British Place Names

Northampton, Northamptonshire

Location Map

Northampton is a town in Northamptonshire

Other current and historical names

Location and coordinates are for the approximate centre of Northampton within this administrative area. Geographic features and populated places may cross administrative borders.

Northampton in historic gazetteers

Gazetteer of the British Isles (Edinburgh: Bartholomew, 1887). John Bartholomew

Northampton, parl. and mun. bor., and capital of Northamptonshire, on river Nen, 21 miles NW. of Bedford and 67' miles NW. of London by rail - mun. bor., 1342 ac., pop. 51,881; parl. bor., 2406 ac., pop. 57,544; 3 Banks, 7 newspapers. Market-days, Wednesday and Saturday. During Saxon times the appellation of the place was Hamtune, Northafendon, &c., while in the Domesday Book it appears as Northaneton. The distinguishing prefix "North" was adopted to prevent confusion with other places having similar names - e.g., Southampton. The town has a high degree of historical interest. In 921 it was a possession of the Danes, by whom it was burnt in 1010. After the Conquest it was a royal residence; and, beginning with 1179, was the meeting place of several parliaments, one of which ratified the "Treaty of Northampton," which acknowledged the independence of Scotland (1328). Henry VI. was defeated and taken prisoner here in the sanguinary battle of the 10th July 1460. The old castle and walls, dating from the llth century, were demolished in 1662. Objects of considerable interest to antiquarians are the Knights Templars' church, one of the four round churches in England, and a beautiful Eleanor cross. All Saints Church was rebuilt (1680) by Wren, after being burnt in the great fire which nearly destroyed the town in 1675. The staple trade of Northampton is the mfr. of boots and shoes, an industry which has made extraordinary progress during recent years, and now shows an enormous output of work. Leather mfr. is largely carried on; also brewing, malting, iron and brass founding, and paper making. The town has a canal from the Nen, uniting with the Grand Junction system. The bor. returns 2 members to Parl.

Northampton in the Domesday Book

A village in Spelhoe hundred, in the county of Northamptonshire.

36 manors recorded in Domesday.

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