The area developed from the mid to late 19th century particularly with the expansion of the shoe manufacturing and engineering industries, and also the extension of the railway from London in June 1882.

[2] The abbey was located in the Abbots Way area, off the south side of Weedon Road in the town (see map).

The bones were analysed to determine the health and burial practices in the late medieval population of Northampton.

One had a stone-lined tomb, and a fragment of life-sized sculptured leg, with chain mail and a stirrup strap from a broken effigy.

His wife, Mrs. Eliza Gammons, and twin daughters Gladys and Lily, aged 13, were in bed.

The bomb passed through the house to the bedroom, killing the mother instantly and set fire to the room.

[5] The St James area today forms part of the civil parish of Northampton in West Northamptonshire.

When significant development in the area began in the nineteenth century, it was outside the borough boundaries of Northampton, in the neighbouring parishes of Dallington and Duston.

[6] The neighbouring local government district of Hardingstone (which had been created in 1871 covering the Far Cotton area) was enlarged in 1874 to also include the new ecclesiastical parish of St James.

[8] The St James Urban District was short-lived; it was abolished four years later in 1900 and absorbed into the county borough of Northampton.

[11] St James is home to the Northampton Saints Rugby Football Club at Franklin's Gardens stadium on the south-west side of lower Weedon Road.

The Sixfields area also has a large Sainsbury's supermarket, Boots, M&S Simply Food, Wickes, McDonald's, several restaurants, a multi-screen cinema, and several other retail outlets.

As at November 2022 plans to expand the factory into a part of the redundant bus depot next door remain unrealised.

[18] The large and thriving St James Industrial Estate along St James Mill Road near West Bridge is host to a large number of business and industrial establishments including the headquarters of Cosworth Engineering.

A recent report for Northampton Borough Council states: "Existing conditions within the study area show poor air quality, with concentrations of nitrogen dioxide exceeding the annual mean objective along Weedon Road and St James’ Road near to the development site.

Since then river banks have been raised and flood mitigation lakes created west of the town (see gallery).

Other areas further up Weedon Road have terraced houses on the 1899 map but have been cleared for three blocks of council flats close to Franklin's Gardens stadium.

The eastern part of St James was the first area to be developed for housing and industrial use in the mid and late 19th century as this map shows.

As of August 2021 it has a children's play area, a changing rooms building used by visiting football teams, static outdoor exercise equipment and a multipurpose enclosed sports pitch ( remodelled from previous tennis courts ).