Church of St Mary the Virgin

St Mary the Virgin’s Church stands on the south side of Draughton Road in Maidwell, Northamptonshire. It is an Anglican parish church and a Grade II* listed building. The present structure was mainly built in the 12th and 13th centuries, though no church or priest was recorded there in the Domesday Book of 1086. The nave, chancel and west tower form the core of the building. The oldest parts are the north and south doorways from the 12th century, while the tower dates from the 13th. In 1891 a new chancel was added, designed by James Piers St Aubyn. The church contains notable monuments, including one to Catherine, Lady Gorges from 1634 and a tablet to the Haslewood family from 1695. George Folbury, a former rector who became Master of Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, served here until his death in 1540. Parish registers have been kept since 1708 and are now held at the Northamptonshire Record Office. The church belongs to a united Benefice that also includes Draughton, Faxton and Lamport, each parish keeping its own building except Faxton. Visitors find a simple nave and chancel with a west tower at the front. The 12th-century doorways remain in use, and the 19th-century chancel adds light and space. Inside, the Lady Gorges monument and the Haslewood tablet show the church’s long history. The surrounding Draughton Road area is quiet, with fields and scattered houses typical of Northamptonshire villages.