Discover Cranford – Its History

In 1086 what is now known as the village of Cranford consisted of two reasonably large and one small Manor, each with its own appointed overlord and though nothing is heard of the latter after this time the others were of sufficient importance that a Church and a Manor House were built in each of them.

By the 13th century these Manors were ‘held’ (on behalf of the King) by the Daundelyns and the Cursons and though their boundaries were no means clear cut it is generally accepted that the first referred to what is known as St John’s and the second St. Andrew’s.

In 1699 Sir James Robinson, 3rd Bart. bought St Andrew’s from the Walcotts and in 1715 (about) St John’s from Christopher Coo but the divisions between the two were still upheld for the purpose of administering the Poor Law and to make this easier land was exchanged between them and the stream set as the boundary. In 1894 St. John’s formed a Parish Council and was joined in 1896 by St. Andrew’s which resulted in an Act of Parliament and the creation of the village of Cranford but the two parts are still quite distinct from each other in many ways.

Taken from A History of Cranford St Andrew Northamptonshire by Joy Beeby and Jeanne Payne