Castle Park Heritage Part 11: The fall of the Castle walls

It was recorded that in 1594 the town walls were in poor condition and falling into decay. Thirty pounds was allocated towards the repair of the wall.

In 1612, a 'Trial of Witches' took place in the court at Northampton Castle. After the trial, the accused women were locked up in the castle's gaol. This was the first recorded case in England where the 'water test' was used to see if someone was a witch. In this test, the person was tied up and placed in water. If they sank to the bottom, they were thought to be innocent, if they floated, people believed they were guilty.

In 1638, the plague came to Northampton. It spread quickly, especially in crowded homes and among people without proper shelter. Houses where people were sick were boarded up, and the words "Lord have mercye upon us" were written on the doors to warn others.

During the Civil War of 1642-1651, Northampton Castle became an important military base for the parliamentarians. Cannons on Castle Hill provided a strategic advantage, and the town walls were strengthened. However, when the monarchy was restored, Northampton faced severe consequences for its role in King Charles I's downfall.

Oliver Cromwell was a Member of Parliament and a leader of the parliamentarian army, who defeated the royalist army at the end of the civil war. The people of Northampton famously supported the parliamentarian army against Charles I.

After Charles I's defeat and arrest, a new Parliament, the "Rump Parliament," was established and later oversaw the trial and execution of Charles I. While Northampton supported the parliamentarians, the town was unhappy with Cromwell's regime.

In 1653, Cromwell got rid of the Rump Parliament by walking in with 40 soldiers and forcing the members to leave. Later that year, he became the Lord Protector, ruling England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Even though he had powers similar to a king, he refused to take the title of "King" because that was what he had fought against.

Cromwell died in 1658, and soon after, the monarchy was restored, with the crowning of King Charles II. Northamptonshire MP John Crew was important in supporting the restoration of the monarchy.

In 1662, Charles II ordered the destruction of Northampton's Castle walls, as the town had opposed Charles I during the civil war.

However, the order was not fully carried out, and parts of the castle remained standing until the 19th century.

Last updated 17 October 2025