Broughton, Northamptonshire

Broughton is a large village and civil parish in the borough of Kettering, in Northamptonshire, England. Its population in 2001 was 2,047 people. The village is located around 2 miles (3 km) south-west of Kettering, next to the A43 road (it was bypassed in 1984).

Broughton has a long history, being referred to as "Burtone" in the Domesday Book. The church (St. Andrew), which is mostly early 14th century, incorporates part of a (12th century) Norman aisleless church at the south-west angle, including the south doorway with colonettes, scallop capitals and zigzags. The village has some notable Jacobean housesN. Pevsner, The Buildings of England - Northamptonshire 2nd edition, revised by Bridget Cherry (Harmondsworth 1973), pp. 128-29.

An ancient ritual, which still exists in the village, is that of the "Tin Can Band". It is held annually in mid-December, when, at midnight, a group of people walk around the village making as much noise as possible by banging on tin-cans (anything from cans to pots and pans and metal dustbins),John Kirpatrick, Sleeve notes for Wassail! A Traditional Celebration of an English Midwinter, John Kirpatrick et al., Fellside Records, FECD125 (1997). either to scare away evil spirits just before Christmas, or (less charitably) to drive out gypsies. Nowadays it's quite good-natured, but in the past there have been riotous scenes,...
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