Northamptonshire Genealogical Records
Northamptonshire Birth & Baptism Records
An index to births registered throughout England & Wales. Provides a reference to order copies of birth certificates from the national registrar of births, marriages and deaths – the General Register Office.
An index to and images of close to 800,000 baptism records from the Church of England. The records were typically made shortly after a child's birth and consist of the child's name, date of baptism, parents' names, residence, father's occupation and occasionally other details.
A collection of indexes and transcripts of birth and baptism records that cover over 250 million people. Includes digital images of many records.
An index to births registered at the central authority for England & Wales. The index provides the area where the birth was registered, mother's maiden name from September 1911 and a reference to order a birth certificate.
An index to births registered to British Army personal at home and abroad.
Northamptonshire Marriage & Divorce Records
An index to marriages registered throughout England & Wales. This is the only national marriage index that allows you to search by both spouse's names. Provides a reference to order copies of marriage certificates from the national registrar of births, marriages and deaths – the General Register Office.
Abstracts of marriage licences granted by the Vicar-General in London. These licences could be used to marry in any church in the Province of Canterbury.
An index to over 95,000 marriages in around 500 Northamptonshire parishes.
A collection of indexes and transcripts of marriage records that cover over 160 million people. Includes digital images of many records.
Digital images of documents from civil divorce cases. The cases cover both the cause of the case and the outcome, such as division of property and visitation rights. These records also contain details of illegitimate children. Cases can be searched by a name index.
Northamptonshire Death & Burial Records
An index to deaths registered throughout England & Wales. Provides a reference to order copies of death certificates from the national registrar of births, marriages and deaths – the General Register Office.
An index to and images of registers recording around 500,000 burials. They typically list name, age, date of burial, residence; but may occasionally include other details.
An index to over 400,000 burials in 300 Northamptonshire parishes.
Images of millions of pages from cemetery and crematoria registers, photographs of memorials, cemetery plans and more. Records can be search by a name index.
A collection of indexes and transcripts of death and burial records that cover over 140 million people. Includes digital images of many records.
Northamptonshire Census & Population Lists
An index to and digital images of records that detail 40 million civilians in England and Wales. Records list name, date of birth, address, marital status, occupation and details of trade or profession.
The 1911 census provides details on an individual's age, residence, place of birth, relations and occupation. FindMyPast's index allows searches on for multiple metrics including occupation and residence.
The 1901 census provides details on an individual's age, residence, place of birth, relations and occupation. FindMyPast's index allows searches on for multiple metrics including occupation and residence.
The 1891 census provides details on an individual's age, residence, place of birth, relations and occupation. FindMyPast's index allows searches on for multiple metrics including occupation and residence.
The 1881 census provides details on an individual's age, residence and occupation. FindMyPast's index allows for searches on multiple metrics including occupation and residence.
Newspapers Covering Northamptonshire
A record of births, marriages, deaths, legal, political, organisation and other news from the Northamptonshire area. Original pages of the newspaper can be viewed and located by a full text search.
A record of births, marriages, deaths, legal, political, organisation and other news from the Huntingdon, Bedford and Peterborough vicinity. Original pages of the newspaper can be viewed and located by a full text search.
A regional newspaper recording events in the counties of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire and Northamptonshire. It includes family announcements, reports on legal proceedings and business notices & advertisements.
A London newspaper that later became The Sun.
A left-wing, British daily that sold up to 2 million copies a day at its peak.
Northamptonshire Wills & Probate Records
Searchable index and original images of over 12.5 million probates and administrations granted by civil registries. Entries usually include the testator's name, date of death, date of probate and registry. Names of relations may be given.
Details of over 22,000 householder and the hearths in their house.
A searchable transcript of abstracts of administrations granted by the Archdeaconry of Northampton.
An index to estate administrations performed by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. The index covers the southern two thirds of England & Wales, but may also contain entries for northerners.
An index to early wills proved by the Archdeaconry of Northampton. Contains the name of the testator, year of probate, residence and a reference, which can be used to order a copy of a will.
Northamptonshire Immigration & Travel Records
A name index connected to original images of passenger lists recording people travelling from Britain to destinations outside Europe. Records may detail a passenger's age or date of birth, residence, occupation, destination and more.
A full index of passenger lists for vessels arriving in the UK linked to original images. Does not include lists from vessels sailing from European ports. Early entries can be brief, but later entries may include dates of births, occupations, home addresses and more. Useful for documenting immigration.
An index to and images of documents recording over 1.65 million passengers who arrived in Victoria, Australia, including passengers whose voyage was paid for by others.
Details on over 600,000 non-British citizens arriving in England. Often includes age and professions. Useful for discerning the origin of immigrants.
Details on thousands of 17th century British immigrants to the U.S., detailing their origins and nature of their immigration.
Northamptonshire Military Records
A list of names found on World War One monuments in Northamptonshire, with some service details.
A list of names found on World War Two monuments in Northamptonshire, with some service details.
A searchable list of over 100,000 British Army POWs. Records contains details on the captured, their military career and where they were held prisoner.
Details on around 165,000 men serving in the British Army, Navy and Air Force who were held as prisoners during WWII.
Index and original images of over 5 million medal index cards for British soldiers It can be searched by individual's name, Coprs, Unit and Regiment. Due to the loss of many WWI service records, this is the most complete source for British WWI soldiers
Northamptonshire Court & Legal Records
Poll books for multiple years, searchable by a name index. They record for whom those with the right to vote voted for.
An index to names and places mentioned in act books of the Province of Canterbury. It records various licences and conferments, such as marriage and physician licences.
Records of over 300,000 prisoners held by quarter sessions in England & Wales. Records may contain age, occupation, criminal history, offence and trial proceedings.
Over 175,000 records detailing prisoner's alleged offences and the outcome of their trial. Contains genealogical information.
Digital images of ledgers recording those registered to vote, searchable by an index of 220 million names. Entries list name, address, qualification to vote, description of property and sometimes age and occupation.
Northamptonshire Taxation Records
Details of over 22,000 householder and the hearths in their house.
An index to 11,000,000 parcels of land and property, connected to digital images of registers that record their owner, occupier, description, agricultural use, size and rateable value.
This vital collection details almost 1.2 million properties eligible for land tax. Records include the name of the landowner, occupier, amount assessed and sometimes the name and/or description of the property. It is a useful starting point for locating relevant estate records and establishing the succession of tenancies and freehold. Most records cover 1798, but some extend up to 1811.
An index linked to original images of registers recording apprenticeship indentures. Details are given on the trade and nature of apprenticeship. Many records list the parents of the apprentice.
A compilation of records from the Court of the Exchequer primarily dealing with taxes and land. These records are in Latin.
Northamptonshire Land & Property Records
Poll books for multiple years, searchable by a name index. They record for whom those with the right to vote voted for.
An index to 11,000,000 parcels of land and property, connected to digital images of registers that record their owner, occupier, description, agricultural use, size and rateable value.
This vital collection details almost 1.2 million properties eligible for land tax. Records include the name of the landowner, occupier, amount assessed and sometimes the name and/or description of the property. It is a useful starting point for locating relevant estate records and establishing the succession of tenancies and freehold. Most records cover 1798, but some extend up to 1811.
Poll books record the names of voters and the direction of their vote. Until 1872 only landholders could vote, so not everyone will be listed. Useful for discerning an ancestor's political leanings and landholdings. The collection is supplemented with other records relating to the vote.
Abstracts of records detailing the estates and families of deceased tenants from the reigns of Henry III and Edward I.
Northamptonshire Directories & Gazetteers
A comprehensive place-by-place gazetteer, listing key historical and contemporary facts. Contains details on local schools, churches, government and other institutions. Also contains a list of residents and businesses for each place.
A comprehensive place-by-place gazetteer, listing key historical and contemporary facts. Contains details on local schools, churches, government and other institutions. Also contains a list of residents and businesses for each place.
A comprehensive place-by-place gazetteer, listing key historical and contemporary facts. Contains details on local schools, churches, government and other institutions. Also contains a list of residents and businesses for each place.
A comprehensive place-by-place gazetteer, listing key historical and contemporary facts. Contains details on local schools, churches, government and other institutions. Also contains a list of residents and businesses for each place.
A directory of residents and businesses; with a description of each settlement, containing details on its history, public institutions, churches, postal services, governance and more.
Northamptonshire Cemeteries
Photographs and descriptions of Northamptonshire's most illustrious church monuments, often featuring effigies, medieval inscriptions and heraldic devices.
Images of millions of pages from cemetery and crematoria registers, photographs of memorials, cemetery plans and more. Records can be search by a name index.
Photographs and transcriptions of millions of gravestones from cemeteries around the world.
Profiles of several hundred mausolea found in the British Isles.
Several thousand transcribed memorials remembering those connected with the nautical occupations.
Northamptonshire Obituaries
The UKs largest repository of obituaries, containing millions of searchable notices.
A growing collection currently containing over 425,000 abstracts of obituaries with reference to the location of the full obituary.
A collection of 364 obituaries of Quakers from the British Isles. The volume was published in 1849 and includes obituaries of those who died in late 1847 through 1848.
This transcribed and searchable work by Sir William Musgrave contains 10,000s of brief obituaries. The work is a reference point for other works containing information on an individual.
A text index and digital images of all editions of a journal containing medical articles and obituaries of medical practitioners.
Northamptonshire Histories & Books
Photographs and images of churches in Northamptonshire.
An index of windmills in the county, with brief notes and some photographs.
A growing database including millions of photographs of the United Kingdom, Isle of Man and Ireland catalogued by latitude & longitude and OS grid reference.
Ariel photographs of the British Isles. Browsable by location.
Over 19,000 postcards depicting places in the UK & Ireland.
Northamptonshire School & Education Records
A name index connected to digital images of registers recording millions of children educated in schools operated by the National Society for Promoting Religious Education. Records contain a variety of information including genealogical details, education history, illnesses, exam result, fathers occupation and more.
A name index linked to original images of registers recording the education and careers of teachers in England & Wales.
A name index linked to original images of short biographies for over 120,000 Oxford University students. This is a particularly useful source for tracing the ancestry of the landed gentry.
A transcript of a vast scholarly work briefly chronicling the heritage, education and careers of over 150,000 Cambridge University students. This is a particularly useful source for tracing the ancestry of the landed gentry.
A searchable database containing over 90,000 note-form biographies for students of Cambridge University.
Northamptonshire Occupation & Business Records
Profiles of coal and metal mines in the Midlands region of England.
A list of Baptist churches in the county with the name of their pastor.
A non-exhaustive list of Baptist churches and their ministers in the counties.
Short histories of former public houses, with photographs and lists of owners or operators.
An index to and images of registers recording over 3.7 million trade union members.
Pedigrees & Family Trees Covering Northamptonshire
Extensive and impeccably sourced genealogies for British, Irish & Manx royalty and nobility. Scroll down to 'British Isles' for relevant sections.
A searchable database of linked genealogies compiled from thousands of reputable and not-so-reputable sources. Contains many details on European gentry & nobility, but covers many countries outside Europe and people from all walks of life.
A searchable book, listing pedigrees of titled families and biographies of their members.
A book containing genealogies and biographies of Britain's titled families.
A book containing genealogies and biographies of Britain's titled families.
Northamptonshire Royalty, Nobility & Heraldry Records
Photographs and descriptions of Northamptonshire's most illustrious church monuments, often featuring effigies, medieval inscriptions and heraldic devices.
Extensive and impeccably sourced genealogies for British, Irish & Manx royalty and nobility. Scroll down to 'British Isles' for relevant sections.
A searchable database of linked genealogies compiled from thousands of reputable and not-so-reputable sources. Contains many details on European gentry & nobility, but covers many countries outside Europe and people from all walks of life.
Over 600 pedigrees for English and Welsh families who had a right to bear a coat of arms.
The most comprehensive listing of Knights of the Crown, listing details where known to the order, date, place and reason for elevation.
Northamptonshire Church Records
An index to names and places mentioned in act books of the Province of Canterbury. It records various licences and conferments, such as marriage and physician licences.
A list of Baptist churches in the county with the name of their pastor.
A non-exhaustive list of Baptist churches and their ministers in the counties.
