Sulgrave is a village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire, England, about north of Brackley. The village is just south of a stream that rises in the parish and flows east to join the River Tove, a tributary of the Great Ouse.
The village's name means 'grove in a gully' or perhaps, 'pit/trench in a gully'. Alternatively, the specific may be a personal name, 'Sula'.
Prehistory
Just over north of the village is Barrow Hill, a bowl barrow beside Banbury Lane between Culworth and Weston. The barrow is oval, about long, wide and up to high. The barrow is largely intact, although it has been partly disturbed by badgers.
Evidence was found suggesting that the first construction on the site was a timber-framed hall about long and a detached stone and timber building, probably built in the late 10th century. Sulgrave was within the adjoining hundred of Warden.
After the Norman Conquest Sulgrave was one of the manors granted to Ghilo or Gilo, brother of Ansculf de Picquigny. The Domesday Book of 1086 records that three tenants; Hugh, Landric and Othbert; held Sulgrave of him. On both occasions the manor was assessed at four hides.
The Washington family
thumb|Sulgrave Manor in 1910, before the west wing was reinstated
In 1539 or 1540 the Crown sold three manors, including Sulgrave, to Lawrence Washington, a wool merchant who in 1532 had been Mayor of Northampton. Washington's descendants retained the manor until 1659, when one of them sold it.
The house has a projecting two-storey southwest porch, over the doorway of which are set in plaster the royal arms of England and initials "ER" for Elizabeth Regina commemorating Elizabeth I, who acceded to the English throne in 1558. and is administered by the Sulgrave Manor Trust (formerly Sulgrave Manor Board). The Cluniac St Andrew's Priory, Northampton held the advowson from the 13th century until 1538, when the priory was suppressed.
Baptist and Methodist
In the 19th century a Baptist chapel was built in Little Street and a Methodist one was built in Manor Road. They were used for worship until about 1970. The school building, at the corner of Magpie Road and Stockwell Lane, is a stone building which according to its date stone was completed in 1720. In 1788 the miller was a John Brockliss, who ordered machinery from Boulton and Watt.
Railways
In 1872 the Northampton and Banbury Junction Railway was opened between and . It passed roughly east–west through Greatworth parish about south of Sulgrave, and its nearest station was at Helmdon about away. In 1910 it became part of the Stratford-upon-Avon and Midland Junction Railway (SMJR).
In the 1899 the Great Central Main Line to was built through the east of Sulgrave parish, passing about east of the manor house. The Great Central Railway opened its own station, causing confusion with the SMJR's existing Helmdon station. The London and North Eastern Railway succeeded the GC in 1923 and renamed the main line station "Helmdon for Sulgrave" in 1928.
British Railways closed the SMJR station and line in 1951, the GC main line station 1963 and the GC main line in 1966.
Amenities
thumb|The Star Inn
The Star Inn was built in the 18th century and is now a public house.
Sulgrave Village Shop Association Limited (SVS) is an industrial and provident society, owned by the residents of Sulgrave, to run a shop and post office. Under its constitution, profits are not for distribution to its members but must be reinvested in the enterprise to continue and develop its services to the community.