Far Cotton
Encyclopedia
Far Cotton, many years ago a village in its own right, is a district of the English
county town
of Northampton
.
Far Cotton is due south of the town centre, beyond Cotton End (Northamptonshire) - hence the 'Far' - and south of the River Nene
. It is roughly rectangular in shape with the river and canal forming its northern boundary, the railway is western edge; with the A5076 ring road to its south and the A508 road
and Delapré Abbey
's park to its east. Administratively Far Cotton is in the Parish of St Mary and Delapre Ward of the Borough
of Northampton.
Far Cotton expanded with the arrival of the railway at Northampton in the first half of the nineteenth century; the original line was entirely south of the Nene while the medieval town was north of the river. As part of the regeneration of the town, overseen by the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation, many brownfield sites in Far Cotton are undergoing redevelopment in the first decade of the twenty-first century including new housing estates Riverside Wharf, Cotton End and Southbridge.
Extensive development is to occur on former disused warehouses east of Far Cotton. Nunn Mills is currently under development to build over 3,000 new houses on a brownfield site. There will also be a improved Marina in and around Becket's Park and Midsummer Meadow.
The main shopping sector of Far Cotton is St Leonard's Road which connects Towcester Road and London Road. There are also shops on Gloucester Avenue which flows through the heart of central Far Cotton. There is a Tesco Extra south of Far Cotton in Mereway and a Netto Supermarket in Cotton End on Ransome Road.
Overall, Far Cotton is set to double in population in the next ten years with development of housing.
, who was involved in the hunt for both Jack the Ripper
and Dr. Crippen
, was born in the village in 1863.
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...
county town
County town
A county town is a county's administrative centre in the United Kingdom or Ireland. County towns are usually the location of administrative or judicial functions, or established over time as the de facto main town of a county. The concept of a county town eventually became detached from its...
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...
.
Far Cotton is due south of the town centre, beyond Cotton End (Northamptonshire) - hence the 'Far' - and south of 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...
. It is roughly rectangular in shape with the river and canal forming its northern boundary, the railway is western edge; with the A5076 ring road to its south and the A508 road
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 Delapré Abbey
Delapré Abbey
Delapré Abbey , or more properly, the Convent of St Mary De La Pré, was founded as a Cluniac nunnery about the year 1145, situated in the meadows of the River Nene to the south of Northampton ....
's park to its east. Administratively Far Cotton is in the Parish of St Mary and Delapre Ward of the Borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
of Northampton.
Far Cotton expanded with the arrival of the railway at Northampton in the first half of the nineteenth century; the original line was entirely south of the Nene while the medieval town was north of the river. As part of the regeneration of the town, overseen by the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation, many brownfield sites in Far Cotton are undergoing redevelopment in the first decade of the twenty-first century including new housing estates Riverside Wharf, Cotton End and Southbridge.
Extensive development is to occur on former disused warehouses east of Far Cotton. Nunn Mills is currently under development to build over 3,000 new houses on a brownfield site. There will also be a improved Marina in and around Becket's Park and Midsummer Meadow.
The main shopping sector of Far Cotton is St Leonard's Road which connects Towcester Road and London Road. There are also shops on Gloucester Avenue which flows through the heart of central Far Cotton. There is a Tesco Extra south of Far Cotton in Mereway and a Netto Supermarket in Cotton End on Ransome Road.
Overall, Far Cotton is set to double in population in the next ten years with development of housing.
Notable residents
Chief Inspector Walter DewWalter Dew
Detective Chief Inspector Walter Dew was a Metropolitan Police officer who was involved in the hunt for both Jack the Ripper and Dr Crippen.-Early life:...
, who was involved in the hunt for both Jack the Ripper
Jack the Ripper
"Jack the Ripper" is the best-known name given to an unidentified serial killer who was active in the largely impoverished areas in and around the Whitechapel district of London in 1888. The name originated in a letter, written by someone claiming to be the murderer, that was disseminated in the...
and Dr. Crippen
Hawley Harvey Crippen
Hawley Harvey Crippen , usually known as Dr. Crippen, was an American homeopathic physician hanged in Pentonville Prison, London, on November 23, 1910, for the murder of his wife, Cora Henrietta Crippen...
, was born in the village in 1863.