Discover Daventry: history and nature

History and landscape on Borough Hill

If you choose Daventry as a destination, you can include history, architecture and nature in your plans. Borough Hill is designated a Scheduled Monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. It contains the remains of two Iron Age hillforts, two Bronze Age burial mounds, and a later Roman villa and agricultural settlement. The structures and remains span several clearly distinct periods. Borough Hill is maintained as a country park and offers views of the surrounding area as well as habitat for local wildlife.

Daventry Museum provides a self-guided walk over Borough Hill for download. It takes visitors through the geology, nature and history of the site, and also covers its history during the English Civil War. The walk’s subject matter therefore extends beyond the archaeological evidence to include the landscape and how it was formed.

Museum, market and architecture

Daventry Museum focuses on social history, hosts regularly changing exhibitions and offers a programme of events. The collection includes town charters and the seal of the Prior of Daventry, objects relating to social history, and archaeological finds from Borough Hill and the surrounding area. These include a large Roman mosaic fragment from the villa. BBC objects from the broadcasting station on Borough Hill are also part of the collection. Step-free access to the museum is through the rear entrance via Market Square and Church Walk.

The Church of the Holy Cross offers another glimpse of Daventry’s architectural history. Construction of the present building began on 8 April 1752 and was completed within six years. It was designed by David Hiorne of Warwick, a specialist in the classical style. Its features include a pediment at the west end, a west tower and a tower-like spire in the shape of an obelisk.

A charter market is held on Daventry High Street every Tuesday and Friday. The market’s history stretches back seven centuries. The market days can therefore be a useful reference point if you want to plan your trip around a particular day of the week.

Trails and seasonal activities in the country park

Daventry Country Park has three circular walks: the 2.5-mile Reservoir Walk, the 1.5-mile Meadow Walk and the 1-mile Woodland Walk. Based on their stated lengths, the Reservoir Walk is the longest and the Woodland Walk the shortest, with the Meadow Walk in between. This makes it easy to compare the routes by distance. The southern part of the reservoir, the surrounding land and the Grit Trap were designated a Local Nature Reserve in 2007. Visitors can observe plants and wild birds in this area.

Activities in the park also vary by season and type. Organised open-water swimming sessions are offered on Sundays from April to October. Non-motorised water sports are possible in the summer months, with a limited number of permits available. These include stand-up paddleboarding, canoeing, kayaking and model boating. If you want to plan your trip around one of these sessions, check the current swimming schedule and permit availability in advance.

If you are looking for a hotel in Daventry, your planned itinerary can help determine which destination to choose: a visit focused on history and architecture, a market day or seasonal activities in the country park each provide a different point around which to plan your stay. For museum visits, it is also worth checking the changing exhibition and events programme. This way, you can plan your trip around the topics and dates that matter for your stay.

Discover more destinations: Ashby Saint Ledgers, Byfield, Rothwell, Hellidon, Brigstock, Corby, Staverton, Ringstead

For the broader travel overview: Northamptonshire.