A508 shield
A508
A508 passes The White Hart Public House (geograph 3345421).jpg
A508 in Grafton Regis
Route information
Length50.961 km (31.666 mi)
Major junctions
North end A4304 in Market Harborough[1][2]
52°28′42″N 0°54′49″W / 52.4782°N 0.9136°W / 52.4782; -0.9136 (A508 road (northern end))
Major intersections
South endOld Stratford
A5 / A422[15][16] 52°03′59″N 0°52′12″W / 52.0665°N 0.8699°W / 52.0665; -0.8699 (A508 road (southern end))
Location
CountryUnited Kingdom
Primary
destinations
Road network
← A507→ A509

The A508 is a 50.961 kilometres (31.666 mi), [upper-alpha 1] [upper-alpha 2][upper-alpha 3] A-class road for north–south journeys in central and south central England, forming the route from Market Harborough in Leicestershire,[17] via Northampton,[18] to Old Stratford in Northamptonshire,[19] just outside Milton Keynes (and the Buckinghamshire border).

Major settlements

The major settlements along the route are Market Harborough,[20] Great Oxendon,[21] Kelmarsh,[22] Maidwell,[23] Hanging Houghton,[24] Brixworth,[25] Pitsford,[26] Boughton,[27] Northampton,[18] Roade,[28] Grafton Regis,[29] Yardley Gobion,[30] before finishing in Old Stratford.[31]

Route

Market Harborough

Background

Market Harborough town centre[32]

The road commences in the town of Market Harborough,[2] on the outskirts of Leicestershire, at the junction of the A4304 St. Mary's Road and Clarence Road. This small town has a population of 24,171 as of 2021 Census,[33] and was named one of the best places to live in the country. It is the only area in Leicestershire to be included in the Sunday Times Best Places to Live 2023 guide.[34]

Other routes

The road to Lubenham. View of the A4304 as it leaves Market Harborough and heads to Lubenham[35]

[2] By following St Mary's Road to the west, you come to the villages of Lubenham[36][upper-alpha 4] and Theddingworth,[37][upper-alpha 5] whilst following the road east takes you to Market Harborough railway station,[38] Great Bowden[39][upper-alpha 6] and an interchange with the A6 and A427.[40]

Kettering Road

Kettering Road (A508)[41]

Heading south as Kettering Road,[42] we almost immediately cross over the River Welland[43] and just 0.139 kilometres (0.086 mi) further south from the start of the A508 route, we come to a roundabout,[44] where Waitrose,[45] Aldi[46] and Lidl[47] compete for customers. It is also the place where the A508 changes its name...

Springfield Street

Springfield Street (A508), Market Harborough[48]

Kettering Road now bears off to the south-east and sets its sights on the A6,[49] whilst the A508 continues to the south-west as Springfield Street. We pass two residential roads; named Britannia Walk[50] and Springfield Court,[51] and before too long we pass another supermarket; this time a Sainsbury's[52] (with an Argos[53] and a petrol station included[54] ) in Springfield Retail Park,[55] alongside a Shoe Zone,[56] Pets at Home[57] and Homebase.[58] At the end of Springfield Street approximately 0.381 kilometres (0.237 mi) after the road started, we turn right to head south along Northampton Road at a T-junction.[59]

Northampton Road

A508 Northampton Road in Market Harborough[60]
A508 Northampton Road in Market Harborough[61]

We turn right onto Northampton Road from Springfield Street, towards Northampton, the A14, Leisure centre, East Farndon and Welland Park Community College.[62][upper-alpha 7] We continue along Northampton Road for approximately 1.088 kilometres (0.676 mi), and in that time, we pass junctions with Welland Park Road,[63] Nithsdale Crescent,[64] Nithsdale Avenue,[65] Auriga Street,[66] Patrick Street,[67] Gladstone Street,[68] Granville Street,[69] Bath Street, Caxton Street, Clipston Street, Scotland Road and Lathkill Street. Afterwards, we pass a car retail company and a petrol station on our left, with some allotments and Market Harborough cemetery on our right. Roughly 0.180 kilometres (0.112 mi) along, the road name changes from Northampton Road to Harborough Road at a roundabout.

