Irchester
Encyclopedia
Irchester is a civil parish
and village
in the county of Northamptonshire
, England
. It is about 2 miles south-east of the town of Wellingborough
and 2 miles south-west of Rushden
, and equidistant from London
, 65 miles (104.6 km) south, and Birmingham
, to the north-west. The settlements of Little Irchester and Knuston also lie within Irchester parish.
. A. D. Mills wrote that name was formed from the Old English personal name Ira or *Yra with the suffix ceaster denoting a Roman
station, but another theory says that Iren Ceastre was an Anglo-Saxon name meaning 'iron fortress'. In the 11th Century it was spelled Erncestre or Archester and had evolved to Erchester by the 12th Century.
to its south and the River Nene
to the north. The area "represents a unique piece of historic landscape of high importance... preserving in a small area a wide range of historic features spanning several thousand years" and is a scheduled monument protected by law. Mesolithic
flint
s have been found, with signs of later prehistoric settlement and a "nationally important" walled Roman
town.
The Roman name of the settlement has been lost, but evidence has been found of many buildings, a cemetery, occupation outside the town walls, and a causeway across the Nene floodplain. A Romano-Celtic
temple
was recorded inside the town boundary. Square-shaped, it faced south-east; its outer portico measured 38 feet (11.5 metres) square and the inner cella about 17 feet (5 metres) square. The walls were around two feet (0.6 m) thick. The tombstone of a Strator Consularis - 'a transportation officer of the consular governor' - was also found at the town, and an inscription found at Irchester suggests evidence of an organised horse breeding operation.
A road through the middle of the site (running north-south) and three rectangular buildings to the west of the road have been identified. As only one Roman road has been found leading away from the site, to the south, it is "highly likely" that the river was used as a means of transport and communication with other Roman settlements at Duston
, to the south-west, and Thrapston
, to the north-east.
Next to the Roman walled town, there are remains of the medieval
hamlet
of Chester by the Water (which may have existed since Anglo-Saxon times) and the later Chester House and Farm which had gardens and parkland. In the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, ironstone
quarrying took place to the south-west of Chester, but most of the site avoided serious damage. The tramways and other industrial artifacts have since become "historically important" in their own right.
In 2004, Northamptonshire County Council received a grant of £1.2 million from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (now the Department for Communities and Local Government
) and purchased Chester Farm, including the walled Roman town and the deserted medieval village of Chester on the Water. Wellingborough's Local Plan states that "planning permission will be granted for a heritage park in association with the archaeological remains of the Chester camp ancient monument" as part of the planned River Nene Regional Park. The aims of the development of the park are to make Chester Farm accessible to the public and provide opportunities for education, leisure and recreation. However, the park plan stalled, due to the lack of "a viable business plan and subsequent pressure on resources." A county council report of November 2007 stated that "In order to safeguard the heritage asset, Cabinet is asked to... declare Chester Farm surplus to the operational requirements of the Council and to approve its sale." Subsequently, in 2010, the farmhouse was gutted by fire.
by three councillors for the ward of Irchester, and on Northamptonshire County Council by one councillor. It is in the parliamentary constituency of Wellingborough
; the current Member of Parliament is Peter Bone
MP (Conservative
). Irchester is in the East Midlands European Parliament constituency
.
and to the south-west of Rushden
, in the east of the county of Northamptonshire
. It is 11 miles (17.7 km) north-east of the county town of Northampton
and 58 miles (93.3 km) north-west of central London
(in a straight line). The border of the parish
is formed by the River Nene
in the north and west; the adjacent parishes are Wellingborough, to the north-west, Great Doddington
(south-west), Wollaston
(south), Podington
in Bedfordshire
(south-east) and Rushden in the east. The height above sea level ranges from around 40 metres (131 feet) in the river valley, to 91 metres (298 feet) south of Irchester village.
, the population of the parish of Irchester was 4,807 people living in 2,020 households: 2,397 men and 2,410 women, with a mean age of 41 years. Of the people aged between 16 and 74 years and economically active, 2,352 were employed and 80 unemployed. Most (1,930) of the employed residents travelled to work by motorcycle, car or van; 126 used public transport. The average distance travelled to a fixed place of work was 12.64 km (7.9 mi). In 1851, the parish population was 960 people and in 1861, 1,168; writing in 1872, John Marius Wilson attributed the increase to "the opening of the railway, and from the discovery of iron stone."
