Northampton, the heart of the county of the same name, the city is not so big: it has about a couple of hundred inhabitants.Compared to neighboring Birmingham, it is quite quiet, low-profile and even boring.However, the inquisitive traveler will have plenty to do and learn both in the county as a whole and in the city.It is enough to mention at least the fact that the first settlements of Northamptonshire appeared almost 300 thousand years ago. years ago, as evidenced by numerous archaeological finds.Early Paleolithic axes and arrowheads can be seen at the Northampton Museum.
A LITTLE HISTORY
The settlement on the site of Hansberry Manor was founded around 400 BC. Later, the Celtic tribes were forced to retreat under the onslaught of the Romans: the invaders founded large cities in the county, including Irchester, the road to which went directly through present-day Northampton. More precisely - right along the current street Gold Street, which got its name because of the many rich Jewish moneylenders who lived there. After the Romans in the 7th century, Northampton was already the center of the kingdom of Mercia; at that time, the oldest church in the Kingdom was erected here (664 m) and a huge wooden mansion (about 750 m), the ruins of which can be seen near the church of St. Peter.
In 1765, the Great Fire raged in Northampton, which destroyed the city almost completely.Many architectural and historical objects were irretrievably lost.But there is no disaster without good: to recover from the fire, according to the royal decree, the residents of Northampton paid taxes at a rate reduced by half for the next 7 years, which caused a surge in production and allowed the city to become the world flagship of those times in the manufacture of shoes.In the Northampton Shoe Museum, established in 1884 and reopened after restoration in 2012, you can view an exhibition of 12,000 shoes. Shoe pairs of dukes and duchesses, celebrities and mere mortals.
HOW TO GET
An hour's drive from Birmingham or London or by regular trains connecting these two cities (every half hour, in London they depart from Euston Station).There are also trains to London via Northampton from Wolverhampton, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
ENTERTAINMENT AND SIGHTS
There are quite a few interesting buildings in Northampton, both restored after the fire and more recent ones.First of all, it is a significant Victorian Guildhall of the 1860s.buildingsAlso interesting are the medieval church of All Saints in the center of the city, the church of St. George in Wootton (13th century), the Roman Catholic church of St. John (15th century).
The majestic ancient Church of the Holy Sepulcher on Church Lane was built in 1100 by order of the first local landlord - the Count de Sanlis. Returning in 1096 from the First Crusade, the count wished to see in his possessions something similar to the Jerusalem temple of the same name, which was fulfilled: the Northampton church copies the original very precisely, except for decorative elements and dimensions (it is several times smaller). Several notables were buried in the church, the most famous of which is Roland, also known as Lochland Galloway. Inside the church, there is a statue of St. George, a collection of old flags and a small exhibition dedicated to the history of the city, and on one of the stained glass windows you can see the image of the Comte de Sanlis himself. Sometimes concerts are held in the church.
You can see the church from the inside only on Wednesdays or Saturdays, at certain hours.
Another interesting sight of Northampton is Delapre Abbey, founded by the son of de Sanlis in 1145. It belonged to one of the two oldest English nunneries and was seriously rebuilt in the period from the 16th to the 19th century.Nowadays, the abbey is in a bad state and can only be seen from the outside, from the pretty landscaped park, where modern sculptures are installed and a small cafe is open on nice days.
Abington Manor, built in the 14th century and surrounded by a wonderful park, is also worth a visit. In the manor there is a museum with a Shakespeare exhibition (the granddaughter of the playwright was the wife of one of the Abington landowners), an exhibition of leather cases, beautiful antique furniture up to the Elizabethan era, exhibitions of the country's military history and a collection of household items and children's toys. Another interesting historical object is the cross, one of twelve erected at the end of the 13th century by Edward I on the path of the funeral procession of his wife, Queen Eleanor, from Harby to Westminster Abbey. It is also interesting to look at the external analogue of London's Big Ben, a clock tower (actually a water tower) of the 19th century building.
Princess Diana's memorial, located in Althorp, is open to the public, but her grave on the island can only be seen from afar.A memorial plaque in honor of the princess also adorns the city's Guildhall.
An interesting modern construction in Northampton is the Express Lift tower, the only one in the whole Kingdom and one of two in Europe.The tower with a height of almost 130 m is intended for testing elevators.And the newest attraction is the "Nord Gate" bus station, opened in 2014
The building at 78 Derngate, redesigned by the world-renowned designer and architect Charles Mackintosh, an icon of Art Nouveau, houses a contemporary art gallery and a boutique restaurant.Another contemporary art gallery, NN, has been located on Guildhall Road since 2012, with not only exhibition spaces, but also art workshops and workshops.Among the more relaxed entertainment that the city offers to tourists, it is worth noting the annual Delapre beer festival.And at the Aquadrome, a quarter of an hour's drive from the city, a lot of water entertainment awaits adults and children, and not only that.
