What is the history of Northampton?

Question

particularly the events that effect environmental quality

Answer 1

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Answer 2

The key to Northampton's importance as a regional centre lies in its strategic geographical location within the United Kingdom. The River Nene provided a ready means of access for settlers in prehistoric times and by the 8th century, Northampton had become a town of some importance within the ancient kingdom of Mercia; and 100 years later an administrative centre for the Danes.

Northampton's position strengthened after the large and impressive Norman Castle was built. It was here in 1164 that Henry II brought the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas a Becket to trial, and it was from Northampton that Becket escaped to freedom and France dressed as a monk.

In the Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, Northampton is described a town of approximately 300 houses rendering £30 10/- ( thirty pounds, ten shillings or £30.50 in today's currency) to the King. Forty years later, that levy had more than trebled and by the latter part of the 12th century, Northampton was clearly one of the most prosperous towns in the kingdom.

In 1189, Northampton was granted its first charter by Richard I in return for monies to finance his Third Crusade. This gave the town "all free custom and liberties" that the citizens of London enjoyed. The photo shows The Guildhall, the seat of local government in the town.


King John, who spent much of his reign in residence in Northampton, confirmed this charter in 1200 and gave the burgesses of Northampton the right to appoint a ceremonial mayor. Throughout the Middle Ages, Northampton continued to hold a significant position in the life and times of the country. The town's castle was a favourite royal residence and a setting for parliaments and councils from Henry I to Richard II. However, by the 13th and 14th centuries, the town had fallen into a deep recession, hit first by high taxation and later by the Black Death.

Two centuries later, Northampton was a stronghold for Parliament in the Civil War and following the Restoration, Charles II ordered the demolition of the town's castle and walls. Most of Northampton's medieval timber buildings were destroyed in the Great Fire of 1675. A new Northampton quickly grew from the ashes. With its handsome, wide streets planned around the Market Square, Northampton was described by Daniel Defore, famous author of 'Robinson Crusoe', as "the handsomest and best built town in all this part of England". The photo show All Saints Church which was rebuilt after the Great Fire.

Shoe Town
The earliest known Northampton shoemaker was Peter the Cordwainer in 1202, and the first prestige client of the town's embryonic shoe industry was King John. During the Civil War, Northampton's shoemakers supplied the Parliamentary armies with 600 pairs of boots and 4000 pairs of shoes - for which they were never paid.

It was during the Industrial Revolution that Northampton's reputation as the centre of the shoe industry grew world-wide. With the coming of the railways in 1845 and the modern roads, boot and shoe-making became the town's principal industry. Individual shoemakers, who had through the centuries worked from small premises scattered across the town, began to join forces. Mechanisation intensified the industry; markets became more widespread and demand increased. Industrial growth led to rapid expansion and between 1800 and 1901, the town's population increased from just a few thousand to 87,000.

Expanding into the 21st Century
Perhaps the most significant event in Northampton's recent history was its designation as a New Town. The Northampton New Town (Designation) Order was issued in February 1968, and in September of the same year the Northampton Development Corporation was established to implement the expansion plans. The Corporation's remit covered areas outside the Borough boundaries as they were at that time. Its programme included the development of the eastern and southern districts, including major roads such as Nene Valley Way, Lumbertubs Way and employment areas.

In the town centre, Northampton County Borough Council was carrying out its own parallel redevelopment programme to complement the work of the Development Corporation. In 1961, the population of Northampton had been 105,421. Just ten years later and three years into New Town status, this had grown to 133,800.

The Eastern District, the first area to be developed, was designed to provide housing for 45,000 people. Development included new estates, with shops, schools and employment areas, and the Weston Favell Centre, which became home to what was then Europe's largest Tesco superstore.

The Southern District Expansion
In 1973, plans for the second phase of development - the Southern District - were unveiled. These covered land between the existing town and the then new M1 motorway to the south-west of the town. With the winding up of the Development Corporation in 1985, 18,000 new jobs, 35,000 more people, 42 miles of new roads and 20,000 new houses had been added to the town. Over 200 companies had moved to Northampton, both from Britain and abroad.

The original plans for the Southern District included the area which has become known as the South West District. When complete the South West District will include over 4,000 new homes and associated community facilities, up to 170 hectares of employment land and a new country park in the River Nene Valley.

Upper Nene Valley Park
Upper Nene Valley Park will form the centrepiece of the new South West District. This vast green lung will draw the countryside into the heart of the town, protecting the wildlife and special natural landscape qualities of the Nene Valley. As well as more traditional leisure and recreational facilities, the park will contain extensive water areas. These will include the River Nene, Grand Union Canal, and the new Duston Mill Reservoir and lagoons formed from former gravel workings, providing a wide range of opportunities both for leisure and wide scale nature conservation.

The new South West District will be a site for urban as well as nature conservation and contains Northampton's newest urban conservation area. The St Crispin Conservation Area covers 44 hectares and encompasses the buildings, gardens and magnificent parkland of the former St Crispin Hospital, built during the 1870s.

