Short answers, pulled from the story.
Neolithic encampments existed in the Briar Hill district from approximately 3500 BC to 2000 BC. Local farmers gathered there for tribal ceremonies and seasonal events during this period.
Northampton Castle was thought to have been built by Simon de Senlis circa 1084. It served as an occasional royal residence from the reign of King Henry I in 1130 until that of King Richard II.
The last Parliament at Northampton took place in 1380. Some 32 Parliaments were held within its stone walls over the centuries before its eventual demolition.
Over 4,000 pairs of leather shoes and 600 pairs of cavalry jack-boots were manufactured for Parliamentary armies during the Civil War. This production occurred while a third of adult males worked as shoemakers.
Northampton was designated a New Town in 1968 following World War II. The population grew from 105,421 in 1961 to 157,217 by 1981 with 15,655 new homes added between 1970 and 1985.