Documentation for those baptised, married and buried at England. Parish registers can assist tracing a family back numerous generations.
The primary source of documentation for baptisms, marriages and burials before 1837, though extremely useful to the present. Their records can assist tracing a family back numerous generations.
Biographical Directories Covering Northamptonshire
A searchable book, listing pedigrees of titled families and biographies of their members.
A book containing genealogies and biographies of Britain's titled families.
A book containing genealogies and biographies of Britain's titled families.
Brief biographies of Anglican clergy in the UK.
A directory containing lengthy biographies of noted British figures. The work took over two decades to compile. Biographies can be searched by name and are linked to images of the original publication.
Northamptonshire Maps
Digital images of maps covering the county.
Detailed maps covering much of the UK. They depict forests, mountains, larger farms, roads, railroads, towns, and more.
Maps showing settlements, features and some buildings in mainland Britain.
An index to 11,000,000 parcels of land and property, connected to digital images of registers that record their owner, occupier, description, agricultural use, size and rateable value.
Maps of parishes in England, Scotland and Wales. They are useful in determining which parish records may be relevant to your research.
Northamptonshire Reference Works
A beginner’s guide to researching ancestry in England.
Compiled in 1831, this book details the coverage and condition of parish registers in England & Wales.
A comprehensive guide to researching the history of buildings in the British Isles.
A service that provides advanced and custom surname maps for the British Isles and the US.
A dictionary of around 9,000 mottoes for British families who had right to bear arms.
Historical Description
Northamptonshire is an inland shire, in the Midlands, near the centre of England, and is of a long but irregular shape, running from south-west to north-east, the river Welland flows along its northern border, dividing it from Leicestershire, Rutland and Lincolnshire. It is bounded by these three counties on the north, and on the east by Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire, on the south-east by Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, on the south by Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, and on the west by Warwickshire and Oxfordshire. Its length from north-east to south-west is about 70 miles-its width varies from 7 or 8 miles to 25 miles. Under the “Local Government Act of 1888,” the parts of the parishes of Luddington, Lutton & Thurning, formerly in Huntingdonshire, have been transferred to this county, and part of Winwick has been transferred to Hunts, that of Warkworth to Oxford and that of Little Bowden to Leicestershire, while that portion of the Soke of Peterborough formerly included in Huntingdonshire has been added to this county. The present area of the county is 640,564 acres, and its population in 1841 was 199,208; in 1851, 213,844; in 1861, 227,704; in 1871, 243,891; in 1881, 272,555; and in 1891, 302,183; viz.:-males, 149,759; females, 152,424. The number of houses were:-Inhabited, 63,948; uninhabited, 4,003; building, 521. The soil and climate are good. None of the hills are very high, though near Daventry they reach 800 feet. A range of tolerable height begins at Wakerley, towards the north, and runs south-west towards Braybrook: another Tange proceeds by Great Oxenden to Cold Ashby, and thence by Welford westward to West Haddon and Barby and thence to Daventry: there are other smaller ranges branching from this. Between West Haddon and Barby the London and North Western railway and Union canal pass through tunnels of considerable length.
Northamptonshire in ancient British times belonged to the Coritani, and by the Romans was placed in the province Fla via Causariensis. The Watling Street crosses the county from Stony Stratford through Towcester to Kilsby and Ermine Street passes through the north-eastern portion from Castor to Stamford. After the Roman period it formed part of the Kingdom of Mercia.
The chief rivers are those which flow into the North Sea, being the Nene and the Welland. The Nene has two heads, near Daventry, the streams from which join at Northampton, and thence form a river navigable to the sea, and which, passing to Peterborough, runs along the southern border of the shire. The Welland, which rises at Sibbertoft, forms the northern boundary of the county, flowing easterly to Stamford, Crowland and the sea. The Bedfordshire Ouse rises in the south of this county and flows through Bucks, Beds and Cambs, and passes into the Wash through the Eaubrink cut at Lynn, Norfolk. The Tove rises at Sulgrave and flows through Towcester to the Ouse. The Warwickshire Avon also rises in Northamptonshire, but is not navigable within its bounds. The Warwickshire Leam also rises in this county at Helidon. The Cherwell rises at Charwelton near Daventry, and flows south through Banbury on the borders of the county. The Grand Junction canal passes through the shire, in the west, for about 25 miles, and joins the Oxford canal, having a branch to Stoney Stratford and a branch also to Northampton, and so by the Nene to the sea at Wisbech. The Grand Union canal begins in the Grand Junction canal, near Daventry, and runs north to the Leicester canal, having a branch to Market Harborough.
The railways traversing this county are the London and North Western, Great Northern and Midland. The main line of the London and the North Western passes through the county parallel with the Grand Junction canal, through Blisworth, Weedon and Welton, to Rugby; a branch proceeds from Blisworth through Northampton, Wellingborough, Higham Ferrers, Thrapston, Oundle and Castor to Peterborough; from Northampton is a line to Althorpe, Crick and Rugby, and from Roade through Northampton a branch to Market Harborough; from Wansford a branch runs to Seaton and Uppingham (Rutland); the Rugby and Stamford branch belonging to this company skirts the northern boundary of the county; the Buckingham, Brackley and Banbury junction passes through the southern extremity of the county; from Weedon is a branch via Daventry, Braunston and Napton to Leamington; on the main line are the Blisworth and Kilsby tunnels; Wolverton and Blisworth are first-class stations. From Peterborough is the Midland and Great Northern Joint line to Lynn and Norfolk. The Great Northern main line passes through Peterborough, whence it has a branch to Stamford via Wansford and another to Spalding and Boston, and thence to Great Grimsby. The Midland Company’s main line from St. Pancras through Bedford enters the county at WelIingborough, and passes thence to Kettering, Market Harborough, Leicester and the north; from Kettering is a branch of this line to Thrapston, Huntingdon and Cambridge, and another to Manton (Rutland), there joining the line from Leicester to Stamford in Lincolnshire, and thence through Helpstone and Walton to Peterborough; from this city is a branch belonging to this company and the Great Northern Railway Co. to Wisbech and Lynn. The Midland have also a branch line from Wellingborough to Higham Ferrers and Rushden, and a line from Bedford via Olney to Northampton. The Great Western, from Oxford to Banbury, passes through the extreme south-west of the county. The Great Eastern railway branch line from Ely terminates at Peterborough, which, will be seen, is a great railway centre. The Northampton and Banbury junction railway passes from Blisworth through Towcester and the East and West Junction railway comes from Stratford-on-Avon in connection with the Great Western system to Towcester, and thence runs to Blisworth, and has a line via Clifton Regis to Olney which, however, is only used for goods. The extension of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire railway as a main line to London, under the name of Great Central railway, passes through the western portion of the county, entering it by the tunnel at Catesby (3,000 yards in length) and having stations at Charwelton, Woodford, Culworth, Helmdon and Brackley, where it leaves the county and proceeds via Finmere to Quainton Road (Bucks) and thence conjointly with the Metropolitan to London.
The Grand Junction canal runs from near Wolverton in the south to Braunston on the western side of the county; the Grand Union canal at Braunston and the Buckingham canal at Cosgrove branch off from the Grand Junction.
Northamptonshire belongs to the lower oolite formation, and is well supplied with limestone and lime, 156,933 tons being raised in 1896 and in the same year 241,607 tons of clay and 3,098 tons of gravel and freestone for building: it has also some workable slate. Iron ore occurs throughout a large portion of the county; it appears to have been largely worked in ancient times, certainly in many parts during the Roman period, and we read that William the Norman erected a castle at Rockingham for the protection of the extensive iron works; from the destruction of forests, or some other cause, the manufacture fell into disuse, but has recently been resumed in many places on a very extensive scale. Brown ironstone was raised in 1896 to the extent of 1,263,650 tons, valued at £117,135. In the same year 274,462 tons of pig iron were made, 14 blast furnaces being in work. Sand of a peculiarly fine quality, which is used for pottery, is found at Cogenhoe. The produce is chiefly grass and corn, three-fifths of the acreage being under permanent pasture. There are very large grazing establishments for fattening cattle, and many dairies. There are the remains of Salcey, Whittlebury and Rockingham forests, which produce oak, ash, beech and elm, and various sorts of underwood. Between Peterborough and Crowland is some low land belonging to the Bedford Level, and which is very rich.
The principal manufacture of the county is that of boots and shoes, which is carried on at Northampton, Kettering, Daventry, Towcester, Higham Ferrers, Wellingborough, Rushden, Raunds and Irthlingborough. The warehouses are in these towns, but much of the work is done in the surrounding villages. The making of closed boots and shoe uppers for the London market is an additional industry. Lace was formerly made largely, and is still so to some extent, but is giving way under the influence of the cheap machine-made lace. At a village called King’s Cliffe, near Wansford, wood carving is the local industry, and batter prints are manufactured. There are some paper mills in the country, besides a good deal of malting, many corn mills and breweries; there are also a few iron foundries.
Northamptonshire contains 311 civil parishes and parts of three others, and the Soke of Peterborough 29 and parts of three others; and, with the exception of Thurning and Winwick parishes in Ely diocese and Wormleighton in that of Worcester, is in the diocese of Peterborough, comprising the archdeaconries of Northampton and Oakham. Northampton archdeaconry is sub-divided into the rural deaneries of Brackley, first, second and third portions, Daventry, Haddon, first and second portions, Northampton, Preston, first and second portions, Rothwell, first, second and third portions and Weedon; Oakham archdeaconry into the rural deaneries of Higham Ferrers, first and second portions, Oundle, first and second portions, Peterborough, first and second portions, and Weldon, first and second portions. The county is in the Midland circuit and there are courts of quarter sessions for the county, for the borough of Northampton and for the liberty or Soke of Peter-boro’, which has a commission of the peace and a treasurer, and makes its own levy in the nature of a county rate. There are nine petty sessional divisions, exclusive of the Liberty of Peterborough. The municipal boroughs are Northampton, the shire town, where the assizes are held, which has some good buildings and contained a population, in 1891, of 61,012; Peterborough, an ancient city, with a fine cathedral, and a population of 25,171; Daventry, 3,939; Brackley, 2,591 and Higham Ferrers, 1,810. Other towns are Wellingborough, 15,068; Kettering, 19,454; Towcester, 2,775; Oundle, 2,667; and Thrapston, 1,570; Weedon is a station for a brigade of field artillery.
| No | Place | Area | Pop. 1891 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 156 | Brackley | 55,818 | 11,630 |
| 157 | Towcester | 42,455 | 11,960 |
| 158 | Potterspury | 23,894 | 12,754 |
| 159 | Hardingstone | 32,925 | 10,603 |
| 160 | Northampton | 20,313 | 79,317 |
| 161 | Daventry | 64,519 | 17,648 |
| 162 | Brixworth | 62,648 | 12,186 |
| 163 | Wellingborough | 55,761 | 43,653 |
| 164 | Kettering | 54,227 | 35,506 |
| 165 | Thrapston | 51,744 | 14,583 |
| 166 | Oundle | 73,488 | 12,881 |
| 167 | Peterborough | 104,133 | 45,352 |
The General Infirmary, to the east of the town of Northampton, on a healthful and airy site, is a structure of stone, built in 1793, at an expense of £25,000; considerable additions and improvements have since been made, and it has now 163 beds: the yearly average of patients is about, in-patients, 1,843; out-patients, 8,906; Frank Buszard M.D. and Arthur H. Jones M.D. physicians; George Henry Percival M.B. and R. A. Milligan L.R.C.P.Lond, surgeons; Edward Percival Dickin M.B., L.R.C.P., M.R.C.S. Lond. house surgeon; Reginald Williams L.R.C.P. & S. Edin., L.F.P.S.Glas, assistant house surgeon; Rev. Charles Brooks, chaplain; Alfred Page, treasurer; C. S. Risbee, secretary; Miss Neepe, superintendent of nurses; J. Hall, dispenser; Miss Susan Pell, matron.