As well as new residential development and leisure, the South West District will provide important opportunities for new employment in Northampton. Swan Valley Business Park next to the M1 is the largest area designated for employment, covering 80 hectares. Development is already well under way. Wells Soft Drinks opened their new headquarters and manufacturing and distribution plant in early 1998. Jeans manufacturers Levi Strauss UK Ltd have also elected to relocate their headquarteres and distribution centre within the Borough to the new development.

The Master Plan Nears Completion
Covering 868 hectares, the South West District is the last area of major development and will realise the completion of the original master plan for the expansion of Northampton.

Answer 3

Early history
Remains have been found in the Northampton area dating back to the Iron Age. It is believed that farming settlement began in the Northampton area in around the 7th century. By the 8th century it had become an administrative centre for the kingdom of Mercia.

The pre-Norman town was known as Hamtun and was quite small, occupying only some 60 acres.

Medieval Northampton
The town became significant in the 11th century, when the Normans built town walls and a large castle under the the stewardship of the Norman duke, Simon de Senlis. The original defence line of the walls is preserved in today's street pattern (Bridge St, The Drapery, Bearward St & Scarletwell Lane).

The town grew rapidly after the Normans arrived, and beyond the early defences. By the time of the Domesday Book, the town had a population of about 1500 residents, living in 300 houses.

The town and its castle were important in the early 12th century and the King often held Court in the town. During his famous fall out with Henry II Thomas Beckett at one time escaped from Northampton Castle through the unguarded Northern gate to flee the country,

Northampton had one of the largest Jewish populations in 13th century England, centred around Gold Street. In 1277 300 Jews were executed, allegedly for clipping the King's coin, and the Jews of Northampton were driven out of the town.

The town was originally controlled by officials acting for the King; these officials collected the taxes and upheld the law.

In 1189 King Richard I gave the town its first charter and in 1215 King John authorised the appointment of William Tilly as the town's first Mayor. He also ordered that, "...twelve of the better and more discreet" residents of the town join him as a council to assist him. In 1176 the Assize of Northampton laid down new powers for dealing with law breakers.

A university was established in the town in 1261 by scholars fleeing Cambridge. It briefly flourished, but was dissolved by Henry III in 1265 owing to the threat it posed to Oxford.

The first Battle of Northampton took place at the site of Northampton Castle in 1264 - when the forces of Henry III over ran the supporters of Simon de Montfort. In 1460, a second Battle of Northampton took place in the grounds of Delapre Abbey - and was a decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses, and King Henry VI was captured in the town by the Yorkists.

In May 1328 the Treaty of Northampton was signed - being a peace treaty between the English and the Scots in which Edward III recognised the authority of Robert the Bruce as King of Scotland and betrothed Bruce's still infant son to the king's sister Joanna.

There remains a large network of medieval tunnels that can be found around the centre of Northampton centred on All Saints church.

Civil War to 1900
Northampton supported the Parliamentarians during the English Civil War. For this reason the town walls and castle were later torn down on the orders of King Charles II as punishment. The railway station in Northampton stands on the site of the former castle, and used to be called "Northampton Castle Station".

The town was destroyed by fire in both 1516 and 1675, and was re-built as a spacious and well-planned town. In the 18th century Northampton became a major centre of footwear and leather manufacture. The prosperity of the town was greatly aided by demand for footwear caused by the Napoleonic Wars of the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

In his 18th century, "A Tour through the Whole Island of Great Britain", Daniel Defoe described Northampton as, "...the handsomest town in all this part of England."

Northampton's growth was accelerated in the 19th century, first by the Grand Union Canal, which reached the town in 1815 and later the coming of the railways. The first railway to be built into Northampton was a branch from the main London-Birmingham line at Blisworth to Peterborough through Northampton which opened in 1845. This was followed by lines to Market Harborough (1859) and Bedford (1872). The Northampton loop off the major West Coast Main Line was built into Northampton in the late 1870s.

Over the coming centuries the town continued to grow rapidly; after 1850 the town spilled out beyond the old town walls and began the growth we see today. in 1800 the population was round 7,000 and this had grown to 87,000 a century later.

In the 19th century Northampton acquired a reputation for political radicalism when the radical non-conformist Charles Bradlaugh was elected on several occasions as the town's MP.

1900 - Today
Growth after 1900 was slower. The town's famous shoe industry ceased to grow and other industries arrived slowly.

Between the wars pressure on housing led to new council-built housing estates being erected. The Borough boundary, first extended in 1900, was expanded again in 1932. The population had increased to around 100,000 by 1961 and 130,000 by 1971. Northampton was designated a New Town in 1968, and the Northampton Development Corporation (NDC) was set up to almost double the size of the town, with a population target of 230,000 by 1981, rising to 260,000 in later years. By this time the town also linked to the M1 motorway. Actual growth was much slower than planned (in 1981 the population was 156,000), but by the time NDC was wound up after 20 years, another 40,000 residents and 20,000 houses had been added. The borough boundaries changed in 1974 with the abolition of Northampton county borough and its reconstitution as a non-metropolitan district also covering areas outside the former borough boundaries but inside the designated New Town. Recently suggestions for another major expansion have been put forward, and are the subject of much public debate.

