside birds near the Pocket Park and River Ise.
Pioneer Avenue	The land on which Pioneer Avenue was to be built was the first Feast Field, where the annual fair would be held. It was purchased by Burton Latimer Industrial and Co-operative Society in 1924. The first four houses were built in 1925, followed by a further eight in 1926, four private and twenty Council houses in 1927, and two private and another twenty by the Council in 1928. The road was completed in 1931 by which time there were only four plots remaining. Burton Latimer Co-op followed the co-operative movement’s tradition of including ‘Pioneer’ in the name of its building estates. This was in honour of the ‘Rochdale Pioneers’ - one of the world’s first co-operative societies as we know them today, which was formed in Rochdale, Lancashire, in 1844. The road was linked to William Street in 1938 when the King George V Field (the ‘Rec’) was opened.
Polwell Lane	Until the early 1900s, water from a well in Barton Seagrave village was obtained with the use of a pole fixed to the side of a cottage, which was used to lower and raise the buckets into and out of the well. Eventually the lane leading to the village from both Kettering and Burton Latimer became known as the Pole Well Lane , later to become Polwell Lane, though United Counties buses in the 1960s serving Burton L atimer by that route still had the designation " P olewell Lane" on the front!
Poppy Close	Off the High Street. Reached via the entrance to Sainbury's car park. Some connection to the Royal British Legion?
Preston Court	Leads to the site of a building that was built in 1891 by the Revd. W.B. Jacques and Mrs. Jacques and used by parishioners as a parish hall. Following the death of her husband in 1913, Mrs. Jacques sold the building to Mrs Anna Maria Preston who renamed it ‘The Preston Hall’ as a memorial to her late husband Walter Frederick Preston J.P. of ‘The Poplars’, High Street. Mrs. Preston then vested it in the Diocesan Trustees and it was used as a meeting room by many of the church and town’s organisations and many regular functions were held there. Having been requisitioned by the military as a cookhouse and mess hall during WW2, it never really recovered from the subsequent neglect and although it was used again as a youth club for a few years, it was demolished in 1983.
Queensway	The first phase, comprising council houses and old persons' bungalows, was built by Burton Latimer Urban District Council in the early 1950s at the beginning of the present Queen’s reign, hence the name. Private developers extended it towards Bridle Road in stages from the late 1960s.
Quincey's Row	Meeting Lane . Also known as Meeting Row. Owned, and probably built, by Edward Quincey, a shoe manufacturer. Most of them have been demolished but the outer walls of some of the cottages still stand on part of the ‘She’ Products site.
Rector's Cottages	Pigott's Lane (see above ) sometimes known as Widow’s Cottages. They were a terrace of four small cottages on the left in Pigott’s Lane. The origin of the name is uncertain but the cottages were probably owned at one time by the Rector or the Church. Demolished as part of the slum clearance scheme after WW2. To read more about Pigott's Lane, click here.
Rectory Cottages	A row of cottages that still stand in Church Street to the right of the entrance to Church View, which is built in the grounds of the former rectory.
Regent Road/Close	Named after ‘Regent House’, which stands next to the tennis courts. From when it was built in 1911 until 1959, when a road linking Victoria Street and Bridle Road was built, the house had a Victoria Street address. The road is built on former allotments and, at the eastern end, on greenhouses and piggeries owned by nurseryman Harry Cole.
Riverview	Between Finedon Road and the River Ise.
Robinson Terrace	A row of four cottages (now three) that stand on the right inside Meeting Lane . One of them is Nutcracker Cottage. The Robinson family were farmers and millers and probably owned the land on which the cottages were built in the early 1800s.
Rockingham Way	Off Higham Road on the "Motorsports Estate". Named after a motor-racing venue.
Rock Terrace	A row of six redbrick terraced houses which ran from the bottom of Pioneer Avenue up to a point opposite the entrance to Bakehouse Lane . The row was demolished in 1960-61 as part of a road widening scheme. Click here for the story of Rock Terrace.
Rosebery Street	Part of ‘The Park’ estate built on land owned by the Newman family who were staunch Liberals and named after the Earl of Rosebery, Prime Minister of a Liberal Government 1894-5.
Rossian Court	No explanation for the name yet. Near Normandy Close in the old School Lane.
Sandpiper Close	Off Station Road. One of the streets named after waterside birds near the Pocket Park and River Ise.
