Northampton is a prosperous town with a population of about 200,000, situated almost halfway between London and Birmingham.
It is surrounded by an open countryside yet is a town large enough to have good shopping, entertainment and sports facilities.
Northampton has a colourful history as well as a promising future and the town very much combines old with new to offer character.
Part of Northampton's success has been its geographical location which allows easy access to the rest of britain.
Northampton is about halfway between London and Birmingham and also wihtin an hour's travelling of Oxford, Milton Keynes, Peterborough, Coventry, Luton, Stratford-upon-Avon and Cambridge.
By rail it is on the London Euston to Glasgow line with an hourly service to London and Birmingham. International airports at Luton, Birmingham and east Midlands are all less than an hour away
Archaeological evidence shows that man lived in Northampton 6,000 years ago and throughout history, the area has been the scene of drama. Norman buildings such as St Peter's Church are a reminder that Northampton was once a fortified town with a strong castle. The castle was a favourite royal residence of English Kings and it was wihtin its walls that Thomas Beckett confronted Henry II immediately prior to his martyrdom.
Just on the outskirts of Northampton, Guy Fawkes hatched the doomed gunpowder plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament and in 1675 much of Northampton's medieval heritage was destroyed by a great fire that swept through the town.
An important development in the town's industrial heritage came during the 1700's when Northampton's reputation as the center of the shoe industry grew world-wide. Military orders supplied Northampton-made shoes throughout the Empire.
Shoes are still a part of northampton's industrial scene and in more recent years the town's strategic location and good communications have attracted many national and international companies.
In the past 30 years Northampton has seen major expansion with over 200 companies creating 18,000 new jobs.
International companies such as Avon and Calsberg-Tetly have established their UK headquarters in the town alongside major national companies such as barclaycard, Nationwide Building Society, Black and Decker, Coca Cola Schweppes Beverages, Levi Strauss, MFI and Travis perkins.
Town Center shopping in Northampton attracts visitors from all over the county and beyond. As well as two indoor shopping centers, there is also a pedestrianised 'high street' and one of the oldest and largest open air markets in the country.
The market dates back to 1235 and is open Tuesday to Saturday with around 260 stalls selling everything from household items, clothes and books to fruit and flowers. There are also several out-of-town shopping areas.
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