Northampton Shoe Tours back for 2026

The Step Forward With Lewis Shoe Tours take place each summer, giving participants the chance to learn more about the area’s industrial past.

The walking tours will return on Sunday, March 29, starting at Northampton Museum and enjoying sights including the outside of the Tricker’s factory.

The tours first started back in 2020 when the then Northampton Borough Council placed a number of shoe statues around the town centre.

Although the statues have since been removed, Step Forward With Lewis’ tours have grown in scope, exploring the streets and houses shoe workers used to occupy, sharing facts about factories, and looking at how the industry revolutionised life in Northampton.

Michelle Lewis, who runs the tours, said: “Northampton is full of history dating back more than 1,000 years.

"You only have to look at the Market Square, All Saints’ Church and the Guildhall to realise how much heritage we have on offer.

“Northampton's shoe industry is a really important part of that history. Our tours inform participants about the vital role manufacturing had here, as well as about the lives of those people who worked in - and owned - the factories that shaped Northampton.”

Five further walking tours are scheduled for April 19, May 17, June 7, July 12, and September 20 - all on Sundays.

For more information or to enquire about taking part in one of the tours, visit https://stepforwardwithlewis.com/shoe-tours/or email [email protected]