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Castle Park Heritage Part 12: The Great Fire of Northampton

The Great Fire of Northampton began on September 20, 1675, from embers on St. Mary's Street near the castle. Within six hours, three-quarters of the town was destroyed, 11 people died, and 700 families were left homeless. Local residents raised £25,000 to rebuild the town, and streets were widened to prevent this from happening again.

Following the fire, the new Sessions House was built in George Row and Northampton Castle stopped being the county gaol.

All Hallows Church was also destroyed in the great fire and rebuilt as All Saints Church. King Charles II donated 1,000 tons of timber for its reconstruction. A statue of Charles II in a Roman toga was placed on the front of the church to commemorate the event.

The statue of Charles the second in a toga atop All Saint's Church

By 1724, the town's revitalized appearance inspired the writer and traveller Daniel Defoe, who described Northampton as the "handsomest and best built town in all this part of England... finely rebuilt with brick and stone, and the streets made spacious and wide".

Fun fact!

Around 1729 the castle had become an orchard and pasture with cherry trees and gooseberries planted.

Phillip Doddridge, a non-conformist minister, educator, and hymnwriter, became the pastor of 22 years for Castle Hill United Reformed Church (1729-1751). The building is still in use to this day.

The painting of Philip Doddridge in the Guildhall

The original castle was mostly demolished when Queen Victoria visited Northampton in 1844. An image illustrated in the London News shows a wooden replica of the castle erected on the site for the Queen's procession.

The procession of Queen Victoria in horse-drawn carriage and police escort through Northampton

In the early 19th century, Northampton expanded, and the area beyond the North gate of the castle became the "Cordwainers Colony" with terraced houses. The castle's bailey bank and ditch along Chalk Lane were levelled, though part of the bailey bank still exists behind two houses near the park.

In 1859-60, the Western outer bailey was levelled for the railway, and the west bridge was rebuilt. By 1879-80, the remaining castle ruins were demolished for the railway and goods yard and St Andrews Road was created by cutting into the hillside.

The river was diverted to run alongside the new rail lines, covering the castle's original defensive river channel.

To sum it up, Northampton Castle was a fortress, a palace, a court, a prison, a ruin, an orchard, and as we know it today, a railway station and Castle Park.

Last updated 17 October 2025