Northampton is a large market town on the River Nene. It centres around the historic Market Square, which plays host to a range of traders 6 days a week, and is surrounded by interesting buildings from the 18th and 19th century. The nearby streets form the main shopping area of the town.
This was once the heart of the boot and shoe industry, and this heritage can still be seen in the large number of factory footwear outlets that remain in the town to this day. The Northampton Museum & Art Gallery also has a fantastic collection of footwear, one of the largest in the world. Nearby are the Derngate & Royal Theatres, the main venues for arts and entertainment in Northamptonshire.
Also in this area is the recently restored 78 Derngate. It looks like an ordinary 19th century terrace, but inside it is a testament to the work of one of Britain’s greatest architects, Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
Billing Aquadrome leisure park is on the eastern edge of the town and includes a marina and funfair. It also plays host to lots of motorsport-related rallies throughout the year, due to the proximity of Silverstone race track.