Northampton
Explore hidden histories, historic photos, and things you never knew about Northampton from the collections and archives of Historic England.
Discover your local listed buildings and places
Introducing some of Northampton's most historic sites, included in the National Heritage List for England. Some of these captions have been summarised by AI. Click through for the official List entry.
Church of St Giles
Northampton
The Church of St Giles, dating back to the 12th century, features significant historical architecture, including a C12 crossing tower, C14 chapels, and a C15 nave.
Former Northampton Union Workhouse
Northampton
Former Northampton Union Workhouse built 1836-7 to the designs of George Gilbert Scott, with later C19 additions.
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Northampton
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is a rare round church with a circular nave based on Jerusalem's church, notable for its historical and architectural evolution since circa 1100.
Mounts Baths
Northampton
Public swimming baths, built 1935-6 to the designs of J. C. Prestwich & Sons. The engineers were Sir Alexander Gibb & Partners.
Express Lift Tower
Northampton
Express Lift Tower in Northampton, built in 1980-82, is a 127m high concrete structure used for high-speed lift testing, notable for its unique design and technological importance.
Former Memorial Hall, Castilian Street, Northampton
Northampton
Memorial Hall. Erected in 1921 by Alexander Ellis Anderson.
Judge's Lodgings
Northampton
Judge's Lodgings, adjoining Sessions House, is an 18th-century building with a notable ashlar front and central doorway, contributing to a historic architectural group.
Sessions House
Northampton
Sessions House, built between 1676-1678 after the town fire of 1675, features a symmetrical Corinthian front and interior plaster ceilings by Edward Goudge.
Church of the Holy Trinity
Northampton
The Church of the Holy Trinity in Northampton, designed by Matthew Holding in 1909, exhibits Perpendicular style with a notable south transeptal tower and timber roof.
43 and 44, Billing Road
Northampton
43 and 44 Billing Road, known as St Martin's Villa, features Gothic style, red brick with stone dressings, and Welsh slated roof, designed by E W Godwin in 1865.
41, The Drapery
Northampton
41, The Drapery is a neoclassical building designed in 1841 by E F Law, featuring an entablature with a phoenix motif and channelled ground floor.
The Parade
Northampton
The Parade, built by Alexander and Hull in 1850, features a 19th-century Neoclassical front with Ionic columns and rusticated arched openings, once serving as a Corn Exchange.
St John's Roman Catholic Church
Northampton
Saint John's Roman Catholic Church, originally a chapel of the medieval Hospital of Saint John founded around 1138, features 15th and 16th-century elements and significant architectural...
3, Black Lion Hill
Northampton
3 Black Lion Hill is an 18th-century cottage with a stucco front and Welsh slate roof, forming a group with St Peter's Church and nearby properties.
4 and 5, Spencer Parade
Northampton
Built between 1836 and 1841, 4 and 5 Spencer Parade features Jacobean style architecture with a stucco facade and Welsh slated roof.
Delapre Abbey
Far Cotton and Delapre
Delapre Abbey features structures dating from the 16th to early 19th centuries, showcasing architectural evolution with its Tudor-inspired additions and historical significance in...
Baptist Church
Northampton
The Baptist Church on College Street, designed by William Hall in 1863, features a Neo-classical ashlar facade, a Corinthian portico, and distinctive stone mullion windows.
18, Market Square
Northampton
Town house, late C17. Possibly designed by Henry Bell (1647-1711, Stucco-covered brick, of three bays and three storeys with attics.
Church of Saint Peter
Northampton
Church C11-C12, partly rebuilt after 1225. Restored 1851, 1869, 1881, 1925. N extension of 1969-71 by Marshman, Warren and Taylor.
The Town and County War Memorial
Northampton
First World War memorial by Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens, 1926, with later additions for the Second World War.
37 and 39, Gold Street
Northampton
Buildings at 37 and 39 Gold Street feature an ornate stucco front from around 1908 with Roman Ionic pilasters and unique circular windows. They form a group with adjacent properties.
County Hall
Northampton
County Hall, originally an 18th century house and rebuilt in 1845, was remodeled by Edmund Law in 1890, with further alterations by Aston Webb around 1900.
