Northampton Overview
Northampton is a town with a very rich history with evidence of settlements dating back to the Bronze Age. The town had a lot of medieval churches and monasteries which were greatly affected in the Great Fire of Northampton, the town was rebuilt soon after and it became an industrialised area which helped speed up the development of the town. The Grand Union Canal was built alongside the arrival of railways in the 19th century which boosted business making it an industrial centre for footwear and leather manufacture. Northampton has a very diverse culture and arts scene which boasts a number of concert venues and theatres. It also has a wide range of galleries, museums, gardens and parks making it the perfect place to live with plenty to do meaning you will struggle to become bored whilst you are living at university. Delapare Abbey is a beautifully constructed building that opened in 1145, it is now a place that holds events where you will see inside the Abbey and learn about some of its history.
Things to do in Northampton
Ashby Gardens is an estate of the historic house of the 7th Marquees of Northampton, there is over 10,000 acres which feature fantastic gardens, wonderful tea room and a menagerie which has lots of small animals including meerkats. You do not have to pay to visit the tea room, but sometimes you will have to pay to walk in the gardens, Ashby Gardens is open 365 days a year meaning you can visit whenever you wish. There are several multiplex cinemas, with a more intimate forum cinema which shows art-house films from all over the world. With live music at Roadmender and several other places, you will struggle to find somewhere to have a drink and a dance with your friends.
78 Derngate is a house designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh which has now been opened as a visitor attraction. The attraction has a restaurant, gallery, shop and a space that can be hired out for events, meetings and functions. 78 Derngate is the only house in England that was designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, this makes it a very important piece of history and a fantastic place to learn about this famous Scottish Architect. If you enjoy shopping, then head to Grosvenor Centre which is a shopping centre in the heart of Northampton with an excellent selection of 59 stores. The centre is currently undergoing a £3 million refurbishment making it an even more attractive place to shop.
Sport in Northampton
Northampton Town are a professional football team that play at the Sixfields stadium which you can visit on match day alongside 7,798 other fans. The Northampton Saints are a premiership rugby team that were formed in 1880 and have won several pieces of silverware in their history making them a great team to go and watch. There are a few leisure centres to choose from with each of them boasting similar facilities. The White-Water rafting centre is a great place to visit if you enjoy adrenaline filled sports, you can choose from a selection of activities whilst at the centre.
Escape Northampton
Just a short 30-minute drive to the south you will come across Milton Keynes which boasts a huge shopping centre. You will also find an indoor ski slope made with artificial snow which makes for a fantastic day out for you and your friends. There are several different activities you can do at the ski slope including snowboarding, toboggan and lessons for the first timers. If you head north-west for roughly an hour and a half, you will come to Birmingham which is a very populous city with a lot to do.
Transport in Northampton
Northampton is very well connected to the motorway system, the M1 travels just past the town which will give you access to the north all the way to Edinburgh or south all the way to London. From the M1 you can also access the majority of the motorway network making it a great place to live if you are a frequent traveller. There are several bus and rail links that will connect you to parts of the UK and several London airports that are not too far from the town.
