Northamptonshire is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It covers 913 square miles (2,364 km2) and had 787,125 residents at the 2021 census, counted across the two unitary authorities that now run it.
Northampton is the county town and by far the largest settlement. Since April 2021 the county has had no county council: North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire replaced it and the seven old districts.
| Country | England, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Region | East Midlands |
| Status | Ceremonial county; two unitary authorities |
| Area | 913 sq mi (2,364 km2) |
| Population (2021) | 787,125 |
| Density | 333 people per km2 (862 per sq mi) |
| County town | Northampton |
| Largest town | Northampton (about 245,900) |
| Councils | North Northamptonshire; West Northamptonshire |
| Postcode areas | NN, and parts of PE, MK, OX, CV, LE |
Towns and Villages in Northamptonshire
The gazetteer records 334 named settlements in Northamptonshire. They are grouped below by the unitary authority that covers them, and listed alphabetically within each.
North Northamptonshire (127)
- Achurch
- Aldwincle St Peter
- Apethorpe
- Armston
- Ashley
- Ashton
- Barnwell
- Barrowden
- Benefield
- Blatherwycke
- Bozeat
- Brampton Ash
- Braybrooke
- Brigstock
- Broughton
- Bulwick
- Burton Latimer
- Caldecott
- Chelveston
- Clopton
- Collyweston
- Corby
- Cotterstock
- Cottingham
- Cranford
- Cranford St Andrew
- Cranford St John
- Deene
- Deenethorpe
- Denford
- Desborough
- Dingley
- Duddington
- Earls Barton
- East Carlton
- Easton Maudit
- Easton on the Hill
- Ecton
- Finedon
- Fineshade
- Fotheringhay
- Foxhall
- Geddington
- Glapthorn
- Grafton Underwood
- Great Addington
- Great Cransley
- Great Doddington
- Great Harrowden
- Great Oakley
- Grendon
- Gretton
- Hardwick
- Hargrave
- Harrington
- Harringworth
- Harrowden
- Hemington
- Higham Ferrers
- Hill Top
- Irchester
- Irthlingborough
- Isham
- Islip
- Kettering
- Kings Cliffe
- Knuston
- Laxton
- Lilford
- Little Addington
- Little Harrowden
- Little Irchester
- Little Oakley
- Loddington
- Lowick
- Luddington in the Brook
- Lutton
- Mears Ashby
- Middleton
- Nassington
- Newton
- Orlingbury
- Oundle
- Papley
- Pilton
- Pipewell
- Polebrook
- Pytchley
- Raunds
- Ringstead
- Rockingham
- Rothwell
- Rushden
- Rushton
- Slipton
- Southwick
- Stanion
- Stanwick
- Stoke Albany
- Stoke Doyle
- Strixton
- Sudborough
- Sutton Bassett
- Sywell
- Tansor
- Thorpe Malsor
- Thorpe Waterville
- Thrapston
- Thurning
- Titchmarsh
- Twywell
- Upper Benefield
- Wadenhoe
- Wakerley
- Warkton
- Warmington
- Weekley
- Weldon
- Wellingborough
- Weston by Welland
- Wigsthorpe
- Wilbarston
- Wilby
- Wollaston
- Woodford
- Woodnewton
- Yarwell
West Northamptonshire (207)
- Abthorpe
- Adstone
- Alderton
- Althorp Estate
- Appletree
- Arthingworth
- Ashby St Ledgers
- Ashton
- Astcote
- Aston le Walls
- Astrop
- Aynho
- Badby
- Barby
- Blakesley
- Blisworth
- Boughton
- Brackley
- Bradden
- Brafield-on-the-Green
- Braunston
- Brixworth
- Brockhall
- Bugbrooke
- Byfield
- Canons Ashby
- Castle Ashby
- Chacombe
- Chapel Brampton
- Charlton
- Charwelton
- Chipping Warden
- Church Brampton
- Church Charwelton
- Church Stowe
- Clay Coton
- Clipston
- Cogenhoe
- Cold Ashby
- Cold Higham
- Collingtree
- Cosgrove
- Cottesbrooke
- Courteenhall
- Creaton
- Crick
- Croughton
- Culworth
- Dallington
- Dalscote
- Daventry
- Deanshanger
- Denton
- Dodford
- Draughton
- Duncote
- East Farndon
- East Haddon
- Edgcote
- Elkington
- Emery Row
- Evenley
- Everdon
- Eydon
- Falcutt
- Farthinghoe
- Farthingstone
- Fawsley
- Faxton
- Flore
- Foscote
- Foxley
- Gayton
- Grafton Regis
- Great Billing
- Great Brington
- Great Creaton
- Great Everdon
- Great Houghton
- Great Oxendon
- Great Purston
- Greatworth
- Greens Norton
- Grimscote
- Guilsborough
- Hackleton
- Halse
- Hanging Houghton
- Hannington
- Hardingstone
- Harlestone
- Harpole
- Hartwell
- Haselbech
- Heathencote
- Hellidon
- Helmdon
- Hinton
- Hinton in the Hedges
- Holcot
- Holdenby
- Hollowell
- Horton
- Hulcote
- Kelmarsh
- Kilsby
- Kings Sutton
- Kingsthorpe
- Kislingbury
- Lamport
- Lilbourne
- Litchborough
- Little Brington
- Little Houghton
- Little Preston
- Long Buckby
- Long Buckby Wharf
- Lower Boddington
- Lower Catesby
- Lower Thorpe
- Maidford
- Maidwell
- Marston St Lawrence
- Marston Trussell
- Mawsley
- Middleton Cheney
- Milthorpe
- Milton
- Milton Malsor
- Moor End
- Moreton Pinkney
- Moulton
- Muscott
- Naseby
- Nether Heyford
- New Buildings
- Newnham
- Nobottle
- Northampton
- Norton
- Old Stratford
- Onley
- Overstone
- Overthorpe
- Passenham
- Pattishall
- Paulerspury
- Piddington
- Pitsford
- Plumpton
- Potcote
- Potterspury
- Preston Capes
- Preston Deanery
- Pury End
- Queen’s Row
- Quinton
- Radstone
- Ravensthorpe
- Roade
- Rothersthorpe
- Scaldwell
- Showsley
- Shutlanger
- Sibbertoft
- Silverstone
- Slapton
- Spratton
- Stanford on Avon