8, 8A, 9 and 9A, George Row
Northampton
8, 8A, 9 and 9A, George Row is an 18th-century building with stucco facade, notable for its late 17th-century staircase and late medieval cellars.
The Obelisk
Kingsthorpe
Erected in 1764 by Lord Strafford at Boughton, this obelisk honors William Cavendish, the 4th Duke of Devonshire and Prime Minister in 1756.
1, Victoria Gardens
Northampton
1 Victoria Gardens, circa 1875, is a Swiss chalet-style building, historically notable as an architectural curiosity and once served as a tea house.
33-45, St Giles' Street
Northampton
This 19th-century terraced group on St Giles' Street features ornate stucco facades, with Corinthian pilasters and distinctive sash windows, highlighting the architectural style of the...
Clare Cottage
Wootton
Clare Cottage is a 17th-century building, later altered in the 19th century, with distinctive coursed rubble and red brick features.
Primrose Cottage
Northampton
Primrose Cottage, from the 17th century, features coursed rubble and stone mullions, forming a group with The Church of St Mary and Wheatsheaf Inn.
Northampton Fire Station with Minster House above
Northampton
Fire station with accommodation above built in 1934-35 by Ernest Prestwich of J.C. Prestwich & Sons of Leigh, Lancashire. The contractors were Messrs. Henry Martin Ltd.
Regent House
Northampton
Regent House, on Barrack Road, features early 19th-century architecture with stucco finish and Welsh slated roof, modeled with Doric columns and modern bay windows.
Church of St Mary
Northampton
The Church of St Mary features a 12th-century doorway, a 13th-century tower, and a notable stained glass window by Kempe. It includes fine monuments from the 17th and 18th centuries.
The Guildhall
Northampton
The Guildhall, built by E W Godwin in 1861-4 and extended later, showcases 13th-century Gothic architecture and features a statue of Prime Minister Spencer Perceval.
Church of St James
Northampton
1868-71 by R. Wheeler of Tonbridge. N aisle by Matthew Holding following the style of the existing building. Tower 1920 by G H Stevenson.
Church of Saint Luke
Duston
The Church of Saint Luke features a late 12th-century south doorway and part of the south arcade.
78, Derngate
Northampton
78, Derngate, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh for W J Bassett-Lowke, showcases early 19th-century style with key modernist elements, retaining many original Mackintosh interior...
Northampton through time
This timeline shows the first period of use for buildings and places on the National Heritage List for England, just one of the details recorded for every list entry. Click around to see how Northampton changes over time.
Prehistoric Before AD 43
Prehistory covers a million years of human occupation before the Roman invasion, from hunter-gatherers of several human species, including Neanderthals, to more recent herders and farmers. It was a time of developing technologies and belief systems, involving contact with and migration from Europe, all reflected in the variety of artefact and monument types characteristic of particular prehistoric periods.
Early medieval AD 410 to AD 1066
This period, often associated in England with Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, saw a reduction in urban living from the Roman period and increased migration from northern Europe.
Traces of this period can be found in cemeteries, particularly in artefacts and in some of the very early churches, as this period also saw the growth of Christianity in Britain.
Medieval AD 1066 to AD 1540
This period, sometimes known as the Middle Ages, began with the Norman invasion in AD 1066. It saw a significant rise in military and defensive buildings such as castles and earthworks, as well as religious houses dominating a largely agricultural landscape.
The monarchy and Church dominated the period, which also saw the break with the Roman Catholic Church and the English reformation.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanently altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Prehistoric Before AD 43
Prehistory covers a million years of human occupation before the Roman invasion, from hunter-gatherers of several human species, including Neanderthals, to more recent herders and farmers. It was a time of developing technologies and belief systems, involving contact with and migration from Europe, all reflected in the variety of artefact and monument types characteristic of particular prehistoric periods.
Early medieval AD 410 to AD 1066
This period, often associated in England with Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, saw a reduction in urban living from the Roman period and increased migration from northern Europe.
Traces of this period can be found in cemeteries, particularly in artefacts and in some of the very early churches, as this period also saw the growth of Christianity in Britain.
Medieval AD 1066 to AD 1540
This period, sometimes known as the Middle Ages, began with the Norman invasion in AD 1066. It saw a significant rise in military and defensive buildings such as castles and earthworks, as well as religious houses dominating a largely agricultural landscape.
