KILSBY VILLAGE

There is evidence to show that during the 1580s and 1590s the villagers of Kilsby organised themselves into a close-knit Puritan community, their lives strictly regulated under the watchful eyes of six "elders" who assisted the priest in ensuring that the community followed the severe principles of puritanism.

Puritans were a very sober and solemn sect. Amongst the many things that they disapproved of were singing and dancing, the wearing of colourful clothing, plays and theatres, ringing of church bells and (rather surprisingly) wearing of wedding rings.

There are persistent old wives' tales that Kilsby was a Puritan village and Barby was a Catholic village, but such tales have no foundation in fact. Although Kilsby was considerably more strict in its observance of Puritan principles, most of the neighbouring villages were also solidly Puritan at this time - there were certainly Puritan priests (they preferred to be called "ministers") in Barby and Crick and Braunston - though nearby Ashby St Ledgers was a stronghold of the old Roman Catholic religion, and retained some Catholic practices until the late 1500s even though the Catholic religion was severely persecuted during and after Elizabeth's reign.

The Puritans gradually acquired strength in politics during the 1600s, and following the Civil War of 1642-1645AD England eventually became a Puritan Protectorate under Oliver Cromwell. However, when Cromwell died in 1659 and it soon became clear that his son was unfit to succeed him, England turned back to a monarchy under Charles II - and the Puritans (who had defeated and beheaded Charles I) were rapidly outlawed; Puritans were ejected from all English churches and schools in 1662, and thenceforth they were forced to practice their independent faith in clandestine meeting-houses.