Page 34 - Oundle Life March 2025

Further mystery came in the twentieth
century, when a range of excavations uncovered
numerous Roman settlements and roads that
were lost to time. Findings such as jewellery
and pottery gave an insight into how these
people lived, while the discovery of bones and
weapons raised questions about their fate. The
medieval settlement of Kingsthorpe
also vanished under mysterious
circumstances. Both Kingsthorpe and
Armston were listed in the Domesday
Book, and it wasn’t until the fourteenth
century that Kingsthorpe’s previously
flourishing population began to decline.
This may have been due to the Black
Death, but the influence of magical forces
cannot be ruled out. At the time, many believed
the Black Death to be the work of the devil,
and perhaps it was Polebrook’s devilish goblins
that spelled the end of Kingsthorpe. By the
end of the seventeenth century, the village was
deserted, though Polebrook and Armston were
still standing.
We like to think that Polebrook thrived
many
believed the
Black Death to
be the work of
the devil
by creating a relationship of mutual respect
between the human and the magical, one that
can be found in the village to this day. The
locals’ respect for the nature that surrounds
them, as well as their fond reference to the area’s
folklore with the stream they call ‘Goblin Brook’,
is evidence of their respect for the land they
call home. But the magic of Polebrook
is not confined to its physical features:
it exists in the daily ‘hellos’ between
neighbours, in the peaceful dog walks
with friends, in the local pub where
everyone knows each other by name.
With its natural beauty, rich history,
and close-knit community, one can
hardly blame the goblins for making this village
their home, can you?
Words by Holly Simmonds
Greyston House, Polebrook is currently on the
market with Woodford & Co – 01832 274732
www.woodfordandco.com
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