Northamptonshire - 65 Attractions You Must Visit

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About Northamptonshire

Northamptonshire, archaically known as the County of Northampton, is a county in the East Midlands of England. In 2015, it had a population of 723,000. The county is administered by two unitary authorities: North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire. It is known as "The Rose of the Shires".

Types of Attractions in Northamptonshire

Activities Around

List of Attractions in Northamptonshire

Northampton & Lamport Railway

Northampton & Lamport Railway

Man-made Structures- Other

The Northampton & Lamport Railway is a steam and heritage diesel tourist railway in the heart of the Northamptonshire countryside. It is based at Pitsford and Brampton station, near the villages of Pitsford and Chapel Brampton, roughly 5 miles north of Northampton. The railway is open for viewing from 10:00 to 17:00 on Sundays. Train rides are available on Sundays from March to October, diesel hauled with steam-hauled trains for special events. Open from March to October and throughout December

Northampton Museum and Art Gallery

Northampton Museum and Art Gallery is a public museum in Northampton, England. It has the largest collection of objects charting the history of shoes in the world. The collection is designated as being of national and international significance and consists of more than 15,000 shoes and 50,000 archival records including documentary footage and fine art. It also includes social history, fine and decorative art as well as 5000 items of military history, 35,000 geological specimens, and 5000 items

Northampton Museum and Art Gallery

Northampton Museum and Art Gallery is a public museum in Northampton, England. The museum is owned and run by Northampton Borough Council and claims to house the largest collection of shoes in the world, with over 12,000 pairs. The museum has been collecting footwear since the 1870s and now boasts the largest collection of shoes in the world, which was designated as being of international importance by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council in 1997.

Northamptonshire Ironstone Railway Trust

Based within the Grounds of The Hunsbury Hill Country Park which is located at Hunsbury Hill. The line is mainly dedicated to freight working, featuring many sharp curves and steep gradients which were typical of the industrial railwayThe museum features exhibits related to: industry and land transport. Key themes, people and exhibits in the museum include: several southern region coaches on site inc a coach from the 4dd double decker train, the last remaining complete sr 415 epb train, a class

Oundle Museum

Oundle Museum is an award winning Accredited Museum located in the former Courthouse of the beautiful stone built Market Town in Northamptonshire. The history of the town is evident from many of the current houses over 300 years old yet Oundle dates back to the Iron Age and can boast a rich history throughout the ages which are reflected in the Museum.

Pitsford water

Pitsford water

Outdoors- Other

Dams

Pitsford Water or Pitsford Reservoir is a 413 hectare reservoir and biological Site of Special Scientific Interest east of Brixworth in Northamptonshire. It is owned by Anglian Water, which manages it as a water park for walking, cycling, fishing, sailing and birdwatching.[3] An area of 181 hectares north of the causeway which divides the reservoir is the Pitsford Water Nature Reserve, which is managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.

Queen Eleanor Cross

The Queen Eleanor Memorial Cross is a meThe Queen Eleanor Memorial Cross is a memorial to Eleanor of Castile erected in the forecourt of Charing Cross railway station, London, in 1864–1865. It is a fanciful reconstruction of the medieval Eleanor cross at Charing, one of several memorial crosses erected by Edward I of England in memory of his first wife. The Victorian monument was designed by Edward Middleton Barry, also the architect of the railway station, and includes multiple statues of Queen

Rockingham Castle

Rockingham Castle

Iconic Buildings

Rockingham Castle is one of the oldest castles in Northamptonshire. William the Conqueror first recognized the strategic importance of the site of Rockingham castle. The castle was in royal hands for over 450 years and was essentially a very regal hunting lodge until the reign of Edward III. It was set in 18 acres of gardens. One of the most prominent garden features is the so-called 'Elephant Hedge', a 400-year-old circular yew hedge that cuts through the 17th-century formal terraced garden.

Rookery Open Farm

Rookery Open Farm

Outdoors- Other

Rookery Open Farm is a petting farm with children's play activities on the edge of Stoke Bruerne village in Northants. It’s a real treat to get close to animals and even participate in looking after them. There is also a big indoor three-tier soft play frame with slides, tubes, biff bags, log ramps and a rope bridge and a separate area for under 4 year olds.

