Desborough, United Kingdom
Desborough is a town of 10,697 people in England, United Kingdom.
Why visit Desborough
Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 7 parks and trails, 29 places to eat and 2 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Desborough Heritage Centre, Tailby Meadow and Rothwell Gullet.
Weather in Desborough
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Desborough
Desborough is a town and civil parish in North Northamptonshire, England, lying in the Ise Valley between Market Harborough and Kettering. It was an industrial centre for weaving and shoe-making in the 19th century and had a long association with the Co-operative movement.
From the Wikipedia article Desborough (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photos of Desborough
Museums and landmarks5
Desborough Heritage Centre
Museum
72 Station Road, Kettering
Mo-Fr 10:00-15:00; We off; Sa 10:00-12:00
Rothwell Arts and Heritage centre
Museum · 1.5 mi
Mo-Th 10:00-15:00; Fr,Sa 10:00-12:30
Desborough Cross
Monument and historic site
A square pillar surmounted with a stone sphere.
Parks, trails and playgrounds7
Restaurants and cafes29
Great Wall
Restaurant · Chinese
46-48 Station Road, Kettering
Tu 16:00-22:15; We-Th 16:30-22:15; Fr 16:30-22:45; Sa 16:20-22:45;...
Wendy-Lou's Tearoom
Cafe · Cake, Tea, Coffee Shop, British
54 Station Road, Kettering
Mo-Sa 09:00-15:00
Costa
Cafe · Coffee Shop
111 High Street, Kettering
Mo-Fr 07:00-17:00; Sa 08:00-17:00; Su 09:00-16:00
17 more on the map.
Where to stay2
History
Desborough's origins lie in the Bronze Age of about 2000 BC. Urns from that period have been found in and around the town.
Many archaeological finds from the Iron Age and the Anglo-Saxon period have also been made. Some, such as the 1st-century Desborough Mirror and the Anglo-Saxon Desborough Necklace, are now in the possession of the British Museum.
Domesday Book (1086) refers to Desborough as a "place of judgement". The name itself is thought to have derived from 'Disburg', which meant a sacred and fortified place. In the High Street centrepiece of what is now the Market Square stands a pillar that is called locally the Town Cross, though it is a square column topped by a stone ball. It is thought to have served as a gateway pillar from Harrington Hall.
From the 17th century, Desborough developed around the spinning and weaving industries. The town's factories used local wool and flax to produce fine cloth and linen until the mid-19th century. Silk weaving then developed in a Paddock Lane factory and shoe-making also gained importance.
From the History section of Desborough on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
More about Desborough
Education
The town has a primary school-cum-infant/junior school, consisting of Loatlands Primary and combined Havelock Infant and Junior schools. Secondary education takes place outside the town.
From the Wikipedia article Desborough, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Notable people from Desborough
- Harold Walkercricketer (1918-2000)
- Cecil KilbornEnglish footballer (born 1902)
- Edward DryhurstBritish film producer
- Andy SawfordEnglish politician (born 1976)
- Alf TirrellFootballer (1894-1944)
Born in Desborough, according to Wikidata (CC0). Each name links to its Wikipedia article.
Churches and places of worship10
St Giles Anglican and Methodist Church
Church · Anglican, Methodist
Lower Street, Kettering
Shopping5
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries7
Healthcare4
Map of Desborough
70 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Sywell Aerodrome (ORM) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 9 miles away.
- Market Harborough 5 mi northwest, about 8 min by car
- Northampton 14 mi south, about 22 min by car
- Evington 15 mi northwest, about 24 min by car
- Oadby 16 mi northwest, about 25 min by car
- Oakham 16 mi north, about 26 min by car
- Glen Parva 18 mi northwest, about 29 min by car
- Leicester 19 mi northwest, about 30 min by car
- Stamford 20 mi northeast, about 33 min by car
- Syston 20 mi northwest, about 32 min by car
- Glenfield 21 mi northwest, about 34 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Towns near Desborough
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Keep exploring
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- Mapillary (see each image): photos
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Desborough Library Plus (15162740077), JuliaC2006 from Rochester, UK, CC BY 2.0
- Tailby Meadow 3, Dudley Miles, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Rothwell Gullet, Christopher French, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Thorpe Malsor Church — Exterior (cropped), Robert George Maunsell (died 1911), Public domain
- The Plens 7, Dudley Miles, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The Plens 5, Dudley Miles, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The Plens 1, Dudley Miles, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The Plens 2, Dudley Miles, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The Plens 6, Dudley Miles, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, adam2, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built November 10, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.