Discover Kettering: Art, Museums and Parkland

Kettering combines remarkable art collections, local history and varied landscapes. Those planning a trip can combine cultural discoveries with a stay surrounded by greenery: the Alfred East Art Gallery and Manor House Museum offer a different experience from the expansive Wicksteed Park or the car-free Greenway. These varied experiences can help you choose a holiday apartment based on your preferred travel theme.

Art, history and local highlights

The Alfred East Art Gallery houses works by many important British artists, as well as extensive collections by Sir Alfred East and Thomas Cooper Gotch. The present-day collection comprises just over 900 works, including oil paintings, watercolours, etchings, prints, photographs and sculptures. This gives the gallery a broad thematic range for visitors who do not want to limit their interest in art to a single medium.

The Manor House Museum permanently and temporarily displays objects and works of art relating to archaeology, natural history, prehistoric fossils, and the boot and shoe industry. The combination of nature, the past and the region’s working life makes a visit to the museum a varied complement to the art collection. Another local speciality is the potter known as the “Kettering long-boss potter”. He worked in the region; his unique pottery has also been found outside Kettering, including in Newton near Geddington, Barton Seagrave and Garton in Cambridgeshire.

Sacred art also forms part of the town’s cultural character. The Church of St Peter and St Paul has a wall painting of Saint Roch and preserves fragments of medieval stained glass in the window of the south aisle chapel. The Royal Hotel and ranges to rear add to the historic impression: the hotel dates from the late 18th century, was extensively remodelled in 1878 and extended in 1896–1899. Further changes followed in the 20th century. The building is listed as a Grade II building.

Wicksteed Park and paths in the Ise Valley

For a more active outing, Wicksteed Park is a prominent destination. It is one of Britain’s oldest municipal parks, has rides and was founded by Charles Wicksteed in 1921. Entry to the park grounds is free. The site includes lowland grassland meadows, floodplain areas, wetland margins, open water and small areas of woodland. This makes it possible to combine a day of rides with impressions of the landscape.

Wicksteed Park lies in the Ise Valley and serves as a green wildlife corridor. The North Northamptonshire Greenway is also suitable for walks and cycle rides. The car-free route is intended for pedestrians, wheelchair users and cyclists; an important section of the Ise Valley Greenway runs through Kettering. Another branch is intended to connect communities from Corby via Kettering to Wellingborough. The work carried out on it forms the first phase of this project.

Which accommodation suits your travel plans?

For trips with plenty of time outdoors, Wicksteed Park, the Ise Valley landscape and the Greenway are the main attractions. Those travelling with children can plan the rides at the park as a dedicated activity and alternate cultural visits with quieter stretches in the parkland.

Kettering Library is also noteworthy for those interested in the region: it has the second-largest collection of local and family history resources in the county. The Manor House Gardens offer a peaceful stay in the town centre among trees and squirrels; at the same time, they serve as an outdoor area for Cornerstone events. When searching for a holiday apartment, therefore, first compare whether your focus is more on art and history, on parkland and paths, or on a combination of both.

If you would like to add more places to your travel plans, you can also explore Gretton, Easton On The Hill, Weedon Bec, Castle Ashby, Overstone, Maidford, Deanshanger and Collyweston.

For the overarching travel overview: Northamptonshire.