Editing Towcester

{{Short description|Market town in Northamptonshire, England}}
{{more citations needed|date=October 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2015}}
{{Infobox UK place
|official_name= Towcester
|static_image_name= Towcester Church and Town Hall.jpg
|static_image_caption= St Lawrence's Church and<br> [[Towcester Town Hall]]
|coordinates= {{coord|52.13|-0.99|display=inline,title|type:city_dim:4000_region:GB}}
|population= 11,542
|population_ref= (2021 Census)<ref name="bua2011">{{cite web |title=Towcester |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/uk/eastmidlands/admin/west_northamptonshire/E04012827__towcester/ |website=City population |access-date=25 October 2022}}</ref>
|os_grid_reference= SP691481
|london_distance= {{convert|57|mi|0}} [[Points of the compass|SE]]<ref name="DistCalc" />
|civil_parish= Towcester
|unitary_england= [[West Northamptonshire]]
|lieutenancy_england= [[Northamptonshire]]
|region= East Midlands
|country= England
|post_town= TOWCESTER
|postcode_area= NN
|postcode_district= NN12
|dial_code= 01327
|constituency_westminster= [[South Northamptonshire (UK Parliament constituency)|South Northamptonshire]]
}}
<!-----------Images------------->
[[File:Towcester church.jpg|thumb|St Lawrence's Church, Towcester]]
[[File:Watling Street Towcester 2008 05 18.jpg|thumb|Watling Street, looking north]]
[[File:Chantry House Towcester 2008 05 18.jpg|thumb|Chantry House, Watling Street]]
<!------------------------------>
'''Towcester''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|t|ou|s|t|ər}} {{respell|TOH|stər}}) is a [[market town]] and [[civil parish]] in the [[West Northamptonshire]] unitary authority area of [[Northamptonshire]], England. From 1974 to 2021, it was the administrative centre of the [[South Northamptonshire]] district.

Towcester is one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the country. It was the [[Roman Britain|Roman town]] of [[Lactodurum]], located on [[Watling Street]], today’s A5. In Saxon times, this was the frontier between the [[kingdom of Wessex]] and the [[Danelaw]]. Towcester features in [[Charles Dickens]]'s novel ''[[The Pickwick Papers]]'' as one of Mr Pickwick's stopping places on his tour. [[Towcester Racecourse|The local racecourse]] has hosted many national horseracing events.

==Etymology==
Towcester comes from the [[Old English]] ''Tōfeceaster''.<ref name="Bosworth-Toller" /> ''Tōfe'' refers to the [[River Tove]];<ref name="Edmunds1869" /> [[An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary|Bosworth and Toller]] compare it to the "Scandinavian proper names" ''Tófi'' and ''[[Tofa (Poetic Edda)|Tófa]]''.<ref name="Bosworth-Toller"/> The Old English ''ceaster'' comes from the Latin ''castra'' ("camp") and was "often applied to places in Britain which had been Roman encampments."<ref>"Chester." [[Oxford English Dictionary]]. [http://oed.com oed.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180201063925/http://www.oed.com/ |date=1 February 2018 }}</ref> Thus, Towcester means "Camp on the (river) [[River Tove|Tove]]."

==History==

===Prehistoric and Roman periods===
{{Main|Lactodurum}}
Towcester lays claim to being the oldest town in Northamptonshire and possibly, because of the antiquity of recent [[British Iron Age|Iron Age]] finds in the town, to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the country. There is evidence that it was settled by humans since the [[Mesolithic]] era (middle stone age). There is also evidence of Iron Age burials in the area.