- junction 15 is approximately 13 miles away. The nearest railway station is at Wellingborough
, approximately 2 miles from the village. Places served by direct East Midlands Trains
trains include London
, Luton
, Bedford
, Nottingham
, Derby
and Sheffield
. Irchester
itself once had a railway station located to the east of the village the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) and some locals have argued that it should be reopened. (see Rushden Parkway
)
The main bus service serving the village is the X46 operated by Stagecoach Group
. It connects the village with Wellingborough
, Rushden
, Northampton
, Earls Barton
, Higham Ferrers
and Raunds
. Luton Airport, 30 miles south, is the nearest passenger airport, though there is an aerodrome at Sywell
, 10 miles north-west.
.
The local football team, Irchester United
, known as 'The Romans', currently play in the United Counties League
Division One. The ground is located in Alfred Street. Irchester Bowls Club, also known as 'The Romans', situated on the High Street, participates in several bowling
events throughout the year. The club has a county standard class "A" Green. Irchester Cricket Club was founded in 1897 and play at Alfred Street, participating in the Northamptonshire Cricket League
. Irchester Players is an amateur dramatic
society which puts on a variety of performances, including shows, musical
s and pantomime
s, at Parsons Hall in the village.
which is managed by Northamptonshire County Council. This was created by opencast ironstone
quarries which were allowed to revert to a wilder landscape after they were worked out some decades after the war. The removal of the ironstone and some of the limestones that overlaid it have lowered the landscape within the circuit of the working face by several metres, though this is not particularly apparent except near the vehicle entrance. Within the park there is a highly unusual "ridge and furrow" topography with several metres relief. This as a consequence of the movement patterns of the machines that stripped the overburden to expose the ironstone. The park offers immature woodlands (planted circa 1965) and grassy meadows with trails around the park. A children's play area, visitor centre and shop are also available at the park.
Irchester Narrow Gauge Railway Museum is based in the country park. It features a selection of working steam
and diesel locomotive
s among more than 40 items of rolling stock
. A 250-metre long demonstration track can also be seen.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
and village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in the county of Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is about 2 miles south-east of the town of Wellingborough
Wellingborough
Wellingborough is a market town and borough in Northamptonshire, England, situated some from the county town of Northampton. The town is situated on the north side of the River Nene, most of the older town is sited on the flanks of the hills above the river's current flood plain...
and 2 miles south-west of Rushden
Rushden
Rushden is a town and civil parish in the county of Northamptonshire, England.The parish of Rushden covers an area of some and is part of the district of East Northamptonshire. The population of Rushden was estimated at around 28,368, making it the fifth largest town in the county...
, and equidistant from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 65 miles (104.6 km) south, and Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, to the north-west. The settlements of Little Irchester and Knuston also lie within Irchester parish.
History
What is now Irchester was spelled Yranceaster in 973 and Irencestre in the 1086 Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
. A. D. Mills wrote that name was formed from the Old English personal name Ira or *Yra with the suffix ceaster denoting a Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
station, but another theory says that Iren Ceastre was an Anglo-Saxon name meaning 'iron fortress'. In the 11th Century it was spelled Erncestre or Archester and had evolved to Erchester by the 12th Century.
Chester
Chester Farm is one mile (1.6 km) north of the village of Irchester, with the A45 roadA45 road
The A45 is a major road in England. It runs east from Birmingham past the National Exhibition Centre and the M42, then bypasses Coventry and Rugby, where it briefly merges with the M45 until it continues to Daventry...
to its south and the River Nene
River Nene
The River Nene is a river in the east of England that rises from three sources in the county of Northamptonshire. The tidal river forms the border between Cambridgeshire and Norfolk for about . It is the tenth longest river in the United Kingdom, and is navigable for from Northampton to The...
to the north. The area "represents a unique piece of historic landscape of high importance... preserving in a small area a wide range of historic features spanning several thousand years" and is a scheduled monument protected by law. Mesolithic
Mesolithic
The Mesolithic is an archaeological concept used to refer to certain groups of archaeological cultures defined as falling between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic....
flint
Flint
Flint is a hard, sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as a variety of chert. It occurs chiefly as nodules and masses in sedimentary rocks, such as chalks and limestones. Inside the nodule, flint is usually dark grey, black, green, white, or brown in colour, and...
s have been found, with signs of later prehistoric settlement and a "nationally important" walled Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
town.
