Record details
| Title | Beckets Park and Midsummer Meadow |
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| Description |
This pleasant riverside park, with tennis courts and children’s play area, is close to the town centre and overlooks the junction of the Grand Union Canal and River Nene. The park takes its name from the nearby Becket’s Well on the Bedford Road. Legend has it that Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, paused at this spot to draw water as he made his escape to France, following his trial at Northampton Castle in 1165. It is a popular lunchtime spot for town centre workers and students, with an unusual footbridge linking the park to the impressive new University of Northampton. The campus has open access to the public and several on-site cafes and bars. A waterside path takes visitors past lock gates and canal boats moored to the riverbank, and continues to the famous Carlesberg Brewery, stretching for many miles in either direction along traditional towpaths. The adjacent Midsummer Meadows is home to the Radlands Plaza Skate and BMX park, a small café and floating restaurant. |
| Link | https://www.northampton.gov.uk/info/200244/parks-and-open-spaces/304/beckets-park |