Northampton

This article is about Northampton in England; for other places of the same name see Northampton (disambiguation)

History

Early 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.

Related Topics:
Roman - 7th century - Mercia

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The pre-Norman town was known as Hamtun and was quite small, occupying only some 60 acres.

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Medieval Northampton

The town became significant in the 11th century, when the Normans built town walls and a large castle. The original defence line of the walls is preserved in today's street pattern (Bridge St, The Drapery, Bearward St & Scarletwell Lane).

Related Topics:
11th century - Normans

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The town grew rapidly after the Normans arrived, and beyond the early defences. By the time of the Domesday Book, the town had a population of about 1500 residents, living in 300 houses.

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Northampton had one of the largest Jewish populations in 13th century England, centred around Gold Street. In 1277 300 Jews were executed, allegedly for clipping the King's coin, and the Jews of Northampton were driven out of the town.

Related Topics:
Jew - 13th century - 1277

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The town was originally controlled by officials acting for the King; these officials collected the taxes and upheld the law.

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In 1189 King Richard I gave the town its first charter and in 1215 King John authorised the appointment of William Tilly as the town's first Mayor. He also ordered that, "...twelve of the better and more discreet" residents of the town join him as a council to assist him.

Related Topics:
1189 - King Richard I - 1215 - King John

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

Related Topics:
1460 - Battle of Northampton - Wars of the Roses - Henry VI - Yorkists

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Civil War to 1900

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 used to be called "Northampton Castle Station".

Related Topics:
Parliamentarian - English Civil War - Charles II - Railway station

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The town was destroyed by fire in both 1516 and 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.

Related Topics:
1516 - 1675 - 18th century - Footwear - Leather - Napoleonic Wars

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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 off the major West Coast Main Line was built into Northampton in the 1870s.

Related Topics:
19th century - Grand Union Canal - 1815 - Railway - 1830s - West Coast Main Line - 1870s

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Over the coming centuries the town continued to grow rapidly; after 1850 the town spilled out beyond the old town walls and began the growth we see today. in 1800 the population was round 7,000 and this had grown to 87,000 a century later.

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1900 - Today

Growth after 1900 was slower. The town's famous shoe industry ceased to grow and other industries arrived slowly.

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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.

Related Topics:
Charles Bradlaugh - MP

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Between the wars pressure on housing lead to new council built housing estates being erected. The Borough boundary, first extended in 1900, was expanded again in 1932. Although Northampton was never designated a New Town, in 1968 the Northampton Development Corporation (NDC) was set up to almost double the size of the town. At this time the town also became linked to the M1 motorway. By the time NDC was wound up 20 years later another 40,000 residents and 20,000 houses had been added.

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At the millennium, Northampton applied unsuccesfully to be granted city status as a part of the "millennium cities" scheme. This distinction for the Midlands area was instead granted to Wolverhampton.

Related Topics:
City status - Wolverhampton

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Population growth of the town

• 1801 - 7,000
• 1861 - 33,000
• 1961 - 100,000
• 2001 - 194,477