Northampton County Lunatic Asylum, Berry Wood, is 3 miles from Northampton, on the road from Duston to Nobottle, in the parish of Upton, and was built in 1876 at a cost, including site, of £150,000, and is a structure of red and coloured bricks with Bath stone dressings, from designs by Mr. Robert Griffiths, architect, of Stafford, arranged in seven blocks, having all the usual offices and fitted up with the most modern appliances; in the centre block is a clock-tower 190 feet high, having a clock with four dials; in this tower is a water tank supplying the whole building with water. Connected with the asylum are various workshops, gas works and extensive farm buildings; in 1884 the building was enlarged at a cost of £4,500,: in 1886 a detached hospital was built and in 1888 a block was added for the treatment of idiot children: the hall, 75 by 45 feet, is used for entertainments, and has a raised stage and scenery for dramatic performances, and at the north is a strangers’ gallery, and for these purposes the hall will seat 500 persons: the asylum will hold 950 patients: the total number on 31 December, 1897, was 891, of whom 718 belonged to the county: attached to the asylum is a church, built of stone, and consisting of chancel, nave, aisles, south porch and a turret containing one bell: it has sittings for 400 persons: William Harding M.D. medical superintendent; John H. Goodliffe M.D. and Frank Graham Crookshank M.D. assistant medical officers; Rev. Benjamin Mathews B.A. chaplain; Alfred Page, treasurer; Henry Philip Markham, clerk to the committee of visitors; Fredk. Anthony Robinson, clerk to the asylum; W. H. Sanderson, storekeeper.
St. Andrew’s Hospital, for mental diseases. Billing road, Northampton, surrounded by over 100 acres of pleasure grounds, is a fine building of white Bath stone, in the Italian style, erected in 1837 from designs of Mr. James Milne, and has cost £96,676. It is calculated to hold about 350 inmates, and is open for patients of the higher and middle classes; there are several detached villas in the grounds, and a chapel erected from designs of the late Sir Gilbert Scott R.A. and enlarged in 1894; Joseph Bailey M.R.C.S. Eng. superintendent; Rev. John Cunningham, chaplain; John Godfrey, secretary; William Arkell, steward.
H. M. Prison, in Campbell square, Northampton, is a spacious structure of brick, erected in 1845—6, from designs by the late Mr. W. Hull, at an expense of about £12,000, exclusive of £5,000 expended in the purchase of land, and is calculated to receive 220 prisoners; but considerable alterations and additions have since been made; Captain Percy Green, governor; Rev. William Hayden Phillips M.A. chaplain; Lee Fyson Cogan L.R.C.P.Edin. surgeon; Wm. J. Kemp, clerk and storekeeper.
The Northampton Society’s Reformatory School for boys is at Til field, near Towcester; it was certified January 21, 1856 for 50 boys, and there are now (1898) 50 boys; William Craven Jones, superintendent.
Parliamentary Representation of Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire has hitherto returned four members for the two divisions, but under the provisions of the “Redistribution of Seats Act, 1885,” it now returns four members in four divisions.
Under the provisions of the above-mentioned Act the borough of Peterborough lost one member.
No. 1.-The Northern division comprises the sessional divisions of Oundle and Thrapston, so much of Kettering district as is not comprised in divisions No. 2 and 3, the liberty of the soke of Peterborough, and so much of the municipal borough of Stamford as is included in the county of Northampton.
No. 2.-The Eastern division comprises the sessional division of Wellingborough and the parishes of Broughton, Cransley Kettering and Pytchley in Kettering sessional division.
No. 3.-The Mid division comprises the sessional divisions of Little Bowden and Northampton and the parishes of Draughton, Faxton, Glendon, Harrington, Loddington, Mawsley, Orton, Rothwell and Thorpe Malzor, in the sessional division of Kettering, and the parishes of Ashby St. Ledgers, Barby, Claycoton, Crick, Elkington, Kilsby, Lilbourne, Long Buckby, Stanford, Watford, West Haddon, Winwick and Yelvertoft, in the sessional division of Daventry and the municipal borough of Northampton.
No. 4.-The Southern division comprises the sessional divisions of Brackley, Daventry (except so much as is comprised in division No. 3) and Towcester.
Military
The county is in the Eastern District Command, head quarters, Colchester. Maj.-General G. J, Barnett C.B. Commanding.
Northampton is the depot of Regimental District No. 48: the Northamptonshire Regiment; the four Battalions of which are 1st (48 foot, 2nd (58th foot), and 3rd and 4th, the Northamptonshire and Rutland Militia, whose head quarters are also at Northampton. Col. A. Maclean commanding Regimental District.
Weedon is a Field Artillery station, for a Brigade of two Batteries, Lieut.-Col. S. Watson B.A. commanding.
Yeomanry Cavalry
(2nd Yeomanry Brigade). Buckinghamshire (Royal Bucks Hussars) 3rd Squadron, Hon. Major J. F. Hatfield-Harter, in command of squadron; R. B. Loder, capt.; head quarters, Red Lion, 20 Horse market, Northampton.
Volunteers
Northamptonshire Royal Engineers (1st) (attached to 2nd Tower Hamlets); Capt. W. J. Deacon, commandant; Surg.-Capt. W. Easby M.D. medical officer; Rev. William Hopkinson M.A. acting chaplain; head quarters & orderly room, St. Leonard street, Peterborough Infantry.
1st Volunteer Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment.
Chamber of Agriculture
Northampton, Edward Scriven, chairman; Thomas Cecil Woods, hon. sec. 2 Derngate, Northampton.
Fairs and Markets
Boughton, June 26 for cattle, continuing three days.
Brackley, third week in June for wool. Market for corn on Wednesday & every alternate Wednesday for cattle.
Brigstock, April 25, September 4 & November 22.
Daventry, second tuesday in April & October for cheese & cattle & on the second tuesday in every month & October 27 for the sale of cattle (unless the latter falls on Sunday) when it is held on the following day; market day, wed.
Flore, feast on the first Sunday in November.
Fotheringhay, third monday after July 5.
Higham Ferrers, market day, monday.
Kettering, thursday before Easter; friday before Whit Sunday; friday before October 11 & friday before St. Thomas’ day; a yearly feast, lasting a week, commences the first Sunday after St. Peter's day; market for fat stock every friday; market day, friday.
Moreton Pinkney, cattle market, fortnightly, on mondays.
Northampton, second tuesday in January, February 20, third monday in March, April 5, May 4, June 19, August 5 & 26, September 19, first thursday in November, November 28 & the friday before the Great Smithfield market; market day, Wednesday for fat stock & Saturday for store stock.
Oundle, February 25 for horses & cattle & Whit monday & October 12 for pleasure; market day, thursday.
Peterborough, St. Peter’s, second tuesday & Wednesday in July for wool, cattle & horses & Bridge fair, first tuesday, Wednesday & thursday in October for wool, beasts, sheep, horses, stock & general purposes; market day, Wednesday for live stock & Saturday for live & dead stock & general purposes.
Rockingham, September 25.
Rothwell, Trinity monday & four following days for stock & pedlery.
Thrapston, first tuesday in May, August 5 & tuesday after old Michaelmas day; market day, tuesday for grain, cattle, sheep & pigs.
Towcester, May 12 & October 29, for cattle & pleasure; market day, tuesday; stock sales every alternate tuesday.
Great Weldon, thursday following the second Sunday in July.
Wellingborough, Wednesday in Easter week, Wednesday in Whitsun week; October 29 for cattle pleasure; market day, Wednesday.
Yardley Hastings, Whit tuesday, for pleasure.
Northampton County Council
Local Government Act, 1888, 51 & 52 Vic. c. 41.
Under the above Act the county of Northampton and the Soke of Peterborough, except a certain borough, for which see below (a), after the 1st April, 1889, became for the purposes of the Act distinct administrative counties (sec. 46), each governed by a County Council, consisting of chairman, aldermen and councillors elected in manner prescribed by the Act (sec. 2).
The chairman, by virtue of his office, is a justice of the peace for the county, without qualification (sec. 46).
The police for the county are under the control of a standing joint committee of the Quarter Sessions, and the County Councils appointed as therein mentioned (sec. 9).
The coroners for the county are elected by the County Council, and the clerk of the peace appointed by such joint committee, and may be removed by them (sec. 83—2).
The clerk of the peace for the county is also clerk of the County Council (sec. 83—1).
The administrative business of all matters concerning the two divisions (which would, if this Act had not been passed, have been transacted by the justices) is now transacted by a joint committee of the two County Councils.
(a) The following large borough, for the purposes of this Act, is an administrative county in itself, called a County Borough (sec. 30), of which the municipal corporation has the power of a County Council (sec. 31)-Northampton.
The Soke of Peterborough
Under the Local Government Act, 1888, the “Soke of Peterborough” became a separate administrative county, distinct from the residue of the county of Northampton (sec. 46 1 [d], and administrative business of all matters which concerns the two divisions of Northants is conducted by a joint committee of the two County Councils (sec. 46 2 [b]).
The following Table shows the acreage under each kind of crop, and the number of horses, cattle, sheep and pigs in the County of Northampton, as taken from the Agricultural Returns, 1896: —
| Crops | Acres |
|---|---|
| Corn and cereals | 13,578 |
| Roots, artificial grasses, cabbage, kohl-rabbi | 38,717 |
| Clover and grasses | 31,889 |
| Permanent pasture | 346,539 |
| Bare fallow | 11,707 |
| Orchards | 855 |
| Market gardens | 808 |
| Woods and plantations | 28,017 |
| Live Stock | Number |
|---|---|
| Horses for agriculture | 14,801 |
| Unbroken horses | 6,823 |
| Brood mares | 963 |
| Cows in milk or calf | 27,351 |
| Other Cattle, 2 years and above | 53,529 |
| Ditto, 1 year and under 2 | 19,657 |
| Ditto, under 1 year | 16,840 |
| Ewes kept for breeding | 135,270 |
| Other Sheep, 1 year old and above | 113,437 |
| Ditto, under 1 year | 163,216 |
| Sows kept for breeding | 5,780 |
| Other pigs | 32,370 |
| Statistic | Nuber |
|---|---|
| Norhamptonshire contained in 1891, inhabited houses | 63,948 |
| Civil Parishes in 1897 | 311 |
| In 1874, owners of land below 1 acre | 10,020 |
| Owners of land of 1 acre and upwards | 4,455 |
| Total landowners | 14,465 |
| Total acreage of rated lands | 665,125 |
| Rateable value | £1,753,390 |
| Total acreage of the county | 640,564 |
The parishes in the Liberty of Peterborough division are:-Ailsworth, Ashton & Bainton, Barnack & Pilsgate, Borough fen, Castor, Deeping gate, Dogsthorpe, Eastfield & Newark, Etton & Woodcroft, Eye, Glinton, Gunthorpe, Helpstone, Longthorpe, Marholm, Maxey, Newborough, Northborough, Paston, Peakirk, Peterbor ugh, Pilsgate, Southorpe, Sutton, Thornhaugh, Ufford, Uptun, Walton, Wansford, Werrington, Wittering & Wothorpe.
Quarter Sessions are held the thursday next after Dec. 28th, Mar. 31st, June 24th & Oct. 11th, at 10.30 a.m.
Petty Sessions are held every Wednesday at the Sessions house, Thorpe road, at 11 a.m.
County Police
Constabulary Head Quarters, County hall, Northampton.
The force consists of a chief constable, deputy chief constable, chief clerk, 5 superintendents, 9 inspectors, 17 sergeants & 128 constables.
NAME, AND ANCIENT HISTORY
The Aborigines of this county were by the Romans called Coritani. These being subjugated, their conquerors soon began to form military roads and fortresses. Two great roads, or via strata, crossed the county, and were directly or collaterally connected with several permanent stations, temporary encampments, and vicinal ways. The Watling-street in proceeding from the south towards the north, enters Northamptonshire at or near Stratford, and continuing almost in a direct line, leaves it at Dove-bridge. On this course there appears to have been three stations, as mentioned both in the second and sixth Iters of Antoninus, and also in the Itinerary of Richard of Cirencester. There have also been other works of the Romans on the western side of the county. The great encampment, called Castle Dykes, south-west of Weedon, appears to have been either formed or altered by the Romans. It was a fortress of great strength and magnitude. About three miles to the east is Nether Hezford, where a tesselated pavement was discovered in 1699. About three miles south-west of Daventry, is Arbury Barns, a large encampment on the summit of a hill. At Guilsborough are some entrenchments called the Boroughs. Raynsbury Camp is situated between the villages of Aynho and Newbottle, in the south-west angle of the county. In nearly a direct line south from Raynsbury Camp, in the county of Oxford, the remains of the Roman road called the Port-way, points towards Aldcester and Chesterton; and nearly parallel with that street, is a raised mound called Aveditch-bank. On the eastern side of the county, the Roman road called the Forty Foot-way, or Ermine-street, enters the county from Huntingdonshire, near the village of Castor, where it passed the Nen river, and is still conspicuous between Castor and Upton. In fact, no less than twenty-seven towns and villages are pointed out in different parts of Northamptonshire, where remains have been found indicating Roman possession.
