Northamptonshire has often been called the county of "squires and spires"?title=due to its wide variety of historic buildings and country houses.
Northamptonshire was hit hard by the Beeching Axe in the 1960s, stations such as Towcesters being slowly left to rot.
Northamptonshire is home to a number of football (soccer) teams, notably the professional sides Northampton Town F.C. of League One and Rushden and Diamonds F.C., who are in the Football Conference.