The Roman name of the settlement has been lost, but evidence has been found of many buildings, a cemetery, occupation outside the town walls, and a causeway across the Nene floodplain. A Romano-Celtic
Romano-British
Romano-British culture describes the culture that arose in Britain under the Roman Empire following the Roman conquest of AD 43 and the creation of the province of Britannia. It arose as a fusion of the imported Roman culture with that of the indigenous Britons, a people of Celtic language and...
temple
Roman temple
Ancient Roman temples are among the most visible archaeological remains of Roman culture, and are a significant source for Roman architecture. Their construction and maintenance was a major part of ancient Roman religion. The main room housed the cult image of the deity to whom the temple was...
was recorded inside the town boundary. Square-shaped, it faced south-east; its outer portico measured 38 feet (11.5 metres) square and the inner cella about 17 feet (5 metres) square. The walls were around two feet (0.6 m) thick. The tombstone of a Strator Consularis - 'a transportation officer of the consular governor' - was also found at the town, and an inscription found at Irchester suggests evidence of an organised horse breeding operation.
A road through the middle of the site (running north-south) and three rectangular buildings to the west of the road have been identified. As only one Roman road has been found leading away from the site, to the south, it is "highly likely" that the river was used as a means of transport and communication with other Roman settlements at Duston
Duston
Duston is a village and civil parish in the borough of Northampton in the English county of Northamptonshire. It has been a settlement since at least Roman times....
, to the south-west, and Thrapston
Thrapston
Thrapston is a small town in Northamptonshire, England. It is the headquarters of the East Northamptonshire district, and in 2001 had a population of 4,855. By 2006, this was estimated to be over 5,700....
, to the north-east.
Next to the Roman walled town, there are remains of the medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
of Chester by the Water (which may have existed since Anglo-Saxon times) and the later Chester House and Farm which had gardens and parkland. In the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, ironstone
Ironstone
Ironstone is a sedimentary rock, either deposited directly as a ferruginous sediment or created by chemical repacement, that contains a substantial proportion of an iron compound from which iron either can be or once was smelted commercially. This term is customarily restricted to hard coarsely...
quarrying took place to the south-west of Chester, but most of the site avoided serious damage. The tramways and other industrial artifacts have since become "historically important" in their own right.
In 2004, Northamptonshire County Council received a grant of £1.2 million from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (now the Department for Communities and Local Government
Department for Communities and Local Government
The Department for Communities and Local Government is the UK Government department for communities and local government in England. It was established in May 2006 and is the successor to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, established in 2001...
) and purchased Chester Farm, including the walled Roman town and the deserted medieval village of Chester on the Water. Wellingborough's Local Plan states that "planning permission will be granted for a heritage park in association with the archaeological remains of the Chester camp ancient monument" as part of the planned River Nene Regional Park. The aims of the development of the park are to make Chester Farm accessible to the public and provide opportunities for education, leisure and recreation. However, the park plan stalled, due to the lack of "a viable business plan and subsequent pressure on resources." A county council report of November 2007 stated that "In order to safeguard the heritage asset, Cabinet is asked to... declare Chester Farm surplus to the operational requirements of the Council and to approve its sale." Subsequently, in 2010, the farmhouse was gutted by fire.
Governance
Irchester Parish Council meets at the village hall once a month. The parish is represented on Borough of Wellingborough CouncilWellingborough (borough)
Wellingborough is a Non-metropolitan district and borough in Northamptonshire, England. It is named after Wellingborough, its main town, but also includes surrounding rural areas....
by three councillors for the ward of Irchester, and on Northamptonshire County Council by one councillor. It is in the parliamentary constituency of Wellingborough
Wellingborough (UK Parliament constituency)
Wellingborough is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
; the current Member of Parliament is Peter Bone
Peter Bone
Peter William Bone is a British Conservative Party politician and Member of Parliament for Wellingborough and Rushden.-Personal life:Bone was born in 1952 in Billericay and was educated at Westcliff-on-Sea High School for Boys...
MP (Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
). Irchester is in the East Midlands European Parliament constituency
East Midlands (European Parliament constituency)
East Midlands is a constituency of the European Parliament. For 2009 it elects 5 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :...
.