Harborough Road

At this roundabout, we meet Moseley Avenue on our left, which guides drivers into a housing estate. On our left, we pass a leisure centre, a football team (Harborough Town) and a rugby team (Market Harborough Rugby Union). We continue along Harborough Road, and 0.410 kilometres (0.255 mi) later, as soon as the rugby and football pitches end to our right, so does Leicestershire. This the point where the A508 leaves Leicestershire and joins Northamptonshire.[17][19]

Great Oxendon to Boughton

Great Oxendon

A508 in Great Oxenden

We cross into Northamptonshire just outside the town of Market Harborough.[70][19][17] The A508 is also known by the name Harborough Road for 21 kilometres (13 mi), until it becomes Harborough Road North at a roundabout in the village of Boughton. However, there is a small occurrence of Main Street in Kelmarsh, 5.695 kilometres (3.539 mi) away. We act as a country lane for 1.628 kilometres (1.012 mi), and along that section, we pass a metal recycling plant, and a golf course. Then, we enter Great Oxendon, which in the 2011 Census only had a population of 331, and immediately we pass St. Helen's Church. We continue for a further 0.250 kilometres (0.155 mi) to get to the main section of the village. We pass about 16 houses through the trees to our left, before we meet about five unnamed road and The George Public House. We also meet Main Street and Braybrooke Road slightly further to the south, before leaving Great Oxendon behind us.

Kelmarsh

A508 northbound approaching the junction with the A14[71]

We continue Northampton-bound along the road, meeting Oxendon Road (after 0.948 kilometres (0.589 mi)), and Church Lane (after a further 0.628 kilometres (0.390 mi)). The village of Arthingworth is roughly 1.75 kilometres (1.09 mi) east of this point, as the crow flies. We encounter a lay-by after another 0.881 kilometres (0.547 mi), and after a further 1.235 kilometres (0.767 mi) we reach Kelmarsh Hall and Gardens, 3.692 kilometres (2.294 mi) after leaving Great Oxendon. However, it is still another 0.186 kilometres (0.116 mi), before we arrive at the centre of Kelmarsh village. We pass about a dozen cottages, pass a crossroads with some unnamed roads, leading towards Harrington and Thorpe Underwood (both adjacent to the A14), to the left, and Clipston and Sibbertoft to the right. We continue for 0.658 kilometres (0.409 mi),[upper-alpha 8] we arrive at Kelmarsh Junction; the place where the A508 and A14 intersect at A14 Junction 2.[3][4] We also now have to say goodbye to Kelmarsh, and hello to Maidwell...

Maidwell

A508 entering Maidwell[72]

After passing Kelmarsh Junction with the A14, we continue on towards the centre of Northampton,[18] and after 1.165 kilometres (0.724 mi), we arrive at Maidwell.[23]

Lamport

Hanging Houghton

Brixworth

Pitsford

Boughton

Northampton

[73]

Spring Park Ward: Boughton to A5076 Holly Lodge Drive

Sunnyside Ward: A5076 Holly Lodge Drive to A5199 Welford Road

Kingsthorpe & St. David's Ward(s): A5199 Welford Road to A5095 Kingsthorpe Drive

Trinity Ward (A5095 concurrency): A5095 Kingsthorpe Drive to A5095 Burleigh Road

Semilong Ward: A5095 Burleigh Road to A428 Grafton Street

Northampton City Centre: A428 Grafton Street to A4500 St. Peter's Way/Towcester Road + A5123 St. Peter's Way

A5123 concurrency: A4500 St. Peter's Way/Towcester Road to central Northampton one-way system

Central Northampton one-way system

Cotton End & Delapré Ward(s): Central Northampton one-way system to Queen Eleanor Interchange (A45 + A5076 junction)

A45 concurrency: A5076 (Queen Eleanor Interchange) to M1 Junction 15 Collingtree Interchange

Northampton (A45/M1) to Old Stratford

Roade

Grafton Regis

Yardley Gobion

Old Stratford

Future

As of September 2022, a bypass is being built around Roade as part of enabling works for the rail freight interchange under construction between Roade and the M1.[74]

Junction list

Length table

Here is a table, showing the lengths between different villages and junctions.

