Where to Stay in Northamptonshire
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Information about Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a county that sits quietly at the heart of England, often passed through rather than paused in, yet those who stop to explore discover a county of genuine charm, deep history and a surprisingly varied landscape that belies its landlocked position.
The countryside is quintessentially English — a gently undulating landscape of ironstone villages, ancient woodland and wide river valleys carved by the Nene and the Welland. The warm honey coloured stone that characterises so many of the county’s villages gives Northamptonshire an architectural consistency and beauty that rivals the Cotswolds in places, yet without the crowds. Villages like Rockingham, Fotheringhay and Althorp sit in landscapes that feel little changed over centuries.
History runs deep here. Fotheringhay Castle, now little more than a mound above the River Nene, was the site of the execution of Mary Queen of Scots, one of the most dramatic moments in English history. Althorp, the ancestral home of the Spencer family and the resting place of Diana, Princess of Wales, draws visitors from around the world. The county’s medieval churches are among the finest and most numerous in England, earning Northamptonshire the nickname the county of squires and spires.
Northampton itself is one of the larger towns in England without city status, with a long history of shoemaking that is celebrated in its excellent leather and shoe collection. Oundle and Towcester are among the most attractive of the county’s smaller market towns, each with a strong sense of their own identity and history.
Whether you are looking for a peaceful rural retreat among ironstone villages, a heritage break steeped in English history or a comfortable base for exploring the heart of England, Northamptonshire is a county well worth getting to know.
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