Soon after the Saxons had usurped possession of Britain, the present county was included within the Mercian monarchy. Under this, the great monasteries of Medenhamsted, now Peterborough and Crowland, were founded. Medenhamsted became so famous, that it was called Urbs Regia, the Royal City, and Aurea Civitas, the Golden City. Under King Wulfere’s charter of endowments, dated 664, it appears that several places in the vicinity of Peterborough were tributary to it. At Stamford Baron the monks of Medenhamsted had a mint. Northampton, then called Hamtune, under the Saxons, was a place of considerable strength during the repeated conflicts between the Saxons and Danes. Previous to the year 921, Towcester was burnt by the latter, but was rebuilt by order of King Edward, who marched an army towards Passenham, in order to expel the Danes. About this time, Towcester was encompassed with a stone wall.
Soon after the Norman Conquest, the county of Northampton was subdivided into the following proportions: to Allan Rufus, 1 manor; Walthe of Earl of Northampton, 4 manors; Judith, his Countess, 88 manors; Robert Earl of Moreton and Cornwall, 99 manors; Robert Earl of Millent and Leicester, 3 manors; Robert de Vesce, 1; Robert de Todenei, 9; Robert de Stafford, 1; Alberic de Vere, 6; Jeffery de Magnaville, 7; Walter D'Eincourt, 1; Gumfrid de Corches, 16; Ralph de Limesi, 2; Ralph de Grantmesnil, 20; William Fitz-Ausculph, 4; William Peverel, 4; Robert D’Oyley, 3; Ranulph de Peverel, 44 lordships. Besides these, the king retained several; others belonged to monasteries, and some were granted to several persons of inferior consideration.
SITUATION, BOUNDARIES, AND EXTENT
Northamptonshire is an inland county, situated nearly in the centre of England, between 52 and 53 degrees of north latitude, and between the meridian of London and 1 degree 20 minutes north latitude, and 1 degree 20 minutes west longitude. It is bounded on the north by Leicestershire, Rutlandshire, and Lincolnshire; on the east by Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, and Bedfordshire; on the south by Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire; and on the west by Warwickshire. The form is oblong; and its greatest length from the south-west at Aynho, to the north-east part; of Peterborough Fen, is 65 or 66 miles in a straight line; and the breach across the county, from the east side of Yardley Chase to the entrance of Leicestershire, near Welford, about 24 miles. It contains between 910 and 1000 square miles, or about 640,000 acres.
About the year 1670, the inhabitants of Crowland, in Lincolnshire, laid claim to about 400 acres of ground adjoining the Great Borough Fen, and which were formerly considered as part of the county; but the inhabitants of the Soke asserting their right of possession, the dispute by trial at law was declared in their favour. A commission was then issued to a jury of gentlemen, of which Sir Edmundbury Godfrey is said to have been foreman, who came from London to view the premises. For this purpose they traced the boundaries of the county from St. Martin’s at Stamford, with great exactness; and Northamptonshire, was adjudged to extend eastward as far as Crowland-bridge. But in the parish of Barnack, the most northern situation, the distinct limits not being settled, still continue, as in some adjoining parishes, uncertain. Its greatest breadth from Hargrave in the cast, to Barley in the west, is estimated at about thirty miles; yet the average width is perhaps not twenty; and from Brackley across to Astrop in the south, also from Peterborough northerly to Peakirk, does not exceed eight miles. The circumference may be estimated at 216 miles.
CLIMATE AND SOIL
The climate of this county is very favourable both to health and vegetation. It is in a great measure exempted from deep falls of snow and long continued rains: hence, as the seasons change gradually, the health of the people is little affected, and the operations of husbandry seldom suspended long. Its elevation and its distance from the sea, are the causes that the aqueous vapours are exhausted before their arrival here; and also because there are no mountains to break the rolling clouds overcharged with snow. Properly speaking, the whole county contains neither mountain nor bog; the highest point of land not exceeding 800 feet perpendicularly above the sea.
As to the soil, this county contains no land but what may be easily drained, the fall being every where sufficient, and the bottom, or under stratum, generally loose and open in its texture. The lowest land in the county is Peterborough Fen, but which has been partly drained many years since. Thus being free from mountains and bogs, the county may be pronounced temperate, healthy, and congenial to the constitution and economy of animal and vegetable life: it has also less rain than those nearer the western ocean; the largest proportion of rain coming from the south and west. The soil in general is equally adapted for corn or pasturage, and fertile in both. The surface in its general aspect comprehends great beauty and variety, having very few instances of dead extensive flats. The greater part of this county is agreeably varied by waving hills and gradual declivities, with intervening vales and rivulets murmuring down towards the rivers, forming an interesting scene of vale and upland. Not an inch of land but what may be rendered useful; the hedges and trees grow with luxuriance; the is country well watered by its brooks and rivers, interspersed with woods and seats of gentlemen; even the open common fields, covered with crops of grain, within sight of every rising ground, increase the variety, and add to the general appearance of beauty and fertility. The upper and middle parts are richly ornamented with extensive woods, which are intersected with numerous vistas and beautiful lawns. The various avenues of trees extending in many parts for miles together; the rivers and streams winding along the vales, answer a variety of purposes, both in agriculture and trade; the many beautiful villages and populous towns, with their churches and lofty spires, (twenty of which may be seen at a time, when viewed from an eminence), present a prospect beautifully diversified and highly picturesque, which cannot fail to delight the eye, and enliven the heart of every spectator.
Northamptonshire returns nine members to Parliament, viz. two for the county, two for Peterborough, two for Northampton, two for Brackley, and one for Higham Ferrers. The population of the county, according to the return of 1821, consisted of 162,483 persons, occupying 32,503 houses.
RIVERS AND CANALS
Northamptonshire may justly boast, that in the important article of water, it is entirely and completely independent; for, of the six rivers which flow through, or intersect it, every one originates within its boundaries; and not a single brook, however insignificant, runs into it from any other district; whilst there is not a county bordering upon it, that is not in some degree supplied from its various and ample aquatic stores.
It is remarked by Norton as “a natural and unwrested observation, that the rivers of Northamptonshire are so equally and duly ranged and distributed, as if they ran in channels contrived and cut by art and labour, to convey a competent share of water to every part;” and, after particularizing their various courses, adds, “so that there is no town in the county five miles distant from one or other of the above-mentioned rivers or rivulets.“
The principal rivers are the Nen, the Welland, the Ouse, the Avon, the Leam, and the Charwell.
The source of the Nen, or Nyne, has been disputed by the several villages of Naseby, Draugton, West Haddon, Fawsley, and Staverton; but it is now generally admitted that the northern branch springs from Chapel Well at Naseby, and the western from Hartwell, near Staverton, and both uniting at Northampton, form no inconsiderable river, which pursues its course in a north-easterly direction, and traversing the whole length of the county, it runs on in the same direction, and separating Cambridgeshire from Lincolnshire, falls into a bay of the German Ocean, called the Washes, or Lynn Deeps, from Lynn Regis in Norfolk.
This river was formerly navigable no higher than Peterborough; but after several ineffectual attempts to extend the navigation, it was at length accomplished in the year 1762, when boats laden with coal came up by Oundle, Thrapstoh, Higham Ferrers, and Wellingborough, to Northampton; the navigation is however still very defective and incomplete, but it is capable of being rendered highly serviceable to the towns on its banks. “At the wharf, in Northampton,” observes Mr. Pitt, “not a single vessel, loading or unloading is to be seen; a crane stands solitary, and not the least stir of business: a small deposit of coals (from the rail-road course) and a few deals, comprise all the visible articles of commerce.“
The Welland rises near the vicarage house at Sibbertofr, whence having flowed the short space of four miles, it reaches the skirts of the county, which adopts its devious wanderings as the line of boundary, during a lengthened course of nearly 50 miles, by Harborough, Rockingham, and Stamford, where it becomes navigable, through Deeping to Crowland, when it enters Lincolnshire, and at length falls into the Foss-dyke Wash, near Boston.
The Ouse rises near Brackley, and running northeast through the counties of Buckingham, Bedford, Cambridge, and Norfolk, falls into the German Ocean at Lynn-Regis, in Norfolk.
The Avon, or lesser Avon, commences its course at Avon-well near Naseby, and flowing in a westerly direction, passes into Warwickshire.
The Leam, which rises from the village of Hellidon, is immediately joined by other rills from Catesby and Staverton, with which it hastens into Warwickshire, and having given name to the two villages of Leamington, meets the lesser Avon, into which it falls, and the junction forms the celebrated Avon, which passing Warwick, intersects the county, and meandering through Worcestershire, ultimately loses itself in the Severn.
The Charwell, which derives its name from a small spring of the same name, near Charnelton, after passing in silent obscurity by Banbury, finishes its career at the city of Oxford, where it resigns its identity to the Thames, and is discharged with it into the Eastern Ocean.
CANALS
The first artificial canal that rendered any benefit to this county, was the Oxford, which passes through the parishes of Aynho, Boddington, Braunston, and Barby, all on the western verge of Northamptonshire. At Braunston it joins the Grand Junction Canal, which crosses the western side of this county. This navigable cut was planned for the purpose of opening a water communication between the river Thames, and the principal inland canals of the kingdom. It was intended for vessels of 60 tons burthen. There are two reservoirs near its junction with the Oxford Canal; one of about 30 acres area, and the other of nearly 130 acres. In the course of the first mile from Braunston, the level of water is raised by lockage 37 feet; it is then continued upon that level about four miles and a half, one mile of which is an excavation or tunnel through a hill. This is called the Braunston Tunnel; the water is afterwards lowered by lockage 172 feet to the level of the river Ouse; in its course passing by Wedon; after crossing beneath the great London road it is carried over a valley by an embankment of earth, nearly half a mile in length, and about 30 feet high: this embankment passing close to Wedon church-yard, the top water level is above the height of the level of the church, and nearly upon a level with the bells: there are two public highways for carriages, and one small river which pass under the canal, through the base of this embankment; the course of the cut is then continued north-easterly, recrossing the London road, and afterwards taking an eastern direction, passes to Lower Heyford, Bugbrook, and Gayton, to Blisworth; this is eighteen miles from Braunston, and so far is the canal navigable at this end. At Blisworth are erected extensive wharfage and warehouses for goods, as also two new inns on the banks of the canal, together with other works adapted to a growing place of trade; a railway branches off, at this place, to Northampton, where the river is 120 feet beneath the level of the canal at Blisworth. From this place the line of the cut is through a tunnel, which was a work of considerable difficulty, from the quality of the substratum and quantity of springs. The difficulties, however, were surmounted in the year 1806; and the passage thus formed through the hill, according to Mr. Pitt’s opinion, is “a very masterly and surprising work of art.” The course is next by Stoke-Bruen, Grafton Regis, and Cosgrove, where it enters Buckinghamshire. At Grafton the canal crosses the Tow river, and near Cosgrove it crosses the Ouse, and is raised by an embankment for a considerable distance, and to a great height above the meadows.