# Road name From To Length
01 Kettering Road A4304 St. Mary's Road Kettering Road + Springfield Street 0.149 kilometres (0.093 mi)
02 Springfield Street Kettering Road Northampton Road 0.381 kilometres (0.237 mi)
03 Northampton Road Springfield Street Harborough Road + Moseley Avenue 1.088 kilometres (0.676 mi)
04 Harborough Road Moseley Avenue Roundabout Leicestershire + Northamptonshire boundary 0.410 kilometres (0.255 mi)
05 Harborough Road L/N boundary line Great Oxendon village 1.628 kilometres (1.012 mi)
06 Harborough Road Through the centre of Great Oxendon 0.679 kilometres (0.422 mi)
07 Harborough Road Great Oxendon Kelmarsh Hall 3.692 kilometres (2.294 mi)
08 Harborough Road Kelmarsh Hall Kelmarsh Village 0.186 kilometres (0.116 mi)
09 Main Street Kelmarsh Village Kelmarsh Junction 0.658 kilometres (0.409 mi)
10 Harborough Road Length of Kelmarsh Junction 0.399 kilometres (0.248 mi)
11 Harborough Road Kelmarsh Junction Start of Maidwell Village (heading south towards Northampton) 1.165 kilometres (0.724 mi)
12 Harborough Road Length of Maidwell Village 0.647 kilometres (0.402 mi)
13 Harborough Road End of Maidwell Village (heading south towards Northampton) Lamport (High Street) 2.577 kilometres (1.601 mi)
14 Harborough Road Lamport (High Street) Hanging Houghton (High Street) 0.820 kilometres (0.510 mi)
15 Harborough Road Hanging Houghton (High Street) Start of Brixworth Bypass (heading south towards Northampton) 1.887 kilometres (1.173 mi)
16 Harborough Road (Brixworth Bypass) Harborough Road Scaldwell Road Roundabout 0.800 kilometres (0.497 mi)
17 Harborough Road (Brixworth Bypass) Scaldwell Road Roundabout Northampton Road Roundabout 2.211 kilometres (1.374 mi)
18 Harborough Road Northampton Road Roundabout Pitsford (High Street) 1.461 kilometres (0.908 mi)
19 Harborough Road North Pitsford (High Street) Brampton Lane/Vyse Road Roundabout 2.365 kilometres (1.470 mi)
20 Harborough Road/Harborough Road North Brampton Lane/Vyse Road Roundabout A5076 Holly Lodge Drive 1.138 kilometres (0.707 mi)
21 Harborough Road A5076 Holly Lodge Drive A5199 Welford Road 1.041 kilometres (0.647 mi)
22 Harborough Road A5199 Welford Road Mill Lane/ A5095 Kingsthorpe Drive 0.414 kilometres (0.257 mi)
23 Queen's Park Parade + Kingsthorpe Road Mill Lane/ A5095 Kingsthorpe Drive Balfour Road/ A5095 Burleigh Road 0.838 kilometres (0.521 mi)
24 Kingsthorpe Road + Barrack Road Balfour Road/ A5095 Burleigh Road Campbell Street/ A428 Grafton Street 1.082 kilometres (0.672 mi)
25 Broad Street, Horse Market + Horseshoe Street Campbell Street/ A428 Grafton Street A4500 St. Peter's Way + A5123 Towcester Road/St. Peter's Way. 0.896 kilometres (0.557 mi)
26 St. Peter's Way A4500 St. Peter's Way + A5123 Towcester Road/St. Peter's Way. A5123 Bridge Street/Victoria Promenade. 0.304 kilometres (0.189 mi)
27 Bridge Street, Victoria Gardens + Cattle Market Road. Length of A508/ A5123 one-way system 0.935 kilometres (0.581 mi)[upper-alpha 3]
28 Cotton End + London Road One-way system: A5123 Cattle Farm Road/Bridge Road Queen Eleanor Interchange: A45 Nene Valley Way + A5076 Mere Way. 1.907 kilometres (1.185 mi)
29 Queen Eleanor Interchange Perimeter of Queen Eleanor Interchange. 0.511 kilometres (0.318 mi)[upper-alpha 3][upper-alpha 9]
30 A45 Queen Eleanor Interchange: A45 Nene Valley Way + A5076 Mere Way. M1 Junction 15: Collingtree Junction 3.155 kilometres (1.960 mi)
31 M1 Junction 15: Collingtree Junction Length of M1 Junction 15: Collingtree Junction 0.779 kilometres (0.484 mi)[upper-alpha 3]
32 Northampton Road M1 Junction 15: Collingtree Junction Rail Freight Terminal Roundabout 0.499 kilometres (0.310 mi)
33 Northampton Road Rail Freight Terminal Roundabout Northampton Road/London Road 2.024 kilometres (1.258 mi)
34 London Road Northampton Road Roundabout Roade High Street Roundabout 0.591 kilometres (0.367 mi)
35 London Road + Stratford Road Roade High Street Roundabout End of Roade village 0.579 kilometres (0.360 mi)
36 Stratford Road + Northampton Road End of Roade village Start of Yardley Gobion village 4.647 kilometres (2.888 mi)
37 Northampton Road Length of Grafton Regis 0.357 kilometres (0.222 mi)
38 Northampton Road End of Grafton Regis Yardley Gobion (Grafton Road) 1.766 kilometres (1.097 mi)
39 Northampton Road Yardley Gobion (Grafton Road) Old Stratford Roundabout: A5 Watling Street/Stratford Bypass + A422 Deanshanger Road 4.295 kilometres (2.669 mi)
40 Total 50.961 kilometres (31.666 mi)

