Duddington – Page 3 – SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR)

Rutland: Visiting Rockingham Castle! (29.7.2025)

30/07/2025 Adrian (釋大道)

Despite visiting Duddington (in Northants) regularly since 2009, we had never seen any signs for “Rockingham” – and wondered where this place was. Furthermore, whereas King Henry VIII used to frequent “Nonsuch” (in Sutton and Cheam – where we live) – I am told that King John (1166-1216) of Magna Carta fame, used to spend his leisure time staying at Rockingham Castle – which is near Rockingham village. He used to hunt in the local woods. Apparently, Henry VIII granted the castle (the Norman version of which is currently over 950-years old) to the Watson family (it was leased to Edward Watson in 1544). Prior to this, the general area the castle is now constructed upon possessed a Roman (a coin production industry) – and then a Saxon (Lord Bovi) – presence. The locale of Rockingham (probably the nearby village) is mentioned in the 1066 Doomsday Book – with the castle proper being built between 1066-1071.

Northants: Ancient Duddington – Tixover Bridge! (27.7.2025)

27/07/2025 Adrian (釋大道)

As soon as we entered the graveyard – everyone started shouting-out the name “Wyles”! I was astonished as I had become so used to having a name that hardly anyone had heard of. It turns-out that names in the UK – just like anywhere in the world – developed in local areas and spread-out as populations moved about. It turned-out that Duddington has been cut-off from mainstream society for years – with my direct relatives not leaving until around 1905. Even today – the world has passed Duddington by. None of the broader changes of society have touched Duddington at all. The local population today are wealthy and conservative with a “C” and “c”. Although I do not share these views myself – I have to admit that these attitudes have preserved my family history until I became aware of it – and have been able to gather all the data together for anyone interested to benefit freely from it. Today, myself and Gee headed to Duddington around 6aam in the morning to get some early research in. We are staying in the Duddington area to carry-out some much needed genealogical investigations and we are making important headways already!

The Lord Burghley – William Cecil (1520-1597) – Closet Revolutionary! (30.4.2024)

30/04/2024 Adrian (釋大道)

To remedy this situation, during March 1563, William Cecil drafted a “Bill for the Succession” designed for Parliament to debate and pass (as an “Act”) providing it received Royal Assent. Cecil suggested that if Elizabeth I died suddenly with no direct (or suitable) heirs, the Crown (and all its powers) should be temporally transferred to the Privy Council (effectively making England a “Republic”). Whilst this was happening, the English Parliament was to sit, discuss and then “vote” for the most suitable candidate to ascend to the throne – thus creating an “Elected Monarchy”! If this idea had been successful – virtually everything earned during the English Civil Wars of the 1640s would have been peacefully achieved around 80-years earlier! As matters transpired, Elizabeth I quashed the Bill by refusing to allow it to be discussed – or move to the voting and assenting stages.

Northants: King’s Cliffe Home Guard! (5.11.2023)

05/11/2023 Adrian (釋大道)

Even during the Churchill-generated hysteria of the 1950s – which saw the UK reactivate the ‘Civil Defence’ concept as part of the US anti-intellectual ‘Cold War’ propaganda – the Home Guard was never reconstructed. Churchill refused to trust a ‘Socialist’ entity that empowered the workers to put up a fight against the Soviet Union – a former ally of the UK! Much of this ‘Socialist’ history of the Home Guard is hidden behind a thin veneer of military officialdom, with such and such a ‘Battalion’, this ‘Company’, or that ‘Platoon’! The point is that Britain needed the working-class at its best during WWII and the Home Guard became a highly effective vehicle to realise this objective.

WWII: Did Duddington Possess a Home Guard Platoon? (19.10.2023)

19/10/2023 Adrian (釋大道)

I keep a website dedicated to my paternal (‘Wyles’) family name – centred on the Northants village of Duddington – where my family lived for at least the last 500 years (and perhaps longer). Although my last direct relative left around 1906 – and that I live in South Greater London – we have visited Duddington around ten-times for research field trips since March 14th, 2009, and have amassed a large dossier of historical data! This can all be accessed at the above link. I am still researching whether Duddington possessed a Home Guard Platoon during WWII – and as of yet – this puzzle has NOT been solved!

Genealogy: ‘DARIИGOLD’ – Provenance of a First-Name! (22.9.2023)

22/09/2023 Adrian (釋大道)

I hope this lady lived a long and happy life free from pain – as out of her genetics I have come into being -and so have my children! Over the years I have broached the subject of her ‘first’ or ‘Christian’ name – ‘Daringold’ – with a number of academic experts who state that they have never encountered this name before and that it must be the consequence of a ‘copying’ mistake or ‘hearing’ error! This certainly happens as in the past (particularly the 17th century CE) the English languish was not yet ‘Standardised’ and illiteracy abounded! Scribes (or ‘Scriveners’) were highly skilled – but these educated individuals often spelt the same word in different ways – even when this word appeared on the same page (Shakespeare was famous for ding this in his original texts)!

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