All Saints' Church

The civic church of Northampton, All Saints' was rebuilt after the Great Fire of 1675 that destroyed much of the medieval town. The rebuilding produced an impressive Baroque interior with a prominent dome — unusual for an English parish church — and a portico on the market square bearing the statue of Charles II. The king's donation of timber to aid the reconstruction is commemorated in the inscription below his figure.

The church stands at the corner of the large market square and its portico is one of the focal points of the town centre. The interior, with its plasterwork ceiling and gallery, is open most days. The market square outside, claimed to be one of the largest in England, was historically the site of major fairs and is still used for markets several days a week.

things to do sight church
A story
After the Great Fire of Northampton in 1675 destroyed most of the medieval town, Charles II donated 1,000 tons of timber from the royal forests to help rebuild — and his statue stands in a niche above the church's portico in gratitude. The interior was rebuilt in the fashionable Baroque style of the period; the result is one of the most elegant 17th-century church interiors in the Midlands.