History of Marton, Warwickshire
Early Origins and Saxon Period
Marton’s history stretches back to at least the late Anglo-Saxon period, when it served as the center of an administrative territory known as a hundred. The village appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as “Mortone,” a name interpreted by the English Place-Name Society as meaning “farm by the pool”. Archaeological evidence supports this ancient settlement, with the discovery of Romano-British remains near the current playing fields suggesting continuous habitation since Roman times.
During the Saxon era, Marton held particular significance as the center of the hundred called Meretone, one of nine administrative divisions that made up Warwickshire. This administrative importance indicates that Marton was a notable settlement with ecclesiastical connections, serving as a hundredal church – an early mission center from which itinerant priests served the surrounding district. By the late 12th century, this hundred had become part of the larger hundred of Knightlow.
Medieval Period and Religious Significance
The medieval period marked Marton’s golden age of importance. The parish church of St Esprit (Holy Spirit) – uniquely the only church in England dedicated to Saint Esprit – has its earliest recorded reference dating between 1155 and 1160. During this time, the Earl of Warwick granted the church as a gift to the Nuns of the Fontevraud Order at the Priory of the Blessed Virgin in Eaton (later Nuneaton).
The church’s importance extended far beyond the village boundaries. Around 1170, Bishop Richard of Coventry issued a decree requiring surrounding villages including Rugby, Grandborough, Shuckborough, Napton, Ladbroke, and Hunningham to pay “churchaumber” (corn tribute) to the church of Marton. This demonstrates Marton’s role as a significant ecclesiastical center serving a wide area.
The stone church was likely rebuilt between 1160 and 1291, when records show it was “appropriated to Nuneaton, and valued at £4 13s 4d”. The rectory was appropriated and a vicarage ordained around 1277, with the French dedication to Saint Esprit reflecting the French origins of the Priory hierarchy.
Medieval Infrastructure and Community
One of Marton’s most enduring medieval legacies is Marton Bridge, built in 1414 by John Middleton, a locally-born London merchant. Dugdale mentions the existence of an earlier bridge in the early 13th century, but Middleton’s stone bridge was constructed to free parishioners from tolls levied on another crossing. This medieval bridge, with its segmental pointed arches and remarkable causeways, survived until 1928 when a modern bridge was built over it. In 2000, the old bridge was uncovered and restored for pedestrian use while the modern bridge carries road traffic.
Decline and Depopulation
Like many Warwickshire villages, Marton experienced significant decline during the late medieval period. The Black Death of 1348-49 and subsequent plagues devastated rural populations, with demographers calculating that in many areas the population was halved. The plague continued to affect communities for over a century, with age-specific outbreaks targeting children and young people while sparing older residents who were beyond childbearing age.
Following the dissolution of Nuneaton Priory, Marton’s rectory and advowson passed through various prominent families including the Knightley family of Offchurch and the Earls of Aylesford, before finally being vested with the Bishop of Coventry in 1929.
Post-Medieval and Georgian Period
After centuries of decline, Marton began to show signs of recovery in the post-medieval period. By the 19th century, census records show a population of 371 in 1801, declining to 311 in 1831, then recovering to 373 by 1851 and 410 by 1861. The village comprised 910 acres with much subdivided property, and the manor belonged to Sir T. Biddulph, Bart.
The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales from 1870 describes Marton as standing “at the confluence of the rivers Itchin and Leam, ¾ of a mile S of the Fosse way” with a railway station and post office. The village had a national school and charities worth £14 annually.
Railway Era and Modern Development
The Rugby to Leamington railway line brought significant change to Marton when it opened on March 1, 1851. Marton station, situated half a mile south of the village on the road to Long Itchington (now the A423), served both passenger and goods traffic. The London and North Western Railway attempted to expand the station’s catchment area by changing its name to “Marton for Southam” in 1853, reverting to just “Marton” in 1860, then back to “Marton for Southam” in 1877, before finally settling on “Marton” in 1895.
Between 1877 and 1895, the LNWR operated a horse bus service four times daily between Marton station and Southam village as part of their efforts to compete with Great Western Railway services. The line was doubled in the 1880s, with the Marton to Leamington section completed on January 28, 1884. However, passenger services ceased on June 15, 1959, and freight services ended in July 1961.
Contemporary Marton
Modern Marton is a village of approximately 400-450 residents living in about 200 dwellings. The 2021 census recorded a population of 445, representing a slight decline from 484 in both 2001 and 2011. The village sits astride the A423, the old coaching route between Coventry and Banbury, positioned seven miles equidistant from Rugby, Coventry, and Leamington Spa.
The village has maintained its historical character while adapting to modern needs. The Marton Museum of Country Bygones, established by George Tims in 1964, preserves the area’s rural heritage in a purpose-built facility housing over 3,000 items. The museum moved to its current location in Louise Ward Close in 1982 and continues to operate under a trust with local volunteers.
St Esprit Church remains at the heart of village life, having been substantially rebuilt in the 1890s by architect George Punshon of Leamington Spa in Gothic Revival style. The Grade II* listed building incorporates elements of the original medieval church, including the 13th century south arcade and parts of the 14th and 15th century tower.
The Marton Local History Group, established in 2009, continues to research and document the village’s rich past, meeting monthly in the village hall and contributing to ongoing historical understanding. Their work builds upon George Tims’ foundational research, particularly his 1985 publication “The Annals of an Ancient Parish,” which remains one of the few comprehensive studies of Marton’s history.
Despite periodic flooding due to its proximity to the Rivers Leam and Itchen, Marton has maintained its rural character while adapting to contemporary pressures. The village continues to balance preservation of its historic identity with the practical needs of a modern community, ensuring that its remarkable journey from Saxon administrative center to contemporary Warwickshire village remains visible for future generations to appreciate and understand.
