217 
NORTHAMPTO N. 
liar form. Each confifts of three femi-columns, gradu¬ 
ally diminifhing at every ftory. On the north and fouth 
iides of the fame are two feries of arcades ; and at the 
weft end one range correfponding; with a blank arch, 
having three rows of flat ftones, charged with varied tra¬ 
cery in the pannels. , 
St. Sepulchre’s church, near the northern extremity of 
the town, is another Angular and curious fpecimen of the 
eccleflaftical architecture of England. This alto, like St. 
Peter’s,- may be confidered unique, having fome features 
and peculiarities unlike any other of the country. It 
confifts of a fquare tower with a fpire at the weft end ; a 
circular part, and a fquare eaft end, of three aifles. This 
and the tower are additions, of a comparatively modern 
date, to the original edifice. Part of the circular building 
is evidently very ancient, probably before A.D. 1200; 
but various alterations have been made at different times. 
Within acircularexterior wall is a feries of eight columns, 
alfo difpofed in a circle. From thefe rife eight arches in 
the pointed ftyle, but completely plain and unadorned. 
Over the columns the wall afl'umes an oftangular fliape. 
Four of the pillars have fquare bafes and capitals, whilft 
thofe of the others are circular. 
Northampton formerly contained feveral monadic efta- 
blilhments and edifices ; but few of thefe are now remain¬ 
ing.—The priory of St. Andrew was fituated at the north- 
weftern part of the town, near the river, and was founded 
anterior to the year 1076 ; for in 1084. Simon de St. Liz 
repaired the buildings, and augmented the endowments. 
The Francifcans, or grey friars, had an eftablifhment here 
foon after their coming into England. They originally 
hired an habitation in St. Giles’s parifh, but afterwards 
built one on ground given them by the town in the year 
124,5. Near this houfe was a priory of Carmelites, or 
white friars, founded in 1271, by Simon Mountfort and 
Thomas Chetwood. The Dominicans, or black friars, 
were fettled here before 124.0. John Dalyngton was ei¬ 
ther founder or a confiderable benefaftor to this efta- 
blifhment. William Peverel, natural fon to the Con¬ 
queror, founded here, before 1112, a houfe of black canons, 
in honour of St. James. The Auftin friars, or friars ere¬ 
mites, had a houfe in Bridge-ftreet, founded in 1532, by 
fir John Longueville, of Wolverton in Buckinghamfhire ; 
and feveral perfons of his name were interred here. The 
college of All-Saints was founded in 14-59, with liberty 
of purchafing to the value of twenty marks. It confided 
only of two fellows. The hofpital of St. John, for women, 
an ancient building in Bridge-ftreet, confifts of a chapel, 
a large hall, and other apartments. It was founded for 
the reception of infirm poor perfons, probably by William 
St. Clere, archdeacon of Northampton, who died poflefled 
of that dignity in 1168. Near this place, clofe to the 
fcite of the fouth gate, is St. Thomas’s Hofpital for wo¬ 
men, founded in 1450, in honour of Thomas a Becket. 
It was firft endowed for twelve poor people; but an addi¬ 
tional revenue was granted by fir John Langham, in 1654, 
for fix more. 
Among the public buildings and eftablifliments of the 
town, none is of greater utility or larger fize than the 
General Infirmary, which was begun in 1791, and opened 
in 1793. It ftands on the eaftern fide of the town, but 
detached from it, on the brow of a hill which gradually 
flopes to the fouth. The building, which coft about 
io,oool. confifts of three ftories above ground, and one 
beneath ; and is admirably difpofed for the reception and 
accommodation of the fick. One fide of the houfe is ap¬ 
propriated to male, and the other to female, patients. 
The whole is faced with ftone from the Kings-Thorpe 
Quarries, the proprietor of which made a prelent of the 
■whole. The eftablilhment is fupported by the intereft 
arifing from numerous legacies, and from annual fub- 
fcriptions. 
Near All-Saints church is the old county-gaol, now 
converted into the turnkey’s lodge and debtors’ prifon. 
In this place died Thomas Brown, founder of the feft 
Vol. XVII. No. 1172. 
called Brownifts, who had been previoufly an inhabitant 
of thirty-one other prifons. Behind this is the new gaol, 
which was begun in 1791, and finilhed in 1794.. The 
town-gaol, in Filh-lane, is a fmall modern building. 
