Cultural Quarter, Northampton

Northampton's Cultural Quarter, from the front of the Guildhall looking south down Guildhall Road

The Cultural Quarter of the town Northampton, England, is in the centre of the town. It is sometimes referred to as Derngate, which was the name of a gate in the old town walls located there.

The quarter was officially launched by Northampton Borough Council in early 2013.[1] It is noted in particular for Northampton Museum, theatre complex Royal & Derngate, historic house 78 Derngate, Art Gallery NN and the Errol Flynn Filmhouse. It also has bars, restaurants, pubs, hair salons and fashion shops as well as housing and offices. Northampton High School for Girls was located here before moving to Hardingstone and the area developed for housing.

78 Derngate

78 Derngate is a Grade II* Listed Georgian house, noted for its interior, which was extensively redeveloped in 1916-7 by Charles Rennie Mackintosh for local businessman and modelmaker, Wenman Joseph Bassett-Lowke. It has been open to the public since 2003.[2]

Errol Flynn Filmhouse

The Errol Flynn Filmhouse opened in June 2013, named after actor Errol Flynn, who worked at Northampton's Royal Theatre in his early career. The 90-seat venue, in Albion Place, is part of the Royal & Derngate theatre complex. It screens art-house, world films and documentaries alongside some mainstream films. The development was part of the Northampton Alive regeneration project.[3]

Northampton Museum and Art Gallery

Northampton Museum and Art Gallery dates back to 1884. It was refurbished in 2012.[4]

NN Contemporary Art Northampton

NN Arts Collective Gallery on Guildhall Road

NN is an art gallery owned by the Northampton Arts Collective, which moved in 2012 from the old Fishmarket, later demolished to make way for a new bus station. NN Cafe, a cafe and performance venue, opened upstairs in October 2013.[5]

Royal & Derngate

Royal & Derngate is a theatre complex which is formed of the Royal Theatre, a 583-seat producing house, and the Derngate Theatre, a 1,200-set multi-purpose performance space. The Royal opened in 1884; followed 99 year later by the Derngate in 1983, which was built on the site of Northampton's former Derngate bus station. The two theatres merged as one organnisation in 1999, closed in 2005 to undergo an 18-month £14.5m redevelopmnt, and re-opened as Royal & Derngate in 2006. The Stage hailed Royal & Derngate as The Regional Theatre of the Year (2010) in its inaugural Stage 100 Awards for "its artistic quality and connections it has with local audiences."

Food and drink

Hair and fashion

Future

St John's Hall of Residences, a block of 462 student flats for the University of Northampton, are expected to open in January 2014.[6] The building is on the site of a former open air car park and prior to that the Northampton St. John's Street railway station, part of the former Bedford to Northampton Line.

A Premier Inn Hotel will be built on a car park in Albion Place. It is expected to be completed at the end of 2014.[7]

External links

References

  1. ↑ Northamptton Chronicle & Echo: 'Proposals for Northampton Cultural Quarter', accessed 27 December 2013
  2. ↑ Northampton Chronicle & Echo: 'Step back in time to 78 Derngate', accessed 27 December 2013
  3. ↑ BBC News 12 June 2013: 'Errol Flynn Filmhouse: Northampton cinema set to open', accessed 27 December 2013
  4. ↑ BBC News 14 April 2012: 'Northampton's world famous shoe museum reopens after refurbishment' accessed 28 December 2013
  5. ↑ Northampton Herald & Post 11 October 13: 'NN Cafe in Northampton is brewing up a cultural storm' Accessed 29 December 2013
  6. ↑ Northampton Chronicle & Echo: 'First look inside new University of Northampton student flats in town centre' Accessed 29 December 2013
  7. ↑ Northampton Chronicle & Echo: 'Plans for new hotel and public square revealed' Accessed 30 December 2013

Coordinates: 52°14′11″N 0°53′35″W / 52.2365°N 0.8930°W