Northampton

Northampton
Town and Civil Parish
Clockwise from top: Northampton Guildhall; All Saints' Church; Market Square; Abington Park and; the National Lift Tower
Northampton Location within Northamptonshire
Population	249,093 (2021 census)[1]
Civil parish	Northampton
Unitary authority	West Northamptonshire
Ceremonial county	Northamptonshire
Region	East Midlands
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Areas of the town	List Abington Boughton Boothville Brackmills Collingtree Cotton End Dallington Delapre Duston East Hunsbury Far Cotton Hardingstone Hopping Hill Hunsbury Meadows Kingsthorpe Moulton Rothersthorpe Semilong Town Centre West Hunsbury Wootton
Post town	NORTHAMPTON
Postcode district	NN1—NN7
Dialling code	01604
Police	Northamptonshire
Fire	Northamptonshire
Ambulance	East Midlands
UK Parliament	Northampton North, Northampton South, South Northamptonshire
List of places UK England Northamptonshire 52°13′49″N 0°53′38″W / 52.2303748°N 0.8937527°W / 52.2303748; -0.8937527

Northampton (/nɔːrˈθæmptən/ ^ⓘ) is a town and civil parish^[2] in Northamptonshire, England. It is the county town of Northamptonshire and the administrative centre of the unitary authority of West Northamptonshire. The town is situated on the River Nene, 60 miles (97 km) north-west of London and 50 miles (80 km) south-east of Birmingham. Northampton is one of the largest towns in England;^[3] the population of its overall urban area was recorded as 249,093 in the 2021 census.^[1]

Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates to the Bronze Age, Romans and Anglo-Saxons. In the Middle Ages, the town rose to national significance with the establishment of Northampton Castle, an occasional royal residence which regularly hosted the Parliament of England. Medieval Northampton had many churches, monasteries and the University of Northampton, all enclosed by the town walls. It was granted a town charter by Richard I in 1189 and a mayor was appointed by King John in 1215. The town was also the site of two medieval battles, in 1264 and 1460.

The town largely supported the Parliamentary Roundheads during the English Civil War, which prompted Charles II to order the destruction of the town walls and most of the castle. The Great Fire of Northampton in 1675 also destroyed much of the historic town. Northampton was soon rebuilt and grew rapidly with the industrial development of the 18th century. The town continued to expand with the arrival of the Grand Union Canal and the railways in the 19th century, becoming a centre for footwear and leather manufacture.

Growth was limited following the World Wars until it was designated a New Town in 1968, accelerating development which has continued into the 21st century. Northampton unsuccessfully applied for city status four times; in 1992, 2000, 2002 and 2022.^[4]