The Daventry District was from 1974 to 2021 a

local government district The districts of England (also known as local authority districts or local government districts to distinguish from unofficial city districts) are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government. As the st ...

in western

Northamptonshire Northamptonshire (; abbreviated Northants.) is a county in the East Midlands of England. In 2015, it had a population of 723,000. The county is administered by two unitary authorities: North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire. It ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

. The district was named after its main town of

Daventry Daventry ( , historically ) is a market town and civil parish in the West Northamptonshire unitary authority in Northamptonshire, England, close to the border with Warwickshire. At the 2021 Census Daventry had a population of 28,123, making ...

where the council was based. The district was created on 1 April 1974, under the

Local Government Act 1972 The Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974. It was one of the most significant Acts of Parliament to be passed by the Heath Gov ...

, by a merger of the historic

municipal borough Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002. Broadly similar structures existed in S ...

of Daventry with the

Daventry Rural District The Daventry Rural District was a rural district in Northamptonshire, England from 1894 to 1974. It entirely surrounded the municipal borough of Daventry. The district was administered from Daventry but did not include the town. It was formed u ...

and most of the

Brixworth Rural District The Brixworth Rural District was a rural district in Northamptonshire, England from 1894 to 1974. It was named after and administered from the village of Brixworth. It was created by the Local Government Act 1894 from the Brixworth rural sanita ...

. The town of Daventry became an unparished area with

Charter Trustees In England and Wales, charter trustees are set up to maintain the continuity of a town charter or city charter after a district with the status of a borough or city has been abolished, until such time as a parish council is established. Duties ar ...

and remained so until 2003 when a

civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authorit ...

was created, roughly corresponding with the boundaries of the former borough, so allowing Daventry to have its own

town council A town council, city council or municipal council is a form of local government for small municipalities. Usage of the term varies under different jurisdictions. Republic of Ireland Town Councils in the Republic of Ireland were the second ti ...

. At the 2011 Census, the district had a population of 77,843, a little under a third of whom (25,026) lived in the town of Daventry. Other significant settlements included

Brixworth Brixworth is a large village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire, England. The 2001 census recorded a parish population of 5,162, increasing to 5,228 at the 2011 census. The village's All Saints' Church is of Anglo-Saxon origin. Loca ...

Long Buckby Long Buckby is a large village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire, England. In 2020 the parish of Long Buckby, which includes the hamlet of Long Buckby Wharf, was estimated to have a population of 4,303. Long Buckby is hill top village, ...

and

Weedon Bec Weedon Bec, usually just Weedon, is a village and parish in West Northamptonshire, England. It is close to the source of the River Nene. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 2,706. Geography Weedon is around southeas ...

. The rest of the district was predominantly rural.

Abolition and replacement

In March 2018, following suspension of the County Council arising from its becoming insolvent, due to financial and cultural mismanagement by the cabinet and officers, the then Secretary of State for Local Government,

Sajid Javid Sajid Javid (; born 5 December 1969) is a British politician who served as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care from June 2021 to July 2022, having previously served as Home Secretary from 2018 to 2019 and Chancellor of the Exchequer ...

, sent commissioner Max Caller into the council, who recommended the county council and all district and borough councils in the county be abolished, and replaced by two

unitary authorities A unitary authority is a local authority responsible for all local government functions within its area or performing additional functions that elsewhere are usually performed by a higher level of sub-national government or the national governme ...

, one covering the West, and one the North of the county. These proposals were approved in April 2019. It meant that the districts of Daventry,

Northampton Northampton () is a market town and civil parish in the East Midlands of England, on the River Nene, north-west of London and south-east of Birmingham. The county town of Northamptonshire, Northampton is one of the largest towns in England ...

and

South Northamptonshire South Northamptonshire was, from 1974 to 2021, a district in Northamptonshire, England. Its council was based in the town of Towcester, first established as a settlement in Roman Britain. The population of the Local Authority District Council in ...

were merged to form a new unitary authority called

West Northamptonshire West Northamptonshire is a unitary authority area covering part of the ceremonial county of Northamptonshire, England, created in 2021. By far the largest settlement in West Northamptonshire is the county town of Northampton. Its other signific ...

, whilst the second unitary authority

North Northamptonshire North Northamptonshire is one of two local authority areas in Northamptonshire, England. It is a Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area forming about one half of the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Northampto ...

consists of

Corby Corby is a town in North Northamptonshire, England, located north-east of Northampton. From 1974 to 2021, the town served as the administrative headquarters of the Borough of Corby. At the 2011 United Kingdom census, 2011 Census, the built-up ...

East Northamptonshire East Northamptonshire was from 1974 to 2021 a local government district in Northamptonshire, England. Its council was based in Thrapston and Rushden. Other towns include Oundle, Raunds, Irthlingborough and Higham Ferrers. The town of Rushde ...

