Northampton travel guide — Northampton tourism and travel information

Northampton travel guide

about Northampton

Northampton is a large market town and a local government district in central England upon the River Nene, and the county town of Northamptonshire. In 2002 it had a population of 194,122.

Traditionally Northampton has been a major centre of shoemaking and other leather related industries. Although shoemaking is still important, it has been overtaken as the main industry by engineering (bearings, vehicle components), distribution and finance.

Northampton the most populous district in England not to be a unitary authority. It is also one of the most populous urban districts not to be a London Borough, metropolitan borough or city; on this basis the council claims that it is the largest town in England. Bolton, Medway and Milton Keynes could also claim this title, but these are often not seen as single towns.

Northampton history

Remains have been found in the Northampton area dating back to Roman times. It is believed that farming settlement began in the Northampton area in around the 7th century. By the 8th century it had became an administrative centre for the kingdom of Mercia.

The town became significant in the 11th century, when the Normans built town walls and a large castle in Northampton.

In 1460, the Battle of Northampton took place - a descisive battle of the Wars of the Roses, and King Henry VI was captured in the town by Yorkists.

Northampton supported the parliamentarians during the English Civil War. For this reason the town walls and castle were later torn down on the orders of King Charles II as punishment. The railway station in Northampton stands on the site of the former castle, and for this reason is known as "Northampton Castle Station".

The town was destroyed by fire in 1675, and was re-built as a spacious and well-planned town. In the 18th century Northampton became a major centre of footwear and leather manufacture. The prosperity of the town was greatly aided by demand for footwear caused by the Napoleonic Wars of the late 18th and early 19th centuries..

Northampton's growth was accelerated in the 19th century first by the Grand Union Canal which reached the town in 1815 and later the coming of the Railways in the 1830s. A loop of the major West Coast Main Line was built into Northampton in the 1870s.

In the 19th century Northampton acquired a reputation for political radicalism when the radical non-conformist Charles Bradlaugh was elected on several occasions as the town's MP.

In the 1960s the town was designated a new town and the population grew rapidly due to new housing developments. The town also became linked to the M1 motorway.

Near cities to Northampton

• Ely travel guide 47 km
• Rutland travel guide 47 km
• Norwich travel guide 52 km
• Cambridge travel guide 52 km
• Peterborough travel guide 59 km
• Chelmsford travel guide 63 km
• London travel guide 96 km
• City of London travel guide 96 km
• Westminster travel guide 96 km
• Luton travel guide 100 km

Near webcams to Northampton

• Norvich - market webcam 51 km
• Norwich webcam 52 km
• London West webcam 88 km
• London - Leicester Square webcam 94 km
• London - Oxford Circus webcam 97 km
• London webcam 97 km
• Soho - Café Latino webcam 97 km
• Trafalgar Square webcam 98 km
• Chelsea webcam 98 km
• London - The Thames webcam 98 km

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Northampton travel services

cheap flights to Northampton

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Northampton travel books

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