Ss Peter & Paul, Kettering

The history of the church in relation to the town

The town in 1587

To understand the church, it is important to appreciate its urban setting. The town of Kettering is of ancient origin, with a characteristic medieval street pattern. The church sits at the south end of the old Market Place of the town which is at the southern end of the historic settlement. This arrangement is shown on an early plan of the town of 1587 shown left. The church with its spire is clearly shown on this plan. At this stage Kettering very much had two centres; Village Kettering was at the north end of the High Street along Gold Street with Market Kettering around the Market Place at the south end, where the Parish Church was located. Despite almost complete redevelopment, this division of centres remains very much a characteristic of the town today, although ironically, their roles have reversed. The greater trading centre is now concentrated in the 1960s shopping precinct to the north of the town in the old village Kettering, leaving the Market Place today more a more secondary retail area with consequences for the Parish Church and Local Authority alike.

Kettering in 1729

The steady development of the town can be traced on subsequent maps and plans held at the Northamptonshire County Archives. The map of 1729 (shown right) shows the Market Place with buildings within it which had been cleared by 1826 (left). At this time Kettering was on the main turnpike route between London and Leicester/Nottingham; the route which eventually became the A6. By the early C19th, Kettering was served by the direct London to Leeds mail coach, with passing travellers staying overnight in the town. The traditional appearance of the town market place with the church tower rising above survived until the mid C20th (see picture directly below) when regrettably the old houses that enclosed the market place were demolished. These buildings are now being reinstated.

During the early C19th. a new open space was cut through the old street buildings immediately west of the spire to form a new axial view of the west spire direct from Sheep Street. The view, still open today is one of the most celebrated in Kettering, although not entirely to the advantage of the church, according to Sir Nicholaus Pevsner. He found the spire along an avenue of trees [which] gives the church a curiously un-genuine look, as if it were an imitation or re-erected. This effect may be a consequence of the wide gravel carriage drive which gives the church a rural rather than a more traditional urban quality of setting. The open space is first shown on a map of 1887. Views of 1843, 1910 and 2010 show how its arrangement and gating has evolved over the years.

1843

1910

2010

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Kettering

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	To understand the church, it is important to appreciate its urban setting. The town of Kettering is of ancient origin, with a characteristic medieval street pattern. The church sits at the south end of the old Market Place of the town which is at the southern end of the historic settlement. This arrangement is shown on an early plan of the town of 1587 shown left. The church with its spire is clearly shown on this plan. At this stage Kettering very much had two centres; Village Kettering was at the north end of the High Street along Gold Street with Market Kettering around the Market Place at the south end, where the Parish Church was located. Despite almost complete redevelopment, this division of centres remains very much a characteristic of the town today, although ironically, their roles have reversed. The greater trading centre is now concentrated in the 1960s shopping precinct to the north of the town in the old village Kettering, leaving the Market Place today more a more secondary retail area with consequences for the Parish Church and Local Authority alike.

	The steady development of the town can be traced on subsequent maps and plans held at the Northamptonshire County Archives. The map of 1729 (shown right) shows the Market Place with buildings within it which had been cleared by 1826 (left). At this time Kettering was on the main turnpike route between London and Leicester/Nottingham; the route which eventually became the A6. By the early C19th, Kettering was served by the direct London to Leeds mail coach, with passing travellers staying overnight in the town. The traditional appearance of the town market place with the church tower rising above survived until the mid C20th (see picture directly below) when regrettably the old houses that enclosed the market place were demolished. These buildings are now being reinstated.
	During the early C19th. a new open space was cut through the old street buildings immediately west of the spire to form a new axial view of the west spire direct from Sheep Street. The view, still open today is one of the most celebrated in Kettering, although not entirely to the advantage of the church, according to Sir Nicholaus Pevsner. He found the spire along an avenue of trees [which] gives the church a curiously un-genuine look, as if it were an imitation or re-erected. This effect may be a consequence of the wide gravel carriage drive which gives the church a rural rather than a more traditional urban quality of setting. The open space is first shown on a map of 1887. Views of 1843, 1910 and 2010 show how its arrangement and gating has evolved over the years.
1843	1910	2010