South West View of Northhampton in Northhamptonshire

Published in London 1773 for R. Goadby, J. Towers in Fore Street near Cripplegate.

Size is about 12.5 x 20 cm (5 x 8 inches)

Northampton is a large market town and a local government district in central England on the River Nene, and the county town of Northamptonshire, in the English East Midlands region. Traditionally Northampton has been a major centre of shoemaking and other leather related industries. Shoemaking had almost virtually ceased (but seems to be bouncing back), though the back streets of the town still show the pattern of small shoe factories surrounded by terraced houses for the outworkers. Remains have been found in the Northampton area dating back to the Iron Age. It is believed that farming settlement began in the Northampton area in around the 7th century. By the 8th century it had become an administrative centre for the kingdom of Mercia. There remains a large network of medieval tunnels that can be found around the centre of Northampton centred on All Saints church. Northampton supported the Parliamentarians during the English Civil War. For this reason the town walls and castle were later torn down on the orders of King Charles II as punishment. The railway station in Northampton stands on the site of the former castle, and used to be called "Northampton Castle Station". The town was destroyed by fire in both 1516 and 1675, and was re-built as a spacious and well-planned town. In the 18th century Northampton became a major centre of footwear and leather manufacture. The prosperity of the town was greatly aided by demand for footwear caused by the Napoleonic Wars of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. In his 18th century, "A Tour through the Whole Island of Great Britain", Daniel Defoe described Northampton as, "...the handsomest town in all this part of England."

This original antique print was produced from copper plate engraving process. Very good conditon for the age of this print.