Four of the lesser known of Northamptonshire’s towns and villages, Desborough, Rothwell, Loddington and Braybrooke, are all in the Kettering area, and all lie to the west of that larger town. The largest of the towns, Desborough grew around the weaving industry and now has a population of approximately 8,000. Another town of a similar size is Rothwell, its well known Market House, was designed by the eccentric William Grumbold, and took over three hundred years to complete. The village of Loddington lies close to the Cransley Reservoir, and has a population of just four hundred. Finally the village of Braybrooke used to be the site of a fortified manor house, called Braybrooke Castle, little now remains of this structure, Braybrooke has a population of just three hundred.
March 22, 2011
Desborough Rothwell Loddington and Braybrooke
March 20, 2011
Towcester Rushden and Corby
Towcester Rushden and Corby – Three widely differing towns located in the county of Northamptonshire, Towcester, Rushden and Corby are 3 of the larger towns in the county. Towcester famous for its racecourse actually dates from Roman times, when it was a significant settlement, it is a charming place with a 12 century church. Rushden is a growing town, the 5th largest in the county, with over one fifth of its 10,000 population arriving in the last 10 years, it grew around a variety of industries including lacemaking. Corby is an almost entirely industrial town, peppered with industrial estates, it grew around first the iron ore industry then later steelmaking, which produced a boom for the town during the twentieth century. These three towns surround the county town of Northampton, Towcester to the south-west, Rushden to the east and Corby to the north-east.
March 17, 2011
Upwey Weymouth Dorset
A charming little village which is close to Weymouth in Dorset, Upwey is well known for its Upwey Wishing Well, which is at the source of the River Wey in the South Dorset Downs. The Wishing Well which has been a tourist attraction in Upwey since Victorian times, it now actually a tea room, set amongst some delightful water gardens. Close by is a water mill, originally built in the eighteenth century it was remodelled in 1802. The water mill even featured in a book by the famous author Thomas Hardy. Upwey’s parish church of Saint Lawrence dates from the thirteenth century. Upwey is a good spot for your stay in Dorset and there are a number of self-catering cottages available in the village. Just a short way (5 miles) from Upway is the ever popular seaside resort of Weymouth, well loved and well visited even in these awkward times for the British coastal resort. Weymouth has plenty of sandy beaches, perfect for a family trip when the weather is fine. Easily accessible is the Jurassic Coast a beautiful world heritage site.
March 16, 2011
Lowestoft Maritime Museum
One of the most popular attractions in the Lowestoft, Suffolk area, the Lowestoft Maritime Museum is located in Whapload Road, and opened in 1958 as a resource for local people to trace the maritime history of this area. Ideal for a visit when the weather is not so good, it was founded by the Lowestoft and East Suffolk Maritime Society in Robert Sparrow’s cottage, in what is known as “Sparrows Nest Park”, the museum housed in a small cottage, has rooms featuring various aspects of Lowestoft’s maritime history, specifically the fishing industry, with exhibits of nets, tools and trawling equipment. So if you are planning a visit or holiday in the Lowestoft, Great Yarmouth or Corton areas, this year, be sure to head along to this fine museum and learn something of the industry which has been so important for the area. The address of the Lowestoft Maritime Museum is: Maritime Museum – Sparrows Nest, Whapload Rd, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR32 1XG. Telephone Number: 01502 561963
01502 561963. Website: lowestoftmaritimemuseum.org.uk Lowestoft is 3 miles from Corton and 12 miles from Great Yarmouth.
March 15, 2011
Northamptonshire England
A county of spires and squires located in the East Midlands region of England, Northamptonshire or Northants, is a landlocked county bordering Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Warwickshire, Leicestershire, Oxfordshire, Lincolnshire, and Cambridgeshire. Taking its name form the town of Northampton, the county has a population of over 600,000 and an area of some 2,364 square kilometres. The county town as you would expect is Northampton itself, and it has several largish towns namely Kettering, Daventry, Wellingborough, Corby and Rushden, to name but a few. Kettering is a market town dating back to Roman times when it was taken from a tribe called the Belgics. Daventry is another market town with Anglo-Saxon roots, it now has a population of over 20,000. Wellingborough another market town received its charter from King John, and is surrounded by five wells.
March 4, 2011
Minehead and the Exmoor National Park
A coastal town and civil parish located on the edge of the Exmoor National Park, in Somerset, Minehead has a population of just over 10,000 and a history stretching back to the Iron Age. Perhaps best known as the location of the famous Butlins Holiday Camp, which opened its doors in 1962, and is still popular today, Minehead has also been a significant port over the centuries, though has lost most of this trade over the last hundred years or so. A pretty seaside town, Minehead attracts many tourists, especially during the summer months, when the weather is at its best, it has the usual seafront promenade, lined with cafes, amusement arcades and guest houses. Ideal as a base for touring the Exmoor National Park, Minehead offers the opportunity for enjoying a traditional seaside holiday, whilst being close to areas of great natural beauty. Within the Exmoor National Park are numerous pretty little villages, which are a joy to visit, one of the closest, Dunster, is famous for its castle. Other nearby villages include Porlock, Luccombe and Tivington. Minehead is also the starting point of the longest countryside walking trail, the South West Coast Path, if you fancy an extremely long walk. The nearby coastline is craggy and treacherous, but also very picturesque, so be sure to enjoy some coastal walks while you are there.
And a map of Exmoor here: http://www.my-towns.co.uk/exmoor-national-park.html