Northamptonshire Through the Ages

Historical highlights from the region

1460

Henry VI is defeated at Northampton in a battle during the Wars of the Roses.

1532

Lawrence Washington, a wool merchant and forebear of the first president of the USA, becomes the mayor of Northampton.

1587

Mary Queen of Scots is executed at Fotheringhay Castle.

1675

The Great Fire of Northampton is started by sparks from an open fire in St Mary’s Street, near Northampton Castle. The overwhelming majority of the town’s buildings are destroyed.

1844

The influential landscape painter Alfred East is born in Kettering.

1858

Workers form the Northamptonshire Boot and Shoemakers’ Mutual Protection Society to fight mechanisation.

1935

Production begins at the massive Stewarts & Lloyds steelworks in Corby.

1965

The Soke of Peterborough, historically associated with Northamptonshire, merges with the county of Huntingdonshire.

1998

Local boy Graeme Swann begins his domestic cricket career at Northamptonshire. He will make his test debut 10 years later, and compete in Strictly Come Dancing in 2018.