Why not take us with you. You can access this site with a mobile device if it can browse the internet.
Just point your mobile browser at this site and it will automatically resize to fit your device!
Looking Back, Volume 2 is the second book spawned from the popular Chronicle and Echo feature. The paper published old photos and asked for readers to comment on the events and people pictured. In 2007 the first Looking Back book was published and was a local hit and I can see this second edition will follow suit. Click here to read a short review...
This book is certainly worth taking a look at next time you are in the bookshop. Younger Northamptonians should also keep this book in mind as a potential gift for older relatives who lived in the town. Another great local history book with a personal charm that others often fail to find.
Northampton Castle was a key factor in creating this website. Research has uncovered some excellent documentation on the castle and the Castle page is being updated during May.
This photo is of Dover Castle which shares a very similar history being of Norman construction over an earlier Saxon fortification. It is highly likely that Northampton Castle looked similar to this image and it is a sad situation that it is lost forever.
Northamptonshire was a favourite playground of Royalty and King John in particular visited the Castle no less than 30 times in his 17 year rule (1199 - 1216). Younger brother of King Richard I he is most well known as being the enemy of the fictional Robin Hood. He was imprisoned here just before he signed the Magna Carta.
The yew tree is often found in churchyards across England and can predate the churches they accompany. These ancient trees can signify a sacred site much earlier than the church becoming exceptionally large (over 9ft or 3 metres diameter) and likely to be over 2,000 years old.
Is there a Yew in your local Northamptonshire churchyard? Leave us a comment or email editor@northamptonshire-history.org.uk with your pictures.
You can read more about this symbol of both elongated life and of death (due to it's poisonous nature) on Wikipedia here.
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It is a little known fact that October the 25th is St Crispin's day and that he is the patron saint of Shoemaking. Traditionally shoe sellers would close for the celebration of their Saints day.
Find out more - visit our brief history of Shoemaking in Northampton. |
| Delapre Abbey may be saved from it's slow decay by new plans to consider it and the surrounding parklands a conservation area. This could see money being injected into this important historical building. For the full story so far see the following links |
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In the future this site intends to look at both World Wars but until then we are looking for links to useful websites. Please comment on this story if you have any suggestions.
Ideally we would like your stories or the stories of people you know. The BBC have a collection of Northamptonshire War Stories so we invite you take a look at some interesting accounts of life during World War II in Northamptonshire.
Read about local World War I hero Edgar Mobbs.
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In 1907 a Doctor Edward Scott who worked at the British Museum came across documentation from Whittlebury Parish from around 1285. Based on these documents he pursued a theory that Boudica (aka Boudicca, Boadicea) was buried somewhere in the parish. Read more in the Whittlebury village page. |
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What was life like in Northamptonshire before the Romans invaded in 43 AD? Click here discover Northamptonshire pre 43 AD where the earliest remnants of county life can be found.
This was a time when early hill forts were built and early pots and tools were made by locals. Towards the end of this era the powerful Catuvellauni were among the tribes that stood up to the early probing excursions of the great Julius Caesar.