In [[Roman Britain]], [[Watling Street]], now the A5 road, was built through the area and a garrison town called ''Lactodurum'' established on the site of the present-day town. Two candidate sites for the [[Battle of Watling Street]], fought in 61AD, are located close to the town, these are [[Church Stowe]] which is located {{convert|4+1/3|mi|km}} to the north<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.craftpegg.com/Battle_Church_Stowe_CP.pdf |title=Landscape Analysis and Appraisal Church Stowe, Northamptonshire, as a Candidate Site for the Battle of Watling Street |access-date=29 August 2010 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303233915/http://www.craftpegg.com/Battle_Church_Stowe_CP.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Paulerspury]] which is {{convert|3|mi|km}} to the south.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/artsandculture/728896/UK-The-original-Iron-Lady-rides-again.html | location=London | work=The Daily Telegraph | title=UK: The original Iron Lady rides again | first=Byron | last=Rogers | date=2003-10-11 | access-date=2 April 2018 | archive-date=14 April 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180414201137/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/artsandculture/728896/UK-The-original-Iron-Lady-rides-again.html | url-status=live }}</ref> A stone female head, that mixes [[Celtic art|Celtic]] and [[Roman art|Roman]] styles, was found on Watling Street outside the town and was given to the [[British Museum]] in 1903.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1363122&partId=1&searchText=towcester+head&page=1 |title=British Museum Highlights |access-date=15 June 2017 |archive-date=15 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170915023851/https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1363122&partId=1&searchText=towcester+head&page=1 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Saxon period and Medieval age===
When the Romans [[Roman withdrawal from Britain|left in the 5th century]], the area was settled by [[Anglo-Saxons|Saxons]]. In the 9th century, Watling Street became the frontier between the kingdom of [[Wessex]] and the [[Danelaw]], and thus Towcester became a frontier town. [[Edward the Elder]] fortified Towcester in 917. In the 11th century, the [[Normans]] built a [[motte-and-bailey castle]] on the site. [[Bury Mount]] is the remains of the fortification and is a scheduled [[ancient monument]]. It was renovated in 2008 with an access ramp and explanatory plaques added.

===Georgian and Victorian periods===
In the 18th and early 19th centuries, in the heyday of the stagecoach and the mail coach, Watling Street became a major coaching road between [[London]] and [[Holyhead]], and Towcester flourished, becoming a major stopping point. Many [[coaching inn]]s and stabling facilities were provided for travellers in Towcester, many of which remain.

The coaching trade came to an abrupt halt in September 1838 when the [[London and Birmingham Railway]] was opened, which bypassed Towcester and passed through [[Blisworth]]; four miles away but enough to result in Towcester quickly reverting to being a quiet market town. By 1866 however, Towcester was linked to the national rail network by the first of several routes which came together to form the [[Stratford Junction Railway|Stratford and Midland Junction Railway]].<ref name="SMJR">{{cite web |title=Stratford and Midland Junction Railway (SMJ) |url=http://www.towcestersrailwayhistory.co.uk |access-date=5 June 2008 |archive-date=23 July 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723113316/http://www.towcestersrailwayhistory.co.uk/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Eventually, from [[Towcester railway station]] it was possible to travel four different ways out of the town: to Blisworth (opened May 1866); to [[Banbury]] (opened June 1872); to [[Stratford-upon-Avon]] (opened July 1873); and finally [[Olney, Buckinghamshire|Olney]] (for access to [[Bedford]], opened December 1892). The latter line however was an early casualty, closing to passengers in March 1893 although it continued to be used by race specials up until the outbreak of the [[Second World War]]. The Banbury line closed to passengers in July 1951 and the rest in April 1952. Goods traffic lingered on until final axing in February 1964 as part of the [[Beeching cuts]]. The site of Towcester railway station is now a [[Tesco]] supermarket.

Towcester might have gained a second station on a branch line of the [[Great Central Railway]] from its main line at [[Brackley]] to [[Northampton]], but this branch was never built.{{cn|date=June 2022}}

===20th century and beyond===

During the [[Second World War]], Towcester received many evacuees from London as the Government felt the town was far enough away from any major settlements that could be a target. The town escaped any major aerial attacks but was bombed on two occasions, firstly by a plane that dropped its last six bombs following an attack on nearby Rugby. A few months later a German bomber dropped twelve bombs on the town during a "drop and run" attack.{{cn|date=June 2022}}

