History of Northamptonshire facts for kids

The history of Northamptonshire tells the story of this English county through different time periods. It's a journey that goes way back, showing how people lived and what big events happened here.

Ancient Times

Northamptonshire wasn't a very busy place for early humans. Not many tools or signs of people from the Palaeolithic (Old Stone Age), Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age), or Neolithic (New Stone Age) periods have been found here.

Around 500 BC, the Iron Age began in the area. New people arrived from Europe, bringing the Hallstatt culture. Over the next 100 years, they built several strongholds called hill-forts. You can still see traces of these at places like Hunsbury Hill, Arbury Camp, Rainsborough camp, and Borough Hill.

Roman Rule

In the 1st century BC, most of what is now Northamptonshire became part of the land of the Catuvellauni. This was a Belgic tribe from Europe, and Northamptonshire was their most northern territory.

The Romans conquered the Catuvellauni in 43 AD. A major Roman road, Watling Street, ran through the county. An important Roman town called Lactodorum was located where Towcester is today. Other Roman settlements were found near Northampton, Kettering, and along the Nene Valley. The Romans also built a large fort at Longthorpe.

Anglo-Saxon Period

After the Romans left, the area became part of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia. Northampton became an important center for the kingdom. The Mercians became Christians in 654 AD after their pagan king, Penda, died.

Around the 600s, people from the West Saxon kingdom (from the south) and Anglian tribes (from the north) moved into the area. Things found here show that different groups of people mixed. The West Saxon influence didn't go further north than a line from Daventry to Warwick.

Important religious centers, called Abbeys, were started around 655 AD. These included Medehamstede (now Peterborough) and Pipewell.

Around 889 AD, the Danes conquered this area, and it became part of the Danelaw. This was a part of England ruled by the Danes. Watling Street was the border. But in 917, the English, led by Edward the Elder (son of Alfred the Great), took it back. The Vikings of York conquered it again in 940, but the English got it back in 942. Because of this, Northamptonshire has both Saxon and Danish town names.

The county was first mentioned in a record called the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in 1011. It was called Hamtunscire, meaning the scire (or shire, a type of county) of Hamtun (the homestead). The "North" was added later to tell it apart from Southampton.

Norman Conquest and Middle Ages

After the Norman Conquest in 1066, only the abbey at Peterborough survived. The Domesday Book (a big survey of England in 1086) shows that Northamptonshire's borders were much like they are today.

The Normans built castles in places like Rockingham, Barnwell, Lilbourne, Northampton, and Wellingborough.

The county was divided into smaller areas called "hundreds." In 1086, there were 28 hundreds. By 1316, this number was reduced to 20, and they haven't changed much since. The names of these hundreds often came from their old meeting places. For example, the court for Fawsley hundred met under a large beech tree until the 1700s!

Northampton was a favorite place for the Norman and Plantagenet kings to hold important meetings and parliaments. In 1215, King John was surrounded in Northampton Castle by angry barons. Later, in 1264, King Henry III captured the castle from Simon de Montfort.

Wars of the Roses (1400s)

During the Wars of the Roses, a series of battles for the English throne, King Henry VI was defeated at Northampton in 1460.

Tudor Times (1500s)

The Diocese of Peterborough, a church area, was created in 1541.

English Civil War (1600s)

In the English Civil War of the 1600s, most of Northamptonshire supported the Parliament against the King. Even though a Cavalier (royalist) army was briefly in Towcester in 1644, they left quickly.

1800s

In 1875, a new church area called the archdeaconry of Oakham was created and included parts of Northamptonshire.

Famous Houses

Northamptonshire is home to many grand country houses. Holdenby House was built by Sir Christopher Hatton, an important advisor to Queen Elizabeth I. Burghley House gave the title of baron to William Cecil, another key figure in Elizabeth I's government.

Economic History

Northamptonshire had iron-mines and stone-quarries that were used by the Romans. The iron mines were forgotten for a long time but were found again in 1850. The famous stone quarries at Barnack and Stanion ran out of stone around the 1500s.

In Norman times, the county was known for its wool and leather industries. In the 1600s, weaving became important around Kettering. Other early industries included making charcoal, bricks, tiles, and brewing. Later, industries like whip-making, pipe-making, silk-weaving, and paper-making started.

Tanning (making leather) was a big industry and provided materials for shoemaking. Shoemaking became a main industry in the county. Northamptonshire even made boots for Oliver Cromwell's army during the Civil War! Making army boots continued to be important until the 1900s, along with other types of shoes.

Historical Sights

Even though Northamptonshire had many old religious buildings, most of their remains are small, except for Peterborough Cathedral.

You can see beautiful Eleanor crosses at Geddington and Hardingstone, near Northampton. These were built by King Edward I to remember his queen, Eleanor.

The county has many amazing churches. Some, like the tower of Earls Barton church, the tower at Brigstock, and Brixworth church, are from the Saxon period. Brixworth church even used Roman materials!

Great examples of Norman churches include St Peter's and St Sepulchre's in Northampton, and the tower of Castor church. Other beautiful churches include St Mary's church, Higham Ferrers, Irthlingborough, Lowick, Warmington, Rushden, Finedon, Raunds, and Fotheringhay.

At Rockingham, you can see a gateway leading to Rockingham Castle, which is still lived in today. Only a large mound and earthworks remain of Fotheringhay Castle. This castle is famous as the place where Mary, Queen of Scots was held prisoner, tried, and executed. Part of the house where King Richard III was born still stands as a private home.

Barnwell Castle, built by William the Conqueror, is an interesting ruin with four round towers and a grand gateway.

Holdenby Manor House, where Sir Christopher Hatton was born, is mostly restored. King Charles I was staying here when he was taken away by Cornet Joyce during the Civil War.

Other old mansions include Castle Ashby, Althorp, Drayton House, the huge Burghley House, Kirby Hall (a beautiful Elizabethan building), and Lilford Hall (a fine Jacobean mansion).

Images for kids

• Brixworth Church.jpg

  Brixworth Church is one of the oldest and most important Anglo-Saxon churches in England.

• Earls Barton church tower.jpg

  The tower of Earls Barton church is a great example of Anglo-Saxon architecture.