You don’t amass thousands of years of history without making your mark. And Northampton has many centuries of grandeur behind it.
Explore the town’s heritage with your hire car and you’ll come across architecture that saw action in the English Civil War and the War of the Roses, as well as an abundance of beautiful parks.
Grand buildings
In many ways the pride of the town, Northampton’s Guildhall plays host to the area’s council these days, but its striking architecture is well worth recognition. Built in the 1860s, it is lavishly decorated with numerous carvings encompassing saints, kings and more.
A smattering of impressive churches also add to the town’s charms. St. Peter’s Church is a renowned place of worship standing since 1150, with some fine carvings, while the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is a rare and beautiful round church.
Simon I de Senlis, the Norman Earl responsible for its construction, also constructed the All Hallows church, which was burned down in the Great Fire of Northampton in 1675. The replacement has a notable barrel-vaulted ceiling and elements from both the 17th and 18th centuries.
Racing post
While Northampton may have a sizeable racecourse in its town, it no longer holds races here. In fact, they stopped in 1904 due to a number of accidents from the tight corners and the public having access to the track.
Before that, it was used for more grisly purpose, as a site for public executions. Today, it is popular with local sports teams, has an adventure park, and plenty of places to grab a bite to eat.
If you want to see an actual race, then just drive a few miles to Silverstone, home of the British Grand Prix. The site holds a number of other events, including rallycross and superbike races as well as vintage car festivals.
Castles and code-breakers
Get out in your hire car to explore the multitude of attractions and activities surrounding Northampton. Just a short drive to the east, you’ll find Castle Ashby Gardens, a beautiful, old estate with a stately home at its centre.
The gardens were designed by famous landscape architect Capability Brown and contain numerous charming features such as an Orangery and Buttery, Arboretum and cricket pitch. Children will love the menagerie including miniature ponies, marmosets and meerkats.
South of the town, close to Milton Keynes, is the famous Bletchley Park. Once housing the codebreakers who played a key role in World War II, the museum gives a fascinating glimpse into the work that took place here. Wander the various rooms and exhibitions and you’ll see the machine that helped break the Enigma code.
Ensure you experience all that this charming town and the region beyond has to offer with car hire in Northampton.