Pury End is small hamlet a short walk away from the bigger village and Parish of Paulerspury. For such a small village Pury End and Paulerspury have a surprisingly rich history.

This website will only provide a short overview of this rich past, but where possible I have provided links on the right hand side to more academic and detailed studies.

Background

The Parish of Paulerspury technically lies astride the modern day A5 trunk road which runs from London to Wales. The settlement probably grew as a staging post along the important Roman road "the Watling Street" (now the A5). Six hundred years after the fall of Roman Britain, Paulerspury is mentioned and described in Domesday book. At the time called "Pirie" (and variously elsewhere described as Paveli's Pery - a reference to one of the principle products of the village - which was eventually to be shortened to Paulerspury). Domesday book is now available online from the National Archive at Kew. Click the link on the right to see the entry in Domesday book

Elizabethan Fame

Little more of any renown is heard of Paulerspury until Elizabethan times. A boom time for England, Paulerspury generated some fame because of the actions of the Lords of the Manor, the Throckmortons. There is masses of detail to be found about the village at this time, and some of the key links are on the right, but this provides a brief summary. The Throckmortons were a major family within the Elizabethan court. Sir Nicholas Throckmorton was one of the Queen's principle advisors, and was involved in several of the key expeditions to Spain & Portugal which were the beginnings of England becoming the most powerful nation in the world during the 16th & 17th Centuries. Apart from their position in state the Throckmortons also generated huge gossip due to Sir Nicholas's sister Elizabeth who was scandalously married in secret to Sir Walter Raleigh, who was at the time the "favourite" of Queen Bess. It was renowned that Raleigh's seduction of Elizabeth Throckmorton took place in the village, but cannot be confirmed. Elizabeth was a lady in waiting to the Queen and it is widely believed locally that Queen Elizabeth visited the village at some point and may even have stayed at the house now know as "Little Farm" on Lower Street Pury End.

William Carey

The famous Missionary William Carey was born in Pury End in 1761. He went on to become a world famous missionary who translated the bible into several languages. The cottage where he was born has since, sadly, been knocked down and replaced by more modern accomodation, but the place is marked by a stone memorial on Carey's Road, Pury End, which bears his name. Carey is an historical figure of huge study, and if you are interested in finding out more, a good start point would be the references to be found on the right.

World Wars and the village

As a quick glance at the war memorial at the Parish Church (St James the great) amply demonstrates, the villages of England paid a mammoth price to save the English way of life. Several families lost whole generations and the memorial serves as a focal point for rememberance, "we shall remember them".

Not surprisingly the village was not a key target for the enemy, but the village was bombed during the second world war. It is believed that a German bomber, unsuccessful in his attempt to reach and bomb Coventry, dropped his payload over the village on his return journey. The primitive Methodist Chapel (now Old Chapel Cottage), Manor Farm, Little Farm and the Bricklayers Arms pub all received damage.

More detail

This page only gives the shortest overview of some of Pury End and Paulerspury's history. If you are interested in finding out more, perhaps about your own house, street family etc, a good place to start would be with the link on the right.