Welcome to History

The Chester House Estate is a nationally significant heritage site, being one of the few places in the country which can demonstrate over 10,000 years of human activity.

North Northamptonshire Council (formally Northamptonshire County Council) purchased the site in 2004 and secured grant funding through working with the National Lottery Heritage Fund to develop a sustainable visitor destination with access for the public to learn about the history and heritage, as well as becoming the location to house countywide archaeological finds. The Chester House Estate is overseen by North Northamptonshire Council who have a clear vision on the future of the site.

The Chester House Estate is a nationally significant heritage site, being one of the few places in the country which can demonstrate over 10,000 years of human activity. The unique selling point of The Chester House Estate is summed up in the words "10,000 years of Northamptonshire’s heritage brought to life".

We wish to make The Chester House Estate somewhere that people want to come; a place that through education, learning and enjoyment adds value to their lives, and helps them to appreciate Northamptonshire's outstanding heritage. We will deliver a quality, unique and sustainable educational offering. We will champion accessible education for all ages and communities, our mission is to give the opportunity to engage with The Chester House Estate’s past, present and future.

The operation of the site will be supported by an innovative approach to income generation. The aim is to develop the whole as a multi-use site making maximum use of spaces for different purposes and audiences and thereby generating optimum levels of income.