The monarchy and Church dominated the period, which also saw the break with the Roman Catholic Church and the English reformation.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanently altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Aerial photos of Northampton
Aerial photography helps reveal secrets of England's changing landscapes that are impossible to see from the ground.
Northampton
The Manfield Orthopaedic Hospital, Northampton, 1938
Northampton
The Manfield Orthopaedic Hospital, Northampton, 1938
Northampton
The town, Northampton, 1934
Northampton
Town centre, Northampton, 1975
Great Billing
Great Billing Hall, Great Billing, 1947
Great Billing
Great Billing Hall and St Andrew's Church, Great Billing, 1947
Northampton
The Stimpson Bros Ltd Castle Tannery and the T. Manning and Co Castle Brewery, Northampton, 1937
Northampton
The Stimpson Bros Ltd Castle Tannery, the T. Manning and Co Castle Brewery and environs, Northampton, 1937
Northampton
St Andrew's Tannery, Northampton, 1952
Northampton
St Andrew's Tannery and Miller's Meadow Recreation Ground, Northampton, 1952
Northampton in the Historic England Archive
The Historic England Archive cares for over 15 million images, dating from the 1850s to the present day. Discover stunning images of Northampton's past.
Charles George Harper Collection
Hardingstone, Northampton, Northampton, Northamptonshire
Date created: 1892 - 1933
A view from the south of the Eleanor Cross, with two people walking past
John Laing Collection
Collingtree, Northampton, Northamptonshire
Date created: 15 Oct 1958
Vehicles crossing Structure 69 on the London to Yorkshire Motorway (M1), a newly opened bridge near Collingtree
London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company
Northampton, Northamptonshire
Date created: 23 Nov 1927
A view showing two men standing in the loading bay of S.P.D. Limited at Bridge Street Station, Northampton
Alfred Newton and Sons
Hardingstone, Northampton, Northampton, Northamptonshire
Date created: 1896 - 1920
GENERAL VIEW
Nigel Temple Collection of Postcards of Parks and Gardens
Abington Park, Northampton, Northampton, Northamptonshire
Date created: 1925 - 1930
GENERAL VIEW
Charles George Harper Collection
Hardingstone, Northampton, Northampton, Northamptonshire
Date created: 1795 - 1815
Pencil drawing of the Northampton Eleanor Cross
John Laing Collection
Collingtree, Northampton, Northamptonshire
Date created: 17 Jun 1958
An aerial view of the two-level junction at Collingtree during its construction as part of the London to Yorkshire Motorway (M1)
London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company
West Northamptonshire
Date created: 1880 - 1920
The Church of St Peter, Marefair, viewed from the north west
Nigel Temple Collection of Postcards of Parks and Gardens
Abington Park, Northampton, Northampton, Northamptonshire
Date created: 1920 - 1935
GENERAL VIEW IN THE SUNKEN GARDEN
Charles George Harper Collection
Northampton, Northamptonshire
Date created: 1892 - 1933
Interior view showing the round nave in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company
West Northamptonshire
Date created: 1880 - 1920
A view looking east along the nave in the Church of St Peter, Marefair
Nigel Temple Collection of Postcards of Parks and Gardens
Abington Park, Northampton, Northampton, Northamptonshire
Date created: 1900 - 1904
GENERAL VIEW
Stories about heritage in your local area
Historic England publishes news, blogs, research, videos, and podcasts celebrating England's rich heritage. Discover the stories we have about Northampton.
An Introduction to Artist Henry Moore
Mentions Church of St Matthew
From Yorkshire miner’s son to world-famous artist who revolutionised sculpture in the 20th century.
England’s Record Breaking Heritage
Mentions Express Lift Tower
The Guinness World Records celebrates 60 years of extraordinary achievements this week, from globetrotting explorers to sports heroes smashing records.
Picturing High Streets: Over 200 Images Taken by the Public Enter Historic England Archive
Mentions Northampton
Documenting a year in the life of the English high street, images taken by the public as part of 'Picturing High Streets' can be viewed online.