The motor age brought new life to the town. Although now bypassed by the A43, the A5 trunk traffic still passes directly through the historic market town centre causing traffic jams at some times of the day. The resulting pollution has led to the town centre being designated an [[Air pollution in the United Kingdom|air quality management area]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/northamptonshire/content/articles/2006/05/24/climate_chaos_air_pollution_feature.shtml|title=BBC - Northamptonshire - Features: Northants' air pollution|access-date=12 April 2007|archive-date=27 March 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080327114816/http://www.bbc.co.uk/northamptonshire/content/articles/2006/05/24/climate_chaos_air_pollution_feature.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> An A5 north-south bypass with plans for expansion of the town was being planned by the [[West Northamptonshire Development Corporation]] in 2007.<ref name="C&E">{{cite web |title=Sandra Barnes, Leader of South Northants Council, says "This is putting a mark down for future generations and they're not going to thank us for just putting 3,000 houses down" (17 December 2007) |url=http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/northampton-chronicle-and-echo/3000-homes-39must-make-town.3595643.jp |access-date=13 October 2008 |archive-date=6 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081206185457/http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/northampton-chronicle-and-echo/3000-homes-39must-make-town.3595643.jp |url-status=live }}</ref> A scheme to build a bypass for the A5 was submitted in 2020 and expected to cost up to £38 million.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jefford |first=Will |date=3 March 2021 |title=Vital relief road for Northants town could be completed by 2023 |url=https://www.northantslive.news/news/northamptonshire-news/vital-towcester-bypass-could-completed-5067853 |access-date=6 April 2021 |website=northantslive |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=22 January 2020 |title=A5 Towcester relief road plan submitted to council |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-51205482 |access-date=6 April 2021 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref> As of 2023 a relief road to the south linking the A5 to the A43 is under construction, and traffic calming measures will be implemented in the town centre while avoiding potential damage to the ancient Roman road.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/towcester-relief-road-reaches-key-milestone-4424167|title=Towcester relief road reaches key milestone}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Cooper-Fiske |first=Casey |date=2024-02-26 |title=Road plan costing £38m in pretty UK market town halted for one reason |url=https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1870774/towcester-bypass-plans-halted |access-date=2024-08-09 |website=Express.co.uk |language=en}}</ref>

The population was 2,743 at the time of the [[Census in the United Kingdom|1961 Census]] and this had grown to 9,252 by the [[United Kingdom Census 2011|2011 census]] – a growth rate of about 3% per year. It has since rapidly expanded and there are plans to expand still further<ref name="NJPU" /><ref name="NJPU2011">{{Cite web |url=http://www.westnorthamptonshirejpu.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=yGF5DP4Bpmk%3d&tabid=159 |title=2011 expansion plans – Pre-Submission Joint Core Strategy, Committee Version, 31 January 2011 |access-date=30 January 2011 |archive-date=22 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722185815/http://www.westnorthamptonshirejpu.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=yGF5DP4Bpmk=&tabid=159 |url-status=live }}</ref> with another 3,300 houses equating to an appx 8,250 increase in population. Improvements to the links to the A43 and Watling Street roundabout took place in the first half of 2015, including traffic light controls.

==Location==
The town is approximately {{convert|10|mi|1}} south-west of [[Northampton]] and about {{convert|11|mi|1}} north-west of [[Milton Keynes]], the nearest main towns. Oxford is about {{convert|20|mi|1}} south-west via the [[A43 road]], [[M40 motorway]] and [[A34 road (England)|A34 road]]. The A43 now bypasses the town to the north but the [[A5 road (Great Britain)|A5 road]] still passes through the town centre. This still carries much traffic in the north-south direction.<ref name= "NJPU"/><ref name="NJPU2011"/> This is expected to change soon with a new A5 to A43 link bypassing the town to the south, expected to be completed by 2025.<ref name=":0" />

[[Northampton railway station]] is the nearest railway station, being {{convert|10|mi}} away from the town. Buses to Northampton, Milton Keynes, [[Brackley]], [[Potterspury]], [[Deanshanger]], [[Silverstone]] and [[Biddlesden]] operate, but these are infrequent.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Brave Old Oak PH · Towcester NN12 6BT, United Kingdom|url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/Brave+Old+Oak+PH/@52.1325373,-0.9912977,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x48771b3ce9801b3b:0x11e57e5953cb97f9!8m2!3d52.132534!4d-0.989109|access-date=2021-11-01|website=Brave Old Oak PH · Towcester NN12 6BT, United Kingdom|language=en}}</ref>

