Desborough
| Desborough | |
|---|---|
 Desborough
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| Desborough shown within Northamptonshire | |
| Population | 10,697 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | SP805835 |
| Civil parish |
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| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | KETTERING |
| Postcode district | NN14 |
| Dialling code | 01536 |
| Police | Northamptonshire |
| Fire | Northamptonshire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| EU Parliament | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament | |
Desborough is a town in Northamptonshire, England, located in the Ise Valley between Market Harborough and Kettering. The town was an industrial centre for weaving and shoe-making in the 19th century, and has a long association with the Co-operative movement. Modern Desborough is a residential centre, with new homes and industry being developed to the north of the old town.
Desborough developed around the spinning and weaving industries, by the 19th century specialising in silk. Many archaeological finds from the Iron Age and Anglo-Saxon periods have been made in the town, some of which are in the collections of the British Museum.
Desborough's origins lie in the Bronze Age around 2000 BC. Urns from that period have been found in and around the town. The most important archaeological find was the 1st-century Desborough Mirror, which is now in the British Museum, as is the Anglo-Saxon Desborough Necklace, found in the Paddock Lane area of the town, which comprises gold beads, a gold cross and a red garnet. Other stone artefacts are on display in the parish church.
Notable buildings in the town include the 13th-century parish church of St Giles.
Domesday Book (1086) refers to Desborough as a "place of judgement". In fact, the name itself is thought to have derived from 'Disburg', which meant a sacred and fortified place. In the High Street, as a centrepiece of what is now the Market Square, stands a pillar that is called locally the Town Cross despite being a square column with a stone ball on top. It is thought to have been a gateway pillar from Harrington Hall.
Desborough is 5 miles (8 km) south-east of Market Harborough, north-west of Kettering and south-west of Corby. The Kettering Leg of the Student Cross pilgrimage leaves from near Desborough every year.
The A6 Rothwell–Desborough Bypass opened on 14 August 2003.
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Wikipedia