Castle Ashby, Northamptonshire Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CastleAshby.jpg Author: R Neil Marshman
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands. It covers 2,364 sq km (913 sq mi) and has a population of 685,000 (2011 estimate). The county town is Northampton.
None of the towns in Northamptonshire has city status, including the county town Northampton, which is the third largest town in the United Kingdom without city status, after Reading and Dudley.
Northamptonshire experiences a maritime climate. The summers here are cool while the winters mild. August is the warmest month here, when the average high temperature reaches 23°C (73°F) while January is the coldest, with average lows of 2°C (36°F).
Swiss Lodge, Althrop Park, Northamptonshire Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Swiss_Lodge,_Althorp_Park_-_geograph.org.uk_-_389049.jpg Author: Jonathan Billinger
Unlike other parts of Britain, there are quite few prehistoric artifacts to suggest human habitation in Northamptonshire. We do know that the Hallstatt culture appeared in the area around 500 BC, introduced by people from the continent. This led to the construction of a number of hill-forts in the area.
Northamptonshire was inhabited by the Catuvellaauni, a Belgic tribe, around the 1st century BC. Then in 43 AD, the Romans conquered the area. They built a Roman road that passed through the county. There was also a Roman settlement called Lactodorum on the site of present-day Towcester.
The Triangular Lodge, Rushton, Northamptonshire Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rushton_Triangular_Lodge1.jpg Author: Kate Jewell
When the Romans pulled out of the area, Northampton became part of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Mercia, which embraced Christianity in AD 654. It was conquered by the Danes in 889, and recaptured by the English in 917. Northamptonshire was first mentioned on record in 1011 as Hamtunscire.
Northamptonshire was the ancestral homeland of George Washington, the first President of the United States of America. His great-great-great-great-great grandfather, Lawrence Washington, was the mayor of Northampton for a number of times.
All Saint's Church and Manor House in Braunston, Northamptonshire Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Church_and_Manor.JPG Author: James Thompson
The Industrial Revolution descended on Northamptonshire in the 18th century onwards. The area became a centre for the shoemaking industry. In addition, a large ironstone quarry was opened in 1850 in northern Northamptonshire while in 1930, the town of Corby became a major steel manufacturing centre. Until the industries were established, Northamptonshire used to boast the healthiest and freshest air in England.
Visiting Northamptonshire
You can reach Northamptonshire by taking a train from London Euston to Northampton. The fare is £22.80 for a one-way ticket while the return ticket costs (surprise) only £22.90. The train station is just a short walking distance from the Northampton city centre.
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