Rushton Triangular Lodge

Rushton Triangular Lodge

Iconic Buildings

This delightful triangular building was designed by Sir Thomas Tresham (father of one of the Gunpowder Plotters) and constructed between 1593 and 1597. It is a testament to Tresham’s Roman Catholicism. Not only is the Lodge three-sided, but each side is divided into three. Tresham revered the number three, representing the Holy Trinity, which is evident in the layout of the Lodge. Comprised of three floors, including the basement, three sides each 33 feet long, and three windows on each side fo

St Peter's Church, Northampton

This is a beautiful redundant Anglican church in Marefair, Northampton, which was built around 1150. It is considered to be "the most outstanding Norman church in the county" and "its capital sculpture is one of the highlights of the Romanesque in England".[3] Alec Clifton-Taylor includes the church in his list of 'best' English parish churches. The church stands on a site between a former Anglo-Saxon palace and Northampton Castle.

Sywell Aviation Museum

The Sywell Aviation Museum is a voluntary, non-profit-making organisation which aims to preserve the history of Sywell Aerodrome and Northamptonshire’s rich aviation heritage from the early days of aviation to the Second World War and beyond. Inside the Museum can be found various displays on the history of aviation in Northamptonshire including aviation archaeology, aircraft cockpits, uniforms and models.

Sywell Country Park

Sywell Country Park

Outdoors- Other

Parks

Sywell Country Park exists on the site of a former drinking water reservoir near the village of Sywell in East Northamptonshire. It offers an eclectic mix of things to see and explore. An Edwardian water pump house and tower still stand within the small reservoir. The site includes a small tea room. There is also a project which aims to use both oral and written records to interpret the route of the water supply throughout the site.

The Church Of The Holy Sepulchre

This is a church built on the traditional site of Jesus’ Crucifixion and burial. According to the Bible, his tomb was close to the place of the Crucifixion, and so the church was planned to enclose the site of both the cross and the tomb. Today, the wider complex around the Church of the Holy Sepulchre also serves as the headquarters of the Greek Orthodox patriarch of Jerusalem, while control of the church itself is shared among several Christian denominations and secular entities in complicated

The Parish Church Of All Saints

All Saints' Church, Northampton is a Church of England parish church in the centre of Northampton. The current church was largely built after a fire and was consecrated in 1680. It is a Grade I listed building. It is open from 9:00am to 5:00pm throughout the year, with extended opening on days with choral services.

The Racecourse

The Racecourse

Outdoors- Other

The Racecourse is an open space park situated in the centre of Northampton. It is the sports park for Northampton with football, rugby, bowls, tennis, and more. The park has many paths connecting different areas and over 100 streetlights. It is surrounded by the Mounts, Kingsley and Semilong estates. The Racecourse did hold regular horse racing meetings. However, these ceased in 1904.

Thenford House

Thenford House

Iconic Buildings

Thenford House, Thenford, Northamptonshire, England is an 18th century country house built for Michael Wodhull, the bibliophile and translator. Wodhull's architect is unknown. The style is Palladian although with earlier Carolean echoes which led Pevsner to describe it as "decidedly conservative for its date". Construction took place between 1761 and 1765. Since the 1970s, the house has been the country home of Michael Heseltine who has constructed a notable arboretum in the grounds. Thenford Ho

Titchmarsh Nature Reserve

Titchmarsh Nature Reserve is a 72.7 hectare Local Nature Reserve north of Thrapston in East Northamptonshire. The River Nene runs through this site, which also has large areas of open water and grassland. There are nationally important numbers of goosanders, wigeons and gadwalls in winter, and banded demoiselle damselflies nest on nettles along the river bank. It is owned and managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. It is part of the Upper Nene Valley

Twywell Gullet

Twywell Gullet

Outdoors- Other

Twywell Gullet is a 17.1 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest east of Kettering in Northamptonshire and a former ironstone quarry which has deep cuttings with steeply sloping banks. It is part of the 54.6 hectare Twywell Hills and Dales nature reserve, which is managed by a partnership of the Woodland Trust and the Rockingham Forest Trust.

Wakerley Woods

Wakerley Woods

Outdoors- Other

Wakerley is a linear village and civil parish in the county of Northamptonshire, England. Forming part of North Northamptonshire, Wakerley is close to, and south of, the River Welland that forms the boundary with Rutland; its nearest neighbour, Barrowden, is in that county and accessible by a footbridge. Wakerley is in the area of Rockingham Forest and Wakerley Great Wood is one of the forest's largest remnants. The population of the village is included in the civil parish of Duddington with Fin

Map of attractions in Northamptonshire

Comments

For more information about Northamptonshire, visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northamptonshire