Geography
Irchester lies to the south-east of the town of WellingboroughWellingborough
Wellingborough is a market town and borough in Northamptonshire, England, situated some from the county town of Northampton. The town is situated on the north side of the River Nene, most of the older town is sited on the flanks of the hills above the river's current flood plain...
and to the south-west of Rushden
Rushden
Rushden is a town and civil parish in the county of Northamptonshire, England.The parish of Rushden covers an area of some and is part of the district of East Northamptonshire. The population of Rushden was estimated at around 28,368, making it the fifth largest town in the county...
, in the east of the county of Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
. It is 11 miles (17.7 km) north-east of the county town of Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
and 58 miles (93.3 km) north-west of central London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
(in a straight line). The border of the parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
is formed by the River Nene
River Nene
The River Nene is a river in the east of England that rises from three sources in the county of Northamptonshire. The tidal river forms the border between Cambridgeshire and Norfolk for about . It is the tenth longest river in the United Kingdom, and is navigable for from Northampton to The...
in the north and west; the adjacent parishes are Wellingborough, to the north-west, Great Doddington
Great Doddington
Great Doddington is a village and civil parish in Northamptonshire in the United Kingdom, close to Wellingborough and just off the A45. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population was 1,061 people....
(south-west), Wollaston
Wollaston, Northamptonshire
Wollaston is a large village in the borough of Wellingborough. in Eastern Northamptonshire, England. The name is derived from the Saxon "Wulfaf's Town" - named after a Saxon chief of that name.-Wollaston Today:...
(south), Podington
Podington
Podington is a village and civil parish in northwest Bedfordshire in England, United Kingdom. The village is within the electoral ward of Harrold in the Borough of Bedford. Podington lies around northwest of Bedford and is about east of the county border with Northamptonshire...
in Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
(south-east) and Rushden in the east. The height above sea level ranges from around 40 metres (131 feet) in the river valley, to 91 metres (298 feet) south of Irchester village.
Demography
At the time of the 2001 censusUnited Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
, the population of the parish of Irchester was 4,807 people living in 2,020 households: 2,397 men and 2,410 women, with a mean age of 41 years. Of the people aged between 16 and 74 years and economically active, 2,352 were employed and 80 unemployed. Most (1,930) of the employed residents travelled to work by motorcycle, car or van; 126 used public transport. The average distance travelled to a fixed place of work was 12.64 km (7.9 mi). In 1851, the parish population was 960 people and in 1861, 1,168; writing in 1872, John Marius Wilson attributed the increase to "the opening of the railway, and from the discovery of iron stone."
Transport
The nearest motorway is the M1M1 motorway
The M1 is a north–south motorway in England primarily connecting London to Leeds, where it joins the A1 near Aberford. While the M1 is considered to be the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the United Kingdom, the first road to be built to motorway standard in the country was the...
- junction 15 is approximately 13 miles away. The nearest railway station is at Wellingborough
Wellingborough railway station
Wellingborough railway station is located the market town of Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, England. It lies on the Midland Main Line, it is from London St. Pancras...
, approximately 2 miles from the village. Places served by direct East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains is a British passenger train operating company. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, and between the East Midlands and London...
trains include London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Luton
Luton
Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000....
, Bedford
Bedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
, Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
and Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
. Irchester
Irchester railway station
Irchester railway station was built by the Midland Railway in 1857 on its extension from to and .The station building was built on an overbridge. It closed for passenger traffic in 1960, and for goods in 1965....
itself once had a railway station located to the east of the village the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) and some locals have argued that it should be reopened. (see Rushden Parkway
Rushden Parkway railway station
Rushden Parkway railway station is a proposed new railway station to serve the towns of Rushden and Higham Ferrers and the large village of Irchester in Northamptonshire. The two towns and village have not seen passenger rail services since 1959. The former station building at Rushden has been...
)
The main bus service serving the village is the X46 operated by Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
. It connects the village with Wellingborough
Wellingborough
Wellingborough is a market town and borough in Northamptonshire, England, situated some from the county town of Northampton. The town is situated on the north side of the River Nene, most of the older town is sited on the flanks of the hills above the river's current flood plain...
, Rushden
Rushden
Rushden is a town and civil parish in the county of Northamptonshire, England.The parish of Rushden covers an area of some and is part of the district of East Northamptonshire. The population of Rushden was estimated at around 28,368, making it the fifth largest town in the county...
, Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
, Earls Barton
Earls Barton
Earls Barton is a village and civil parish in eastern Northamptonshire, notable for its Saxon church and shoe-making heritage.The village was the inspiration for the film Kinky Boots and part of the film was shot here...
