New Heritage Park opens for families and residents in Northampton
20 October 2025
Families, residents, and community groups came together on Saturday to celebrate the opening of Castle Park at Chalk Lane, a new green space built on the historic site of Northampton Castle.
Created by West Northamptonshire Council (WNC), the park offers a welcoming space for people of all ages to relax, learn, and connect. Its thoughtful design blends Northampton’s proud heritage with features that encourage community use and family-friendly activities.
The opening event held by West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) held on Saturday 18 October, welcomed dignitaries, residents, and visitors to mark the transformation of this heritage site into a vibrant and educational green space. The event featured speeches from HM Lord-Lieutenant of Northamptonshire, James Saunders Watson Esq, Cllr Alison Eastwood (Chairman of WNC), Cllr Jane Birch (Mayor of Northampton Town Council), and Cllr James Petter (Cabinet member for regeneration at WNC).
Castle Park features landscaped gardens, accessible pathways, and plenty of seating areas for visitors to enjoy time together outdoors. Educational storyboards and heritage markers bring local history to life, making it a place where children and adults can explore Northampton’s royal past while enjoying the present.
The park’s layout includes ironstone seat walls and heritage archways that echo the scale and shape of the original castle walls, creating a sense of place that connects families and visitors to centuries of local history.
Located next to Northampton railway station, Castle Park also creates a stunning new gateway to the town centre. Its open, welcoming design offers a positive first impression for visitors and a new place for the local community to gather.
Castle Park is more than just a green space, it’s a place where families can make memories, where residents can meet and relax, and where our community can celebrate its heritage together. It shows what can be achieved when we invest in spaces for people.Cllr James Petter, Cabinet Member for Local Economy, Culture and Leisure
Castle Park is the result of several years of work by local councillors, residents and the Friends of Northampton Castle group and a brilliant example of partnership working. The Spring Boroughs Neighbourhood Plan identified the need for play space for children living in the area and encouraged development of the historic castle site. It’s wonderful to see that this vision has now become a reality in a place that brings the medieval history of the town to life in such a unique and engaging way.Cllr Jane Birch, the Mayor of Northampton
The park is part of Northampton’s wider regeneration programme and has been made possible through £2.27 million in investment, including contributions from the Towns Fund, Section 106 funding, and West Northamptonshire Council.
Now officially open, Castle Park on Chalk Lane Northampton is expected to become a much-loved community hub, supporting family days out, local events, school visits, and everyday recreation for generations to come.
Click here to find out more about the heritage of Castle Park.