Our parish of Napton-on-the-Hill, referred to locally as just Napton, enjoys a picturesque setting, nestled within the rolling hills of the south Warwickshire countryside. Conveniently located within a ten-minute drive of the small market town of Southam, we have easy access to Rugby, Daventry, Banbury, Coventry and Leamington Spa and several motor ways.
With its hilltop setting the village offers impressive views over the surrounding pastoral landscape. The Church of St Lawrence is situated at the top of the hill and further along, Napton Windmill provides a prominent landmark which is visible for miles around. The Oxford Canal follows the contour of the hill on three sides before joining the Grand Union Canal at Napton Junction. Apart from the main village, the only significant settlement is Chapel Green, a hamlet of about 20 homes just south of the village. Together, and at the 2011 Census, our population was 1,144 with some 450 hundred homes.
Our village is surrounded by several working farms, predominantly livestock based, and is home to Napton Water Buffalo and Red Banger businesses, often spotted catering at national and local events. Numerous non-farming establishments are based locally including building firms, car repair and body work specialists, skip hire, hi tech engineering and a plant nursery.
The central village today is mostly residential and supported by a number of local amenities including:
- St Lawrence Church
- St Lawrence C of E Primary School
- Arc School Napton (a specialist primary school)
- Napton Village Stores (post office, shop and café)
- Kings Head (public house and restaurant)
- The Folly (public house and restaurant)
- Napton Victory Club (registered members club)
- Napton Sports Association and Pavilion
- Napton Village Hall
- Cross Roads Garage
- Napton Cidery
- Dog Lane Fishery and The Tea Shed (seasonal)
- Napton Fishing Pools
- Christadelphian Hall
- Napton Allotments
- Napton Village Stores does a bustling trade offering local produce including meat, vegetables, eggs, cheese, ice cream, honey and cider. A post office service and busy café with deli, fresh breads and bespoke catering is also available, as is their extensive gifts and cards range.
Napton Sports Association provides facilities for football, cricket, tennis and netball. There is an adjoining playground for young people that contains a skate park and shelter, outdoor gym equipment and a floodlit all-weather 5 a side pitch. For younger children there is Granton Playing Field, with a range of child friendly play equipment.
Napton’s long history as an active, vibrant neighbourhood is well known. We have a wide variety of clubs and societies, including Short Mat Bowls, Badminton, W.I., Brownies, Napton Art Group, Napton Pantomime Group, Napton Environmental Action Team, Napton Bell Ringers and a Baby and Toddler Group.
Napton Village Hall plays host to the perennially popular Napton Music Festival with live music being a theme throughout the year as we are also fortunate to have regular folk and band nights at the Folly Inn and Victory Club respectively.
Fundraising too plays an intrinsic part in the fabric of our village whether through individuals or groups like the school’s PTA. A sense of coming together as a community is tangible at events like Napton Cycle Ride (in its 40th year), the Village Bonfire & Firework Display and the annual Progressive Supper.
Our village is as attractive to visitors as it is to residents. We welcome many walkers, cyclists and passing guests from the local canal marinas. They too enjoy the ambience of our two thriving public houses and local cidery, the scope and convenience of the village stores and the tranquillity of the waterways and fisheries. Several camping and caravan sites complete the picture, being well used by those who wish to stay a little longer to enjoy the charms of our rural setting.