Rushden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rushden |
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 Rushden's St Mary's Church |
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 Rushden
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| Population | 31,690 (2021 Census) |
| OS grid reference | SP955665 |
| Civil parish |
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| Unitary authority |
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| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | RUSHDEN |
| Postcode district | NN10 |
| Dialling code | 01933 |
| Police | Northamptonshire |
| Fire | Northamptonshire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| EU Parliament | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament |
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Rushden is a town in Northamptonshire, England. It is about 18 kilometers (11 miles) east of Northampton. The town is close to the border with Bedfordshire, about 19 kilometers (12 miles) north of Bedford.
Rushden covers an area of about 36 square kilometers (9,001 acres). Around 32,038 people live in Rushden, making it the fifth largest town in the county. If you include the nearby town of Higham Ferrers, the total population is about 40,865.
Contents
Where is Rushden?
Rushden is located on the A6 road, halfway between Bedford and Kettering. The southern part of the town touches the county of Bedfordshire. To the north, you'll find the River Nene, which flows into The Wash.
The town sits in a small valley. A stream called Sidney Brook flows through the middle of Rushden. In the 1960s and 70s, this stream was put into underground pipes to stop floods. When you approach Rushden, you can see the streets spread out in the valley. The tall spire of St Mary's Church stands out above the buildings.
How Rushden is Governed
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The local Member of Parliament (MP) for Rushden is Gen Kitchen. An MP is a person elected to represent the area in the UK Parliament.
Rushden is divided into five areas called wards for local elections. These wards are Rushden Spencer, Rushden Hayden, Rushden Bates, Rushden Sartoris, and Rushden Pemberton.
Before 1974, Rushden had its own local government called Rushden Urban District Council. This council was based at the Council Buildings. After 1974, Rushden became part of East Northamptonshire.
Since 2020, local government in Northamptonshire has changed. Rushden is now part of a new larger council called North Northamptonshire. This is one of two new "unitary authorities" in the county. A unitary authority is a single council that handles all local services.
Rushden's History
The name "Rushden" means "valley which is rushy." This suggests the area once had many rushes, which are grass-like plants that grow in wet places.
Rushden grew because of different industries over time. These included making lace and farming. But the most important industry was shoemaking. In the mid-1900s, there were over 100 shoe factories in Rushden! Today, only a few shoemaking companies remain.
The famous writer H.E. Bates grew up in Rushden. He used the town as the setting for many of his stories, calling it "Evensford." He wrote about the beautiful countryside and how life used to be for people in the area. He often mentioned the leather factories and how the smell of leather filled the air in "Evensford" (Rushden).
One well-known shoemaking company, Sanders and Sanders, makes boots for the British Army and other defense groups worldwide. Many old factories have been turned into apartments. Today, Rushden has a mix of industries, mostly located in an industrial estate outside the town center.
Shopping in Rushden has also changed. However, the town still has the oldest toy shop in the county!
In 1893, a short railway line opened, connecting Rushden and Higham Ferrers to the main railway network. This line closed in 1959. In 1991, the old railway track was turned into a "pocket park," which is a small park for people to enjoy.
The old Rushden railway station is now owned by the Rushden Historical Transport Society. They run a museum and a bar there. The society often holds special events, including a big transport show every year. They hope to rebuild the railway line from Higham Ferrers to Wellingborough.
There is also a private museum in Rushden's Hall Park. It is open from May to October.
Rushden Hall is the oldest house in the town. Many families have owned it over the years. Now, it is the main office for the town council. Some rooms can also be rented for events. The hall is located in a 32-acre public park called Hall Park.
In the 1970s, the TV show Hunters Walk, a police drama, was filmed in Rushden and nearby villages.
Rushden Today
Around 2010, Rushden started a project to improve its town center. The goal was to make it more open and pleasant for shoppers. There were plans to move the Splash Pool and Pemberton Centre to a new location. However, these plans were put on hold due to local opposition and economic reasons.
In early 2011, improvements began on the High Street. They worked on the entrance to the town and created a new "town square" in the middle of the High Street.
Also, a greenway for bikes and walking was created. This path uses the old railway line through the town. It connects Ferrers School to Rushden town center and then goes out to the Crown Park retail area.
Shopping in Rushden
Rushden has many supermarkets and smaller shops.
Rushden Lakes
A large new shopping and leisure center called Rushden Lakes opened in July 2017. It cost about £140 million to build. This center is located near Waitrose, just off the A45. It was built on the site of an old dry ski slope.
The land was bought in 2011, and the project was later sold to The Crown Estate. Rushden Lakes now has a cinema, many shops, restaurants, and a visitor center. Marks & Spencer is one of its main stores. The center also connects to the River Nene.
This large 244-acre facility has created about 2,000 jobs. Even though some nearby councils were against it, the plan for Rushden Lakes was approved in 2014.
The first part of Rushden Lakes opened on July 28, 2017. More shops opened later. In July 2019, a building with indoor activities and a cinema was finished. The site is mostly complete, but there are plans to build more nearby and improve road access from the A45.
Sports and Fun
Leisure Facilities
Rushden has two main places for leisure: The Pemberton Centre and Splash Pool. Both are managed by Freedom Leisure. If you have a membership, you can use both places.
The Pemberton Centre is a large building with a big hall, meeting rooms, a sports hall, a gym, and squash courts. The Splash Pool is near the town center. It has a 25-meter swimming pool with a shallow area for learners and an indoor slide.
Football
Rushden used to have a football club called Rushden Town. In 1992, it joined with another club to become Rushden & Diamonds. This new club played at Nene Park until 2011.
