‘Like losing an arm’: Writer says farewell to column on Northamptonshire’s history

A Northampton Chronicle & Echo columnist is retiring from writing County Tales, after 1,000 articles written over 21 years.

David Saint, 78, found joy in writing about Northamptonshire’s rich history - which evolved from initially discussing the county’s oddities.

He said: “Stopping the column is like losing an arm - I have absolutely loved it.

“Over a thousand stories is a colossal amount, and I can hand on heart say I have only ever repeated three stories, as there has always been something new for me to cover.”

David previously worked for BBC Radio Northampton since it opened in 1982, where he conducted interviews all over the county. When the opportunity to write the column at the Chronicle & Echo came up, he thought ‘why not?’.

It began as a 500-word column talking about the odd things the county had to offer, like the most expensive shoes in the world and the biggest factory in the county, but it evolved to focus on local heritage.

He has particularly enjoyed exploring Northamptonshire’s links to early America, and hopes to write a book about this now he has stopped the column.

“I’m happy if I have done what I aimed to do,” said David. “And that is informing people about their surroundings and encouraging them to learn more and care about the county’s rich heritage.”

He also hopes to write a memoir of his life, sharing the interviews he has conducted with “fantastic people” across the county and during his time travelling the world.