Northamptonshire - 65 Attractions You Must Visit

78 Derngate is the only house in England designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and is hailed as a multi-award-winning attraction. Its interior was extensively remodelled in 1916 and 1917 by the architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh for businessman Wenman Joseph Bassett-Lowke as his first marital home. Mackintosh's designs for the house are considered to be one of the first examples of the Art Deco style to be seen in Britain.

The Alfred East Art Gallery offers a range of temporary exhibitions, art workshops and talks among other events held throughout the year. The Gallery was originally built to house the Sir Alfred East painting collection which he gave to the Borough of Kettering in 1910. It now holds a significant collection of 19th and 20th century fine art by many notable British artists and the collection is a valuable resource for research and enjoyment alike

All Saints Church in Brixworth is the largest Saxon church in England, indeed it is probably the largest Anglo-Saxon building of any kind. It was founded around AD 680 by monks from Peterborough, and unlike some early churches, has retained much of its Saxon architecture. It is the largest English church that remains substantially as it was in the Anglo-Saxon era. It was designated as a Grade I listed building in 1954.

Althorp is a Grade I listed stately home and estate in the civil parish of Althorp, in West Northamptonshire, England of about 13,000 acres. By road, it is about 6 miles northwest of the county town of Northampton and about 75 miles northwest of central London, situated between the villages of Great Brington and Harlestone. It has been held by the prominent aristocratic Spencer family for more than 500 years and has been owned by Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer since 1992.

Badby Woods is a private property and part of the Fawsley Estate, but is open to all visitors to enjoy its natural beauty. It is a protected wildlife area, and has a Site of Special Scientific Interest within the Woods. It is mainly pedunculate oak, with varied ground flora including creeping soft-grass, wood anemone, yellow archangel and bluebell. A small marsh has very diverse herbs.

Barnwell Castle is a strongly fortified manorial residence built during the period of the Second Baron’s War (1264-1267), which was at the forefront of medieval military architecture in Britain; It is quadrilateral in shape with cylinder towers on the northeast, northwest and southwest corners. On the southeast corner is a twin-towered gatehouse. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building, and is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

​Barnwell Country Park comprises 37 acres of lakes, riverbank and meadows to explore, situated close to the historic market town of Oundle.There is a range of walks around the park and you can download or pick up maps to help you find your way around. The walks are waymarked along the way. There is a nature trail and an orienteering map. Plus activity packs for kids and scavenger hunts. The park has a woodland adventure play area and a hobbit garden for toddlers.

Becket's Park is a traditional park along the bank of the River Nene, and forms a green gateway to the centre of Northampton. It's a great place for those based or working in the town centre to relax. It stretches from Queenswood Drive to the West and Batcliffe Mount to the East. St Chads Drive to the North and Langdale Terrace to the South. It also encompasses the Beckett Park School, a children's play park, a skate park and tennis courts.

Billing Aquadrome is a leisure park in Great Billing, in the eastern district of Northampton, England. Facilities within the 235-acre park, which was built around various mature gravel pits, include a caravan site, marina and funfair. It is also frequently home to a wide variety of shows throughout the year, including music events and car shows, such as the world's largest annual Land Rover show and the American Car Show. It also hosts the Northampton Balloon Festival.

Borough Hill is a hill to the east of the town of Daventry in the English county of Northamptonshire. It is over 200 metres (660 ft) above sea level and dominates the surrounding area. Today it is maintained as a country park by the Council, offering spectacular views of the surrounding area as well as providing a haven for local wildlife and a popular spot for dog walkers.

Boughton House in Northamptonshire is one of Britain's great stately homes, offering a unique and memorable experience for all visitors. The House itself contains an outstanding collection of fine art and is seen by many as a flagship of Britain’s national heritage. Outside you can explore 150 acres of stunning gardens, landscapes, tree-lined avenues and serene waterways. When it’s time for a refreshing cup of tea, head over to the Stables Café and Gift Shop.

Bradlaugh Fields is a community open space wildlife park in Northampton covering a huge area from Moulton Park to Kingsthorpe and accross to Spinney Hill. Three fields with a total area of 17.5 hectares are managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire as a nature reserve also called Bradlaugh Fields. There is access to Hills and Holes from Kettering Road, and other access points include a footpath from Aintree Road which passes between Scrub Field and Quar

The Brampton Valley Way is a 14-mile rail-trail built on the way of the former Northampton to Market Harborough Railway in Northamptonshire. There are 14 miles of the park to explore, with woodland spinneys, traditional hedgerows, and ancient meadows throughout. One of the beautiful trekking destinations and also you can spend a nice time in the middle of nature.

Brixworth Country Park is a national showpiece for an accessible countryside. This small yet perfectly-formed park offers great possibilities if you want to picnic, walk, push or cycle in woodland, meadow and stunning reservoir surroundings. There is also a small privately run cycle shop which hires out bikes for people who would like to cycle around Pitsford Reservoir. The park is run by Northamptonshire County Council.

Castle Ashby is the ancestral home of the 7th Marquess of Northampton. This majestc castle was set in the heart of a 10,000-acre estate, the 35 acres of extensive gardens are a combination of several styles including the romantic Italian Gardens, the unique Orangery and impressive Arboretum. It is a leading example of the Elizabethan prodigy house, with a Palladian section closing the front courtyard added in the 18th century.

This beautiful garden at Coton Manor occupies a hillside position extending down from the 17th century manor house constructed of mellow Northamptonshire stone. The 10 acre garden has luxuriant borders that will delight the plant enthusiast while everyone will enjoy the garden’s charm and special atmosphere, with colour and interest throughout the seasons. Beyond the garden is a magical five acre bluebell wood and a wildflower meadow.

Cottesbrooke is a wonderful Queen Anne house dating from 1702, set in delightful award winning gardens in rural Northamptonshire. The Hall is a near-perfect example of Queen Anne architecture located in a large parkland setting with wide views across the local countryside. It is home to the Woolavington Collection, one of the most extensive collections of sporting paintings in the world.

Deene Park is a Tudor and Georgian mansion nestled in the gently rolling Northamptonshire countryside and has been the home of the Brudenell family since 1514. The most striking feature of the gardens at Deene Park is the box hedge parterre designed by David Hicks. The planting consists of clipped lavender, Geraniums, Salvias, Iris, Nepeta, and spring bulbs including Hyacinths & Tulips. As well as flora, there is a diversity of wildlife ranging from Red Kites, to Kingfisher, black swans and litt