Five New Historic England Commissioners Appointed (2022)
Mentions Northampton
Nairita Chakraborty, Jane, Lady Gibson,David Laing, Sir Jonathan Marsden KCVO, FSA andRobert Sackville-West are appointed for a four-year term.
Heritage and Craft Workers Across England Given a Helping Hand
Mentions Northampton
142 historic sites across England are receiving grants worth £35 million through the government’s Culture Recovery Fund.
School Children Create New Folk Songs Inspired by Local Heritage
Mentions Northampton
Historic England and award-winning folk group, The Young‘uns, have been collaborating with six schools to write folk songs inspired by local heritage.
Heritage at Risk 2019
Mentions The Eleanor Cross, Northampton
Historic England has revealed the historic sites most at risk of being lost forever as a result of neglect, decay or inappropriate development.
War Memorials Built 100 Years Ago Listed to Commemorate the First World War on Armistice Day
Mentions Northampton
These war memorials and shrines became a precursor what was to come: the national movement to memorialise that took place following the war.
Remembering Passchendaele: War Memorials Listed
Mentions Edgar Mobbs War Memorial, Northampton
Battle of Passchendaele centenary marked with 13 new and upgraded war memorial listings
Made in England, but Do We Know It? New Poll Reveals We Attribute Key Moments in English History to Other Nations
Mentions Northampton
Help us create a list of the 100 places which best tell the story of England and its impact on the world
Capability Brown Landscapes Celebrated and Protected
Mentions Northampton
To mark Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown’s 300th year Historic England is celebrating and protecting his landscapes anew.
National Collection of Lutyens’ War Memorials Listed
Mentions The Town and County War Memorial, Northampton
All 44 First World War memorials designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens are now protected by listing.
Northampton's social history through photos
Over 10,000 images from the Historic England Archive have been specially selected and re-captioned for teachers, students, and anyone who wants to learn more about their local area.
The Guildhall, Northampton, Northamptonshire
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
This Guildhall was built in 1861-4 by E W Godwin. It is an excellent example of Victorian Gothic Revival architecture.
The Guildhall, Northampton, Northamptonshire
The Eleanor Cross, Northampton, Northamptonshire
Period: Medieval (Middle Ages) (1066 - 1484)
This cross was built in 1291-4 by the kings master mason, John of Battle. It is in memory of Eleanor of Castile, wife of Edward I.
The Eleanor Cross, Northampton, Northamptonshire
The Corporation Charity School, Northampton, Northamptonshire
Period: Georgian (1714 - 1836)
This school was built in 1811. Before it was built the city had several charity schools.
The Corporation Charity School, Northampton, Northamptonshire
St Edmund's Hospital, Northampton, Northamptonshire
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
This building was originally the Northampton Union Workhouse. It was built in 1836 to the designs of G. Gilbert Scott.
St Edmund's Hospital, Northampton, Northamptonshire
Saint John's Hall, Northampton, Northamptonshire
Period: Medieval (Middle Ages) (1066 - 1484)
This building was built in the 14th century. It was originally the Infirmary of the Hospital of Saint John.
Saint John's Hall, Northampton, Northamptonshire
Market Square, Northampton, Northamptonshire
Period: 1960s (1960 - 1969)
A view looking across Market Square which is full of parked cars. A row of shops is visible in the background.
Market Square, Northampton, Northamptonshire
Kingsthorpe Grove Lower School, Northampton, Northamptonshire
Period: Edwardian (1902 - 1913)
This school was built in 1905. It is built in a Flemish renaissance style of architecture.
Kingsthorpe Grove Lower School, Northampton, Northamptonshire
Hides in a warehouse, Northampton, Northamptonshire
Period: 1920s (1920 - 1929)
These hides are being stored in the warehouse of a boot and shoe manufacturer in Northampton.
Hides in a warehouse, Northampton, Northamptonshire
Visit grant-aided places near you
These places and buildings have been helped by Historic England's financial grants. Find local heritage in your neighbourhood that you never knew existed! Please note that opening times may vary.
Delapre Abbey, London Road, Northampton, Northamptonshire
Delapre Abbey is a 900-year-old former nunnery on the edge of Northampton Town Centre but within easy access of the M1 and other major road networks.
Discover more
Ready for more local stories? Take a look at these other places nearby
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