==Governance==
There are two tiers of local government covering Towcester, at [[civil parish|parish]] (town) and [[Unitary authorities of England|unitary authority]] level: Towcester Town Council and [[West Northamptonshire Council]]. The town council is based at [[Towcester Town Hall]] on Watling Street, overlooking the town's main square, which was built in 1865.<ref>{{NHLE|num=1371643|desc=Town Hall, 86 Watling Street East|grade=II|access-date=24 February 2024}}</ref><ref name="TTC">{{cite web |title=Towcester Town Council |url=http://www.towcester-tc.gov.uk/ |access-date=5 June 2008 |archive-date=10 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080510113635/http://www.towcester-tc.gov.uk/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Towcester was an [[ancient parish]]. When elected parish and district councils were established in 1894 it was given a parish council and included in the Towcester [[Rural district|Rural District]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Towcester Ancient Parish / Civil Parish |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10283176 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=24 February 2024}}</ref> Towcester Rural District Council initially met at the workhouse on Brackley Road, but bought the previously privately-owned Town Hall in 1935 to serve as its headquarters.<ref>{{cite book |title=Kelly's Directory of Northamptonshire |date=1914 |page=316 |url=https://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/54252/rec/2 |access-date=24 February 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Towcester Town Hall |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/search-newspapers |access-date=24 February 2024 |work=Mercury and Herald |date=22 March 1935 |location=Northampton |page=3}}</ref>

[[File:The Forum, Towcester.jpg|thumb|The Forum, Moat Lane: Built 2015 as library and headquarters of South Northamptonshire District Council]]
The rural district council was abolished in 1974 and replaced with the larger [[South Northamptonshire|South Northamptonshire District Council]]. The district council chose to base itself in Towcester, initially using the Town Hall as its headquarters. The district council moved to a new building at the junction of Springfields and Brackley Road in 1983, which in turn was replaced by another new building called The Forum on Moat Lane in 2015. South Northamptonshire District Council and [[Northamptonshire County Council]] were both abolished in 2021 and their functions passed to the new West Northamptonshire Council, which has its main offices in [[Northampton]], but retains The Forum as an area office.<ref>{{cite web |title=Visiting us |url=https://www.westnorthants.gov.uk/communicating-us/visiting-us |website=West Northamptonshire Council |access-date=24 February 2024}}</ref>

The parish council took over the Town Hall after the district council vacated it in 1983.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mkheritage.org.uk/tdlhs/Places/Drawings/Draw3.html  |title=Towcester Town in Drawings|publisher=Towcester and District Local History Society| access-date=11 January 2020}}</ref> In 1986 the parish council formally declared the parish to be a town, allowing the council to adopt the name Towcester Town Council.<ref>{{cite web |title=Your Town Council |url=https://www.towcester-tc.gov.uk/the-council |website=Towcester Town Council |access-date=24 February 2024}}</ref>

Since the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 general election]] Towcester has been part of the [[South Northamptonshire (UK Parliament constituency)|South Northamptonshire constituency]]. Prior to that it was in the [[Daventry (UK Parliament constituency)|Daventry constituency]].

==Facilities and notable sites==

[[Saint Lawrence]]'s C of E Church stands in the middle of the town. It has a 12th-century [[Norman architecture|Norman transitional]] ground plan and foundation, probably laid over a [[Anglo-Saxon architecture|Saxon]] 10th-century stone building. Its ecclesiastical heritage may well relate back to Roman times as St Lawrence was patron saint of the [[Roman legions]]. The building was reconstructed in the [[Perpendicular style]] 1480–85 when the church tower was added. The tower contains 12 bells generally accepted by ringers across the country to be one of the finest sets in the Midlands. The bells were moved in 1994 from [[Todmorden]] in Yorkshire. Permission to quarry stone for this restoration from [[Whittlewood Forest]] was granted by [[Edward IV of England|Edward IV]] and later confirmed by [[Richard III of England|Richard III]] on his way towards [[Leicestershire]] and his death at the [[Battle of Bosworth Field]]. The church contains a [[Bible errata#The Great Bible|"Treacle" Bible]], a table tomb and cadaver of Archdeacon Sponne, Rector 1422–1448. The Archdeacon started the second oldest [[grammar school]] in Northamptonshire but the oldest one in the [[United Kingdom]], which was merged with the old [[secondary modern school]] in Towcester to produce Sponne School. It is also claimed<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mkheritage.co.uk/tdlhs/People/PopeBoniface/index.html|title=Pope Boniface VIII|first=David|last=Wilcock|access-date=1 February 2014|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304191608/http://www.mkheritage.co.uk/tdlhs/People/PopeBoniface/index.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> that [[Pope Boniface VIII]] was a rector of the church before his elevation to the position of [[pope]]. The church tower contains a peal of 12 bells and a chime of 9 bells.

