Tickencote lies an the southern slope of a hill leading down to the River Gwash beneath the course of the old Ermine Street which became The Great North Road and now the dual carriageway AI.

The name derives from the Saxon Ticcen and Cote, meaning the place where goats were herded in the surrounding forest. The village has been variously recorded as Tichencote (in the 10th century), Tikencote (12th century), Tykencot (13th century), Tykingkote (14th century), Totyncote and Tetyncote (15th century) and Thekencote (16th century).

The earliest evidence of settlements is probably from the Mesolithic period around 7, 000 years ago in the Gwash Valley to the south west of Tlckencote. Roman pot was excavated near an Anglo-saxon settlement a few yards to the south west of Tickencote Hall in 1990. The existence of a spring line between the limestone (lnferior oolite, and, by the river Great oolite) and the underlying liassic clay running along the valley side into Tickencote appears to have been an important factor in the location of these early settlements. Several springs still flow from the hill into the river near Mill Cottage.

From the AI the road descends through an avenue of Horse Chestnut trees on the left and a mixture of beeches, oaks, cherries, hazels, hawthorn, young elms and other deciduous trees on the right, to the Church of Saint Peter.

The houses which are of stone include the former rectory, (opposite the church) and a number of cottages which housed families employed in the hall.