Introduction

milestone at Lower Caldecote Jul 2007

Lower Caldecote is a hamlet of Northill|. It lies astride the Great North Road (the modern A1) though, with the exception of Manor Farm, all the houses lie on the west side of the road. The hamlet is small comprising just the Great North Road itself and The Grange, a modern development built on the site of the large house of that name. The eastern half of the hamlet comprises sand and gravel works and their attendant quarries, most now filled with water. The River Ivel forms the eastern boundary of the hamlet (except for a bulge to take in the sand and gravel works) and of the parish of Northill generally. The hamlet of Caldecote was first recorded in 1197 with Lower Caldecote first recorded in 1351. The name Caldecote means "cold cottages" due, no doubt, to the exposed position on the flat countryside.

Domesday

Lower Caldecote is not mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 but, under the Parish of Northill, Eudo, son of Herbert, is recorded as owning threehides|, half of which were held by one Pirot. The holding included three villagers and a smallholder as well as a mill. The holding had been worth 25 shillings in 1066, when held by a man named Raven from Wulfmer of Eaton. The value had fallen to 10 shillings by the time Eudo acquired it, due, probably to the depredations of William I's army as it moved north to put down rebellion; by 1086 the holding was worth 20 shillings. It is considered that this holding formed the nucleus of the later Carminos or Lower Caldecote Manor

Carminos or Lower Caldecote Manor

The first time this manor is recorded is in 1284 when it was held by Thomas de Kancia; it formed part of the Barony of Eaton. James de Kancia was succeeded by John de Carmino some time after 1316, Carmino's widow Joan being in possession in 1346. In 1360 Ralph, son of Walter de Carmino granted the manor to Ralph Restwold who, after a few years, alienated it to Richard de Craunfeld.

By 1428 the manor had passed to Henry Godfrey, Lord of the Manor of Northill|. His granddaughter Elizabeth and her husband, Randall Borough, sold the reversion of the Manor to Thomas Chibnall to sold to John Poley in 1556. Poley died two years later and was succeeded by his son Francis who himself died in 1568 and was succeeded by his infant daughter Alice, who married Robert Reade. Alice and Robert alienated the manor in 1588 to George Mordaunt and it remained in the family until 1685 when it was conveyed to William Atkins and others. The manor seems, at some point in the 18th century, to have been purchased by the Harvey family of Ickwell Bury| and it remained in that family into the 20th century.