Ringstead offers a range of reasons to visit: church architecture, local working and building history, and named walking and cycling routes. The Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary brings together architectural elements from several centuries; there is also a history of shoemaking at home and specific details about the materials used in private homes. If you are looking for accommodation, this mix can help you choose the focus of your stay: building and local history, or getting out on a route.

Church architecture from several centuries

The Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is listed as a Grade I building. It brings together architectural elements from the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries and was restored in the 19th century. Rather than representing a single period of construction, the church reflects several historical phases. For travellers interested in church architecture, this span of time offers a way to explore the building’s development; its Grade I status is a separate consideration.

One distinctive architectural detail is the broach spire, with three rows of lucarnes. The three rows give structure to the spire and add a specific shape to the story of the building. The church can therefore be viewed both through its different phases of construction and through a single feature of its architecture.

Working history and houses

Shoemaking was once Ringstead’s most important industrial activity and was carried out mostly at home. Its domestic setting gives this history a different focus from one concerned solely with public buildings: the emphasis is on an activity that largely took place in the home.

The materials used in private homes also tell the story of local building practices. Local ironstone was used, often in combination with limestone. This material evidence complements the view of the church: there, the focus is on architectural elements, periods and restoration, while in private homes it is on the stones used.

Photographic displays and artefacts are exhibited at the Ringstead Heritage Centre; the presentation may vary. Images and objects thus complement the architectural evidence with another way to explore local history. If you are planning to visit for a particular subject or artefact, check in advance what is currently on display.

Walking and cycling

The long-distance Nene Way runs through Ringstead to the west of the village, connecting Little Addington with Woodford. This makes Ringstead part of a named walking route between these places. The route information clearly distinguishes it from the cycling routes: the Nene Way is a long-distance walking trail.

Regional Cycle Route 71 between Thrapston and Irthlingborough passes through the western part of the parish of Ringstead, following a disused railway line. Ringstead is also on the Raunds via Eyebrook Circuit and Woodford to Sudborough Loop cycling routes. For Route 71, both the places it connects and its course along the former railway line are specified; the other cycling routes are identified by name and their connection to Ringstead. This makes it possible to distinguish between the routes when planning, without combining them into a single tour.

Discover more destinations: Towcester, Ashby Saint Ledgers, Whittlebury, Flore, Hackleton, Deanshanger, Hartwell, Oundle

For the regional travel overview: Northamptonshire.