Towcester Mill in Chantry Lane was recorded in the [[Domesday Book]] of 1086, but the oldest extant part of the building is just over two hundred years old. The mill's working gear was powered by water, and was used to grind corn into flour and to mix animal feed, and is believed to be the only water mill in Northamptonshire with a working turbine.

Just outside the town in [[Slapton, Northamptonshire|Slapton]] are [[St Botolph's Church, Slapton#The Slapton Wall Paintings|The Slapton Wall Paintings]], a noted collection of 14th and 15th century wall paintings, in the [[St Botolph's Church, Slapton|Church of St Botolph]]. 

The town has an [[Air Training Corps|Air Cadet]] squadron, 1875 (Towcester) Sqn ATC located near to [[Sponne School]] and the 1st Towcester scouts and guides group.

The Towcester Museum has exhibits tracing the community's prehistory and history. The town has a wetland park, two [[pocket park]]s and a main park, The Recreation Ground, which is known locally as “The Rec”.

==Local media==
Local TV coverage is provided by [[BBC East]] and [[ITV Anglia]] from the [[Sandy Heath transmitting station|Sandy Heath]] TV transmitter. [[BBC South]] and [[ITV Meridian]] can also be received from the [[Oxford transmitting station|Oxford]] TV transmitter. The town's local radio stations are [[BBC Radio Northampton]], [[Heart East]], [[NLive Radio]] and [[Connect Radio 97.2 & 107.4|Connect Radio]]. Local newspapers that cover the town are [[Northampton Herald & Post]] and [[Northampton Chronicle & Echo]].

==Sport==
[[Towcester Racecourse]], originally part of the [[Easton Neston house|Easton Neston]] estate, is located on the east side of the town. Many national [[horse racing]] events were held there, as well as greyhound racing.

In 2010 the World Hovercraft Championship was held on the racecourse. The town's rugby union club, Towcestrians R.F.C., play in the [[London & South East Premier League]]. Towcester's cycling club, the A5 Rangers, was founded in 1948.

Towcester is just 5 miles away from motor racing circuit [[Silverstone Circuit]].

==Twin towns==
Towcester is [[sister city|twinned]] with  [[Zhydachiv]], [[Lviv Oblast]], Ukraine.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-68007879|title=Towcester twins with Ukraine city in 'emotional moment'|first=Martin|last=Heath|work=BBC News |date=20 January 2024 |access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref>

On April 14th 2025, during the Towcester Town Council meeting, the Towcester Town Mayor finalised the official town twinning with Zhydachiv, Ukraine<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-04-22 |title=Bridging Borders: Towcester and Zhydachiv Unite in Historic Town Twinning |url=https://www.towcester-tc.gov.uk/news/bridging-borders-towcester-and-zhydachiv-unite-in-historic-town-twinning/ |access-date=2025-04-22 |website=www.towcester-tc.gov.uk |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[Richard Empson|Sir Richard Empson]] (ca. 1450 – 1510), minister to [[Henry VII of England]] and [[List of Speakers of the House of Commons of England|Speaker of the House of Commons]].
* [[Edward Grubb of Birmingham|Edward Grubb]] (1740–1816), stonemason, sculptor; first fine art sculptor to work in Birmingham. Born, Towcester 1740
* [[Hutchings' Illustrated California Magazine|James Hutchings]], publisher of Hutchings' California Magazine; born in the town
* [[John Meyrick]], agriculturalist, rower who competed for Great Britain in the 1948 Summer Olympics. Born in Towcester
* [[Elliot Parish]], born in the town 1990 – professional footballer
* [[Edward Rooker]], engraver, draughtsman and actor. Born in Towcester c. 1712
* [[David Sharp (entomologist)|David Sharp]],  born in the town
* [[Thomas Shepard (minister)|Thomas Shepard]] (1605–1649), [[British North America|American]] [[Puritan]] minister
* [[Graeme Swann]] (b. 1979), cricketer
* [[Flux Pavilion|Joshua Steele]] (b. 1989), DJ