, Higham Ferrers
Higham Ferrers
Higham Ferrers is a market town in the Nene Valley in East Northamptonshire, England, close to the Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire borders. It forms a single urban area with Rushden to the south and has an estimated population of 6,086...
and Raunds
Raunds
Raunds is a small market town in rural Northamptonshire, England. It has a population of 8,275 , is a civil parish, and is part of the East Northamptonshire district.- Geography :Raunds is situated 21 miles north-east of Northampton...
. Luton Airport, 30 miles south, is the nearest passenger airport, though there is an aerodrome at Sywell
Sywell
Sywell is a small village in Northamptonshire, England. The village is governed by The Borough Council of Wellingborough. The name Sywell is thought to mean seven wells.-Facilities:The facilities found in the village include:...
, 10 miles north-west.
Education
A playgroup meets at the village hall in School Road. Irchester Primary School, nearby in School Lane, has around 330 pupils with an age range of 4 to 11 years. The nearest secondary school is in the village of WollastonWollaston, Northamptonshire
Wollaston is a large village in the borough of Wellingborough. in Eastern Northamptonshire, England. The name is derived from the Saxon "Wulfaf's Town" - named after a Saxon chief of that name.-Wollaston Today:...
.
Amenities
The village has a health centre, a pharmacy, library and a post office. Shops include a Co-operative supermarket,. There used to be a gift shop and an estate agent but these have now closed. There are two pubs and a fish and chip shop, Chinese and Indian takeaways.The local football team, Irchester United
Irchester United F.C.
Irchester United F.C. are a football club based in the village of Irchester, near Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, England. They joined the Northamptonshire League in 1896. They are currently members of the United Counties League Premier Division....
, known as 'The Romans', currently play in the United Counties League
United Counties Football League
The United Counties Football League is an English football league covering Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire, as well as parts of Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Norfolk. It has a total of four divisions, two for first teams and two for reserve teams...
Division One. The ground is located in Alfred Street. Irchester Bowls Club, also known as 'The Romans', situated on the High Street, participates in several bowling
Bowls
Bowls is a sport in which the objective is to roll slightly asymmetric balls so that they stop close to a smaller "jack" or "kitty". It is played on a pitch which may be flat or convex or uneven...
events throughout the year. The club has a county standard class "A" Green. Irchester Cricket Club was founded in 1897 and play at Alfred Street, participating in the Northamptonshire Cricket League
Northamptonshire Cricket League
The Northamptonshire Cricket League is the top level of competition for recreational club cricket in Northamptonshire, England, and since 1999 has been a designated ECB Premier League....
. Irchester Players is an amateur dramatic
Amateur theatre
Amateur theatre is theatre performed by amateur actors. These actors are not typically members of Actors' Equity groups or Actors' Unions as these organizations exist to protect the professional industry and therefore discourage their members from appearing with companies which are not a signatory...
society which puts on a variety of performances, including shows, musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
s and pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
s, at Parsons Hall in the village.
Country Park
The village has a large country parkCountry park
A country park is an area designated for people to visit and enjoy recreation in a countryside environment.-History:In the United Kingdom the term 'Country Park' has a special meaning. There are over 400 Country Parks in England alone . Most Country Parks were designated in the 1970s, under the...
which is managed by Northamptonshire County Council. This was created by opencast ironstone
Ironstone
Ironstone is a sedimentary rock, either deposited directly as a ferruginous sediment or created by chemical repacement, that contains a substantial proportion of an iron compound from which iron either can be or once was smelted commercially. This term is customarily restricted to hard coarsely...
quarries which were allowed to revert to a wilder landscape after they were worked out some decades after the war. The removal of the ironstone and some of the limestones that overlaid it have lowered the landscape within the circuit of the working face by several metres, though this is not particularly apparent except near the vehicle entrance. Within the park there is a highly unusual "ridge and furrow" topography with several metres relief. This as a consequence of the movement patterns of the machines that stripped the overburden to expose the ironstone. The park offers immature woodlands (planted circa 1965) and grassy meadows with trails around the park. A children's play area, visitor centre and shop are also available at the park.
Irchester Narrow Gauge Railway Museum is based in the country park. It features a selection of working steam
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
and diesel locomotive
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
s among more than 40 items of rolling stock
Rolling stock
Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
. A 250-metre long demonstration track can also be seen.