//
County town of Northamptonshire, England
Photo: Brookie at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Northampton is the county town of Northamptonshire, and is one of the largest settlements in the UK that is not a city after Reading and Dudley. It is about halfway between the cities of Birmingham and London.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
A classic neo-gothic styled building built in 1861 by Edward William Godwin. It now houses the Northampton Borough Council offices.
A collection of artifacts from Northampton's past with particular homage to the shoe industry that caused the town to first boom.
National Lift Tower
in St James. A 418ft tall tower used for testing lifts.
The only house outside of Scotland to be designed by world-famous architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The House has been beautifully restored and is now a museum. Guided tours are available and there is also a small restaurant. Advanced booking is advised.
The 10th-century Monastery belonged to the congregation of the great Abbey of Cluny in Burgundy, France. The abbey was originally named Abbey of St Mary de la Pré, or literally "The Abbey of St Mary in the Meadow". At the end of the main dive up to the estate, lies one of the three remaining Eleanor Crosses left in Northamptonshire. The abbey was founded in 1145 by Earl Simon de Senlis during the reign of King Stephen and is well worth a visit.
stately home and estate, where Princess Diana is buried.
The Saints play rugby union in the Premiership, the top tier. In 2025 the stadium hosted games in the Women's Rugby Union World Cup.
"The Cobblers" were relegated in 2026 and now play soccer in League Two, the fourth tier. Their Sixfield Stadium (sponsored as PTS Academy Stadium) has a capacity of 7800 and is a mile west of the town centre.
Northamptonshire CCC play cricket in Division Two of the County Championship. These matches last 3-4 days.
Offers cheap meals from around £7 a head.
Pub offers good pub fare at a reasonable price of around £18 a head.
Breakfast and dinner, alcohol available from noon.
Offers fine, French styled cuisine for around £54 a head.
Great little Italian cafe with friendly staff. Lovely Italian-style sandwiches and cakes too.
The hotel was built in 1914 as the home of local shoe manufacturer William Sears. The original fireplace, bay windows and architectural mouldings form a picturesque backdrop for excellent cuisine and carefully selected wines. Located in peaceful gardens 10 minutes from the M1.
One of the oldest in the country, operating at the market square. In the 2020s, it underwent a multi-million pound investment and renovation.
Part of Northampton's Cultural Quarter, St Giles Street features a variety of independent shops and cafés.
By car
If you're driving in, you'll find that Northampton is well connected by road with many distribution companies being based in and around the town.
By bus
Alternatively, National Express offer coach services across the country from Northgate bus station, and a coach park near the mounts baths in the town centre. flixbus also operates some services.
By boat
A branch of Grand Union Canal passes directly through Northampton, so if you own a boat, it's easy enough to get to town over water.
By train
The railway station is approximately a 15-minute walk from the town centre and has frequent buses passing the site. Taxis are also available from outside the station.
By plane
The nearest airports to Northampton are Birmingham, East Midlands, and London Luton Airport in Luton. There are rail and bus links from London, home of Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted Airports.
The most common way of getting around is by car, but on Saturdays expect queues because of the football and rugby games that go on.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Luton, Luton · International · LTN
Loading places around the airport…
Articles and travel topics about Northampton (England) and United Kingdom.
Travel tipsComplete 2026 guide to the UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). Check eligibility, the £20 fee, application steps, and transit rules.
7 min read
Travel tipsComplete 2026 guide to global tourist taxes and access fees. Compare entry fees in Venice, Bali, Bhutan, Kyoto, and Edinburgh, and learn how to pay them.
8 min read
Travel tipsFind the cheapest countries to fly to from the US and UK in 2026. Compare realistic round-trip flight deals, budget airlines, and prime booking windows.
8 min read
Travel tipsA complete guide to taking the Eurostar from London to Paris. Learn about check-in times, border controls, baggage limits, ticket tiers, and booking tips.
7 min read
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.