HIGHAM GUIDE 2022 - Magazine - Page 4
YOUR OFFICIAL GUIDE TO HIGHAM FERRERS
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Higham Ferrers –
a place in history
The historic market town of Higham Ferrers
is located in the Nene Valley in
East Northamptonshire.
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Chichele College
The Bede House
The Market Cross
Chichele College and
Gardens
5 St Mary’s Church
6 The Chantry Chapel
7 The Hachenburg
Twinning Group
PAGE 04 & 05.indd 1
It forms a single urban area
in conjunction with Rushden
to the south. Its close
proximity to the junction of
the A45 and A6 provides
excellent links to the national
routes of the A1, M1 and A14.
Its defensive position on
high ground looking across the
River Nene gave the town its
importance in early times. The
town’s fine buildings and large
ornate church give testament
to the historic significance of
the town in the Middle Ages.
The Domesday Book of 1086
records its name as Hecham,
a Saxon word which means
‘settlement on the hill’. The
first of the Town’s Charters
was granted in 1251 by the
Lord of the Manor William
de Ferrers, Earl of Derby who
owned Higham. Please visit
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=sulGlQOA5qE&t=2s for
further information about the
Charters of Higham Ferrers.
The town has prospered with
markets and fairs, with ancient
connections still evident in
the number of historical sites
in the town, including the
site of William Peverel’s old
castle. Henry Chichele (c. 1364
– 12th April 1443) was born in
Higham Ferrers and is noted
for becoming Archbishop of
Canterbury and founding All
Souls College, Oxford.
In the Lancastrian period
Higham Ferrers became
one of the centres of the
administration for the Duchy
of Lancaster. The Queen, as
the Duke of Lancaster, still has
considerable landholdings
around the town.
Higham Ferrers, despite its
ancient charter and privileges,
was conservative in outlook,
and although industry was
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