Northampton, Northamptonshire, England, UK 作者: 来源: 发布时间:2021-03-31
I. Population and Area
Continent: Europe
Country: The U.K
State/Province: England
City/Town: Northampton, Northamptonshire
Total Area: 14.4 (sq mi)
Population in 2011: 28.73(thousand)
II. Natural Geography (environment and resources)
Climate
Northampton is formally in the East Midlands region but is also referred to in Government planning as being part of the South Midlands "growth area". The town is 30 miles (48 km) south-southeast of Leicester, 15 miles (24 km) north-northwest of Milton Keynes, 43 miles (69 km) west of Cambridge, 37 miles (60 km) northeast of Oxford and the same distance southwest of Peterborough.
Transport
Northampton is near junctions 15, 15a and 16 of the M1 motorway which connects Northampton with London at its most southern point and Leeds at its most northern. Both the A45 and A43 link Northampton with the other major towns in Northamptonshire, and can be accessed by a partially completed ring road. The A14 is close by to the north of Northampton, providing links east and west of the town.
Railway
Northampton railway station is on the Northampton Loop of the West Coast Main Line, and has services southbound to London Euston and northbound to Birmingham and Crewe provided by West Midlands Trains. Avanti West Coast also provide two daily services to London.
Air
Sywell Aerodrome is the nearest airfield which has recently been upgraded with a 1,000-metre-long (3,300 ft) concrete runway, however it only caters for private flying, flight training and corporate flights. For international links, the East Midlands Airport and Luton Airport are quickly accessible by the M1; Birmingham Airport is also just north of the town via the M1 and M6 motorways and also by train.
Bus
In the town, buses are mainly operated by Stagecoach Midlands from the North Gate bus station with some services from Uno. Stagecoach serves areas within the town and also provides travel to outlying villages and towns within the county, making links to Corby, Daventry, Kettering, Rushden and Wellingborough. They also go as far afield as Bedford, Leicester, Market Harborough, Milton Keynes, Peterborough and Rugby. Uno serve the University and Kingsthorpe area as well as Rectory Farm, Abington and Sixfields. National Express also operates in Northampton, covering routes between major towns and cities in the United Kingdom.
Canal
Northampton is the terminus of an arm of the Grand Union Canal. The arm connects to the River Nene and from that to the River Great Ouse and the North Sea. No longer used for freight, the waterway is now popular with anglers and narrowboaters. Principal outlying villages on the canal include Gayton, Blisworth, Braunston and Stoke Bruerne.
III. ECONOMY
FRED Graph Observations | |
Federal Reserve Economic Data | |
Link: https://fred.stlouisfed.org | |
Help: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/help-faq | |
Economic Research Division | |
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis | |
REALGDPALL37131 | Real Gross Domestic Product: All Industries in Northampton County, NC, Thousands of Chained 2012 U.S. Dollars, Annual, Not Seasonally Adjusted |
Frequency: Annual | |
observation_date | REALGDPALL37131 |
2001-01-01 | 523237 |
2002-01-01 | 508834 |
2003-01-01 | 563070 |
2004-01-01 | 545036 |
2005-01-01 | 584072 |
2006-01-01 | 608270 |
2007-01-01 | 593429 |
2008-01-01 | 542510 |
2009-01-01 | 555056 |
2010-01-01 | 523395 |
2011-01-01 | 538129 |
2012-01-01 | 515282 |
2013-01-01 | 482720 |
2014-01-01 | 472184 |
2015-01-01 | 484410 |
2016-01-01 | 479657 |
2017-01-01 | 481893 |
2018-01-01 | 488283 |
Reference Website:
https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/REALGDPALL37131
IV. Industrial Characterisitics
Major industries:Historically Northampton was known for its shoe and leather industry. The town is an important retail and market centre serving Northamptonshire and north Buckinghamshire. Northampton was designated a planned new town in 1965, and expansion followed.
Big project:Age Span
Details: Age Span is an intergenerational project which brings together young people who have experienced difficult circumstances and older people who are living independently, but need assistance with their overgrown gardens. Age Span service provides one off gardening help to older and disabled people and aims to reduce the long-term maintenance of the garden.
Reference Website:
https://secure.thebiggive.org.uk/projects/view/2736/Age+Span
V. Attractions
1. Kelmarsh Hall and Gardens:
A popular location for weddings and celebrations, Kelmarsh Hall is a wonderfully kept location for any event or just a calm, afternoon trip. This historic house features beautiful architecture, representing a classic English country home in the Palladian style, as well as vast gardens with large varieties of flowers and plants. Often hosting events such as the British Food Festival and other fun or musical events, it’s definitely a stop worth checking out!
