Origin: Ford of the thanes

Domesday: Roger holds of Robertd’Oilly 1 hide. There is land for 3 ½ ploughs. In demesne is 1 plough, and 2 slaves; and 7 villans have 2 ½ ploughs. There is a mill rendering 30d. It was worth 10s; now 30s.

Approaching the village from Marston St Lawrence I was struck by a beautifully laid hedge which makes a welcome change from the more usual “cut and slash” school of hedge management. On the opposite side of the road, but barely visible behind the trees, is a very large house (Thenford House). The village is tiny, ancient and entirely stone. It is also the nearest I have ever experienced to a deserted village. I walked the entire length of the village and saw nor heard any people.

I searched for evidence of a mill (my Buswell ancestors were millers there in the late 1600s) but found nothing by way of a building.

If anyone knows where the Thenford mill was, or have any information on the Buswell family please contact me on

For a description of the village in the late 1800s a Whelans Directory of 1874 is attached.