Kettering Kettering is a market and industrial town in North Northamptonshire, England. It is located north of London and north-east of Northampton, west of the River Ise, a tributary of the River Nene. The name means "the place (or territory) ...

and

Wellingborough Wellingborough ( ) is a large market and commuter town in the unitary authority area of North Northamptonshire in the ceremonial county of Northamptonshire, England, 65 miles from London and from Northampton on the north side of the River Nen ...

districts. These new authorities came into being on 1 April 2021. Elections for the new authorities were due to be held on 7 May 2020, but were delayed due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

. These elections were later held on 6 May 2021.

Demography

Ethnicity

Settlements

Althorp Althorp (popularly pronounced ) is a Grade I listed stately home and estate in the civil parish of Althorp, in West Northamptonshire, England of about . By road it is about northwest of the county town of Northampton and about northwest of ...

Arthingworth Arthingworth is a civil parish and village in the West Northamptonshire area of the county of Northamptonshire, England.OS Explorer Map Map 223 - Northampton & Market Harborough (1:25 000) The population of the civil parish at the 2011 censu ...

Ashby St Ledgers Ashby St Ledgers is a village in the West Northamptonshire district of Northamptonshire, England.OS Explorer Map Map 223 - Northampton & Market Harborough (1:25 000) The post town is Rugby in Warwickshire. The population of the civil parish ...

Badby Badby is a village and a rural parish of about in West Northamptonshire, England.- OS Explorer Map 207: Newport Pagnell & Northampton South (1:25 000) Location Badby is about 2 miles (3 km) south of Daventry, on the A361 Daventry to Ban ...

, Barby, Boughton, Braunston, Brington,

, Brockhall, Byfield *

Canons Ashby Canons Ashby is a small village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire, England. The population of the village is included in the civil parish of Preston Capes. Its most notable building is Canons Ashby House, a National Trust property. T ...

Chapel Brampton Chapel Brampton is a village and former civil parish in West Northamptonshire in England. Together with nearby Church Brampton, it is known as '' The Bramptons''. At the time of the 2001 census, Chapel Brampton parish's population was 470 p ...

, Charwelton,

Church Brampton Church Brampton is a village in West Northamptonshire in England. Together with nearby Chapel Brampton the two villages are known as '' The Bramptons''. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population was 251 people. At the 2011 censu ...

Church Stowe Church Stowe is a village in West Northamptonshire in England. It is the largest settlement in the civil parish of Stowe Nine Churches Stowe may refer to: Places United Kingdom *Stowe, Buckinghamshire, a civil parish and former village **Stow ...

Clay Coton Clay Coton is a village in West Northamptonshire in England. The population (including Elkington and Stanford-on-Avon) of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 271. The nearest large town is Rugby, Warwickshire, about away by road. The ...

Clipston,

Cold Ashby Cold Ashby is a village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire in England. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population was 255 people, increasing to 278 at the 2011 census. The villages name means 'Ash-tree farm/settlement' or ...

, Coton,

Cottesbrooke Cottesbrooke is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in West Northamptonshire in England. At the time of the United Kingdom Census 2001, 2001 census, the parish's population was 144 people, falling marginally to 143 at the 2011 ...

, Creaton, Crick *

, Dodford, Draughton *

East Farndon East Farndon is a small linear village and civil parish about one mile south of Market Harborough in West Northamptonshire, England. The village is close to the border with Leicestershire, and has a Leicestershire post code and telephone dial ...

East Haddon East Haddon is a small village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire in England. The village is located eight miles from Northampton and is surrounded by the villages of Holdenby, Ravensthorpe and Long Buckby. The location between Nor ...

, Elkington, Everdon *

Farthingstone Farthingstone is a village in West Northamptonshire in England. It is close to the major trunk routes of the M1 junction 16, M40 motorway, and A5 road, at the head of a valley and is south of Daventry and south west of Weedon Bec. Demograp ...

Fawsley Fawsley is a hamlet and civil parish in West Northamptonshire, England.- OS Explorer Map 207: Newport Pagnell & Northampton South (1:25 000) The population at the 2001 census was 32. At the 2011 census the population remained less than 100 an ...

, Flore *

Great Brington Great Brington is a village in Northamptonshire, England, in the civil parish of Brington, which at the 2011 Census had a population of about 200. St Mary the Virgin's church is the parish church. The villages name means 'Farm/settlement con ...

, Great Oxendon, Guilsborough * Hanging Houghton, Hannington,

Harlestone Harlestone is a small village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire, England. The village had a recorded population of 445 in the 2011 census. The village is divided into two smaller settlements: Upper Harlestone and Lower Harlestone, which ...

Haselbech Haselbech (Pronounced Hazel-beech) is a village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire in England. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish had a population of 87 people. The population remained less than 100 at the 2011 Census and was inc ...