- Staverton
- Stoke Bruerne
- Stowehill
- Sulgrave
- Swan Valley
- Syresham
- Teeton
- Thenford
- Thornby
- Thorpe Mandeville
- Tiffield
- Towcester
- Upper Boddington
- Upper Catesby
- Upper Stowe
- Walgrave
- Wappenham
- Warkworth
- Watford
- Weedon Bec
- Weedon Lois
- Welford
- Welton
- West Farndon
- West Haddon
- Weston
- Whilton
- Whiston
- Whitfield
- Whittlebury
- Wicken
- Wood Burcote
- Woodend
- Woodford Halse
- Wootton
- Yardley Gobion
- Yardley Hastings
- Yelvertoft
Geography
Northamptonshire sits on the watershed of central England, on a belt of ironstone and limestone that rises to about 225 metres near Arbury Hill. The Nene rises near Badby and runs north-east through Northampton, Wellingborough, Thrapston and Oundle towards the Wash. The Welland forms much of the northern boundary.
It borders Warwickshire and Oxfordshire to the west and south-west, Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire to the south, Cambridgeshire to the east, and Lincolnshire, Rutland and Leicestershire to the north.
Rockingham Forest and Salcey Forest are the surviving fragments of the royal hunting forests that once covered much of the north and south of the county.
Demographics
The 2021 census counted 426,707 people in West Northamptonshire and 360,418 in North Northamptonshire, giving the ceremonial county 787,125 residents. That is a rise of roughly 8% on 2011, one of the faster growth rates in the East Midlands.
Most people live in a band across the middle of the county. Northampton holds about 245,900, followed by Corby (about 68,200), Kettering (about 56,700), Wellingborough (about 56,600), Rushden (about 37,600), Daventry (about 28,100) and Brackley (about 13,000). The south-west and north-east remain thinly settled farming country.
Corby is unusual demographically: Scottish steelworkers moved there in large numbers from the 1930s, and the town still has a distinct Scottish-descended population and accent.
Economy and Local Life
Warehousing and distribution dominate. The county sits within four hours’ lorry drive of most of Britain, so the M1 and A14 corridors are lined with national distribution centres at Daventry, Crick, Rushden and Corby.
Northampton built its trade on boots and shoes; Church’s, Tricker’s, Crockett & Jones and Joseph Cheaney still make footwear in the town and at Northampton, Kettering and Desborough. Motorsport is the other signature industry, with Silverstone circuit and a cluster of race engineering firms around Brackley, Towcester and Silverstone village.
Farming remains arable and mixed, and Oundle, Thrapston, Brackley and Towcester still work as market towns for their surrounding villages.
History
The shire took shape in the tenth century around the burh at Northampton. Rockingham Castle and Fotheringhay Castle both served the crown; Mary, Queen of Scots was executed at Fotheringhay in 1587.
Ironstone quarrying around Corby and Kettering from the 1850s created the county’s heavy industry, and the Corby steelworks employed thousands until the plant closed in 1980. Local government was reorganised twice in living memory: the districts formed in 1974 were abolished in 2021, when the two unitary authorities took over.
Getting There
The M1 runs north-south through the county past Northampton and Daventry. The A14 crosses east-west from the M1 at Catthorpe to Kettering, Thrapston and Cambridgeshire, and the A45, A43 and A5 carry the rest of the through traffic.
The West Coast Main Line stops at Northampton and Long Buckby; the Midland Main Line serves Wellingborough and Kettering with fast trains to London St Pancras. Corby has its own hourly London service. The nearest large airports are Birmingham, Luton and East Midlands.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Northamptonshire?
787,125 at the 2021 census: 426,707 in West Northamptonshire and 360,418 in North Northamptonshire.
What is the largest town in Northamptonshire?
Northampton, with about 245,900 people. Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough come next, each between roughly 56,000 and 69,000.
Which councils cover Northamptonshire?
Two unitary authorities: North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire. Both started work on 1 April 2021, replacing Northamptonshire County Council and the seven borough and district councils.
How many towns and villages are there in Northamptonshire?
The gazetteer lists 334 named settlements, of which 127 fall in North Northamptonshire and 207 in West Northamptonshire.
What postcode area is Northamptonshire?
Mostly NN, centred on Northampton. Edges of the county fall into PE (Peterborough), MK (Milton Keynes), OX (Oxford), CV (Coventry) and LE (Leicester).
Where is Northamptonshire?
In the East Midlands, between Warwickshire and Oxfordshire to the west, Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire to the south, Cambridgeshire to the east, and Leicestershire, Rutland and Lincolnshire to the north.