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Northamptonshire - US ConnectionsHistory comes alive in Unique England…
No matter what your special interest is, our stunning location and traditional atmosphere will make you want to dig underneath the tranquil surface of real England.
You’ll find that there is something for every American visitor in Northamptonshire.
Find your roots in Unique England
Find American connections, preserved in ancient landscapes and real English countryside. Northamptonshire’s history is punctuated by pivotal events, leaving it ripe for exploration and discovery.
Your history is our history...
There is something for every kind of heritage hunter in Unique England as our rich legacy of American associations has been nurtured over time - allowing you outstanding experiences of the past within one beautifully preserved English county.
Charles Chauncy, one time Northamptonshire Vicar was one of the Founding Fathers of the US. Chauncy sailed with the puritan emigration to New England and became first President of Harvard College. Regarded as the first real scholar of the New World, he opened his college to all ‘plain good men’, this included native Americans and all working men such as millers, tailors, butchers - a radical breakthrough at the time.
A revolutionary and free-thinking county, Northamptonshire has often been at odds with the church and the state. Here lies the world’s first Congregationalist Robert ‘Troublechurch’ Browne and a 17th century monument that is dedicated to his life.
Find presidential lineage along the Uncle Sam Trail. Sulgrave Manor, the Washington ancestral home is a perfect starting point. You’ll see a stained glass window that reveals the earliest traces of ‘Old Glory’ and find the original Washington portrait that is now printed on every dollar bill.
Explore Flore, Lamport and a host of other quintessential English villages on the ‘Sam’ trail. Thrapston village, for example, is not only home to the church of St.James and a wall tablet bearing the Washington family Arms – but is also the location of the UK’s largest manufacturer of American flags. The Grandfather of 2nd American President John Adams started the Quaker meeting in Flore and 3rd President Thomas Jefferson was related to Sir Isham of Lamport Hall.
Even modern day presidential connections can be found in Unique England at Althorp where links have been made between Princess Diana’s ancestry and President Bush.
Pay homage to the early Americans, walk in the footsteps of our ancestors and revel in tales from days gone by…
Benjamin Franklin has perhaps the strongest connections with Unique England as all his ancestors came from the village of Ecton. The site of a smithy owned by his uncle Thomas is now the Three Horseshoes pub. Franklin wrote letters and diaries about his passionate interest in tracing his family – this fascinating character gave America the first penny post, introduced the first lending library and invented bi-focal lenses, the glass harmonica and experimented with lightening conductors.
America’s first lady of poetry, Anne Dudley was born in Northampton in 1612, the daughter of Thomas Dudley who became a governor of the state of Boston – they were part of the group of Puritans who settled there in the 1630s. Thomas Dudley was also the first Deputy Governor of the State of Massachusetts.
A reciprocal Anglo-American history…
Grafton villagers proudly preserve their memorial to American Air Veterans of World War II and the American 8th Airforce.
And Nancy Lancaster – a Native American designer – levied strong influence on the stately homes of Northamptonshire with the creation of the ‘country house look’. Lancaster’s designs can be seen in living colour at Kelmarsh Hall – where the ‘faded chintzy’ look became her trademark.
Your historic flight of fancy in Unique England will soar between humble discovery and all out countryside decadence.
Unique England boasts a wealth of majestic stately homes and castles, many with beautiful grounds and gardens; so whilst contemplating England’s hidden heritage and interpreting your ancestry, you will enjoy all the benefits of the unspoilt British countryside.
Begin planning your trip to explore our mutual past and find your roots in Unique England.
Call us toll free on +44(0)1604 609541
or email: info@uniqueengland.com
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