Local Walks
The Star Inn can be reached from the surrounding towns and villages by some simple walks. Please see the attached maps and directions, or buy OS Landranger 224 and explore yourself. Click on the maps below to enlarge.
Newton - 1 mile
A short walk past the old church and through the site of medieval Newton. Over the Ise and then across the water meadows into Geddington.
Stanion - 3 Miles
Past the pocket park and the stride out through the woods and across the fields to woodland. Through the tranquillity of the chase and through St Mary Magdalen’s church yard.
Little Stanion - 4 Miles
Walk up along the old Roman road, across the fields and over the new bypass by the safety of a footbridge. Down into historic Newton in the Willows and stop for a cuppa (or more), perhaps pick some fruit at Dovecote farm. Then on to the Star if you still have the appetite!
Brigstock - 4 Miles
Start your walk at the Green Dragon and then pass the Church on the southern side. Follow the lane to the right before heading into the fields and striking out to Geddington.
History
Medieval Geddington
Geddington village (Gaintington) has a long history and was blessed with the patronage of the early kings of England. The popularity of the area would have been due to the richness of the local hunting grounds (the Chase as it is today) and also the local iron workings that would have been powerful at this time. In 1088 Henry the second held a great council at the royal Palace in Geddington and from here launched proposals to join the 3rd Crusade to the holy land. The Kings of England continued to spend time in Geddington in the following years, the village being a suitable staging post for frequent trips to the Northern territories that took much management at the time. Most notably King Edward the second loved the village and was a frequent visitor. After the death of his beloved queen Eleanor the funeral cortege paused at 12 destinations on the way to London. Geddington now has probably the best preserved cross that was erected in commemoration of this untimely death.
Please visit the Geddington website for more information (www.geddington.net/history), or alternatively pop in and we can share all that we know and show you some of the ancient records that have been published.
The Star and Modern History
There have been many pubs in the village through history with many gone; a notable loss being the Royal George on West Street which was demolished in the 1960s. The Star is recorded as being the ‘Black Swan’ in the past, but the earliest reference we have found to the Star is in 1793. The Inn was at the heart of the village and was used for local assemblies, councils and also property sales as well as food and refreshment.
During the war the Star was an important staging post too. In 1941 the airfield at Grafton Underwood (1.5 miles from Geddington) was opened and from 1942 the US military contributed to the war effort from the base. Geddington was one of the nearest pubs for the airmen and there are testimonies to their trips to the Royal George and the Star from that time that are touching to read that; some are on display in the pub.
Most recently Grafton Underwood was the fabled home of Mark Darcy in the Bridgette Jones Novels and Films, although there is no evidence that Mark ever drank at the Star, common sense says he must have!
