20 THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT NORTHAMPTON
1. The Northampton Mercury Newspaper is the 10th oldest newspaper still in publication in the World. It was first published in 1720.
2. The Beatles appeared twice at the Deco Theatre in 1963.
3. Northampton had a horse-drawn tramway, which ran from 1881 to 1934. There are still 2 original tram shelters left – one at the Racecourse and the other in Kingsthorpe, opposite the Cock Hotel.
4. Northampton Castle was built in the 11th Century and Bridge Street, The Drapery, Bearward Street and Scarletwell Street were the original defence line of the walls protecting it.
5. Thomas Becket once escaped from Northampton Castle.
6. Northampton once had a large Jewish population in the 13th Century, centered in Gold Street, but were driven out of town when 300 Jews were executed, allegedly for ‘clipping the King’s coin’.
7. Northampton Castle was once the country’s most important Castles and Parliament sat here many times. The only remains of Northampton Castle today is a rebuilt postern gate in a wall outside the Railway station.
8. The Royal and Derngate was renovated in 2006 at a cost of £15 million.
9. Northampton is the 21st largest settlement in England.
10. There are 189,000 people living in the town and another 11,000 people living in the surrounding villages.
11. Northampton is the 3rd largest town in England without official city status, after Reading and Dudley.
12. All the houses in Abington were built to accommodate the ‘clickers’ – a name given to the workers at the Shoe Factories.
13. The Guildhall was designed by Edward William Godwin, who was only 28 at the time and constructed between 1861 and 1864. It was originally a neo-gothic design, but has been extended twice – once in 1889 – 1892 by Matthew Holding and in 1992, which was less sympathetic to the original build that Mr Holdings!
14. Joan Hickson, who became famous as the character Miss Marple, was born in Kingsthorpe.
15. The series Keeping Up Appearances used Northampton town for filming some sets between 1990 and 1995.
16. Matt Smith, the youngest Dr Who ever, went to Northampton School for Boys.
17. The population of Northampton is expected to increase to 300,000 by 2018.
18. The Eleanor Cross at Hardingstone commemorates Queen Eleanor’s body being rested in Northampton before being transferred to London after her death in 1290. She was the first Queen Consort to King Edward I of England.
19. Daniel Defoe, the author of Robinson Crusoe described Northampton as ‘the most handsomest town in all this part of England’.
20. The M1 junction to Northampton was opened in 1959, oh, and another……..
Northampton has SOUL!!