History

It’s currently a private home but was once considered the most glorious royal residence in Northamptonshire. Enjoyed by the Tudor and Stuart monarchs it was particularly loved by James I who extended and enriched the building. After a long decline, the restoration of the exquisite Apethorpe Palace is nearing completion. It will be open for prebooked tours from March 2025, and I can’t wait to visit! The manorial estate of Apethorpe, noted in the Domesday Book of 1086, and close to the royal forest of Rockingham was acquired by Sir Guy Wolston in the 1480s. A friend of King Edward IV, Sheriff and MP for Northampton and constable of Fotheringhay Castle, Sir Guy began to build a grand house at Apethorpe to take advantage of the great location. The beautiful house so close to excellent hunting grounds, proved irresistible to Henry VIII, who bought it in 1543. After his death..

A wildly popular author in his day, his commentary on 19th century life inspired social reform, and his stories and characters continue to inspire creative works today. He was a regular visitor to our county and was inspired by the people he met and the places he visited. Charles John Huffam Dickens was born in 1812 in Portsmouth to his mother Elizabeth and father John, a clerk in the Naval pay office. Charles had a happy childhood. Benefitting from a few years of education he read everything he could find, especially stories featuring heroes and adventure. His idyllic life ended aged ten as his father was recalled to work in London. Living beyond his means, two years later John Dickens, his wife and younger children found themselves incarcerated in a debtors prison. Charles’s education ended abruptly, and he was lodged with an elderly lady, working ten hours a day for..

Words and pictures by Laura Malpas Journey through Northamptonshire, crossing over yet another bridge, we hardly give a thought about the river flowing by, unless of course there has been excessive rainfall. Generally, the River Nene quietly gets on with its business of travelling its one hundred and five miles through the East of England to the tidal waters of The Wash. This month I’m learning about the Nene, how it shaped the land, supports wildlife, and the human settlements which have relied upon it over several millennia. The River Nene has existed for around ten thousand years, formed at the end of the last Ice Age when the melt waters carved out the Nene Valley. Three main tributaries and countless streams join to form the Nene, the most western is the Daventry Nene, rising near Arbury Hill, Badby. This is joined west of Weedon by the Yelvertoft Nene flowing..

Ooo! Halloween is creeping up on us, and while we’re busy planning the perfect costume and stockpiling sweets (don’t pretend you’re not), there’s a lot more to this spooktacular celebration than just trick-or-treating. It’s a holiday steeped in centuries of history, mysterious traditions, and some truly surprising facts. So, as you carve your pumpkins and get ready for all things spooky, here are 10 fun (and slightly eerie) Halloween facts that are sure to give you a treat! Halloween’s Ancient Roots - This isn’t just about dressing up in your finest vampire costume–Halloween goes way back, over 2,000 years in fact! The holiday has its origins in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, where people believed that on October 31st, the line between the living and the dead was blurred, allowing spirits to wander the earth. Spoooooky! Jack-O’-Lanterns - Were Originally Turnips Forget pumpkins–back in the day, the Irish were..

Laura Malpas explores a dark side of Northamptonshires's history, looking at witches, witchcraft trials and the superstitions held to ward off these supposedly evil women and men. It’s October. It often starts in an autumnal glow, then the days shorten, and nights become long and dark. The family fun of Halloween brightens up the final week, with little children dressing up as witches, and almost anything really, to extort treats from their friends and neighbours. Witches and wizards are viewed as fun, but it has not always been like that, and Northamptonshire has had more than its fair share of convicted witches who met a grim end. Many societies have a tradition of wise women, often elderly, to whom people turned for advice or healing as a valued member of the community. But often many poor old women were viewed as objects to be feared. In the case of disaster,..

As Halloween creeps around the corner, there’s no better time to explore Northamptonshire’s eerie history. Known for its medieval significance, the county’s manors, abbeys, and churches hold chilling secrets. From ghostly monks to headless riders, these haunted tales echo through time, offering spine-tingling glimpses into the past. Rushton Hall: The Haunting Horseman Set in beautiful grounds, Rushton Hall may appear serene at first glance, but beneath the surface lies a tale of a rider and his loyal hunting dog. During renovations in the 16th century, their remains were unearthed, and ever since, sightings of the spectral duo patrolling the grounds have been reported. Locals claim the horseman can be seen galloping through the fog, his dog never far behind. Delapré Abbey: The Singing Nuns Delapré Abbey, built on the remains of a 12th-century monastery, is a hotbed of paranormal activity. It’s said that the spirits of nuns from the former..

The life of Elizabeth Woodville, Queen of England, was dominated by the drama and intrigue of the Wars of the Roses. Her fortunes ebbed and flowed with political chaos, much of which she created, writes Laura Malpas. Elizabeth possessed both intelligence and great beauty which she exploited, and even though she ultimately met a lonely end, she led an eventful and extraordinary life. Her story is particularly interesting for us as it begins in Northamptonshire, in the village of Grafton, where the Woodville family’s ancestral manor lay. From here, Elizabeth rose to become the highest woman in the land, and through her oldest daughter, she is an ancestor to over 20 monarchs, including our King, Charles III. Elizabeth was born in 1437, the oldest daughter of Sir Richard Woodville, a middle-ranking knight and courtier to King Henry VI. Her mother Jacquetta was of far more elevated rank. In her own..