The Union Canal commences at and joins the river Soar navigation on the west side of Leicester, and for near three miles, that is to Ayleston, runs with a few deviations in the course of that river; from Ayleston, running a southerly course, it passes Glen Parva, Wigston, Newton Harcourt, Wistow, and Saddington, where is a tunnel of forty chains; from this tunnel, making an elbow, it passes Foxton, where is another tunnel of forty-eight chains, passing which is the branch to Market Harborough; from the above tunnel it makes a bend, crosses the river Welland, and passes between Marston Trussel and Hothorp, and turns by East Farndon and Oxendon Magna, where is a small tunnel of thirteen chains; near here also is the reservoir for the summit level, supplied by the Oxendon Brook. From Oxendon it goes near Kelmarsh, where it passes another tunnel of forty-five chains, and proceeds by Maidwell, Lamport, Hanging Houghton, Brixworth, and parallel with that branch of the river Nen called the Northern river: it passes Spratton, Pisford, Chapel Brampton, Kingsthorp, Dallington, and on the west side of Northampton joins the river Nen navigation, and the branch of the Grand Junction canal; completing a course of forty-three miles and three quarters, from Leicester to Northampton, with 407 feet and a half of lockage, and passing through four tunnels. The branch to Market Harborough from the junction is three miles and three quarters, and is level. The lockage may be more particularly specified as follows: from West-bridge at Leicester, where it joins the Soar, to near Saddington, is twelve miles and three quarters, with 160 feet rise; from thence to near Oxendon Magna is thirteen miles and a half, and level: here in one furlong is a rise of fifty feet to the summit level, which continues to the south side of the tunnel at Kilmarsh, near five miles; from thence to the junction with the Northern river at Northampton, is eleven rniles and three quarters, with 197 feet and a half fall; from thence to the Junction, with the river Nen, is three quarters of a mile, and level.
CIVIL AND ECCLESIASTICAL DIVISIONS
Northamptonshire is divided into twenty hundreds, viz. Naseburgh, Corby, Willybrook, Polebrook, Rothwell, Guilsborough, Orlingbury, Huxloe, Navislord, Fawsley, Nobottle Grove, Spelloe, Hamfordshoe, Higham Ferrers, Chipping Warden, Green’s Norton, Towcester, Wymersley, King Sutton, and Cleley: which contain one city, Peterborough; three boroughs, Northampton, Brackley, and Higham Ferrers; and eight market towns, viz. Daventry, Kettering, Oundle, Rockingham, Rothwell, Thrapston, Towcester, and Wellingborough. The whole county contains 336 parishes, and 26,665 houses. It lies in the province of Canterbury, and diocese of Peterborough.
RENT, AND SIZE OF FARMS
Rents of enclosed lands run from 17s. to 25s. per acre, exclusive of tithes, from which the enclosed land is generally exempted. The average, hence, has been reckoned at 20s. to which may be added 3s. in the pound for poor rates. In the old enclosed parishes, farms of considerable extent have seldom exceeded 500l. a year; too much by 200l.; such large farms give too great latitude to monopoly, or command of markets. Mr. Donaldson observed, “that in the newly enclosed parishes, the farms are generally from 100l. to 300l. per annum.” Mr. Young remarked, that in the open fields the farms were generally small, and about 70l. a year. These little occupations, which the Duke of Grafton and other good landlords had patience with, in order to nurse up industrious families, were not without some loss in repairs, and sometimes in other circumstances.
Rents, Mr. Donaldson observed, “are paid in money, by half-yearly instalments, the first half-year, twelve months after the tenant’s entry on the farm, he being allowed to keep six months in hand.“
Personal services are in many places kept up in a small degree; such as a day’s work with a team annually, to draw coals or other articles, besides the keeping of a game-dog for the landlord, &c.
TITHES, TENURES, AND LEASES
All the modern enclosures in this county seem to be tithe-free; and the old enclosures being at grass, the evil has not been severely felt; hence the principal burthens were upon the open or common-field parishes.
As a proof of the advantage of commuting tithes, when the living of Kettering was enclosed, which in the open state was worth from 200l. to 300l. per annum, land being given instead of them, they amounted to between 700l. and 800l. per annum. The collection of tithes in kind, is however generally complained of. It has happened (though to the credit of the clergy the instances are very rare), that where the tithes have been let to a layman for the purpose of oppression, he has been known to exert all that authority he possessed, and not only taken the tenth stook of corn, and the tenth cole of hay, but also the tenth lamb, pig, hen’s egg, &c.; nay, has even gone into the garden, and not only taken the tenth part of the fruit, but also the tenth part of the produce of the kitchen-garden.
LEASES
In this county there are scarcely any lands held by tenants under leases, except those granted by the bishop, dean and chapter of Peterborough, which are for 21 years, renewable every seven. The tenants in general possess their farms only from year to year. There are, however, written agreements entered into between both parties, in which the mode of cropping lands is specified. The farm-house and offices are generally kept in repair at the joint expence of the parties; though in a great many instances, the whole expence rests with the tenant. The tenant is on all occasions expressly debarred from breaking up any pasture grass, and from selling hay or straw. The term of entering into a grazing farm, is at Lady-day; to tillage lands at Michaelmas, and not unfrequently at St. Thomas’s day.
This county, Mr. Pitt observed, with few exceptions, might be said to be occupied by tenants at will. The few leases that are granted, are for the term of either seven, fourteen, or twenty-one years.
FARM-HOUSES AND COTTAGES
The former in this county are most inconveniently placed: instead of being in the middle of the occupation, they have been too frequently pent up in villages, and are consequently either on one side of the farm, or totally detached from it. In a state of civilized society, the occupier being placed in the middle of his farm, has many advantages over the straggling system. For some years since, a few farm-houses properly placed, are to be found under the denomination of lodges, and some of these commodious and convenient enough, though a great many, as well as the out-buildings, were covered with thatch, which in hot, dry, or windy weather, are much exposed to the danger of conflagration. The farm-houses in general are built either of stone or brick, and covered with slate or straw. The barns are very large in proportion to the farm, which has been owing to the practice of housing as much of the crop as possible; and they are either built wholly of stone, and clay used as a cement, or partly of stone wall, on which a house framed of wood (generally oak) is erected, and plastered over the sides with clay. The byres, stables, &c. are generally built of stone, and covered in the same manner as the barns.
In a county where so little attention has been paid to farm-houses, cottages have not been an object of much regard; accordingly we find these crowded amongst the former in villages, and built with the same or inferior materials. In the open parishes in the. county, it has been usual to find a great number of tenements constructed with mud, and covered with thatch.
To the credit of the late Duke of Grafton, he never made cottages an object of revenue, he only expected that in the general account they should repair and support one another; and his cottages were accordingly let from twenty to twenty-five shillings per annum. Other cottages at that time let at thirty-five and forty shillings.
Lady Carberry’s cottages, at Lamport, have long been noticed as both comfortable and ornamental. The old cottages seem to have had very little design as to convenience or comfort; shelter from the weather, and room to sit or sleep in, in rather a promiscuous manner, seem to have been the only objects in view. By the beneficence of Lady Carberry, nine cottages in Lamport were furnished with land and cows. The cottagers, like the farmers, gave a full price for land, and the building of cottages in general, if fairly reckoned, has been deemed a good speculation, as by increasing the comforts of the poor, the poor-rates cannot be otherwise than lessened.
CATTLE
These may be divided into two classes: those bred in the county, and those purchased from distant parts. The cattle bred in the county are those of the long-horned breed. Of those brought from distant parts, the Holderness are chiefly used for the dairy: but for fatting, every sort is bought in at one time or another: Staffordshire, Shropshire, Hereford, Pembroke, Devons, North Wales, Scots and Irish, are occasionally met with at the different fairs. The sheep of this county, are the common-field sheep, the ancient pasture sheep, and the sheep improved by crossing with the new Leicester breed, from Dishley. Horses are bred in this county chiefly for draught at the cart or plough, and mostly of the strong black breed; but the number bred being an insufficient supply, some are bought in from the counties of Derby, Leicester, and York, generally at two or three years old. Blood-horses used to be reared here, but experience proved that those animals, however valuable they might be to gentlemen, are unprofitable to the farmer, because the least blemish renders them unsaleable. And even if they did not meet with any accident, it was necessary to keep them many years on the farm before they could be sent to market.
The breed of hogs here is a mixture between the Berkshire and the China, or Tonquin: the former giving size and weight, and the latter having little offal.
IMPLEMENTS
The waggons, carts, harrows, rollers, &c. used bere in husbandry, have nothing particularly singular in them, either to condemn or approve. Their form and figure are somewhat different from those in other counties; but it is generally in those particulars that may be justly termed non-essential, and they are commonly well enough adapted to the uses for which they are intended.
ENCLOSURES, FENCES, &C
The most general mode of enclosing, is with post and rail, and planting white-thorn quickset. Some fences have been formed by raising mounds, or banks of earth, on each side the quicksets, instead of post and rail. Some instances of stone, fencing also remain, upon a considerable scale, at Brixworth and other places. A little mud scraped from the highways has been used as mortar. The gates have nothing particular; they are made of such timber or wood as can be conveniently procured. The benefit of enclosures in this county has been generally admitted.
ROADS AND BRIDGES
There are few districts that can boast of a greater number of handsome well-built stone bridges; every brook and rivulet is made passable by means of a stone arch; and the bridges on the larger rivers do credit to the public, spirit of the inhabitants. It is to be regretted, that so much cannot be said of the roads in every part of the county. Still they have been considerably improved, and bid fair in a short period to leave no ground for future complaint, especially since the practice of breaking the stories has been adopted, instead of laying them on the road snearly in the same state in which they were taken from the quarry.
WASTES
The improvements in this county may be estimated from what has been formerly waste, and what is at present enclosed. Some of the hill land, near Daventry, was only sheep-walk for a considerable period, to which may be added the common of Stoke Bruern, &c. though the whole, exclusive of Peterborough Fen, and the common-field pastures, fell short of 1000 acres. The great Peterborough Fen was a tract of fine level land, consisting of between she and seven thousand acres, of a soil perhaps equal to any in Great Britain, and capable of the highest cultivation. Its site is between Peterborough and Crowland, towards the north-east bounds of the county. Thirty-two parishes or townships have enjoyed the right of pasturage within what has been called the soke of Peterborough; nevertheless, the advantages necessarily resulting from a division of this common land are so obvious, as to need no illustration. The enclosed pastures are rich in produce, and the meadow's equally so: very good crops of grain and great ones of beams and hemp, give sufficient proofs of natural fertility. This large tract of land, as well as the extensive districts of fen land adjoining, in the counties of Cambridge and Lincoln, were doubtless originally formed by the sediment of the neighbouring rivers of Ouse, Nen, and Welland, in the immense lapse of time that passed between the formation of the earth’s surface upon the present system. In fact, it has been matter of considerable surprise, that Peterborough Fen should have remained so long undivided and uncultivated.
WOODLANDS AND FORESTS
Of the forests, the principalis Rockingham, situated in the northern part of the county, and extending nearly twenty miles in the same direction. The two large forests of Whittlewood and Salcey, lie towards the southern border. There are two chases; Geddington and Yardley; the former was once a part of Rockingham forest; but the ancestors of the Montague family obtained permission from the crown to disforest it, and convert it into a chase. Yardleychase was once a part of Salcey forest; but this has also been disforested. Purlieu woods, extensive and numerous here, are those situated in the vicinity of the forests, and once formed part of them, but are no longer subject to any of the regulations of forest woods. The underwood in the forests and chases principally consists of black and white thorn, ash, sallow, maple, and a small proportion of hazel. The forest of Salcey is situated near the south-eastern border of the county, where it joins Buckinghamshire. Its limits were extended by King John, and in 1639 Charles the First threatened to enlarge it; but this oppressive measure being extended to several other Forests, was rendered ineffectual by an act of Parliament in 1641, which confined all the Royal forests to their reputed limits in the twentieth year of the preceding reign.
In the 17th of Charles II. the forests of Salcey and Whitdewood were settled on Queen Catherine for life, as part of he jointure, reserving all the timber trees and saplings for the use of the crown. In the 25th year of the same reign, the several coppices, woods, underwoods, and woodlands in these forestswere granted to Henry Earl of Arlington for the term of his life, which at length devolved to the family of Grafton. The number of deer kept in this forest of Salcey, is about one thousand of all sorts; and the number killed annually is about twenty-eight brace of bucks and twenty-four of does, some of which are distributed to his Majesty’s household, to the verderers, and other officers. The forest of Whittlewood, though principally belonging to the county of Northampton, extends into the adjoining counties of Oxford and Buckingham, and is part of the honour of Grafton. The number of deer killed annually is about one hundred and thirty-eight bucks and ten does, one year with another. The value of the timber to the crown is considerable.