A biue-ccat fchool was eftablilhed here about the year 
1710, by John Dryden, efq. of Chefterton. There are 
alfo a brown fchool, a green fchool, and a girl’s fchool, 
eftablilhed in this place. Latterly there have been fchools 
eftablilhed here on Lancafter’s and Bell’s plans. 
In the year 1778, an aft of parliament was obtained for 
paving, lighting, watching, &c. the town; but, this being- 
found infufficient, a new aft w'as procured in 1797. In 
confequence of this aft, nearly all the ftreets and lanes of 
Northampton are paved, both for carriages and for foot- 
paffengers ; and, as the towm is chiefly built on the Hope, 
and near the top of a hill, it is generally clean and piea- 
fant. Near its centre is a large open area, furrounded by 
fhops and private-houfes, called the fquare, or market¬ 
place. 
In the town are feveral chapels, appropriated to the 
different fefts or religious focieties. That called the 
Caftle-hill meeting, is a large commodious building, and 
belongs to the Independents. The juftly-celebrated Dr. 
Doddridge preached here for twenty-two years ; and a ceno¬ 
taph has been erefted to his memory. Another meeting- 
houfe forlndependents was erefted here in 1776, in which 
are feveral fmall but handfome monumental memorials. 
TheBaptifts’ meeting, a large building, was formerly noted 
by the preaching of the Rev. S. Ryland, who officiated in 
it for fome time, and was buried here. The Moravians, 
Methodifts, and Quakers, have alio chapels in the town. 
In the year i8i’i, this town was found to contain 1623 
houfes, and 8427 inhabitants. The markets‘are three 
times a-week, Wednefday, Friday, and Saturday ; fairs, 
Feb. 20, April 15, May 4, Auguft 5 and 26, Sept. 19, 
Nov. 28, and Dec. 19. The horfe-market is reckoned to 
exceed all others in the kingdom, it being deemed the 
centre of all its horfe-markets and horfe-fairs, both for 
faddle.and harnefs, and the chief rendezvousof the dealers 
both from York and London. Its principal manufafture 
is flioes, of which great numbers are lent beyond lea; and, 
next to that, ftockingsand lace. It is the richer and more 
populous, by being a thoroughfare, both in the north and 
north-weft roads. It is forty-three miles north-eaft of 
Oxford, and fixty-fix north-north-weft of London. Lat. 
52. 15. N. Ion. o. 54. W. 
Within half a mile of the town is one of the crofles 
erefted by king Edward I. in memory of his queen Eleanor, 
whole corple was refted there in its way to Weftminfter. 
On the north fide of the river, near that crofs, many 
Roman coins have been ploughed up. 
Caftle Alhby, the feat of the marquis of Northampton, 
with the modern improvements of the grounds about it 
by Mr. Brown, are well worth the infpeftion of the curious 
traveller. 
Near Northampton is the ancient royal houfe of Holmby, 
which was formerly in great efteern, and by its fituation is 
capable of being made a truly royal palace. The houfe 
and eftate were purchafed by the duchefs of Marlborough ; 
and are at prefen t poflefled by a farmer, who has pulled 
down part of the out-houfes, and converted the remain¬ 
ing part into barns, ftables, &c. 
On the ridge of a hill weft of this place is an ancient 
encampment, called Hunlborough, of nearly an oval form, 
confifting of a double vallum, with a fingle fofle, and con¬ 
taining an area of about one acre.—One mile fouth-weffc 
of Northampton is Delapre-abbey, the feat of Edward 
Bouverie, elq. The prefent houfe occupies the fcite of a 
nunnery, which was founded in the time of king Stephen 
by Simon de St. Liz, jun. earl of Northampton.—In the 
neighbouring village of Hardingftone was born James 
Harvey, author of Meditations among the Tombs, &c. 
Beauties nf England , vol. xi. Gent. Mag. 1818. Part II. 
Wilkes's Britijh Dirc&ory , vol. iv. Oldfield's lieprej'enta - 
tive Hijl, vol. iv. 
3 K 
NORTHAM'P- 
