Kingsthorpe
Encyclopedia
Kingsthorpe was once a Northamptonshire
village but is now an extremely affluent suburb (specifically in the area around and including North Western Avenue) to the north-west of the major town of Northampton, England
. The River Nene
flows through the area to the west. The suburb's facilities are centred around the main A508 and A5199 roads between Northampton town centre and leading to Market Harborough
and Leicester
respectively. The original village green still maintains a rural character, away from the major roads, overlooked by the church and picturesque vernacular cottages.
The church was begun in the 11th century and includes some features which date from that time. The tower and spire are 14th century.
Joan Hickson
, who played Miss Marple
in the television series of the same name
, was born in the village.
Major routes through the area include the A508
and the A5199
. The Northampton & Lamport Railway
will shortly construct a terminus just outside Kingsthorpe at the old Boughton crossing on the A5199.
The University of Northampton
has a campus in Kingsthorpe.
In 1645 part of the battle of Naseby was fought in Kingsthorpe in the area that is now between the A508 and Eastern Avenue South in which several hundred were killed and buried. This is the reason often attributed to the numerous cases of haunting reported in the area.
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,...
village but is now an extremely affluent suburb (specifically in the area around and including North Western Avenue) to the north-west of the major town of Northampton, 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...
. 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...
flows through the area to the west. The suburb's facilities are centred around the main A508 and A5199 roads between Northampton town centre and leading to Market Harborough
Market Harborough
Market Harborough is a market town within the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England.It has a population of 20,785 and is the administrative headquarters of Harborough District Council. It sits on the Northamptonshire-Leicestershire border...
and Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
respectively. The original village green still maintains a rural character, away from the major roads, overlooked by the church and picturesque vernacular cottages.
The church was begun in the 11th century and includes some features which date from that time. The tower and spire are 14th century.
Joan Hickson
Joan Hickson
Joan Hickson OBE was an English actress of theatre, film and television, famed for playing Agatha Christie's Miss Marple in the television series Miss Marple.- Wivenhoe :...
, who played Miss Marple
Miss Marple
Jane Marple, usually referred to as Miss Marple, is a fictional character appearing in twelve of Agatha Christie's crime novels and in twenty short stories. Miss Marple is an elderly spinster who lives in the village of St. Mary Mead and acts as an amateur detective. She is one of the most famous...
in the television series of the same name
Miss Marple (TV series)
Miss Marple is a British television series based on the Miss Marple murder mystery novels by Agatha Christie. It starred Joan Hickson in the title role, and aired from 1984 to 1992. All twelve original Miss Marple Christie novels have been dramatised. The screenplays were written by T. R...
, was born in the village.
Major routes through the area include the A508
A508 road
The A508 is a short A-class road for north/south journeys in south central England, forming the route from Market Harborough in Leicestershire, via Northampton, to Old Stratford, north-west of Milton Keynes....
and the A5199
A5199 road
The A5199 road is the direct road from Leicester to Northampton in England. It was formerly part of the A50 trunk road that ran from Bedfordshire to Lancashire...
. The Northampton & Lamport Railway
Northampton & Lamport Railway
The Northampton & Lamport Railway is a standard gauge heritage railway in Northamptonshire, England. It is based at Pitsford and Brampton station, near the villages of Pitsford and Chapel Brampton, roughly north of Northampton.-Overview:...
will shortly construct a terminus just outside Kingsthorpe at the old Boughton crossing on the A5199.
The University of Northampton
University of Northampton
The University of Northampton is a university in Northampton, Northamptonshire, England.-History:In 1924, Northampton Technical College was opened at St George's Avenue, site of the current Avenue Campus. A new building for the college was formally opened by the then Duke and Duchess of York in 1932...
has a campus in Kingsthorpe.
In 1645 part of the battle of Naseby was fought in Kingsthorpe in the area that is now between the A508 and Eastern Avenue South in which several hundred were killed and buried. This is the reason often attributed to the numerous cases of haunting reported in the area.