Indianapolis Sister Cities: Northamptonshire County, UK

Written by Maddie Eden, Marketing & Communications Intern

General Introduction

Northamptonshire County, UK became a sister city to Indianapolis in November 2009. The mayor of Indianapolis at the time, Greg Ballard, wanted to develop a relationship with the United Kingdom that would foster economic, cultural, and technological growth with another municipality that emphasizes the motorsports industry.  

 

 

 

 

Both Indy and Northamptonshire County are known for hosting world-renowned auto races. Northamptonshire is part of Motorsport Valley, which is known to be a global hub for the motorsport industry. Their world-class racetracks are Silverstone Circuit and Rockingham Motor Speedway, similar to Indy’s own Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 

Brief History 

Northamptonshire County is located in central England, and it was established in 1011. The administrative county is comprised of seven districts: East Northamptonshire, Daventry, South Northamptonshire, and the boroughs of Corby, Kettering, Northampton, and Wellingborough. The boundaries of this county have remained virtually unchanged since Donesday Book – a historical survey of England – in 1086. Northamptonshire County is home to a variety of historic buildings, including mansions and county houses. 

Northamptonshire County has its own accent, but it changes if you travel to the different areas of Spratton, Brixworth, Wellingborough or Rushden. Each region has a slightly different twang than the others. This area is also home to the biggest market square in England, which was established in 1189 around All Saint’s Church. 

Culture

Northamptonshire County is known as the heart of British motorsport, and it has two world-class racing tracks located throughout the area. Silverstone racetrack is known for its power and prestige. This famous track hosts the Grand Prix each year and is known as a truly iconic venue. Santa Pod Raceway was converted from an airbase to a drag strip in 1966 and has since hosted the fastest and loudest races in Europe. The FIA/FIM European Championship is held in this arena. Racing is a huge part of the culture of Northamptonshire County and is one of the similarities between this area and Indianapolis. 

 

Food

In 2019, Northamptonshire County was named Britain’s Most Foodie County by Restaurant critic and MasterChef judge William Sitwell. This area has twice the national average of producers and manufacturers, and their farming produces over 687 million loaves of bread, 32 million liters of vegetable oil, and 300 million eggs, and employs over 4,000 people. Northamptonshire County also hosts more than twenty food and drink festivals annually each year. Their most common regional dishes are Bakewell Tarts & Bakewell Puddings. 

 

Northamptonshire County Today 

Northamptonshire County still plays a vital role in the U.K. economy. Engineering and food processing are their most crucial services for economic growth and play a vital role in daily life for the area. 

Today, Northamptonshire County, with its mixture of modern and historical elements, is considered to be one of the most underrated areas in England. It features great estates and parks, rolling pastoral lands, and some of Britain’s best-known foxhunts.