At the millennium, Northampton applied unsuccessfully to be granted city status as a part of the "millennium cities" scheme. This distinction for the Midlands area was instead granted to Wolverhampton.

The University of Northampton received full university status in 2005, following several years as a University College.

Answer 4

[edit] History

[edit] Early history
Remains have been found in the Northampton area dating back to the Iron Age. It is believed that farming settlement began in the Northampton area in around the 7th century. By the 8th century it had become an administrative centre for the kingdom of Mercia.

The pre-Norman town was known as Hamtun and was quite small, occupying only some 60 acres.


[edit] Medieval Northampton
The town became significant in the 11th century, when the Normans built town walls and a large castle under the the stewardship of the Norman duke, Simon de Senlis. The original defence line of the walls is preserved in today's street pattern (Bridge St, The Drapery, Bearward St & Scarletwell Lane).

The town grew rapidly after the Normans arrived, and beyond the early defences. By the time of the Domesday Book, the town had a population of about 1500 residents, living in 300 houses.

The town and its castle were important in the early 12th century and the King often held Court in the town. During his famous fall out with Henry II Thomas Beckett at one time escaped from Northampton Castle through the unguarded Northern gate to flee the country,

Northampton had one of the largest Jewish populations in 13th century England, centred around Gold Street. In 1277 300 Jews were executed, allegedly for clipping the King's coin, and the Jews of Northampton were driven out of the town.

The town was originally controlled by officials acting for the King; these officials collected the taxes and upheld the law.

In 1189 King Richard I gave the town its first charter and in 1215 King John authorised the appointment of William Tilly as the town's first Mayor. He also ordered that, "...twelve of the better and more discreet" residents of the town join him as a council to assist him. In 1176 the Assize of Northampton laid down new powers for dealing with law breakers.

A university was established in the town in 1261 by scholars fleeing Cambridge. It briefly flourished, but was dissolved by Henry III in 1265 owing to the threat it posed to Oxford.

The first Battle of Northampton took place at the site of Northampton Castle in 1264 - when the forces of Henry III over ran the supporters of Simon de Montfort. In 1460, a second Battle of Northampton took place in the grounds of Delapre Abbey - and was a decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses, and King Henry VI was captured in the town by the Yorkists.

In May 1328 the Treaty of Northampton was signed - being a peace treaty between the English and the Scots in which Edward III recognised the authority of Robert the Bruce as King of Scotland and betrothed Bruce's still infant son to the king's sister Joanna.

There remains a large network of medieval tunnels that can be found around the centre of Northampton centred on All Saints church.


[edit] Civil War to 1900
Northampton supported the Parliamentarians during the English Civil War. For this reason the town walls and castle were later torn down on the orders of King Charles II as punishment. The railway station in Northampton stands on the site of the former castle, and used to be called "Northampton Castle Station".

The town was destroyed by fire in both 1516 and 1675, and was re-built as a spacious and well-planned town. In the 18th century Northampton became a major centre of footwear and leather manufacture. The prosperity of the town was greatly aided by demand for footwear caused by the Napoleonic Wars of the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

In his 18th century, "A Tour through the Whole Island of Great Britain", Daniel Defoe described Northampton as, "...the handsomest town in all this part of England."

Northampton's growth was accelerated in the 19th century, first by the Grand Union Canal, which reached the town in 1815 and later the coming of the railways. The first railway to be built into Northampton was a branch from the main London-Birmingham line at Blisworth to Peterborough through Northampton which opened in 1845. This was followed by lines to Market Harborough (1859) and Bedford (1872). The Northampton loop off the major West Coast Main Line was built into Northampton in the late 1870s.

Over the coming centuries the town continued to grow rapidly; after 1850 the town spilled out beyond the old town walls and began the growth we see today. in 1800 the population was round 7,000 and this had grown to 87,000 a century later.

In the 19th century Northampton acquired a reputation for political radicalism when the radical non-conformist Charles Bradlaugh was elected on several occasions as the town's MP.


[edit] 1900 - Today
Growth after 1900 was slower. The town's famous shoe industry ceased to grow and other industries arrived slowly.

Between the wars pressure on housing led to new council-built housing estates being erected. The Borough boundary, first extended in 1900, was expanded again in 1932. The population had increased to around 100,000 by 1961 and 130,000 by 1971. Northampton was designated a New Town in 1968, and the Northampton Development Corporation (NDC) was set up to almost double the size of the town, with a population target of 230,000 by 1981, rising to 260,000 in later years. By this time the town also linked to the M1 motorway. Actual growth was much slower than planned (in 1981 the population was 156,000), but by the time NDC was wound up after 20 years, another 40,000 residents and 20,000 houses had been added. The borough boundaries changed in 1974 with the abolition of Northampton county borough and its reconstitution as a non-metropolitan district also covering areas outside the former borough boundaries but inside the designated New Town. Recently suggestions for another major expansion have been put forward, and are the subject of much public debate.

At the millennium, Northampton applied unsuccessfully to be granted city status as a part of the "millennium cities" scheme. This distinction for the Midlands area was instead granted to Wolverhampton.

The University of Northampton received full university status in 2005, following several years as a University College.