Little Oakley, Northamptonshire

Description
Oakley, Little, a village and a parish in Northamptonshire, on an affluent of the river Nene known as Harper's Brook, 1 mile E from Geddington station on the Kettering, Manton, and Nottingham section of the M.R., 3 1/2 NE of Rushton railway station, and 6 1/2 N by E from Kettering. Post town, Kettering; money order office, Geddington; telegraph. office, Geddington railway station. Acreage, 780; population, 108. The manor belongs to the Dnke of Bucclench, who is also sole landowner. The living is a rectory, with the donative of Newton-in-the Willows annexed, in the diocese of Peterborough; net value, £56 with residence. Patron, the Duke of Buccleuch. The church, dedicated to St Peter, is an ancient building of stone in the Early English style; consists of nave, aisles, and chancel, with a tower; and. contains a monument of 1620 to one of the Montagues. It was thoroughly restored in 1882, and contains several stained glass windows. The carving on the stone pulpit represents our Lord's charge to St Peter, " Feed my sheep." Over the pulpit is a curious old bracket for the hour-glass, a relic of Puritan times. The font is ancient, and probably dates from the Norman period. Part of an old stone coffin was found at the restoration. A recumbent figure is shown, and represents an archer with cross-bow bolt in his belt.