The story of the Great Fire of Northampton
September 2025 sees the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of Northampton – a hugely significant event in the town’s history.
Over 700 of the 850 buildings in the town centre were destroyed in the fire. Art historian James Miller writes, ‘the blaze devastated the lives and livelihood of its inhabitants. We celebrate the bravery of those who tried to quell the flames; the kindness of those in nearby villages who took in the dispossessed; the speed with which the town’s authorities took command, the financial support of the Crown, Parliament and communities across the country, and also the ingenuity of the planners, architects and builders.
The rebuilding of Northampton
Confronted with the catastrophe of the Great Fire in 1675 the people of Northampton got to and rebuilt their town to the very latest ideas of town planning and design. Through their endeavours the town rose like a resplendent Phoenix.
In doing so they created what in the traveller Celia Fiennes words of 1691 is, “a town which opens up a noble prospect to your sight a mile distant, a large town, well built, the streets as large as London, very regular buildings: the Town Hall (Sessions House) is new built all in stone. There is an abundance of new buildings which adds to the beauty“.
20 years later Daniel Defoe, author of Robinson Crusoe, also passed through and was equally impressed. He commented “the best built and handsomest town in all this part of England… the beauty owing to its own disasters for it was effectively and suddenly burnt down…’tis finely rebuilt with brick and stone and the streets made spacious and wide. The great new church and the town hall, the jayl, and all the public buildings, are the finest in any country town in England“.
A concert to commemorate the Great Fire of Northampton
Fiori Musicali are honoured to have been asked to help mark this momentous and catastrophic event in a grand concert that includes works by England’s greatest native composer of the late 17th century, Henry Purcell, as well as music inspired by fire – Handel’s celebrated Music for the Royal Fireworks. Fiori Musicali will be at full strength for this special concert – trumpets, horns, drums, oboes, bassoons, strings & chamber organ, alongside the voices of the Choir of All Saints’ Northampton filling the magnificent rebuilt church of All Saints in a spectacular concert to launch a fabulous weekend of commemorative events.
Full details on ticketsource.co.uk/fiori
Recipe of the month – Apple & bramble pie with Chantilly cream