Length table key

Road usage

References

Notes

  1. ↑ It is 50.337 kilometres (31.278 mi) northbound, and only 49.941 kilometres (31.032 mi) heading southbound
  2. ↑ See the length table further down the article.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Please note that Northampton one-way system, Queen Eleanor Interchange and Collingtree Junction, not measured by the distance from when entering the interchanage/one-way system, to exiting the interchanage/one-way system. Instead, they are the perimeter of the junction(s).
  4. ↑ See Paragraph 1, Sentence 1
  5. ↑ See Paragraph 1, Sentence 2
  6. ↑ See Paragraph 6, Sentence 1
  7. ↑ Use Google Street View
  8. ↑ Measurement taken from Kelmarsh Hall & Gardens
  9. ↑ Queen Eleanor Interchange: The southbound on-slip road is 0.442 kilometres (0.275 mi) long, and the northbound off-slip Road is 0.217 kilometres (0.135 mi) long.

Citations

  1. ↑ "A508 road (northern end)". GeoHack. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 "A4304 junction in Market Harborough, LE16 7DX". Google Maps. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  3. 1 2 "A14 J2 Kelmarsh Interchange". roads.org. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  4. 1 2 "A14/A508 Kelmarsh Junction in Northampton, NN6 9LU". Google Maps. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  5. ↑ "A5076, NN2 8LL". Google Maps. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  6. 1 2 "A45/A5076, NN4 7JJ". Google Maps. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  7. ↑ "A5199, NN2 7SH". Google Maps. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  8. ↑ "A5095, NN2 7AX". Google Maps. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  9. ↑ "A5095, NN2 6HD". Google Maps. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  10. ↑ "A428, NN1 2NQ". Google Maps. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  11. 1 2 "A4500/A5123, NN1 1TB". Google Maps. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  12. ↑ "A5123, NN1 1HJ". Google Maps. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  13. 1 2 "M1/A45, NN7 2FL". Google Maps. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  14. ↑ "M1 J15 Collingtree Interchange". roads.org. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  15. ↑ "A5/A422, MK19 6FH". Google Maps. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  16. ↑ "A508 road (southern end)". GeoHack. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  17. 1 2 3 "Leicestershire boundary". Google Maps. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  18. 1 2 3 "Northampton boundary". Google Maps. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  19. 1 2 3 "Northamptonshire boundary". Google Maps. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  20. ↑ "Market Harborough, LE16". Google Maps. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  21. ↑ "Great Oxendon LE16". Google Maps. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  22. ↑ "Kelmarsh NN6". Google Maps. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  23. 1 2 "Maidwell, NN6". Google Maps. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  24. ↑ "Hanging Houghton NN6". Google Maps. 20 June 2023.
  25. ↑ "Brixworth NN6". Google Maps. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  26. ↑ "Pitsford NN6". Google Maps. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  27. ↑ "Boughton NN2". Google Maps. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  28. ↑ "Roade NN7". Google Maps. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  29. ↑ "Grafton Regis NN12". Google Maps. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  30. ↑ "Yardley Gobion NN12". Google Maps. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  31. ↑ "Old Stratford MK19". Google Maps. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  32. ↑ Immanuel Giel (25 August 2018). "Maket Harborough 03". Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  33. ↑ "Market Harborough Statistics". City Population. 8 April 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  34. ↑ "MARKET HARBOROUGH NAMED ONE OF BEST PLACES TO LIVE". Harborough FM. 24 March 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  35. ↑ Richard Williams (27 January 2007). "The road to Lubenham. - geograph.org.uk - 322064.jpg". Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  36. ↑ J M Lee and R A McKinley (1964). "'Lubenham', in A History of the County of Leicestershire: Volume 5, Gartree Hundred - Pages 220-229". Retrieved 21 June 2023 – via British History Online.
  37. ↑ J M Lee and R A McKinley (1964). "Theddingworth in A History of the County of Leicestershire: Volume 5, Gartree Hundred (pages 312-321)". Retrieved 7 July 2023 – via British History Online.
