This annual ceremony, organised by Northampton Town Council with the support of the Lord-Lieutenant, has taken place for hundreds of years to honour the generosity of King Charles II, who donated over 1,000 tonnes of timber to reconstruct the church and halved the town’s taxes for seven years following the Great Fire of Northampton in 1675.
This year’s event will welcome the Honourable Artillery Company of Pikemen & Musketeers, a royally-warranted ceremonial unit dating from the 17th century, along with a civic and military parade and the placing of an oak wreath around the statue of Charles II, which stands high on the church portico.
Oak Apple Day is closely linked to the Great Fire of Northampton and the 350th anniversary of the blaze is being commemorated this year, with a packed programme of cultural events and celebrations also beginning on May 29.
The Mayor of Northampton, Councillor Jane Birch, said: “Oak Apple Day is a historic event which we have honoured for many hundreds of years and marks a significant moment in Northampton’s history – the Great Fire destroyed 700 of the 850 buildings in the town, so without the generosity of Charles II, we would not have the town we see today.
“As a council we believe it is important to keep Northampton’s historic traditions alive and everyone is welcome to come along and be a part of this unique ceremony.
“We are also excited to be partnering with Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) and West Northamptonshire Council, along with local cultural and historical groups, to deliver a five-month programme of events that tell the story of the fire and the rebuild that followed.”
The Oak Apple Day ceremony will begin at 11am, when a Civic Procession will enter All Saints’ Church for a thanks giving service led by the Rector of the church, Father Oliver Coss, to which the public are invited.
Then at 11:30am, The Company of Pikemen and Musketeers will parade from Guildhall Road, along St Giles’ Square and onto the Market Square via Wood Hill, to be joined by the A Company LNR, Army Cadet Force, Corps of Drums, before continuing onto the All Saints’ Church Piazza.
At midday, the Mayor will place a wreath of oak leaves on the statue of Charles II, followed by a drum and musket fire ceremonial performance on the piazza which will be observed by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Northamptonshire, Mr James Saunders Watson.
HM Lord-Lieutenant of Northamptonshire, James Saunders Watson, said: “Oak Apple Day is a deeply significant tradition for Northampton and a poignant reminder of the resilience and generosity that shaped this town’s recovery after the Great Fire of 1675.
“I am honoured to take part in this year’s ceremony, which not only commemorates the extraordinary support of King Charles II but also brings our community together to reflect on our rich history. As we mark the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire, it is more important than ever to honour these traditions and pass them on to future generations.”
Visitors to the town can also be transported back to the fateful day in 1675 when the fire started, by following an augmented reality ‘Great Fire’ trail on their phones, walking between the historic locations along its path of destruction and learning more along the way.
The trail will be available on the Explore Northampton app from 29th May and the app can be downloaded on both Android and Apple phones now.
More information about the Great Fire 350 anniversary, Oak Apple Day and the Great Fire app can be found on the town council’s website: