An interactive trail allowing users to follow the path of the 1675 Great Fire of Northampton will be available to download tomorrow (29th May) on both Apple and Android phones.
The augmented reality trail, commissioned by Northampton Town Council as part of this year’s 350th anniversary of the blaze, can be found by downloading the ‘Explore Northampton’ app and choosing the ‘Great Fire Trail.’
Visitors to the town centre can step back in time to the fateful day in September 1675 when the fire started in St Mary’s Street, and be guided along the trail by following narrated instructions on their phones, hearing from virtual characters who tell their stories along the way.
The trail is marked out with handy floor stickers to guide users and five educational boards complementing the trail are located around All Saints’ Church on Mercers Row and Wood Hill.
Councillor Keith Holland-Delamere, Chair of the Community Services Committee, said: “We hope people enjoy learning more about the Great Fire of Northampton by following the trail.
The fire was a major event in Northampton’s history that shaped much of the town centre we see today in terms of its street layout and historic architecture.
“Many of the historic locations on the trail still exist, so users will find history brought to life before their eyes as they walk along the fire’s path of destruction.
“We are grateful for the research that was provided by historians and the museum, and this has been added to the trail app to provide users with an accurate depiction of what happened on that fateful day.
“We are also excited to be working with Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) and West Northamptonshire Council, along with local cultural and historical groups to deliver a series of events that tell the story of the fire and the rebuild that followed.”
700 of the town’s 850 buildings were destroyed in the fire, leaving many homeless and 11 dead. All Hallows’ Church (the present day All Saints’) was burnt to the ground, along with many other important structures.
The trail launch marks the start of an exciting five-month programme of special activities and events, the first of which is the ancient ceremony of Oak Apple Day taking place this Thursday, 29th May, at All Saints’ Church. Its origins are closely linked to the fire, as gratitude is shown for the generosity of Charles II, who gave timber from Royal forests to rebuild the church and reduced taxes to help the town financially recover.
The app was created for the town council by Northampton-based AR Media, who also manage the Explore Northampton app. Wayne Roberts, Director at AR Media, said: “Creating this trail has been a fantastic project to work on, allowing us to utilise our expertise in merging storytelling and technology to interpret historical events.
“We worked with local actors to bring this story to life, by narrating the path of the fire from individual characters’ perspectives. The app shows users their real-time location as they follow the trail and each marker offers an augmented chapter of the story, told by historical figures who witnessed the fire ravaging the town.”
More information about the Great Fire 350 anniversary, Oak Apple Day and the Great Fire trail can be found on the town council’s website:
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