Coordinates: 52°17′38″N 0°41′47″W / 52.2940°N 0.6964°W / 52.2940; -0.6964

Wellingborough is a market town and borough in Northamptonshire, England, situated some 11 miles (18 km) from the county town of Northampton. The town is situated on the north side of the River Nene, most of the older town is sited on the flanks of the hills above the river's current flood plain. Due to frequent flooding by the River Nene, the town was mostly built above the current level of the flood plain. Originally named "Wendelingburgh", the town was founded in the early 6th century Saxon period by a Saxon leader called Waendel and is mentioned in the Domesday Book under the name of "Wendelburie". The town was granted a royal market charter in 1201, by King John of England.

As of 2001^[update] the census states it has a population of 46,959. The town of Wellingborough is governed by The Borough Council of Wellingborough, with their office located in the town centre. The town is twinned with Niort in France, and with Wittlich in Germany.

Coordinates: 52°17′51″N 0°41′14″W / 52.2976°N 0.6873°W / 52.2976; -0.6873

Wellingborough School is an independent fee-paying day school in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England. It was established in 1595 and is one of the oldest schools in the country. The school today consists of a Pre-Preparatory School (ages 3-8), Prep School (ages 8-11), Senior School (ages 11-16) and a Sixth Form

The original school was a Tudor grammar school in the centre of the town; its original building, built 1617 at a cost of £25, still survives. In January 1881 the school moved under the 28th Headmaster to its present 45-acre (180,000 m²) site on the edge of Wellingborough.

During the Great War about 1,060 Old Boys saw action. These included the flying-ace Henry Winslow Woollett, DSO, famous for 35 victories in the air. 181 Old Boys and masters were killed in action, amongst them the former School Chaplain, Bernard Vann, who was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously.^{[citation needed]}

Between the wars the school's sporting prowess continued, and in 1929 a thatched pavilion was built on the playing fields, paid for out of tuckshop profits. The pavilion has the front door step of the former home of W.G. Grace, acquired in 1939 when his old home in Bristol was demolished. One local lad who sat the scholarship entrance exam unsuccessfully was H.E. Bates.^{[citation needed]}