Editing Northampton (section)

=== Medieval ===
[[File:Postern Gate of Northampton Castle 2013.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Northampton Castle]] was a royal residence and held the [[Parliament of England]], but was eventually demolished for a [[Northampton railway station|railway station]]. A [[postern]], rebuilt into a wall by the station, is all that remains.]]
With the [[Norman Conquest]] of England in 1066, the town rose to national significance: its geographical location in the centre of England made Northampton a valuable strategical point for government and as a convenient meeting place for political, social, ecclesiastical and military events.<ref name=britishhistory /><ref name="histparl">{{cite web |title=Northampton |url=http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1386-1421/constituencies/northampton#constituency-main-article |access-date=12 September 2013 |publisher=historyofparliamentonline.org}}</ref>

[[Northampton Castle]] is thought to have been built by [[Simon I de Senlis, Earl of Huntingdon-Northampton|Simon de Senlis]], who became the first [[Earl of Northampton]], circa 1084.<ref name=britishhistory /> It was originally an earth and timber [[stockade]]d construction which was later rebuilt in stone.<ref name="andrewmartin">Andrew, Martin: ''Northampton'' The Francis Frith Collection, 2002</ref> The castle became an occasional royal residence from the reign of King [[Henry I of England|Henry I]] in 1130 until that of King [[Richard II of England|Richard II]].<ref name=histparl /> [[John, King of England|King John]] regularly stayed at the castle and moved [[HM Treasury|The Treasury]] there in 1205. Some 32  [[Parliament of England|Parliaments]] were held there.<ref>{{cite web |title=Northampton – History of Parliament Online |url=http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1386-1421/constituencies/northampton |website=www.historyofparliamentonline.org}}</ref> The last Parliament at Northampton was held in 1380. Significant events in the castle's history include the trial of [[Thomas Becket]] in 1164, the publication of the [[Assize of Northampton]] in 1176, the declaration of peace with Scotland in the [[Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton]], the passage of the [[Statute of Northampton]] in 1328 and the imposition of [[Tax per head|poll tax]] in 1380. Royal tournaments and feasts were also held at the castle.<ref name="britishhistory">[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=66252 The borough of Northampton – Introduction | A History of the County of Northampton: Volume 3 (pp. 1–26)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024160950/http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=66252 |date=24 October 2012 }}. British-history.ac.uk (23 September 1913). Retrieved on 17 July 2013.</ref><ref name=andrewmartin />

[[Simon II de Senlis, Earl of Huntingdon-Northampton|Simon de Senlis]] is also thought to have built the medieval town walls, which enclosed about {{convert|245|acres|0|abbr=on}} and had four main [[City gate|gates]]. Though demolished now, the circular pattern of the main roads surrounding the town centre marks the original position of the walls.<ref name="andrewmartin" /> de Senlis founded the [[Cluny Abbey|Cluniac]] [[St Andrew's Priory, Northampton|Priory of St Andrew's]] in the area of Semilong, and built [[The Holy Sepulchre, Northampton|The Church of the Holy Sepulchre]] – one of four remaining [[round church]]es in England – and All Hallows' Church on the current site of [[All Saints' Church, Northampton|All Saints' Church]].<ref name="britishhistory" /><ref name="andrewmartin" /> His son, [[Simon II de Senlis, Earl of Huntingdon-Northampton|Simon II de Senlis]], built [[St Peter's Church, Northampton|St Peter's Church]] on a site between a former Anglo-Saxon palace and Northampton Castle.<ref name="andrewmartin" /> Simon II de Senlis also founded [[Delapré Abbey]] – another Cluniac priory – which still stands today. Other priories in medieval Northampton include [[St James Abbey, Northampton|St James' Abbey]], Graye Friers, Blackfriars and Whitefriars. St. John's, a medieval hospital, was situated east of Bridge Street.<ref name="andrewmartin" /> A [[Northampton's tunnels|network of medieval tunnels]] remains under the centre of Northampton around All Saints' Church and the Market Square but their purpose, extent and significance have been disputed.<ref>{{cite web |date=16 April 2009 |title=Underground Northampton |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/northamptonshire/content/articles/2009/04/03/underground_northampton_tunnels_feature.shtml |access-date=29 August 2013 |publisher=Bbc.co.uk}}</ref>

The town was originally controlled by officials acting for the King who collected taxes and upheld the law. This changed on 18 November 1189 when King [[Richard I of England|Richard I]] granted the town its first charter in exchange for money to fund his crusades.<ref name="britishhistory" /> The charter allowed the townspeople certain rights and independence in legal and administrative matters. In 1215, King John authorised the appointment of William Tilly as the town's first Mayor and ordered that "twelve of the better and more discreet [residents] of your town" join him as a council to assist him.<ref name="britishhistory" /><ref name="NBC Mayors">{{cite web |title=''Mayors of Northampton'' W N Terry Central Art Gallery, Northampton, updated June 2011, accessed 5 October 2012 |url=https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?source=search_app#hl=en&sugexp=les%3B&gs_nf=1&cp=21&gs_id=2d&xhr=t&q=mayors+of+northampton&pf=p&sclient=psy-ab&oq=Mayors+of+Northamptom&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=34d01fe90270ff60&biw=1920&bih=951 |access-date=29 August 2013}}</ref> The importance of Northampton at this time is underlined by the fact that only London, [[York]] and [[King's Lynn]] had mayors by this date.<ref name="andrewmartin" /> The mayor later ruled with 24 councillors and 48 freemen in a closed body until 1835.<ref name="andrewmartin" />

