1164, Northampton Castle During the Autumn and Winter of 1164, Northampton stood at the centre of royal drama. King Henry II was at Northampton Castle for one of the most explosive political confrontations of the Middle Ages: the trial of his archbishop, Thomas Becket. With Becket in exile, tempers high, and royal authority under scrutiny,… Continue reading When Medieval Monarchs Spent Christmas in Northamptonshire
Author: Jack Preston
The World’s First Gas Cooked Dinner Party
In the early 1830s, while most households still relied on smoky coal ranges and temperamental open fires, something remarkable was happening in Northampton. Inside a lecture room belonging to the town’s Mechanics’ Institute, a crowd gathered to watch what must surely count as the world’s first gas-cooked dinner party. A full meal. Multiple courses. All… Continue reading The World’s First Gas Cooked Dinner Party
Kettering’s Shoemaking Revolution
Kettering in the early Nineteenth Century was a centre of the shoemaking trade; not yet with the great factories of later years, but a growing trade that would shape Kettering’s future. In backyards, cottages, and tiny workshops, whole families made shoes by hand. Children learned the craft beside their parents, passing down skills that had… Continue reading Kettering’s Shoemaking Revolution
The Demon Doll of Finedon
As the nights grow longer and the mists settle over Northamptonshire’s lanes, tales begin to stir … tales of strange happenings and things best left behind locked doors. One such story belongs to the quiet town of Finedon, where a wooden figure once watched over a school… and may still be watching. The School with… Continue reading The Demon Doll of Finedon
Bonfire Night – Sparked in Northamptonshire ?
The Origin of Bonfire Night
The Kettering Conjuror – and Northamptonshire’s Secret Bibles
Long before Hogwarts (and even Harry Potter House) there was Thomas Fysh of Kettering – dragged before the dreaded Star Chamber for possessing what sounds like a wizard’s notebook. His crimes? Owning “a book of Coverdale’s making” (almost certainly one of the earliest printed English Bibles) and keeping “a paper drawen with fygures and circulls… Continue reading The Kettering Conjuror – and Northamptonshire’s Secret Bibles
The Northamptonshire Floods of 1795
When the County Went Under In February 1795, Northamptonshire found itself at the mercy of one of the most dramatic natural disasters in its history. And it wasn’t limited to Northants! The Great Floods of 1795, referred to as the Candlemas Flood in some parts, turned peaceful rivers into raging torrents, swept away bridges, and… Continue reading The Northamptonshire Floods of 1795
Triangular Lodge – An Act of Rebellion
Wander just outside Rushton, Northamptonshire, and you’ll find yourself facing one of the strangest, most intriguing buildings in England. It isn’t grand like a country house, nor fortified like a castle. Instead, it squats in the countryside like a puzzle made of stone: three sides, three storeys, three gables. At once eccentric and beautiful, it… Continue reading Triangular Lodge – An Act of Rebellion
Beyond the Flames: Lessons from the Great Fire of Northampton
This post came about as a result of writing my book about The Great Fire of Northampton – available now on Amazon! When we look at the Great Fire of Northampton, the obvious lessons seem to be about fire itself: thatched roofs catch quickly, strong winds carry sparks, and wooden towns are tinderboxes waiting to… Continue reading Beyond the Flames: Lessons from the Great Fire of Northampton
Northamptonshire’s Saints
This evening (19 September) will see our local rugby team, Northampton Saints, face off against Saracens from North London. But let’s take a look at some of the real saints from or connected to Northamptonshire… Saint Ragener of Northampton: The Forgotten Martyr in Marefair Walk past St Peter’s Church in Marefair, Northampton, and you’ll find… Continue reading Northamptonshire’s Saints
Jack Preston 