Northamptonshire
County of central England
Area:
2,370 sq km/915 sq mi
Towns and Cities:
Northampton (administrative headquarters), Kettering, Corby, Daventry,
Wellingborough
Physical:
Rivers Avon, Cherwell, Leam, Nene, Ouse, and Welland
Features:
Althorp Park, Spencer family home and burial place of Diana, Princess
of Wales; Canons Ashby, Tudor house, home of the Drydens for 400
years; churches with broached spires (an octagonal spire on a
square tower)
Industries:
Engineering; food processing; printing; shoemaking; Northampton is
the centre of the leather trade in England
Agriculture:
Cereals (wheat and barley); sugar beet; sheep rearing; cattle rearing,
especially in the Nene and Welland valleys, where there is rich
pasture
Population:
(1994) 594,800
Famous People:
Richard III, Robert Browne, John Dryden; the family of George Washington,
first president of the USA, originated at Sulgrave Manor
History:
The Battle of Naseby, the decisive battle of the English Civil War
in 1645, in which Oliver Cromwell defeated the Royalists, was
fought at Naseby 32 km/20 mi south of Leicester.
Resources
Ironstone is quarried in large quantities, especially near Kettering
and Wellingborough. Weldon stone (a type of building stone), limestone
and clay are also quarried. Iron ore was quarried at Corby from
1933, but the town's steel works closed in 1979.
Early History
At Draughton there is evidence of occupation in the early Iron Age.
Prehistoric and Roman remains have been found, and Watling Street
and Ermine Street both cross the county. Northamptonshire was
part of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia, and in the 11th century
was part of the earldom of Tostig. In 1215 the barons besieged
Northampton Castle, held by King John, and in 1264 the castle
was taken from Simon de Montfort, leader of the baronial opposition
to the king, by Henry III. Henry VI was defeated at Northampton
during the Wars of the Roses.
Historic Buildings
Northamptonshire has few monastic remains, but there are Norman churches.
There are market crosses at Brigstock, Helpston, Higham Ferrers,
and Irthlingborough, and at Hardingstone and Geddington are two
of the crosses built by Edward I in memory of his wife, Queen
Eleanor. The ruins of Fotheringhay Castle, where Mary Queen of
Scots was executed, are also in the county. Mansions include Althorp
Park, Burghley House, Rushton Hall, Rockingham Castle, Castle
Ashby, Dingley Hall, Deene Park, and the ruined Kirby Hall.
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