As summer comes to a close, we begin to look ahead to our autumn series of events. September always seems to be a busy month at Lamport and this year is no exception. September has become the month of Northants and Rutland Open Studios at Lamport and this year we are thrilled to be the host for the central exhibition once again. There will be 274 artists all in one place with over 548 artworks on display! Here, you’ll find the opportunity to browse and purchase a wide range of art from most of the participating artists. The Central Exhibition will also give you the opportunity to purchase a mini masterpiece for just £10 and has the added thrill of being a complete surprise! There will be artists painting in the gardens on Wednesdays and Thursdays throughout September too including Rosie Jarvis, Cordell Garfield, Tomasz Mikutel and Cate Kutas. On..

Everyone loves a freebie, and Heritage Open Days has 100's of opportunities to get out and enjoy a wealth of family events, between September 6th and September 15th. The often used line ‘something for all’ really stands true with this nationwide initiative. Pulse’s Sammy Jones has dug deep to bring you some of the choice cuts from Northamptonshire. Heritage Open Days Return with 10 Days of Free Fun in Northampton Heritage Open Days is back from September 6 to September 15, offering a wide range of free events in Northampton. Here are some of the highlights: Friday, September 6 Heritage Quiz Trail: Explore Northampton town centre with a self-guided Heritage Quiz Trail. Pick up your trail at the Central Library and answer questions about various sites. The trail is available from September 6-14 (except Sept 8) between 9am and 5pm. One lucky winner will receive a prize! Saturday, September 7..

Like most places in Northamptonshire, the story of Rockingham goes back into the mists of time, writes Laura Malpas. Gaze at the view from the castle’s curtain wall and you can see why the location was so sought after. The view goes on for miles, standing on the edge of the high rocky outcrop looking out over the Welland valley, you can see Rutland, Lincolnshire and Leicestershire. Dense forests, plentiful water, fertile land, and a strategic position, everything needed for survival is present. The Iron Age tribes, Romans and Saxons have left traces of their time here. A Saxon named Hroca gave his name to Rockingham, ‘the home of Hroca’s people’. Over a thousand years ago Rockingham was held by a Saxon lord, but William the Conqueror seized control and ordered the construction of a castle to control the passage of travellers between the north and south, acting as a..

This month Laura Malpas visits a local English Civil War re-enactment group who are creating living history Many of us love to learn about history, but there are those who like to live and breathe it too. In Northamptonshire I visited an enthusiastic group of re-enactors, part of the Sealed Knot – Lord Robartes Regiment of Foote. They are offering opportunities for us to see and experience the past as they recreate past events this summer. It will be entertaining, exciting, and often educational. Who knows, you might feel inspired to join in. I for one am quite tempted! The largest re-enactment society in Europe, The Sealed Knot commemorates the past by re-enacting actual battles, skirmishes and sieges which happened nearly four hundred years ago during the English Civil Wars. These conflicts often involved militia pulled from local communities, along with artisans and tradespeople to support the troops. It was..

For the second year running, we are excited to announce the comeback of Rural Life at Lamport Hall on Sunday 26th May and Monday 27th May, 10am-5pm. This event will take you back through the ages of Rural Life, to the modern world we now live and farm in today. Our action-packed main arena will see live demonstrations from high quality acts non-stop throughout the whole day including dancing sheep, falconry, vintage steam engines, tractors, dog scurry and much, much, more! Rural Life are also extremely excited to announce their headlining act Atkinson Action Horses, led by Ben Atkinson and his team of stunt and trick riders, actors, writers and combat performers. They promise to thrill, excite and astonish audiences with their high energy, breath-taking, death-defying stunt shows. Ben and his team will be showcasing two performances each day in the main arena - make sure you don’t miss it!..

It’s inspiring to see someone rise above overwhelmingly difficult beginnings, and a life could hardly have started in more challenging circumstances than that of the baby boy who came to be known as Charles Ignatius Sancho, writes Laura Malpas. He was born in 1729 somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean in a slave ship bound for the Spanish colonies of South America. His survival was remarkable as it was more common for newborn babies to be thrown overboard to prevent the loss of monies to be made on the mother. The baby boy had both parents onboard with him but on arrival at the Spanish colony of New Grenada, his mother died, and his father took his own life rather than live as a slave. The Roman Catholic bishop of the colony baptised and named the orphan baby Charles Ignatius before he was sold to a slave trader. Charles, barely two..

This month Laura Malpas explores King John's impact on the county of Northamptonshire during his tempestuous reign Many of us are familiar with the story of bad King John being forced to sign the Magna Carta by angry barons at Runnymede. There’s even a monument there celebrating the event. Less well known is that this significant document was composed and written in our own county of Northamptonshire. Here’s the story of how King John’s behaviour compelled the English barons to codify the law. It was a complete surprise to all that John, the youngest son of Henry II, became king. He had four older brothers, including the dashing Richard the Lionheart, and was never expected to reign. He was never trained in kingship and instead of a royal Christian name, was given the nickname John Lackland as he was not expected to inherit significant territory. His father prepared him for..

Laura Malpas explores the colourful life of Adeline, Countess of Cardigan and Lancastre. Sometimes a historic character jumps from the page with such personality that they seem alive. Countess Adeline captured her memories of Victorian Society life in her autobiography ‘My Recollections’, written in such a vivid and breathless style that it feels like she is talking directly to us, and what tales she tells! Adeline Louise Maria Horsey De Horsey was born on Christmas Eve in 1824, to a wealthy family in Berkeley Square, London, the oldest of three children and the only daughter. A socially confident and intelligent child, she was a quick learner, benefitting from having both her own French governess, and the opportunity to learn with her younger brothers’ tutors. Adeline was an accomplished musician, a graceful dancer, and remarkably pretty. As a child she was was welcomed into London’s finest drawing rooms for plays and..