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Travel and Leisure > Vacation Rentals > Fotheringhay; a place of history and beauty in North Northamptonshire
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Article rating : 0.00, 0 votes. Author : Stephanie Gould
Tucked away in rural North Northamptonshire is a small jewel of a village called Fotheringhay. With its wide open street and mellow stone built properties it would be impossible not to be touched by the simplicity of this appealing location. Constructed mainly out of Ancaster stone (which comes from the same vein as that of the celebrated Cotswolds) the houses are either pretty thatched cottages or more impressive Collyweston roofed farmhouse-type buildings, that in other parts of the country people travel miles to see.
A mere 5 miles from the busy A1 with its easy links north and south, the village is perfectly situated amidst gently rolling farmland, seemingly miles from anywhere but in fact only ten minutes from access to the rest of the country.
Famed for its historical connections, Fotheringhay is home to the birthplace of Richard III and more sinisterly the execution of Mary Queen of Scots. Although only the site of the castle is left, there are still enough groundworks to evoke ideas of what must have been all those years ago. The ‘motte and bailey’ castle was first built by Simon de St. Liz in about 1100, followed some 200 years later by the collegiate church and the foundation of the college. By this time the House of York owned the property.
In the present day members of the Richard III Society as well as the Mary Stuart Society are regular visitors and hold functions in the village at various times throughout the year.
Visitors are also attracted by the imposing church, well known for the unusual construction of the octagonal tower with its flying buttresses, as well as, more recently, the spectacular flood lighting which creates a spectacle visible for miles around each night.
This also has a long and chequered history having had Fotheringhay College transferred from the castle to the parish church site in 1415, established to ‘pray for the souls of Richard II, Henry IV, Henry V, the founders and other benefactors and their families’. It is now home to many well-attended concerts throughout the course of the year as well as still being in use as a place of worship for the parishioners of this, and neighbouring villages.
With the increased local interest in outdoor pursuits, Fotheringhay is often used as the starting point for many interesting walks of varying length. The local footpaths are well looked after and facilities are improving all the time. Cyclists, presumably attracted to the area due to the lack of steep hills, and relatively quiet roads, also pass through on a regular basis, particularly at the weekends.
The River Nene, to the south of the village, offers good course fishing and an attractive boat route from Oundle or Northampton to Peterborough and beyond. Flanked by flood meadows, the village can be observed at various times of the year seemingly surrounded by water although luckily the village itself is high enough to escape damage.
All in all this is a wonderful place to wander around and escape, if only for an hour or two, the hurly burly of modern day living. If you would like to stay a little longer you might try the delightful riverside Bed and Breakfast, Castle Farm Guest House right next to the old castle mound.
Stephanie Gould is the owner of Castle Farm Guest House and long time resident of Fotheringhay. Her website is www.castlefarm-guesthouse.co.uk and she can be contacted on +44 1832 226200
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