School Lane	The local name given to the lane leading to what is now St Mary's Infants School. The whole area took on the name Croxen's Close (see above) or Croxen's Yard. To read more about the Croxen's Yard area, click here.
Scott's Charity Cottages	Church Street . A row of cottages built in 1842 on the site of the former Poor House belonging to Scott’s Charity, founded by William and Ann Scott in 1514. The rents from the cottages were used to help pay for a master to teach at the Freeschool further along the street. The cottages were demolished c1961 and replaced by St. Crispin Close (see below), twenty-two bungalows designed for elderly occupants.
Shakespeare Drive	Building commenced in 1964, the 400^th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s birth.
Silverstone Road	Off Higham Road on the "Motorsports Estate". Named after a motor-racing venue.
Snetterton Close	Off Higham Road on the "Motorsports Estate". Named after a motor-racing venue.
South Avenue	The first council houses in Burton Latimer, Nos: 92 to 110 Station Road, were built in 1921/22, provided by Kettering Rural District Council. The same contract saw the building of four houses in South Avenue, Nos: 1 to 11 and 2 to 20 East Avenue and Nos: 1 to 15 and 2 to 12 West Avenue. In 1931, Burton Latimer Urban District Council completed what was known as ‘the New Estate’ by building the remainder of East and West Avenue and adding North Avenue.
Spencer Street	Another street on the estate built by the Liberal Newman family. Named after the 5^th Earl Spencer, 'The Red Earl' (d.1910), who was a member Lord Rosebery's Liberal Government. The demolition in the late 1950s of a row of cottages in Finedon Street enabled a short link road between the two streets to be built some ten years later.
Spinney Road	Gets its name from the spinney at the western end of the street. The original houses were prefabricated concrete ‘Orlit’ houses built by Burton Latimer Urban District Council at the end of the Second World War; in fact some German P.O.Ws were employed in their construction. The ‘Orlits’ were demolished in the early 1990s to make way for Housing Association homes and the road re-aligned and extended to access the newer developments in the area. The original council estate also comprised The Crescent, Poplar Road , Elm Road and Woodland Drive . The latter named streets led the estate to be nicknamed ‘Jungletown’ and the newer streets near Spinney Road also bear names with a woodland theme. Click here to read more about the Orlits and also life in the early days of the estate.
Spring Gardens	Spring Gardens was the name of a row of cottages built in Bakehouse Lane in 1858 next to the ‘Horse & Groom’ (The Jockey), now known as ‘The Olde Victoria’. The cottages in the lowest lying part of the row flooded regularly when a culverted stream running under them overflowed, causing water to enter the back doors and leave through the front.
Spriggs Close	Named in honour of three members of the Spriggs family who gave their lives in the First World War.
St Crispin Close	Built in 1961 where Scott’s Charity Cottages (see above) once stood. They were seven cottages which were built on the site the town’s ancient Poor House belonging to Scott’s Charity, founded by William and Agnes Scott about 1514 and whose rents helped pay for a schoolmaster at the nearby Free Grammar School. The Close got its name from St. Crispin’s Hall, which was another name by which the original Parish Hall was known and the pair of houses named St Crispin’s, which are now part of Preston Court .
St Crispin's Cottages	A pair of semi-detached houses that once stood off Church Street adjacent to St. Crispin Hall (later Preston Hall) but are now incorporated into Preston Court .
Station Road	Referred to as Cotton-mill Lane in an 1812 newspaper article (a cotton mill once stood where the Weetabix Mills now stand) and named Ball’s Lane on maps until the 1890s. The Ball family were masons and builders from the mid 1700s to the mid 1900s so it is possible that they may have built the first houses in the street and it was named after them. The approach to Isham over the River Ise was by way of a footbridge known in ancient times as the Isham Plank, and at the time of the Burton Latimer Inclosure in 1803, carts and wagons were still having to ford the river near the mill to get to Isham. The railway and station were built in 1857 and about forty years later Burton Latimer Gas Company was formed, with its gas holder(s) south of the road just over the river bridge.
Sturgess Court	Named to commemorate Laurie Sturgess, a well respected Clerk to Burton Latimer Town Council, whose untimely death coincided with the completion of the complex.
Swan Close	Off Station Road. One of the streets named after waterside birds near the Pocket Park and River Ise.
Sycamore Gardens	Off Cranford Road. Built in the late Graham West's large garden.