In 1261, the [[University of Northampton (13th century)|medieval University of Northampton]] was established by [[royal charter]] from [[Henry III of England|King Henry III]]. Had it survived, it would be the [[Third-oldest university in England debate|third oldest university founded in England]] after [[University of Oxford|Oxford]] and [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]]. However, after members of the university sided with supporters of [[Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester|Simon de Montfort]] (who was [[First Barons' War|rebelling against the King]]) and advisors to [[The Crown]] said that Northampton was a threat to Oxford's scholastic hegemony, Henry III dissolved the university in 1265.<ref>{{cite book |last=Maddicott |first=J. R. |author-link= |date=1996 |title=Simon de Montfort |url= |location= |publisher=Cambridge University Press |page= |isbn=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=93509&sectioncode=26 |title=Reading, a city dreaming of spires |publisher=Times Higher Education |date=3 May 1996 |access-date=4 January 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.northampton.ac.uk/history/2013/04/17/it-should-have-been-us-northampton-universitys-very-long-history/ |title= It should have been us! Northampton University's very long history |last=Gray |first=Drew |date=17 April 2013 |website= University of Northampton |access-date= |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130420134254/https://blogs.northampton.ac.uk/history/2013/04/17/it-should-have-been-us-northampton-universitys-very-long-history/ |archive-date=20 April 2013}}</ref>

Markets and fairs were a key element in the town's economy in medieval times. The Market Square came to prominence in 1235 when Henry III ordered that the selling of goods in the churchyard of All Saints should be relocated to the Market Square.<ref name=andrewmartin /> Street names in the town give an indication of trades and market centres; Corn Hill, Malt Hill, Mercer Row, Gold Street, Sheep Street and Horse Market.<ref name=andrewmartin /> Cloth and wool were very important but these industries declined.<ref name=andrewmartin /> In the 13th century, Northampton had a large Jewish population centred on Gold Street. In 1277 – two years after [[Edward I of England|Edward I]] passed the [[Statute of the Jewry]] – some Jewish residents were executed while the remainder were driven out of town.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jewish Communities and Records |url=http://www.jewishgen.org/jcr-uk/susser/thesis/thesischapterone.htm |access-date=29 August 2013 |publisher=Jewishgen.org}}</ref> Archaeological sites include a medieval Jewish cemetery and the [[Northampton Medieval Synagogue]].<ref>Northampton synagogue discovered under kebab shop Jewish Chronicle – Marcus Dysch – 15 April 2010 [http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/30503/northampton-synagogue-discovered-under-kebab-shop TheJC.com]</ref>

The [[First Barons' War]] caused significant destruction to Northampton. The barons [[Siege|besieged]] Northampton Castle in protest at King John's oppression of his subjects. In retaliation, royalist forces destroyed a large part of the town. When the forces of King [[Henry III of England|Henry III]] overran the supporters of [[Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester|Simon de Montfort]], the [[Second Barons' War]] broke out. The [[Battle of Northampton (1264)|First Battle of Northampton]] took place in 1264 at the site of Northampton Castle where King Henry III and his son Prince Edward attacked with a large army, pillaged the town and took prisoners.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.northamptonshire-history.org.uk/?p=5 |title=The 1st Battle of Northampton (1264) |website=northamptonshire-history.org.uk |date=6 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308113434/http://www.northamptonshire-history.org.uk/?p=5 |archive-date=8 March 2012 |access-date=27 June 2021}}</ref>

In 1349, the [[Black Death]] pandemic killed more than half the population of Northampton. In 1377, the population was 2,200.<ref name=histparl /> The town was rapidly losing its wealth and its importance as a national centre. In 1460, the [[Battle of Northampton (1460)|Second Battle of Northampton]] took place during the [[War of the Roses]] in the meadows between the River Nene and Delapré Abbey. The [[House of York|Yorkists]] defeated the Lancastrians and [[Henry VI of England|King Henry VI]] was taken prisoner. In 1484, the Mayor declared that Northampton was "in great desolation and ruin". The [[Dissolution of the Monasteries]] in 1538 led to further destruction of what remained of the medieval town. Northampton was severely affected by [[Plague (disease)|Plague]] between March and September 1638 when 665 people died.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/heritage-and-retro/retro/year-northampton-became-something-ghost-town-and-665-people-died-3040795 |title='The year Northampton became something of a ghost town and 665 people died' |publisher=The Northampton Chronicle & Echo |date=19 November 2020 |access-date=27 June 2021}}</ref>