Watford, Northamptonshire
| Watford | |
|---|---|
 St Peter & St Paul's Church |
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 Watford
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| Watford shown within Northamptonshire | |
| Population | 320 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | SP6068 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Northampton |
| Postcode district | NN6 |
| Dialling code | 01327 |
| Police | Northamptonshire |
| Fire | Northamptonshire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| EU Parliament | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament | |
Watford is a village and civil parish in the Daventry district of the county of Northamptonshire in England. It should not be confused with the more significant town of Watford in Hertfordshire which is 55 miles to the south. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population was 224 people, including Murcott and increasing to 320 at the 2011 Census. Watford is home to Watford Gap services Britain's oldest motorway service station opening in 1959. Located directly on the M1 motorway and alongside the West Coast Main Line.
It is known that the important Roman road “Watling Street” was constructed on the western boundary of the village. In the Roman era the Roman settlement of Bannaventa (A Gap in the Hills), with defensive earth and timber ramparts and a ditch, was situated about 2 miles south-west of Watford. Today some remains of the settlement such as building platforms, mounds and crop marks are still visible.
After the departure of the Romans, the area eventually became part of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia. Watford is mentioned as one of the lands belonging to Ethelgifu and was probably inherited from her own kindred. In the 7th century the Mercians converted to Christianity with the death of pagan King Penda. About 889 the area was conquered by the Danes and became part of the Danelaw – with Watling Street serving as the boundary. This was in effect until the area was recaptured by the English about 917 under Wessex King Edward the Elder, son of Alfred the Great. In 940 the Vikings of York captured Northamptonshire and devastated the area, with the county retaken by the English in 942. Norhamptonshire is one of the few counties to have both Saxon and Danish town-names and settlements.
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