The West Coast Main Line between London Euston and Glasgow passes through the western part of the parish, just over 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the village.
Toponymy
The name of the village has evolved over the centuries. In the 11th century, it was variously spelt Hammescle, Hanslepe or Anslepe.[2] In the 13th century, it was Hameslepe or Hamslape, and the latter form continued in use into the 14th century.[2] It was Hanslopp in the 15th century and Hanslap or Anslope in the 16th century. Anslap, Anslapp and Hanslapp were used early in the 18th century[3][4] and Hanslape was used in the 19th century.[2] The toponym's etymology is from the Old English for a slippery or muddy place belonging to Haema, or possibly "hemmed-in land at the slope".[5]
History
Hanslope was included in the grant of land to the NormanMaudit (or Mauduit) family by William the Conqueror following the Norman Conquest and the family's seat was Hanslope Castle, which later became Castlethorpe.[2] In the Domesday Book of 1086, the manor was assessed 10 hides and held by Winemar.[2] On 28 November 1215, the castle was captured after William Maudit had started a rebellion against King John and was defeated in battle by the king's men, who were led by Falkes de Bréauté.[2] The castle building has been lost but the grassy mounds of the motte and bailey earthworks survive. After King John's death, Maudit reclaimed his seat and founded a great park in the parish, remnants of which still survive in Hanslope. Isabel Mauduit was the mother of William de Beauchamp, 9th Earl of Warwick (1237–98).[2] From 1293 the Earl was chartered to have a weekly market in Hanslope on Thursdays and a three-day annual market on the eve, day and morrow of the feast of St. James the Great (24, 25 and 26 July).[2]
Hanslope was a centre of Buckinghamshire lacemaking in the 19th century. Early in the 19th century, Hanslope lace was noted as being particularly fine, and in 1862 about 500 women and children in the parish were employed making pillow lace.[2]
Milton Keynes' wards before (top) and after (bottom) 2014: Hanslope is in the borough's most westerly ward in both configurations.
Hanslope has been part of the Borough (now City) of Milton Keynes since 1973, which has been a unitary authority since 1997.[12] This gives Milton Keynes City Council the responsibility for the provision of most local government services. Voters registered in Hanslope are represented on MK City Council, which has (since 2014) been divided into 19 wards each carrying 3 councillors with Hanslope being part of the Newport Pagnell North and Hanslope ward.[13][14] Between 2002 and 2021, the ward of Newport Pagnell North and Hanslope had a single representative that was voted in every four years and always returned a Conservative councillor.
At the parish level, Hanslope has a parish council based at the village's Recreation Ground on Castlethorpe Road.[15]
The chancel arch of St. James the Great parish church is Norman. The five-light east window is 13th century but its present intersecting tracery is a modern replacement.
The Perpendicular Gothic[17] church spire is a prominent feature of the village and surrounding landscape. It was originally built early in the 15th century and was 200 feet (61 m) high.[17] In 1804 it collapsed after being struck by lightning and afterwards it was rebuilt to the slightly lesser height of 186 feet (57 m).[19] However, it is still the tallest in Buckinghamshire.[19] The church has an open day each summer, when the tower is open to the public.
The spire can be seen for long distances across the low-lying countryside. In 1722, when the spire was 200 feet high, the antiquarianThomas Hearne, who was a friend of John Knibb, wrote that Knibb "...told me he hath seen Anslapp spire in Bucks from Brill...".[3] This is a distance of just over 22 miles (35 km).
One notable incumbent was James Mayne MA who was rector from 1841 to 1851,[21] previously curate of St Matthew's, Bethnal Green. In series 5 of the Who Do You Think You Are? television programme, Patsy Kensit discovered that he was one of her ancestors and was shown his grave during a visit to the church.[22]
The four-track West Coast Main Line passes about 1 mile (1.6 km) south-west of the village, northwest-/southeast-bound. To the north of Hanslope, just north of the former Roade railway station, the line divides. Two tracks go directly to Rugby and the other two form the Northampton Loop Line to Northampton. Most fast [intercity] trains are on the Rugby route and can continue without changing tracks; the same is true of slower commuter trains taking the Northampton route.
In 1697 the distinguished clockmaker Joseph Knibb (1640–1711) retired from London to Hanslope,[28] acquiring Green End Farm with a total of about 230 acres (93 ha) of land.[29] Despite his retirement, he continued at Hanslope to make clocks, some of which survive.[28] His will, proved in 1712 left his Hanslope property to his younger brother John Knibb[3] (1650–1722),[30] who was a notable clockmaker in Oxford.[31] However, John kept his business in Oxford and only one clock marked "John Knibb Hanslapp" is known.[4] Green End Farmhouse predated the Knibbs' ownership of the farm and was a scheduled monument under the Town and Country Planning Act 1947.[29] Despite this protection its last owner demolished the historic house in 1954.[29]
^"Search Results for 'Hanslope'". Historic England. Retrieved 22 November 2022. (Note: the 43 results returned by the search include seven in Castlethorpe and Gayhurst.)
^Sarjeant, William A. S. 1980–96. Geologists and the history of geology: an international bibliography. 10 vols. including supplements. London: Macmillan. Florida: Krieger Publishing.
Reed, Michael (1979). Hoskins, W.G.; Millward, Roy (eds.). The Buckinghamshire Landscape. The Making of the English Landscape. London: Hodder & Stoughton. pp. 125, 130, 136, 159, 190. ISBN0-340-19044-2.
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