Editing Princethorpe (section)

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox UK place  
|country =                England
|official_name=           Princethorpe
|coordinates = {{coord|52.333501|-1.411314|display=inline,title}}
|civil_parish =           Princethorpe
| population = 429
| population_ref = (2021)
 |shire_district=          [[Rugby (borough)|Rugby]]
|shire_county=            [[Warwickshire]]
|region=                  West Midlands      
|constituency_westminster= [[Kenilworth and Southam (UK Parliament constituency)|Kenilworth and Southam]]     
|post_town=                RUGBY
|postcode_district =       CV23 
|postcode_area=            CV
|dial_code=                01926
|os_grid_reference=        SP4068
|static_image_name=  Princethorpe-Hightown - geograph.org.uk - 2118648.jpg
|static_image_width= 
|static_image_caption= Buildings in Princethorpe
}}
'''Princethorpe''' is a village and [[civil parish]] in the [[Rugby district]] of [[Warwickshire]], [[England]]. In the [[United Kingdom 2011 Census|2011 census]] the parish had a population 376, increasing to 429 at the [[United Kingdom 2021 Census|2021 census]].<ref name="CitPop">{{cite web |title=PRINCETHORPE Parish in West Midlands |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/uk/westmidlands/admin/rugby/E04009686__princethorpe/ |publisher=City Population |access-date=11 December 2022}}</ref>

Princethorpe is located roughly halfway between the towns of [[Rugby, Warwickshire|Rugby]] {{convert|6.5|mi}} to the north-east, and [[Leamington Spa]] {{convert|6|mi}} to the south-west. It is at the centre of a busy junction between the [[A423 road|A423]] ([[Coventry]] to [[Banbury]]), B4453 (Rugby to Leamington) and B4455 ([[Fosse Way]]) roads. The village contains a [[pub]] called the Three Horseshoes, which has been in business continuously since at least 1816.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Three Horseshoes at Princethorpe |url=https://www.ourwarwickshire.org.uk/content/article/now-three-horseshoes-princethorpe |publisher=Our Warwickshire |access-date=11 December 2022}}</ref> Situated on Leamington Road in the village is Our Lady's Primary School. It is a primary school with around 100 children between the ages of 4 and 11.

Just outside the village is [[Princethorpe College]], a [[Roman Catholic]] school. The school incorporates the buildings of the former St. Mary's Priory, which was founded by French [[Benedictine]] nuns from [[Montargis]] who sought [[Political asylum|asylum]] from the [[French Revolution]] in 1792. After several moves, they settled in Princethorpe in 1832, and established a priory and school. In 1966 it was purchased by the [[Missionaries of the Sacred Heart]] who established it into its present form.<ref>{{cite web |title=Princethorpe College: Origins |url=https://www.ourwarwickshire.org.uk/content/article/princethorpe-college-origins |publisher=Our Warwickshire |access-date=11 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Princethorpe College: The Priory |url=https://www.ourwarwickshire.org.uk/content/article/princethorpe-college-priory |publisher=Our Warwickshire |access-date=11 December 2022}}</ref><ref name="warvbook"/>

The village has a history extending to at least the [[Roman Britain|Roman period]], related to the fact that the [[Fosse Way]], an old [[Roman road]] ran through it. Two Roman settlements existed just south of the current village.<ref>{{cite web |title=Site of Roman settlement 200m s of Princethorpe |url=https://www.ourwarwickshire.org.uk/content/catalogue_her/site-of-roman-settlement-200m-s-of-princethorpe|publisher=Our Warwickshire |access-date=11 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Site of Roman settlement 400m s of Priory Farm, Princethorpe. |url=https://www.ourwarwickshire.org.uk/content/catalogue_her/site-of-roman-settlement-400m-s-of-priory-farm-princethorpe |publisher=Our Warwickshire |access-date=11 December 2022}}</ref> In the 1950s, a number of [[Roman coins]] were found in Princethorpe.<ref name="warvbook"/>

Its name likely derived from an [[Anglo-Saxon]] farmer called ''Pren''.<ref name="warvbook">{{cite book|title=The Warwickshire Village Book|date=2000|publisher=Countryside Books|isbn=1-85306-652-4|pages=150–152}}</ref> It was first mentioned in 1275–6.<ref name="BHOL">{{cite web |title=Parishes: Stretton-upon-Dunsmore and Princethorpe |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/warks/vol6/pp241-245 |publisher=British History Online |access-date=11 December 2022}}</ref> In the reign of [[Henry VI of England|Henry VI]] it came into the possession of the Hugford family of Emscote and stayed in that family until the reign of [[Henry VII of England|Henry VII]] when John Hugford sold it to [[William Compton (courtier)|Sir William Compton]]. Princethorpe was originally in the [[parish]] of [[Wolston]] but was made, for convenience, a separate parish with [[Stretton-on-Dunsmore|Stretton]] by an [[Act of Parliament]] in 1694 the reign of [[William III of England|William III]]. Princethorpe is today still part of the [[Parish (Church of England)|ecclesiastical parish]] of [[Stretton-on-Dunsmore]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Stretton-on-Dunsmore Warwickshire Family History Guide |url=https://www.parishmouse.co.uk/warwickshire/stretton-on-dunsmore-warwickshire-family-history-guide/ |publisher=Parishmouse Warwickshire |access-date=13 December 2022}}</ref> but became a separate [[civil parish]] in 1866.<ref>{{cite web |title=Princethorpe Tn/CP - Relationships and changes |url=https://www.visionofbritain.org/unit/10318488 |publisher=Vision of Britain |access-date=13 December 2022}}</ref>
<gallery>
File:Princethorpe College, Princethorpe, Warwickshire-geograph-3501703-by-Ian-Rob.jpg|[[Princethorpe College]]
File:The Three Horseshoes, Princethorpe - geograph.org.uk - 3742298.jpg|The Three Horseshoes, Princethorpe
</gallery>