ST. JAMES END, NORTHAMPTON - 1965

St James' takes it name from an abbey that was founded in 1090, very close to the old Express Lifts Site in
Weedon Road. A small community grew up around it and which continued despite the dissolution in 1538.
By 1820 there was a cluster of about 20 houses but these weren't quite so near to the abbey as the original estate.
A map shows them to be near Castle Station. Traffic was beginning to build up as the thoroughfare was a turn-pike
toll road from Northampton to Daventry to Warwick from 1765 onwards. An iron foundry was built where the Bus Depot is today. At least a hundred people worked there and one street was named after it, (Foundry Street).