Hellidon Hellidon is a village and civil parish about south-west of Daventry in Northamptonshire, England. The parish area is about . It lies – above sea level on the north face of an ironstone ridge, its highest point, at Windmill Hill, being so ...

Holcot Holcot is a village and civil parish in the West Northamptonshire in England. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population was 399 people. At the 2011 census this had increased to 438 people, living in 182 households. The villag ...

Holdenby Holdenby is an English village and civil parish about north-west of Northampton in West Northamptonshire. The parish population measured by the 2011 census was 170. The village name means "Halfdan's/Haldan's farm/settlement". Prominent building ...

, Hollowell *

Kelmarsh Kelmarsh is a village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire, England. The population (including Haselbech) of the civil parish at the 2011 Census was 208. The village is on the A508, close to its junction with the A14 about south of ...

Kilsby Kilsby is a village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire, England. It is situated a short distance south of the border with Warwickshire approximately five miles southeast of Rugby. The parish of Kilsby, which includes Barby Nortoft, was es ...

* Lamport,

Lilbourne Lilbourne is a village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire in England. It is close to the M1 motorway which runs east of the village, and the A5 road, west of the village which marks the boundary with Warwickshire, slightly to the no ...

Little Brington Little Brington is a village in Brington and civil parish, in West Northamptonshire, England. It has one little school that currently holds around 50 children. The villages name means 'Farm/settlement connected with Bryni'. Little Brington ...

Lower Catesby Lower Catesby is a hamlet in the civil parish of Catesby, Northamptonshire, about southwest of Daventry. Lower Catesby is beside the nascent River Leam, which rises about to the south in the parish of Hellidon. The Jurassic Way long-distance ...

Maidwell Maidwell is a village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire in England. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish had 325 inhabitants, including Draughton, and this increased to 429 at the 2011 census. The villages name means 'Maidens' ...

Marston Trussell Marston Trussell is a village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire in England. Marston Trussell was first recorded as 'Mersitone', meaning marsh settlement. The parish includes Thorpe Lubenham. At the time of the 2001 census, its populat ...

, Moulton *

Naseby Naseby is a village in West Northamptonshire, England. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 Census was 687. The village is 14 mi (22.5 km) north of Northampton, 13.3 mi (21.4 km) northeast of Daventry, and 7&nb ...

, Newnham, Norton *

Old Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England * Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, M ...

, Overstone *

Pitsford Pitsford is a village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire in the United Kingdom. According to 2001 census, the parish's population was 636 people, increasing to 671 at the 2011 census. The village's name means 'Peoht's ford'. Pitsfor ...

Preston Capes Preston Capes is a village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire in England. The population at the 2001 census was 188, including Canons Abbey and increasing to 216 at the 2011 census. The village's name means "Priest Farm/Settlement". ...

* Ravensthorpe * Scaldwell,

Sibbertoft Sibbertoft is a village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire in England. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population (including Sulby) was 343 people, increasing to 462 at the 2011 Census. The village's name means 'curtilage ...

, Spratton,

Stanford-on-Avon Stanford-on-Avon is a village in the civil parish of Stanford in West Northamptonshire, England. It lies next to the River Avon, which here forms the county boundary between Northamptonshire and Leicestershire. On the Leicestershire side of th ...

, Staverton, Sulby * Teeton, Thornby *

Upper Catesby Upper Catesby is a hamlet in the civil parish of Catesby, Northamptonshire, about southwest of Daventry. The hamlet is about above sea level, at the top of a northwest-facing escarpment. The population is included in the civil parish of Helli ...

Upper Stowe Upper Stowe is a village in West Northamptonshire in England. It is in the civil parish of Stowe Nine Churches . It has a church dedicated to St James. This was built to the design of P.C Hardwick in 1855. It has a bellcote rather than a towe ...

* Walgrave,

Watford Watford () is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, 15 miles northwest of Central London, on the River Colne. Initially a small market town, the Grand Junction Canal encouraged the construction of paper-making mills, print works, and ...

, Welford, Welton,

West Haddon West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some R ...

Whilton Whilton is a village and a civil parish in the English county of Northamptonshire. The population (including Slapton) at the 2011 Census was 271. The village is in West Northamptonshire. Whilton is northwest of London, west of Northampton a ...

, Winwick,

Woodford Halse Woodford Halse is a village about south of Daventry in Northamptonshire. It is in the civil parish of Woodford cum Membris , which includes also village of Hinton and hamlet of West Farndon. Hinton and Woodford Halse are separated by the inf ...

Yelvertoft Yelvertoft is a village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire unitary authority in the county of Northamptonshire, England. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population was 821 people, reducing to 764 at the 2011 Census. Y ...

Political control

Daventry, civic centre front entrance - geograph

See Daventry District Council elections

References