== Cultural representation ==
In fiction the "Saracen's Head Inn" in Towcester features in [[Charles Dickens]]'s novel ''[[The Pickwick Papers]]'' as one of Mr Pickwick's stopping places along what is now the [[A5 road (Great Britain)|A5]] [[trunk road]].

Briefly mentioned in the [[BBC]] television show [[Peaky Blinders (TV series)|Peaky Blinders]]. In the episode [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Peaky_Blinders_episodes#Series_2_(2014)|episode S02E03]], the [https://subslikescript.com/series/Peaky_Blinders-2442560/season-2/episode-3-Episode_23 transcript] reads: "Mr Sabini, if you think they're planning to fix Northern races, we'll take no more bets on anything north of Towcester."

==References==
{{reflist|2|refs=
<ref name="DistCalc">{{Cite web |title=Distance between Towcester and London |work=Distance Calculator |access-date=9 September 2019 |url=https://distancecalculator.globefeed.com/UK_Distance_Result.asp?fromplace=Towcester%2C%20UK&toplace=london&dt1=ChIJHe6VSjMCd0gRTzNZ2-jwiOE&dt2=ChIJdd4hrwug2EcRmSrV3Vo6llI&sr=dc |archive-date=20 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181020223832/https://distancecalculator.globefeed.com/UK_Distance_Result.asp?fromplace=Towcester%2C%20UK&toplace=london&dt1=ChIJHe6VSjMCd0gRTzNZ2-jwiOE&dt2=ChIJdd4hrwug2EcRmSrV3Vo6llI&sr=dc |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="Bosworth-Toller">{{cite book|author1-link=Joseph Bosworth|first1=Joseph|last1=Bosworth|first2=T. Northcote|last2=Toller|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oXlii1KgDngC&q=bosworth%20anglo-saxon%20towcester&pg=PA997|chapter=Tófe-ceaster|title=An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary|location=Oxford|publisher=OUP|date=1882|page=997|access-date=26 April 2021|archive-date=29 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210529204521/https://books.google.com/books?id=oXlii1KgDngC&q=bosworth+anglo-saxon+towcester&pg=PA997|url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Edmunds1869">{{cite book|first= Flavell|last= Edmunds|chapter-url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ywgHAAAAQAAJ&q=bosworth%20anglo-saxon%20towcester&pg=PA272|chapter= Towcester|title= Traces of History in the Names of Places|location= London|publisher= Longmans, Green, and Co.|date= 1869|page= 272|access-date= 26 April 2021|archive-date= 29 May 2021|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210529204521/https://books.google.com/books?id=ywgHAAAAQAAJ&q=bosworth+anglo-saxon+towcester&pg=PA272|url-status= live}}</ref>
<ref name="NJPU">{{Cite web |url=http://www.westnorthamptonshirejpu.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=RvlLZWNj91g%3D&tabid=55&mid=378 |title=Northamptonshire Joint Planning Unit – Draft Emerging Core Strategy, pp 9 and 51. NB May be superseded by more recent publication |access-date=6 July 2018 |archive-date=24 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090724001829/http://www.westnorthamptonshirejpu.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=RvlLZWNj91g%3D&tabid=55&mid=378 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

}}

==External links==
* [http://www.towcestermuseum.co.uk/ Towcester Museum]
* [http://www.towcester-tc.gov.uk/ Towcester Town Council]
* [http://www.mkheritage.co.uk/tdlhs/ Towcester and District Local History Society]

{{Northamptonshire}}
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[[Category:Towcester| ]]
[[Category:Civil parishes in Northamptonshire]]
[[Category:West Northamptonshire District]]
[[Category:Towns in Northamptonshire]]