- This is an article about Kettering in England. For other uses see Kettering (disambiguation).
Kettering is a town in Northamptonshire, England, which has a population of 48,025 (2001 census). It is the main town in the borough of Kettering. It lies on the Midland Main Line, roughly halfway between London and Leicester. It is home to Pegasus Software and Wicksteed Park, the United Kingdom's oldest theme park, believed to be unique in the fact that its only theme is that of "a park", i.e. it is a Park, styled to look more like a park.
Its MP is Phil Sawford, Labour.
It was once the centre of the British boot and shoe manufacturing trade, but this has now all but disappeared. The local firm Loake Bros., however, has seen an upturn in its production of quality hand-made shoes.
Kettering is home to Kettering Town F.C., a non-league football club.
In the book The Meaning of Liff by Douglas Adams & John Lloyd, described as a "dictionary of things that there aren't any words for yet", Kettering is descriptive of the marks on one's bottom caused by sunbathing in a wicker chair.