MINERALS
The county of Northampton does not produce any coal, but common clay is found and used for making of brick and tile in various parts. Limestone is in great quantity, and raised for various purposes, either for mortar or manure; for building fence walls for courts, yards, and sometimes for enclosures and repairing roads. The principal lime works are at Duston and Kingsthorpe, besides public kilns at Moulton, Hardwick, and Blisworth, and private ones kept by farmers. Plenty of friable marl was found in executing the tunnels of the Grand Junction Canal at Braunston and Blisworth..
Freestone for building is raised at Brackley and Kingsthorpe, near Northampton, and many other places. Slate, or schistus, has been dug in considerable quantities near Colly Weston, and used for covering buildings. Dr. Watson, the late Bishop of Llandaff, observed, “Some of our old buildings at Cambridge are covered with a whitish kind of slate, dug up at Colly Weston, in Northamptonshire. This slate, in its component parts a calcareous earth, is very similar to the Barnack stone of which Peterborough cathedral and part of king’s chapel in Cambridge, are built. This Colly Weston slate imbibes more water, and retains it longer than Westmoreland slate does; but it does not imbibe half so much as a common tile, nor retain it for a quarter of the time.“
The manner of its being formed into slate deserves notice: large blocks are dug up in autumn, and being placed in a position different from what they had in the quarry, the rain insinuates itself between the layers of which the stone is composed; and in frosty weather the water swelling as it becomes ice, splits the block of stone into plates of a proper thickness. There is a stone of a calcareous nature called clunch, in this neighbourhood; it is soft, and easily wrought, and when properly placed in a building, is very durable; but if the position of the stone in the building be different from what it was in the quarry, that is, if the side of the stone which in the quarry was parallel to the horizon, be either perpendicular or inclined to it in the building, it soon cracks, and moulders away. Good freestone was several years ago discovered upon the Laxton estate, belonging to Lady Carberry, in the fissures of which was found a good permanent paint, said to be useful in painting and preserving gates, posts, pales, or any timber work, exposed to the weather.
MANUFACTURES
The principal in this county are shoes, bone-lace, and woollen stuffs, tommies, callimancoes, and everlastings. In Northampton and some of the neighbouring villages, upwards of 1000 hands have been employed during the late war in making shoes for the army and navy, and the shops in London. About 7 or 8000 pairs have also been manufactured weekly in the time of peace, The wages of journeymen are excessively low.
In Wellingborough, and its vicinity, nearly ten thousand persons, mostly young women and boys, have been employed at lace-making; but this branch has undergone a considerable decline, as has also the woollen manufactory at Kettering and in its neighbourhood: this is the case likewise at Rothwell, Desborough, &c. Considerable quantities of whips have been manufactured at Daventry by two masters. There is also another manufactory for silk stockings, but which has likewise experienced a change with the times.
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
Sixteen ounces to the pound, and one hundred and twelve pounds to the hundred, is universal throughout the county; but measures are very irregular, though many attempts have been made to render the Winchester bushel general. These attempts have not been attended with that success they so well deserved; and as the laws now in existence are of ancient date, they are by many considered as absolute; and it is well worthy of the legislature to amend and strengthen them, and render them effectual throughout the kingdom. Though the power of the law is known, Mr. Pitt thought that a few examples were wanting on the spot, to stamp on the offenders the knowledge of doing wrong. This, he conceived, might be done by employing a few persons in each county as market-surveyors, who should lodge informations. The name of an informer is generally deemed odipus; but in this, case, a person regularly appointed would not be more so than an exciseman, being equally authorized to put the law in execution, and to prevent numerous abuses and acts of extortion on the part of millers, cornfactors, or jobbers.
EMINENT AND LEARNED MEN
Lewis Atterbury, a divine, bora at Milton, 1631, died 1693—Thomas Britton, the well known musical, small-coal man, died, 1714—Mrs., Esther Chapone, au elegant ppetess and moral writer, born 1726, died 1801—Henry Chichely, Archbishop, founder. of All Souls College, Oxford, died 1443—John Dryden, the celebrated poet,born, 1,631, died 1,700—Thomas Fuller, born 1608, died 1661—Dr, John Gill, born 1697, died. 1771—James Harrington, born 1611, died. 1677. James Hervey, born 1714, died 1758—Dr. William Paley, born 1743, died 1805—Daniel Whitby, born 1638, died 1725—Leonard Welsted, born 1689, died, 1749—Dr. John Wilkins, born 1614, died 1672—Sir Ralph Winwood, born 1655, died 1617.
The Northampton Mercury, a weekly paper, published every Saturday, is the only one published in this county.
TITLES CONFERRED BY THE COUNTY
Grafton, that of Duke to the Fitzroys; —Thornhaugh, to the Russels; —Peterborough, the title of Marquis to the Mordaunts; —Harrington and Northampton, the same to the Stanhopes, and to the Compton families; —Norborough and Milton, that of Earl to the family of Wentworth Fitzwilliam; —Brackley gives the same title to the Egertons; —Daventry to the Spencers; —Boughton to the Scotts; —Braybrooke to the Nevills; and Lilford to the Powys families.
QUARTER SESSIONS
These are held at Northampton, on January 13, April 13, July 13, October 19. —At Peterborough, Jan. 12, April 12, July 12, October 18.
Most Common Surnames in Northamptonshire
| Rank | Surname | Incidence | Frequency | Percent of Parent | Rank in England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smith | 10,825 | 1:72 | 1.71% | 1 |
| 2 | Jones | 5,190 | 1:150 | 1.36% | 2 |
| 3 | Brown | 5,134 | 1:151 | 1.81% | 4 |
| 4 | Taylor | 3,577 | 1:217 | 1.22% | 3 |
| 5 | Patel | 3,335 | 1:233 | 2.00% | 9 |
| 6 | Williams | 3,131 | 1:248 | 1.15% | 5 |
| 7 | Wilson | 3,060 | 1:254 | 1.56% | 6 |
| 8 | Wright | 3,029 | 1:256 | 1.90% | 11 |
| 9 | White | 2,951 | 1:263 | 1.97% | 15 |
| 10 | Johnson | 2,866 | 1:271 | 1.50% | 7 |
| 11 | Robinson | 2,860 | 1:271 | 1.77% | 10 |
| 12 | Green | 2,476 | 1:313 | 1.73% | 17 |
| 13 | Harris | 2,377 | 1:326 | 1.81% | 23 |
| 14 | Clarke | 2,347 | 1:331 | 1.73% | 20 |
| 15 | Martin | 2,140 | 1:363 | 1.73% | 26 |
| 16 | Thompson | 2,137 | 1:363 | 1.35% | 12 |
| 17 | Roberts | 2,124 | 1:365 | 1.46% | 16 |
| 18 | Davies | 2,111 | 1:368 | 1.20% | 8 |
| 19 | King | 2,105 | 1:369 | 1.87% | 33 |
| 20 | Walker | 2,084 | 1:372 | 1.37% | 14 |
| 21 | Evans | 2,025 | 1:383 | 1.31% | 13 |
| 22 | Ward | 1,993 | 1:389 | 1.71% | 29 |
| 23 | Allen | 1,848 | 1:420 | 1.75% | 38 |
| 24 | Moore | 1,789 | 1:434 | 1.55% | 31 |
| 25 | Hill | 1,770 | 1:438 | 1.49% | 28 |
| 26 | Thomas | 1,765 | 1:440 | 1.27% | 19 |
| 26 | Wood | 1,765 | 1:440 | 1.33% | 22 |
| 28 | Clark | 1,728 | 1:449 | 1.51% | 32 |
| 29 | Hall | 1,703 | 1:456 | 1.20% | 18 |
| 30 | Lewis | 1,698 | 1:457 | 1.53% | 35 |
| 31 | Cox | 1,669 | 1:465 | 2.15% | 62 |
| 32 | Edwards | 1,608 | 1:483 | 1.25% | 24 |
| 33 | Jackson | 1,593 | 1:487 | 1.18% | 21 |
| 34 | Cooper | 1,589 | 1:488 | 1.30% | 27 |
| 35 | James | 1,585 | 1:490 | 1.74% | 45 |
| 36 | Turner | 1,569 | 1:495 | 1.23% | 25 |
| 37 | Bailey | 1,532 | 1:506 | 1.76% | 51 |
| 38 | Lee | 1,496 | 1:519 | 1.40% | 37 |
| 39 | Hughes | 1,491 | 1:520 | 1.28% | 30 |
| 40 | Parker | 1,470 | 1:528 | 1.53% | 44 |
| 41 | Harrison | 1,452 | 1:534 | 1.31% | 34 |
| 42 | Adams | 1,449 | 1:535 | 1.96% | 68 |
| 43 | Scott | 1,431 | 1:542 | 1.40% | 41 |
| 44 | Chapman | 1,429 | 1:543 | 2.02% | 75 |
| 45 | Baker | 1,410 | 1:550 | 1.28% | 36 |
