Remembering the Great Fire of Northampton 1675

Recovery, reconciliation, regeneration

If you follow Northampton news stories you may have noticed that it is 350 years since the town suffered its worst ever fire. The story is a shocking one, with a good ending. The fire changed how the town looked and functioned, but the story of Northampton’s regeneration is one of cooperation, generosity and good management, writes Laura Malpas.

In the hot dry summer of 1675, Northampton looked quite different from today. It was considered a beautiful old town, a contemporary report writing: ‘Northampton was Beautiful for the Situation, the Water good, and the Ground about it rich. It stood above the River, which ran in the South, beating on both sides upon very rich Meadow down quite to Peterborow: And at which Gate soever you went out, you went out of a sweet Town…’

It is not known exactly how large the population was, but Northampton was considered important with a good market, many churches and its castle and walls still evident, although slighted following the Civil Wars. This ‘sweet town’ consisted of elegant and relatively modern stone-built houses, such as Hazelrigg House, one of the few to survive the fire, and many attractive old stone-built structures, including several churches. The remaining buildings were timber, walled with wattle and daub, and roofed with thatch, all densely crowded along narrow winding medieval streets. The town’s fine large market square was lined with close built timbered housing, with goods stacked high ready for sale locally, including barrels of tallow and oil, corn ricks, maltings and fuel for domestic and commercial use.

Following the dry summer, the morning of 20th September 1675 dawned as usual in the town. It was another dry and breezy autumn day with clear skies, and all was calm. On St Mary’s Street, east of the castle, in a kitchen possibly belonging to a tallow candle maker, a pot was left unattended. Contemporary reports tell of a poor woman popping out to chat with her neighbour, and on returning home to her child, discovering the kitchen was on fire. The breeze had now picked up and was fanning the flames. The woman dashed out of the house with her baby, crying ‘Oh I shall be hanged, I shall be hanged’ and fled, never to be seen again.

The breeze coming from the west blew fiery fragments of the timber tenement building eastward leaving conflagration in its wake. By 11.30 the fire had travelled across Horse Market and College Street towards the Drapery, and then to the Market Square. As the fire spread through many residential properties, people had initially begun to gather in the Market Square, but as the fire passed through it forced them and the market traders to escape through the stone-built Welsh House to avoid the flames.

All Hallows Church (now All Saints) succumbed. The church tower, acting as a chimney, drew the fire up and discharged smoke and flames over the town. The fires moved fast, fanned by the wind which did not let up for twenty-four hours. The fire passed through St Giles Street and down the Derngate, completely out of control.

Some folk attempted to halt the fire and save some houses, but the relentless wind made it pointless. So many timbered buildings in such a crowded area had caught fire within minutes that it was impossible to control the blaze, and the townsfolk were in despair.

‘No word can report the Cries, Fears, Danger, Distractions, Carefulness and Amazedness of Young and Old that Doleful Day. Oh! The Roaring of Fire and Wind, what a Thunder in the Air! What Clouds of Smoak! What tearing cracks of Timber’

Many tried to salvage their precious possessions before the flames took everything, and opportunists took their chances to raid the abandoned homes looking for valuables. One eyewitness noticed a reckless young man running away with a barrel of gunpowder hidden underneath his jacket. One wonders what his fate was.

Most of the damage had been done within the first three hours following the initial fire, but more had continued to break out until the following day when a rainstorm hit the town. An observer noted ‘nothing less that the opening of Windows in Heaven could quench its Rage’. When day broke the following morning, a witness described the ruinous town, with nothing combustible remaining above ground level. The doors to cellars were burned open, and folks were wandering around in quiet confusion, pale faced, looking for what had once been their homes and possessions.

The final toll of the fire was shocking, over 600 homes housing more than 700 families had been destroyed, and the main parish church, All Hallows was severely damaged, along with the Market Square including its Cross, the Town Hall, and several other churches. As much as two thirds of the old town was left as ash. Thankfully there was a relatively small loss of life, eleven fatalities were recorded, but everyone’s life was altered following the fire.

Immediately, plans were made to support the displaced townsfolk and to rebuild the ruin. James Compton, 3rd Earl of Northampton had seen the fire break out from Castle Ashby and sent provisions for the homeless urgently. Local villages immediately offered help, many opening their homes to accommodate the refugees.

Richard Rainsford, MP for Northampton, had gained invaluable experience working on the recovery plan following the 1666 Great Fire of London. Within a week, he set up the Northampton committee to receive subscriptions for the rebuilding of the town, collecting generous donations from local landowners, and from institutions, towns and cities from across England. King Charles II provided monies, tax relief and the profits from several years of the National Chimney Tax. He also donated 1000 tonnes of oak from Salcey Forest to help with the rebuilding. Many local gentlemen offered their help and funds, including those whose houses had survived the fire.

Parliament moved swiftly, and within a record eight weeks a bill had been passed for the rebuilding of the town. An excellent architect was employed in Henry Bell, who had experience in rebuilding following fire. Although the town’s original layout remained identifiable, streets were widened, and fire prevention was designed into the buildings’ architecture and materials. Bell designed and rebuilt All Hallows Church, which was rededicated to become All Saints Church, now topped with a statue of Charles II to commemorate his donation to the rebuilding of the town. It’s now considered to be the finest late 17th Century church outside London. Bell’s beautiful Sessions House was built by a local builder Edward Edwards, using the finest craftsmen, some used by Christopher Wren himself.

Many other public buildings were rebuilt to much acclaim, not least the magnificent new Market Square. Many contemporary reports and letters record how impressed observers were, including Daniel Defoe, author of Robinson Crusoe, calling ‘it the best built and handsomest town in all this part of England.’

The town was regenerated and the economy picked up well, but there was a further ‘Great Fire’ effect. People had noticeably rallied together. Previously, there were still many divisions remaining from the Civil Wars, both between political factions and between the townsfolk and their Monarch Charles II, who had not forgotten that Northampton had supported the Parliament and the Roundhead Army against him and his father. The restoration committee saw all parties working together overcoming their differences for the wellbeing of the people and the town of Northampton. That truly is a message we can learn from today.

Oak Apple Day 2025 has seen the traditional crowning of the figure of Charles II with an oak wreath on top of All Saints Church, opening the town’s celebrations marking the restoration of Northampton 350 years ago. There will be plenty to get involved with. Expect to see exhibitions popping up all over town, especially in Northampton Museum and All Saints Church. There will be opportunities to experience the Great Fire in exhibits and virtual reality, through a light and sound show, and via an app where we can explore what happened where whilst walking through the town.

Mystery guided tours and storytellers will tell the tales of the Great Fire in the Market Square. Young people and community groups will showcase their commemorations and celebrations at the Old Savoy. Music of all sorts will be performed, from Fiori Musicali performing Handel’s Fireworks, through to bands in the park celebrating in a more contemporary way. And of course, both Divali, Festival of Light in the Market Square, and the Annual Bonfire Spectacular will mark the anniversary in their own way.

There’s lots to see and do and many interesting opportunities to learn more about the effects that the Great Fire had on the people of Northampton. And in the words of a contemporary observer of the aftermath of the fire all those years ago…

The Relief was considerable… Many have told me, they found tender Mercy and Compassion, and that they found more Friends, than ever they thought they had. The goodness of God and Men was admired.

To learn more about how to take part in the commemorative activities, please visit: discovernorthampton.co.uk/gfon350/