A new club, AFC Rushden & Diamonds, was started in 2011. They play at the Hayden Road ground, which is where Rushden Town used to play.
Younger players can join AFC Rushden & Diamonds Youth. They offer football for boys and girls from age 4.
Rugby Union
Rugby Union is played at Manor Park, which is the home of Rushden & Higham RUFC. This club started in 1951. They now play at Manor Park on pitches rented from the town council.
Cricket
Rushden and Higham Town Cricket Club has three senior teams in the Northamptonshire Cricket League. They also have a junior section for younger players.
Golf
Rushden has two golf courses. One is a 9-hole course south of Rushden called John Whites, which also has a driving range. Rushden Golf Club is a larger 18-hole course to the east of Rushden.
Media
You can watch local news and TV shows from BBC East and ITV Anglia. These signals come from the Sandy Heath TV transmitter.
Local radio stations include BBC Radio Northampton, Heart East, Smooth East Midlands, and Beat Route Radio.
The local newspaper for the town is the Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph.
Cadets
Sea Cadets Corps
Rushden has its own Sea Cadet unit, called Rushden Sea Cadets or Training Ship (TS) Diamond. This is a charity run by volunteers. It helps young people aged 9-17 learn new skills and have adventures.
Sea Cadets offers activities like sailing, wind-surfing, rowing, and power boating. They also teach general military training, like marching and looking after uniforms. You can learn about cooking, fitness, aviation, and engineering. These activities help you gain confidence, respect, and teamwork skills.
The Sea Cadets work with groups like the Royal Yachting Association and The Duke of Edinburgh's Award. This means cadets can earn nationally recognized qualifications.
Rushden Sea Cadets started in 2014 and is based at the Drill Hall on Victoria Road.
- Junior Sea Cadets (ages 9-11) meet on Tuesday evenings.
- Sea Cadets (ages 12-17) meet on Friday evenings.
Rushden Sea Cadets can also use other training places around the country, including a boating center at Thrapston and HMS Raleigh. They even have five offshore vessels, including yachts and a Tall Ship, for training at sea.
858 (Rushden) Squadron, Air Training Corps
Rushden also has an Air Cadet Squadron, No 858 (Rushden) Squadron Royal Air Force Air Cadets. They are also based at the Drill Hall on Victoria Road. This group is run by adult volunteers.
Young people aged 12-20 can join. They take part in activities like shooting, drill, and leadership training. They also go to annual camps and volunteer in the local area. The squadron takes part in local parades like Remembrance Day.
Army Cadet Force
The Rushden Detachment of the Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland Army Cadet Force is also at the Drill Hall on Victoria Road.
Education
Rushden has one secondary school, Rushden Academy. It is part of The East Northamptonshire College along with two other schools.
Rushden has eight primary schools:
- South Rushden: Whitefriars Primary, Southend Infant, Southend Junior
- North Rushden: Denfield Park Primary School
- Central Rushden: Alfred Street Junior
- East Rushden: Newton Road Primary (Risdene Academy), Newton Road Infant
- West Rushden: Tennyson Road Infants
There are also primary schools in Higham Ferrers:
- Higham Ferrers Infant
- Higham Ferrers Junior
- Henry Chichele Primary
For adult education, Rushden has a 'Learning Centre' in the town center. This center is run by Bedford College. It offers courses in Information Technology, English Language, and Mathematics.
Transport
Trains
Rushden is one of the largest towns in the UK without an active railway station. However, there are plans to build a new station called Rushden Parkway on the Midland Main Line. This plan is supported by local transport groups.
Currently, the closest train station is at Wellingborough, about 8 kilometers (5 miles) away.
The historic Rushden, Higham and Wellingborough Railway runs services from Rushden's old station.
Buses
The main bus routes in Rushden are Stagecoach services 50/49, which connect to Kettering and Bedford. The X46/47 services link Rushden to Raunds, Wellingborough, Irchester, and Northampton. There are also buses to small villages in North Bedfordshire.
Rushden also has its own local bus service called the Rushden-Higham link. It runs three routes:
| Route | Destination | Via | Notes | Operated by |
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| 1 | Irthlingborough | Washbrook Rd, Crown Park, Higham | Hourly from 09:30–14:30. | Expressline |
| 2 | Kingsmead Park | Upper Queens St, Newton Rd, Barrington Rd | Hourly from 09:30–14:30. | Expressline |
| 3 | Park Ave | Masefield Drive, Melloway, Highfield, | Hourly from 10:05–14:05. | Expressline |
Airports
Several major UK airports are within an hour's drive of Rushden. These include Luton, East Midlands, Birmingham, and Stansted.
Roads
The A6 bypasses Rushden. It connects to Kettering (north) and Bedford and Luton (south). The A45 connects Rushden to the East coast, as well as Northampton and the M1 motorway (west).
Famous People from Rushden
- H. E. Bates (1905–1974) — a famous writer.
- Joe Ekins (1923–2012) — a World War II soldier.
- James Richardson (born 1974) — a darts player.
- Walter Tull (1888–1918) — a professional footballer and one of the first black/mixed-race officers in the British Army during World War I. He lived in Rushden.
- Bernard Vann (1887–1918) — a World War I soldier who received the Victoria Cross for bravery.
Nearby Places
Bedford, Burton Latimer, Higham Ferrers, Irchester, Irthlingborough, Kettering, Northampton, Raunds, Wellingborough, Wollaston.
Images for kids
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Hall Park with the spire of St Mary's Church in the far distance
See also
In Spanish: Rushden para niños