| 46 | Mitchell | 1,407 | 1:551 | 1.62% | 50 |
| 47 | Collins | 1,390 | 1:558 | 1.68% | 57 |
| 47 | Knight | 1,390 | 1:558 | 2.27% | 88 |
| 49 | Davis | 1,326 | 1:585 | 1.38% | 43 |
| 50 | Miller | 1,307 | 1:594 | 1.66% | 61 |
| 51 | Watts | 1,295 | 1:599 | 3.04% | 134 |
| 52 | Morris | 1,283 | 1:605 | 1.23% | 39 |
| 53 | Carter | 1,258 | 1:617 | 1.45% | 52 |
| 54 | Watson | 1,236 | 1:628 | 1.25% | 42 |
| 55 | Anderson | 1,234 | 1:629 | 1.64% | 67 |
| 56 | Richardson | 1,218 | 1:637 | 1.39% | 49 |
| 57 | Young | 1,214 | 1:639 | 1.37% | 47 |
| 58 | Webb | 1,190 | 1:652 | 1.81% | 79 |
| 59 | Phillips | 1,173 | 1:661 | 1.34% | 48 |
| 60 | Bell | 1,152 | 1:674 | 1.37% | 56 |
| 61 | Kelly | 1,144 | 1:678 | 1.44% | 59 |
| 62 | Marshall | 1,130 | 1:687 | 1.47% | 64 |
| 63 | Foster | 1,117 | 1:695 | 1.56% | 72 |
| 64 | Palmer | 1,106 | 1:702 | 1.74% | 82 |
| 65 | Campbell | 1,089 | 1:713 | 1.72% | 83 |
| 66 | Russell | 1,083 | 1:716 | 1.86% | 97 |
| 67 | Cook | 1,066 | 1:728 | 1.25% | 53 |
| 68 | Morgan | 1,055 | 1:735 | 1.28% | 58 |
| 69 | Coleman | 1,036 | 1:749 | 3.20% | 200 |
| 70 | Stewart | 1,023 | 1:758 | 1.98% | 108 |
| 71 | Chambers | 1,021 | 1:760 | 3.09% | 194 |
| 72 | Mills | 1,010 | 1:768 | 1.62% | 85 |
| 73 | Payne | 1,008 | 1:770 | 2.08% | 121 |
| 74 | Haynes | 1,007 | 1:771 | 4.88% | 356 |
| 75 | Gray | 1,005 | 1:772 | 1.49% | 77 |
| 75 | Simpson | 1,005 | 1:772 | 1.32% | 65 |
| 77 | Rogers | 991 | 1:783 | 1.59% | 86 |
| 78 | Richards | 979 | 1:793 | 1.47% | 78 |
| 79 | Mason | 977 | 1:794 | 1.44% | 76 |
| 80 | Page | 971 | 1:799 | 2.45% | 145 |
| 81 | Coles | 970 | 1:800 | 5.42% | 411 |
| 82 | Dunkley | 942 | 1:824 | 16.73% | 1,458 |
| 83 | Murphy | 941 | 1:825 | 1.32% | 74 |
| 84 | Shaw | 937 | 1:828 | 1.11% | 55 |
| 85 | Freeman | 934 | 1:831 | 2.70% | 184 |
| 86 | Holmes | 916 | 1:847 | 1.46% | 84 |
| 87 | Fox | 909 | 1:854 | 1.75% | 107 |
| 88 | Osborne | 894 | 1:868 | 2.87% | 206 |
| 89 | Hunt | 884 | 1:878 | 1.37% | 81 |
| 89 | Spencer | 884 | 1:878 | 1.85% | 124 |
| 91 | Reynolds | 877 | 1:885 | 1.78% | 116 |
| 92 | Murray | 866 | 1:896 | 1.59% | 102 |
| 93 | Bates | 859 | 1:903 | 2.35% | 168 |
| 94 | Gardner | 856 | 1:906 | 2.41% | 177 |
| 95 | Barnes | 847 | 1:916 | 1.38% | 87 |
| 96 | Warren | 837 | 1:927 | 2.48% | 188 |
| 97 | Andrews | 835 | 1:929 | 1.66% | 111 |
| 98 | Underwood | 826 | 1:939 | 6.15% | 558 |
| 99 | York | 822 | 1:944 | 12.20% | 1,209 |
| 100 | Price | 821 | 1:945 | 1.08% | 66 |
| 100 | West | 821 | 1:945 | 1.66% | 114 |
| 102 | Bennett | 812 | 1:956 | 0.90% | 46 |
| 103 | Ellis | 809 | 1:959 | 1.14% | 73 |
| 104 | Howard | 805 | 1:964 | 1.49% | 103 |
| 105 | Curtis | 804 | 1:965 | 2.45% | 196 |
| 105 | Perkins | 804 | 1:965 | 3.73% | 338 |
| 107 | Harvey | 800 | 1:970 | 1.39% | 98 |
| 108 | Griffiths | 795 | 1:976 | 1.21% | 80 |
| 109 | Barker | 793 | 1:978 | 1.32% | 90 |
| 110 | Butler | 790 | 1:982 | 1.35% | 95 |
| 111 | Graham | 787 | 1:986 | 1.41% | 100 |
| 112 | Gibson | 777 | 1:999 | 1.48% | 105 |
| 113 | Rose | 771 | 1:1,006 | 1.70% | 130 |
| 114 | Matthews | 767 | 1:1,012 | 1.26% | 89 |
| 115 | Newman | 761 | 1:1,020 | 1.83% | 139 |
| 116 | Begum | 760 | 1:1,021 | 0.96% | 60 |
| 117 | Lawrence | 756 | 1:1,026 | 1.61% | 127 |
| 118 | Frost | 744 | 1:1,043 | 2.54% | 228 |
| 119 | Bird | 742 | 1:1,046 | 2.02% | 165 |
| 120 | Singh | 741 | 1:1,047 | 0.87% | 54 |
| 121 | Robertson | 740 | 1:1,049 | 2.02% | 166 |
| 122 | Elliott | 738 | 1:1,051 | 1.45% | 109 |
| 123 | Brooks | 730 | 1:1,063 | 1.50% | 119 |
| 124 | Austin | 723 | 1:1,073 | 2.48% | 229 |
| 125 | Burton | 718 | 1:1,081 | 1.53% | 126 |
| 126 | Powell | 715 | 1:1,085 | 1.19% | 91 |
| 127 | Grant | 712 | 1:1,090 | 1.66% | 132 |
| 127 | Stevens | 712 | 1:1,090 | 1.21% | 92 |
| 129 | Pearson | 707 | 1:1,097 | 1.24% | 99 |
| 129 | Wells | 707 | 1:1,097 | 1.66% | 133 |
| 131 | Smart | 699 | 1:1,110 | 3.35% | 350 |
| 132 | Day | 695 | 1:1,116 | 1.41% | 117 |
| 132 | Marriott | 695 | 1:1,116 | 4.79% | 512 |
| 132 | Wilkinson | 695 | 1:1,116 | 0.94% | 69 |
| 135 | Willis | 693 | 1:1,120 | 2.28% | 216 |
| 136 | Cross | 691 | 1:1,123 | 2.02% | 185 |
| 136 | Hart | 691 | 1:1,123 | 1.63% | 136 |
| 138 | Saunders | 689 | 1:1,126 | 1.40% | 115 |
| 139 | Owen | 675 | 1:1,150 | 1.37% | 113 |
| 139 | Wills | 675 | 1:1,150 | 4.98% | 553 |
| 141 | Sharp | 674 | 1:1,151 | 2.12% | 202 |
| 142 | Shah | 667 | 1:1,163 | 1.25% | 104 |
| 143 | Fisher | 666 | 1:1,165 | 1.14% | 94 |
| 143 | Manning | 666 | 1:1,165 | 3.37% | 377 |
| 145 | Faulkner | 659 | 1:1,177 | 3.88% | 433 |
| 146 | Sanders | 644 | 1:1,205 | 2.82% | 312 |
| 147 | Bradshaw | 639 | 1:1,214 | 3.04% | 348 |
| 148 | Ali | 622 | 1:1,247 | 0.85% | 70 |
| 149 | Reid | 620 | 1:1,251 | 1.67% | 161 |
| 150 | Kennedy | 619 | 1:1,253 | 1.74% | 176 |
| 151 | Abbott | 616 | 1:1,260 | 2.75% | 320 |
| 152 | Reed | 609 | 1:1,274 | 1.67% | 167 |
| 153 | Hawkins | 608 | 1:1,276 | 1.67% | 171 |
| 154 | Ball | 607 | 1:1,278 | 1.32% | 129 |
| 155 | Bull | 603 | 1:1,287 | 2.90% | 351 |
| 156 | Webster | 600 | 1:1,293 | 1.48% | 142 |
| 157 | Berry | 598 | 1:1,298 | 1.53% | 154 |
| 158 | Ford | 593 | 1:1,308 | 1.20% | 112 |
| 159 | Ryan | 588 | 1:1,320 | 1.57% | 160 |
| 160 | Walsh | 585 | 1:1,326 | 1.20% | 118 |
| 161 | Dawson | 574 | 1:1,352 | 1.23% | 128 |
| 162 | Lane | 572 | 1:1,356 | 1.62% | 178 |
| 163 | Thomson | 570 | 1:1,361 | 2.13% | 251 |
| 164 | French | 568 | 1:1,366 | 2.22% | 264 |
| 164 | Parsons | 568 | 1:1,366 | 1.54% | 163 |
| 164 | Woods | 568 | 1:1,366 | 1.45% | 151 |
| 167 | Hunter | 564 | 1:1,376 | 1.37% | 141 |
| 168 | Lloyd | 561 | 1:1,383 | 1.11% | 110 |
| 169 | Johnston | 559 | 1:1,388 | 1.86% | 218 |
| 169 | Stevenson | 559 | 1:1,388 | 1.81% | 211 |
| 171 | Oliver | 551 | 1:1,408 | 1.47% | 159 |
| 172 | O'Brien | 546 | 1:1,421 | 1.49% | 164 |
| 173 | Carr | 545 | 1:1,424 | 1.38% | 147 |
| 174 | Arnold | 544 | 1:1,426 | 1.82% | 223 |
| 175 | Norman | 543 | 1:1,429 | 2.17% | 274 |
| 176 | Fletcher | 538 | 1:1,442 | 0.98% | 101 |
| 177 | Goodman | 537 | 1:1,445 | 3.75% | 515 |
| 178 | Jenkins | 534 | 1:1,453 | 1.29% | 140 |
| 179 | Cole | 530 | 1:1,464 | 1.10% | 122 |
| 180 | Burgess | 529 | 1:1,467 | 1.52% | 181 |
| 181 | Gilbert | 528 | 1:1,470 | 1.70% | 207 |
| 182 | O'Neill | 527 | 1:1,472 | 1.92% | 244 |
| 183 | Holland | 522 | 1:1,486 | 1.37% | 157 |
| 184 | Houghton | 521 | 1:1,489 | 2.59% | 367 |
| 185 | Dunn | 519 | 1:1,495 | 1.33% | 155 |
| 185 | Marsh | 519 | 1:1,495 | 1.32% | 148 |
| 187 | Mann | 518 | 1:1,498 | 1.72% | 219 |
| 188 | Ingram | 516 | 1:1,504 | 3.49% | 504 |
| 189 | McDonald | 515 | 1:1,507 | 1.62% | 201 |
| 190 | Perry | 514 | 1:1,510 | 1.23% | 138 |
| 191 | Mayes | 513 | 1:1,513 | 7.88% | 1,245 |
| 192 | Barrett | 512 | 1:1,515 | 1.31% | 153 |
| 193 | Barber | 506 | 1:1,533 | 1.69% | 222 |
| 193 | Read | 506 | 1:1,533 | 1.68% | 217 |
| 193 | Wilkins | 506 | 1:1,533 | 2.46% | 357 |
| 196 | Bishop | 503 | 1:1,543 | 1.45% | 180 |
| 196 | Franklin | 503 | 1:1,543 | 2.68% | 392 |
| 198 | Drage | 497 | 1:1,561 | 27.94% | 4,178 |
| 198 | O'Connor | 497 | 1:1,561 | 1.77% | 236 |
| 200 | Pearce | 494 | 1:1,571 | 1.04% | 125 |
| Rank | Surname | Incidence | Frequency | Percent of Parent | Rank in England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smith | 5,623 | 1:49 | 1.55% | 1 |
| 2 | Brown | 2,111 | 1:130 | 1.38% | 4 |
| 3 | Wright | 1,828 | 1:150 | 2.10% | 9 |
| 4 | Clarke | 1,680 | 1:163 | 2.91% | 31 |
| 5 | Robinson | 1,679 | 1:163 | 1.80% | 8 |
| 6 | Johnson | 1,648 | 1:166 | 1.69% | 7 |
| 7 | Jones | 1,538 | 1:178 | 0.94% | 3 |
| 8 | Green | 1,449 | 1:189 | 1.81% | 15 |
| 9 | Ward | 1,350 | 1:203 | 2.16% | 25 |
| 10 | Chapman | 1,256 | 1:218 | 3.13% | 55 |
| 11 | Harris | 1,178 | 1:232 | 1.77% | 21 |
| 12 | White | 1,134 | 1:241 | 1.34% | 11 |
| 13 | Allen | 1,128 | 1:243 | 2.09% | 33 |
| 14 | Wilson | 1,113 | 1:246 | 1.12% | 6 |
| 15 | Cox | 1,050 | 1:261 | 2.41% | 49 |
| 16 | Taylor | 1,047 | 1:261 | 0.62% | 2 |
| 17 | Adams | 1,007 | 1:272 | 2.66% | 63 |
| 18 | Thompson | 952 | 1:287 | 1.13% | 12 |
| 19 | Knight | 926 | 1:295 | 2.64% | 69 |
