Brackley

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Map sources for Brackley at grid reference SP5837

Brackley Town Hall (photo by Andrew Smith, 2006)

Brackley is a town in south Northamptonshire, England. In the 2001 census Brackley had a population of 13,331. Historically a market town based on the wool and lace trade, it was built on the intersecting trade routes from London to Birmingham (and the general north of England) and Cambridge to Oxford.

Brackley is close to the A43 road, which now bypasses the town, linking it to Towcester and Northampton to the east and the M40 motorway to the west. The A422 links it to Banbury.

Brackley once had two railway stations. The first, known in its latter years as Brackley Town, opened in May 1850 on a LNWR branch line from Verney Junction on the Oxford-Bletchley-Bedford-Cambridge line, to Banbury via Buckingham. The second was Brackley Central on the Great Central line, the last main line to be constructed from the north of England to London, opened in March 1899. The line through Brackley Town closed in January 1961, while the Great Central was axed by Beeching in September 1966. A very prominent feature of the latter was Brackley Viaduct, which spanned the Ouse valley just south east of the town. 255 yards in length, 62 feet high and containing 20 brick arches and two girder spans, it was demolished in sections in the spring and early summer of 1978. The present A43 road runs across its site. Recent proposals were made to reconstruct one of these lines, but these were voted against by a vocal minority of the town's residents.

Notable buildings in the town include Magdalen College School, founded by Magdalen College for its pupils to escape the great plague affecting Oxford in the 15th century. St John's chapel stands next to the original college buildings and is still in use today, making it the oldest building in Great Britain in continual use by a school. There was once a castle at the western end of town, but no visible evidence of it remains. Brackley Castle was to be where King John and the barons signed Magna Carta, but this eventually occurred at Runnymede. St Peter's church at the eastern end of the town boasts an impressive 11th century Norman doorway. In the centre of town the market is held every Friday morning in the market square. Further up the high street is a large town park owned by the National Trust. The town centre underwent a number of improvements in 2006. The piazza was rebuilt in York stone and the Royal British Legion is planning a rededication service for the war memorial on Saturday June 10 2006.

Notable villages nearby include Syresham, Billesden, and Hinton-in-the-Hedges.

Brackley is close to the Silverstone racing track, and has some industry related to Formula One racing, notably Honda (formely British American Racing) which is based in the town. On the east outskirts of the town is Bronnley, suppliers of hand-made soaps to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. Their products are bestowed with Royal Honours for Excellence.

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