Northampton’s culture and heritage celebrated at Northampton Railway Station

As part of our Changemaker + Challenge to build the cultural and heritage traditions of Northamptonshire in to world class attractions, colleagues Dr Drew Gray, Senior Lecturer in History of Crime, Sabine Coady Schaebitz, Director of the Collaborative Centre for the Built Environment (CCBE) and Simon Badcock, Project Manager at the University of Northampton, are part of the Heritage Gateway Committee.

The Heritage Gateway, supported by the University of Northampton, Churches Conservation Trust, Northamptonshire County Council and other partners, aims to celebrate the town’s rich history. The project focuses on the former Northampton Castle site, as well as showcasing other important heritage features in the surrounding area, including St Peters Church, the only remaining building in the area that existed at the same time as the castle. The latest Heritage Gateway project to be completed is the instillation of the celebratory mural at the railway station.

The 27 metre-long instillation charts the history and culture of the town; from the trial of Thomas Becket at the Northampton Castle in 1164, through to the footballing career of Walter Tull (1911-1914). The mural is complimented by flagpoles and banners which detail the people who have helped shaped the ever evolving face of Northamptonshire.

Dr Drew Gray, Senior Lecturer in History of Crime at the University of Northampton said: “The Heritage Gateway Project celebrates the rich culture and history of Northampton, it’s about more than our strong association with the shoe industry, Northampton has a rich history as a seat of kings, birthplace of princesses’ and home of poets and much more. The new features at Northampton railway station are just part of the work to tell the tale of Northampton’s diverse history to local people and visitors alike.”