Teal Close	Off Station Road. One of the streets named after waterside birds near the Pocket Park and River Ise.
The Crescent ( Church Street )	A group of cottages including a bakehouse, demolished c1971, that stood on the raised pavement to the left of the Jacobean School (formerly the Freeschool)
The Cross	A very ancient name for the area at the junction of High Street and Church Street . It was the site of the village cross, whipping post and stocks, referred to several times in the seventeenth century Constable’s Accounts. The area was used as a public meeting area where gatherings took place on occasions like Burton Feast and Coronation celebrations. The war memorial, which stands there now, was erected in 1922. It honours the 102 men that gave their lives in the First World War and the 23 men and one woman who died in the Second World War. To make way for road improvements, the memorial was moved in 1962 to a position in front of the council offices but thirty years later it was returned to a slightly different position back at The Cross.
The Rushes	Between Finedon Road and the River Ise.
Thruxton Close	Off Higham Road on the "Motorsports Estate". Named after a motor-racing venue.
Twywell Way	Burton Latimer was part of the ancient Huxloe Hundred. Twywell Way and nearby streets are named after other villages in the Hundred.
Victoria Street	Its first houses were built at the time of Queen Victoria ’s Golden Jubilee in 1897
Villa Gardens	See Whitney Road (below).
Virginia Crescent	Between Diana Way and Hillcrest Avenue. No known explanation for its name.
Wallis' Yard	See Hobb's Yard (above)
Washbrook Hill	Higham Road . The hill leading down from the High Street to the old washbrook in the hollow of Higham Road where farmers used to wash their sheep before shearing them.
West Avenue	The first council houses in Burton Latimer, Nos: 92 to 110 Station Road, were built in 1921/22, provided by Kettering Rural District Council. The same contract saw the building of four houses in South Avenue, Nos: 1 to 11 and 2 to 20 East Avenue and Nos: 1 to 15 and 2 to 12 West Avenue. In 1931, Burton Latimer Urban District Council completed what was known as ‘the New Estate’ by building the remainder of East and West Avenue and adding North Avenue.
Whiting Close	Named in honour of three members of the Whiting family who gave their lives in the First World War.
Whitney Road	Named after Henry Whitney, co-founder of the shoemaking company Whitney & Westley. The partners started their business in a cottage in Finedon Street opposite the ground on which they would eventually build their factory in 1896. Westley Close (see below) named after his partner Joseph Westley, is a new development opposite the two ‘villas’ that the partners built in Finedon Road , ‘Beechwood’ and ‘Glenroy’. The garden of ‘Glenroy’ was used to build the bungalow development known as Villa Gardens .
Well Lane	Included on the front of the 1851 Census schedule but not given as an address in it. Not found since.
Westley Close	Built on ground owned by Joseph Westley, one of the co-founder's of the Whitney & Westley shoe company, and named after him.
William Street	Probably named to commemorate William IV who was succeeded by his niece Victoria in 1837, although none of the houses appear to be that old.
Windmill Cottages	Cranford Road . A row of cottages the on the other side of the A6 bypass that are still there, although much changed, on the site of one of Burton Latimer’s old windmills. To read more about Windmill Cottages, click here.
Wold Road	Leading to ‘Burton Old’, as The Wold was named in many old documents. This was originally an extensive area of common land used by the villagers with no land of their own to graze their pigs and cattle and to grow ‘furze and thorns’, which provided building material and fuel. Still referred to as Leigh’s Lane by some old Burtonians, and shown as such on some 1867 farm sale documents, but I have no clues as to why. It led to several outlying farms and the Round House, which is on the south-eastern edge of the parish on the Finedon to Thrapston road.
Woodcock Street	Like Bird Street , Woodcock Street was built for the workers of the Burton Ironstone Company, which had extensive ironstone quarries in the Cranford Road and Wold Road area. It was named after Mr. William G. Woodcock who was company secretary when production first started in 1892.
Woodford Road	Burton Latimer was part of the ancient Huxloe Hundred. Woodford road and nearby streets are named after other villages in the Hundred.
Yeoman's Court	See Meeting Lane (above)
York Close	Off Station Road . Named after Cllr. Marion York who died in 2004 after many years of service to the town as a Town and Borough Councillor. Her interests included the Community Centre, Pocket Park, Swimming Pool Trust and the Baptist Church .