Naseby - 18th Century

18th Century

During the 18th century, Naseby continued as an agricultural community and during this time several fine Georgian buildings were constructed in the parish, including Manor Farm (built 1720), Shuckburgh House (1773), and the old Vicarage (1785). One of the most significant buildings is Naseby House, built in 1818 for the Fitzgeralds, Lords of the Manor. In the 20th century the hall hosted the Duke of York, later King George V, with the Duchess of York, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (the Queen Mother) and a very young future Queen Elizabeth. Naseby Hall, altered by E F Law in 1859 was badly damaged by fire in 1948, and was rebuilt from the ground up using the old materials. In 1822 the Enclosure commissioners allocated the open land around the village to two landowners, who duly fenced off their newly-acquired fields. This action deprived many of the villagers of their traditional plots of land that surrounded the village, that had for years allowed them to grow crops and graze their cattle and sheep.

This action did not adversely affect the community as much as it did in other villages; one reason may have been that the village had other trades. A survey of the time lists 26 different occupations and trades in the village.