2. Brixworth Country Park:
Brixworth Country Park is a large area, catering to a wide variety of ages, interests, and moods. Cycle and walk around the trails overlooking the lake, have a picnic with the family, while the kids play on the playground, or dine at the nearby cafe. It’s perfect for large gatherings and expands upon your neighborhood park, with large expanses of walking and biking trails.
3. Grosvenor Centre:
Located right in the center of Northampton, the Grosvenor Shopping Centre is a great place to walk around and take in the architecture. With a multitude of shops to peruse and food and desserts to indulge in, an afternoon in Grosvenor can be a great date, or simply a break from wandering the streets of Northampton.
Reference Website:
https://trip101.com/article/best-things-to-do-northampton-uk
VI. History
Etymology
The earliest reference to Northampton in writing occurred in 914 under the name Ham tune, literally meaning "home town". The prefix "North" was added later to distinguish it from other towns called Hampton, most prominently Southampton.
Ancient
Earthworks at Hunsbury Hill, which was a settlement during the Iron Age
Present-day Northampton is the latest in a series of settlements that began in the Bronze Age. Remains found in the Briar Hill district show evidence of a Neolithic encampment within a large circular earthwork where local farmers assembled for tribal ceremonies and seasonal events from approximately 3500 BC to 2000 BC.
Medieval
Northampton Castle was a royal residence and held the Parliament of England, but was eventually demolished for a railway station. A postern, rebuilt into a wall by the station, is all that remains.
With the Norman conquest of England, the town rose to national significance: its geographical location in the centre of England made Northampton a valuable strategical point for government and as a convenient meeting place for political, social, ecclesiastical and military events.
Early Modern
The royal connection to Northampton Castle became less significant, and by the time of the English Civil War, Northampton was decidedly pro-Parliament. Though Spencer Compton, Earl of Northampton, was a royalist (Cavalier) and backed King Charles I, the people of Northampton supported Parliament and Oliver Cromwell's republican Roundhead army. The town had a long history of religious dissent from the Lollards and Puritanism gained a strong hold on the town. The corporation of the town, having already refused to provide troops to the King in 1632 or to pay the notorious ship money tax in 1636, petitioned Parliament in 1642 against papists and bishops
VII. Culture
Leisure
The Market Square at night
Northampton's market square is one of Britain's largest and most historic which dates back to 1235. The market square is linked to Abington Street, a major shopping area of Northampton. The western part of the street was pedestrianised in 1984. The eastern part was pedestrianised in 1995 and de-pedestrianised in 2014. There are also two shopping centres in the town centre: the Grosvenor Centre, which was built in the 1970s, and Market Walk (previously Peacock Place), which was constructed in 1988. St James Retail Park is also a large shopping precinct just south of the town centre.
Entertainment
Royal & Derngate, one of the main venues for arts and entertainment
The Royal & Derngate theatre complex, on Guildhall Road in the Cultural Quarter of the town centre, is one of the main venues for arts and entertainment in Northampton. The Deco, situated in Abington Square in the town centre, is a 900-seat theatre and conference centre, which shares its Art Deco building with the Northampton Jesus Centre. It was restored by the Jesus Army as part of their Jesus Centre project.
Music
The composers Malcolm Arnold, Edmund Rubbra, Robert Walker and William Alwyn were born in Northampton. Northampton also boasts one of the oldest community orchestras in the U.K. - the Northampton Symphony Orchestra, which started life in 1896 as Saint Celia's Orchestral Society. The popular UK rapper Slowthai was born in Northampton and frequently talks about his life growing up there in his music.
VIII. Other information
The first University of Northampton was established by royal charter by King Henry III in 1261, and started to rival the universities in Cambridge and Oxford, with their students migrating to the Northampton establishment. This university was dissolved by King Henry III in 1265, in revenge of its students siding with the rebellious barons in the Battle of Northampton (1264). Henry III was also advised by bishops and magnates that it posed a threat to Oxford, and signed a Royal Decree which banned the establishment of a university in Northampton.
IX. Contact information
Mayor/Officer: David J. Narkewicz
Tel: 413-587-1249
Mail: mayor@northamptonma.gov <mayor@northamptonma.gov>;
Reference Website:
https://northamptonma.gov/720/Mayors-Office