| 20 | Bailey | 918 | 1:298 | 2.09% | 48 |
| 21 | Dunkley | 863 | 1:317 | 36.35% | 1,554 |
| 22 | Webb | 842 | 1:325 | 2.15% | 56 |
| 23 | Cooper | 806 | 1:339 | 1.18% | 20 |
| 24 | Coles | 800 | 1:342 | 8.17% | 355 |
| 25 | Hill | 799 | 1:342 | 1.15% | 19 |
| 26 | Perkins | 782 | 1:350 | 7.47% | 330 |
| 27 | York | 778 | 1:352 | 20.27% | 978 |
| 28 | Walker | 774 | 1:353 | 0.94% | 14 |
| 29 | Freeman | 762 | 1:359 | 4.13% | 162 |
| 30 | Underwood | 758 | 1:361 | 9.64% | 438 |
| 31 | King | 757 | 1:361 | 1.29% | 29 |
| 32 | Bird | 756 | 1:362 | 3.47% | 121 |
| 33 | Roberts | 755 | 1:362 | 1.16% | 22 |
| 34 | Abbott | 735 | 1:372 | 5.67% | 250 |
| 35 | Watts | 733 | 1:373 | 3.10% | 110 |
| 36 | James | 729 | 1:375 | 1.90% | 62 |
| 37 | Palmer | 727 | 1:376 | 2.17% | 73 |
| 38 | Clark | 723 | 1:378 | 1.03% | 18 |
| 39 | Payne | 682 | 1:401 | 2.91% | 111 |
| 40 | Moore | 677 | 1:404 | 1.23% | 32 |
| 41 | Parker | 673 | 1:406 | 1.29% | 35 |
| 42 | Marriott | 647 | 1:423 | 9.75% | 521 |
| 43 | Martin | 645 | 1:424 | 1.08% | 27 |
| 44 | Williams | 644 | 1:425 | 0.60% | 5 |
| 45 | Turner | 637 | 1:429 | 0.82% | 17 |
| 46 | Foster | 634 | 1:431 | 1.65% | 61 |
| 47 | Jackson | 619 | 1:442 | 0.79% | 16 |
| 48 | West | 614 | 1:446 | 2.28% | 91 |
| 49 | Barker | 607 | 1:451 | 1.58% | 60 |
| 50 | Spencer | 604 | 1:453 | 2.27% | 93 |
| 51 | Richardson | 602 | 1:454 | 1.29% | 44 |
| 52 | Baker | 601 | 1:455 | 0.95% | 24 |
| 53 | Miller | 589 | 1:464 | 1.62% | 66 |
| 54 | Hall | 574 | 1:477 | 0.70% | 13 |
| 55 | Warren | 564 | 1:485 | 2.93% | 152 |
| 56 | Page | 563 | 1:486 | 2.47% | 117 |
| 57 | Morris | 556 | 1:492 | 1.17% | 41 |
| 58 | Wood | 545 | 1:502 | 0.63% | 10 |
| 59 | Carter | 524 | 1:522 | 1.07% | 39 |
| 59 | Bates | 524 | 1:522 | 2.80% | 158 |
| 61 | Mason | 518 | 1:528 | 1.41% | 65 |
| 62 | Coleman | 501 | 1:546 | 3.53% | 217 |
| 63 | Goodman | 500 | 1:547 | 5.92% | 413 |
| 64 | Sharp | 497 | 1:550 | 2.42% | 134 |
| 65 | Dickens | 496 | 1:551 | 16.41% | 1,227 |
| 66 | Gray | 494 | 1:554 | 1.83% | 92 |
| 67 | Chambers | 491 | 1:557 | 3.08% | 190 |
| 68 | Faulkner | 490 | 1:558 | 6.09% | 434 |
| 69 | Watson | 489 | 1:559 | 0.96% | 37 |
| 70 | Davis | 485 | 1:564 | 0.79% | 26 |
| 71 | Drage | 482 | 1:568 | 41.59% | 2,970 |
| 72 | Reynolds | 481 | 1:569 | 2.07% | 112 |
| 72 | Law | 481 | 1:569 | 4.78% | 343 |
| 74 | Harrison | 480 | 1:570 | 0.75% | 23 |
| 75 | Haynes | 466 | 1:587 | 4.45% | 331 |
| 76 | Lee | 458 | 1:597 | 0.98% | 43 |
| 77 | Gardner | 455 | 1:601 | 2.76% | 179 |
| 78 | Bull | 454 | 1:603 | 3.66% | 269 |
| 79 | Bradshaw | 449 | 1:609 | 3.74% | 286 |
| 80 | Cook | 448 | 1:611 | 0.83% | 34 |
| 81 | Lovell | 447 | 1:612 | 7.43% | 587 |
| 82 | Manning | 446 | 1:613 | 4.85% | 379 |
| 83 | Smart | 444 | 1:616 | 4.33% | 338 |
| 84 | Collins | 438 | 1:625 | 1.13% | 58 |
| 85 | Cross | 437 | 1:626 | 2.27% | 150 |
| 86 | Ashby | 432 | 1:633 | 8.62% | 730 |
| 87 | Marlow | 427 | 1:641 | 12.27% | 1,088 |
| 88 | Wills | 423 | 1:647 | 4.94% | 403 |
| 89 | Sharman | 422 | 1:648 | 10.37% | 921 |
| 90 | Ball | 419 | 1:653 | 1.74% | 105 |
| 90 | Austin | 419 | 1:653 | 3.05% | 230 |
| 92 | Sanders | 413 | 1:662 | 3.21% | 253 |
| 93 | Barnes | 410 | 1:667 | 1.16% | 68 |
| 94 | Howard | 407 | 1:672 | 1.42% | 84 |
| 94 | Tebbutt | 407 | 1:672 | 37.24% | 3,135 |
| 96 | Shaw | 403 | 1:679 | 0.84% | 40 |
| 97 | Rogers | 402 | 1:680 | 1.18% | 72 |
| 98 | Andrews | 399 | 1:686 | 1.47% | 90 |
| 98 | Coe | 399 | 1:686 | 8.25% | 760 |
| 100 | Gibson | 386 | 1:709 | 1.51% | 99 |
| 101 | Frost | 384 | 1:712 | 2.33% | 180 |
| 102 | Russell | 383 | 1:714 | 1.47% | 95 |
| 102 | Neal | 383 | 1:714 | 4.35% | 393 |
| 104 | Sharpe | 380 | 1:720 | 4.59% | 419 |
| 105 | Fox | 379 | 1:722 | 1.45% | 96 |
| 106 | Butler | 377 | 1:726 | 1.36% | 88 |
| 107 | Mills | 373 | 1:733 | 1.04% | 67 |
| 108 | Denton | 371 | 1:737 | 6.81% | 678 |
| 109 | Lewis | 366 | 1:747 | 0.89% | 53 |
| 110 | Richards | 365 | 1:749 | 1.17% | 77 |
| 110 | Wells | 365 | 1:749 | 1.52% | 106 |
| 112 | Phillips | 364 | 1:751 | 1.04% | 70 |
| 113 | Elliott | 360 | 1:760 | 1.48% | 104 |
| 113 | Tarry | 360 | 1:760 | 36.51% | 3,430 |
| 115 | Curtis | 359 | 1:762 | 2.19% | 182 |
| 115 | Franklin | 359 | 1:762 | 3.67% | 358 |
| 117 | Newman | 358 | 1:764 | 1.65% | 122 |
| 118 | George | 355 | 1:771 | 2.72% | 246 |
| 119 | Henson | 354 | 1:773 | 10.26% | 1,094 |
| 120 | Houghton | 351 | 1:779 | 3.38% | 334 |
| 121 | Ingram | 348 | 1:786 | 5.02% | 498 |
| 122 | Meadows | 347 | 1:788 | 8.40% | 902 |
| 123 | Evans | 342 | 1:800 | 0.58% | 28 |
| 123 | Billingham | 342 | 1:800 | 19.24% | 2,057 |
| 125 | Patrick | 341 | 1:802 | 9.07% | 998 |
| 126 | Pearson | 339 | 1:807 | 1.15% | 82 |
| 127 | Baxter | 337 | 1:812 | 2.52% | 238 |
| 127 | Gilbert | 337 | 1:812 | 2.13% | 192 |
| 129 | Groom | 336 | 1:814 | 8.11% | 898 |
| 130 | Lawrence | 335 | 1:817 | 1.90% | 170 |
| 130 | Willis | 335 | 1:817 | 2.17% | 199 |
| 130 | Cave | 335 | 1:817 | 7.87% | 871 |
| 133 | Middleton | 334 | 1:819 | 2.51% | 241 |
| 134 | Edwards | 330 | 1:829 | 0.57% | 30 |
| 135 | Partridge | 325 | 1:842 | 4.67% | 496 |
| 136 | Dixon | 317 | 1:863 | 1.00% | 76 |
| 136 | Barber | 317 | 1:863 | 1.82% | 174 |
| 136 | Jeffs | 317 | 1:863 | 13.86% | 1,628 |
| 139 | Bennett | 316 | 1:866 | 0.68% | 45 |
| 140 | Cole | 313 | 1:874 | 1.22% | 98 |
| 141 | Letts | 311 | 1:880 | 30.76% | 3,349 |
| 142 | Marshall | 310 | 1:882 | 0.76% | 54 |
| 143 | Pratt | 309 | 1:885 | 2.20% | 221 |
| 144 | Wilkins | 307 | 1:891 | 2.47% | 266 |
| 144 | Betts | 307 | 1:891 | 4.87% | 547 |
| 144 | Westley | 307 | 1:891 | 25.31% | 2,860 |
| 147 | Osborn | 303 | 1:903 | 4.90% | 563 |
| 148 | Nichols | 302 | 1:906 | 3.18% | 369 |
| 149 | Webster | 299 | 1:915 | 1.39% | 123 |
| 150 | Warner | 298 | 1:918 | 2.78% | 322 |
| 150 | Panter | 298 | 1:918 | 29.30% | 3,334 |
| 152 | Church | 297 | 1:921 | 4.72% | 550 |
| 153 | Mitchell | 295 | 1:927 | 0.71% | 52 |
| 153 | Barrett | 295 | 1:927 | 1.54% | 153 |
| 155 | Cooke | 293 | 1:934 | 1.83% | 188 |
| 156 | Simpson | 291 | 1:940 | 0.75% | 57 |
| 157 | Hart | 290 | 1:943 | 1.26% | 115 |
| 157 | Reeve | 290 | 1:943 | 4.15% | 493 |
| 159 | Stanton | 287 | 1:953 | 5.00% | 631 |
| 160 | Howes | 286 | 1:956 | 5.49% | 707 |
| 161 | Wooding | 285 | 1:960 | 22.82% | 2,797 |
| 162 | Eales | 280 | 1:977 | 18.72% | 2,388 |
| 162 | Butlin | 280 | 1:977 | 37.58% | 4,340 |
| 164 | Bell | 279 | 1:980 | 0.65% | 51 |
| 164 | Burton | 279 | 1:980 | 1.14% | 103 |
| 166 | Hunt | 276 | 1:991 | 0.71% | 59 |
| 167 | Fisher | 275 | 1:995 | 0.89% | 78 |
| 167 | Mayes | 275 | 1:995 | 10.00% | 1,335 |
| 169 | Goode | 274 | 1:998 | 7.22% | 989 |
| 169 | Blunt | 274 | 1:998 | 11.76% | 1,590 |
| 171 | Rose | 273 | 1:1,002 | 1.37% | 142 |
| 171 | Kirby | 273 | 1:1,002 | 2.43% | 310 |
| 171 | Tilley | 273 | 1:1,002 | 7.13% | 981 |
| 174 | Scott | 272 | 1:1,006 | 0.57% | 42 |
| 175 | Percival | 269 | 1:1,017 | 6.42% | 885 |
| 176 | Noble | 268 | 1:1,021 | 2.80% | 367 |
| 176 | Pell | 268 | 1:1,021 | 17.90% | 2,386 |
| 178 | Gibbs | 266 | 1:1,028 | 1.90% | 223 |
| 178 | Bland | 266 | 1:1,028 | 4.35% | 573 |
| 180 | Matthews | 261 | 1:1,048 | 1.10% | 108 |
| 181 | French | 259 | 1:1,056 | 1.91% | 236 |
| 182 | Stokes | 257 | 1:1,064 | 2.14% | 285 |
| 182 | Warwick | 257 | 1:1,064 | 6.65% | 967 |
| 184 | Day | 256 | 1:1,069 | 0.94% | 89 |
| 185 | Humphrey | 255 | 1:1,073 | 3.51% | 477 |
| 185 | Walden | 255 | 1:1,073 | 12.06% | 1,761 |
| 185 | Beeby | 255 | 1:1,073 | 25.35% | 3,359 |
| 188 | Osborne | 252 | 1:1,085 | 1.88% | 239 |
| 189 | Weston | 250 | 1:1,094 | 2.13% | 301 |
| 190 | Archer | 249 | 1:1,099 | 2.10% | 293 |
| 191 | Starmer | 248 | 1:1,103 | 52.43% | 6,250 |
| 192 | Buswell | 246 | 1:1,112 | 28.51% | 3,826 |
| 193 | Linnell | 244 | 1:1,121 | 36.31% | 4,721 |
| 194 | Lucas | 242 | 1:1,130 | 1.87% | 251 |
| 194 | Howe | 242 | 1:1,130 | 2.17% | 313 |
| 194 | Hobbs | 242 | 1:1,130 | 2.35% | 335 |
| 197 | Arnold | 239 | 1:1,145 | 1.56% | 200 |
| 197 | Langley | 239 | 1:1,145 | 3.80% | 550 |
| 199 | Woodward | 238 | 1:1,149 | 1.65% | 213 |
| 199 | Griffin | 238 | 1:1,149 | 1.78% | 240 |