  38. ↑ "Market Harborough Railway Station". Google Maps. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  39. ↑ J M Lee and R A McKinley (1964). "'Great Bowden', in A History of the County of Leicestershire: Volume 5, Gartree Hundred". Retrieved 8 July 2023 – via British History Online.
  40. ↑ "A6/A427/A4304 interchange". Google Maps. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  41. ↑ "Kettering Road (A508) - geograph.org.uk - 4328117.jpg". Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  42. ↑ "Kettering Road, LE16 8FF". Google Maps. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  43. ↑ "River Welland: Kettering Road crossing". Google Maps. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  44. ↑ "Kettering Road/Springfield Street Junction, LE16 8BD". Google Maps. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  45. ↑ "Waitrose & Partners Market Harborough, LE16 8BD". Google Maps. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  46. ↑ "ALDI Market Harborough, LE16 8BD". Google Maps. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  47. ↑ "Lidl Market Harborough, 13 Kettering Road, LE16 8AN". Google Maps. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  48. ↑ "Springfield Street (A508), Market Harborough - geograph.org.uk - 4328127.jpg". Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  49. ↑ "A6 road/Kettering Road Junction". Google Maps. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  50. ↑ "Britannia Walk, LE16 8BF". Google Maps. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  51. ↑ "Springfield Court, LE16 8BJ". Google Maps. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  52. ↑ "Sainsbury's Market Harborough, LE16 7DR". Google Maps. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  53. ↑ "Argos Market Harborough (inside Sainsbury's Market Harborough), LE16 7DR". Google Maps. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  54. ↑ "Sainsbury's Petrol Station Market Harborough, LE16 7DR". Google Maps. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  55. ↑ "Springfield Retail Park, 2 Springfield Street, LE16 8BN". Google Maps. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  56. ↑ "ShoeZone Market Harborough, Unit 3 Springfield Retail Park, LE16 8BD". Google Maps. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  57. ↑ "Pets at Home Market Harborough, Unit 2 Springfield Retail Park, LE16 8BD". Google Maps. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  58. ↑ "Homebase Market Harborough, Unit 1 Springfield Retail Park, LE16 8BD". Google Maps. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  59. ↑ "Springfield Street/Northampton Road junction, LE16 9ED". Google Maps. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  60. ↑ Mat Fascione (8 October 2007). "Northampton Road in Market Harborough - geograph.org.uk - 580080.jpg". Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  61. ↑ Mat Fascione (25 May 2013). "Northampton Road in Market Harborough - geograph.org.uk - 3507937.jpg". Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  62. ↑ "Northampton Road/Springfield Street T-junction". Google Maps. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  63. ↑ "Welland Park Road, LE16 9DR". Google Maps. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  64. ↑ "Nithsdale Crescent, LE16 9HA". Google Maps. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  65. ↑ "Nithsdale Avenue, LE16 9PD". Google Maps. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  66. ↑ "Auriga Street, LE16 9EH". Google Maps. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  67. ↑ "Patrick Street, LE16 9HP". Google Maps. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  68. ↑ "Gladstone Street, LE16 9ET". Google Maps. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  69. ↑ "Granville Street, LE16 9EU". Google Maps. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  70. ↑ "Where is Market Harborough?". Get the Data. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  71. ↑ Les Harvey (25 March 2007). "A508 northbound - geograph.org.uk - 377197.jpg". Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  72. ↑ Les Harvey (25 March 2007). "A508 (northbound) entering Maidwell - geograph.org.uk - 377172.jpg". Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  73. ↑ "Map of designated area". West Northamptonshire Council. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  74. ↑ "WINVIC STARTS 2023 ON A HIGH, SURPASSING MILESTONES AT SEGRO LOGISTICS PARK NORTHAMPTON". Winvic News: Civils & Infrastructure. 10 January 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
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