Tag Archives : Northamptonshire

27/09/2025

Whole-Cut Wonders: The Future of Heritage Shoemaking – Chris Woodford of Crown Northampton (#155)

1 Comment

We’ve arrived at the 9th season of Garmology and this week, we step inside the heart of British shoemaking. Our journey takes us to Northamptonshire, where craftsmanship and tradition run deep. Chris Woodford—6th-generation shoemaker and the man behind Crown Northampton and E. Woodford—opens the doors of his family’s factory to share stories of heritage, innovation, and the enduring art of making shoes.…

15/06/2019

Cheap Shoes For Life

7 Comments

It’s a universal truth, that shoes made in the UK are good, very good. They are well put together, sturdy, made with materials far superior to that of a mass produced shoe that you would find in a High Street “Fashion Emporium. They generally look better too, are more substantial, a better shape, and a better and more standardised fit.…

28/04/2019

Visiting the Grenson shoe factory

2 Comments

Northampton is home to most of what remains of the traditional British shoemaking industry. Evocative names still have their factories here, some in their original buildings, some in modern ones. Some have changed owners, some are still family owned. Some have existed since the 1800s, others a bit newer. What hasn’t changed though are the traditional ways of making quality…