the opposite side rises a gentle hill, co- 
vered with the beautiful park and planta- 
tions of De la Pré Abbey: and at the 
top, the village of Hardingstowe appears, 
with the upper part of Queen’ s Cross, a 
beautiful Gothic structure, erected ‘by 
our Edward the First, to the memory of 
his Queen, Eleanor, peeping from among 
the plantations, which are cut away, to 
aitord a view from De la Pré. In the 
meadows below, was fought the fatal 
battle of Northampton, between the 
Yorkists and Lancastrians, the 9th of 
July, 1460, when “ the good King Hen- 
ry” was made a prisoner by his turbulent 
nobility. The approach to the Infirmary 
3s from St. Giles™-street, by a handsome 
iron gate; the ground and walks. for the 
exercises of the convalescents are sepa- 
rated from an neighbnuring fields by ¢ 
sunk fence: the house is built of fine 
white stone, ad is altogeth: er a beauti- 
ful structure. The view of it, from the 
high road leading to Wellingborn, is very 
fine: 
A little to the south of this isa broad 
terrassed walk, known by the name of 
Vigo Paradise W Jalk, or the New Walk, 
planted on each side with ornamental 
trees and shrubs, aud kept in ordér at 
the expence of the corporation. At the 
bottom of this watk, descending by a 
flight of stone steps, is a minetal spring, 
strongly impregnated with iron: it has 
been carefully inclosed in a fountain, 
from which it slowly. distils, and is pre- 
served at considerable expence. About 
the centre, at the side of the walk, is an 
excellent spring of clear water, known 
by the name of Thomas 4 Becket’s well. 
Whether the Sait bestowed his blessing 
on it, and endowed it. with apy miracu- 
lous powers, or whether it owes its fame 
only to the excellent quality of the wa- 
ter, antiguaries and philosophers must 
decide. From some cause, viuusual pains 
have been employed upon it: an open 
building 1 is erected over it, fronting the 
walk. Not many public w alks are to be 
found more pleasant than this: placed in 
the inimediate vicinity of the tow n, it 1s 
easily. approachable by all the inhabi- 
tants, and presents to their eyes a calm. 
scene of rural beauty, in the fertile mea- 
dow where smoothly flows 
1 
, 
*© ‘The Nen’s barge-laden wave.” 
Proceeding to the north, reund the 
skirts of the town, the most remarkable 
objects are the Barracks, eonsisting of.a 
centre, and two wings, fronting the Lei- 
cester road. These are but on a small 
Account of Northampton. 
[June 15 
scale, containing quarters for only three 
troops of cavalry ; they are inclosed iit 
front by a Stone wall: behind is an ex- 
tensive ground for exercise, sarrrounded 
with a lofty paling: Across the road, 
and nearly opposite the Barrack gate, is 
the entrance to the race-ground, at oné 
time crowded with all the beauty and 
fashion of the county, attracted by the 
““ fleet courser ;” at another, thronged 
with spectators, eager to behold the 
last struggles of the victim of penal 
laws. 
Happily, the latter exhibitions of late 
years have ‘not been frequent. 
From hence, across a few fields to the 
west of the town, lies the scite of the 
castle, on an eminence overlooking the 
river, which flows at its base. Of this 
building few other vestiges are left than 
the outer walls (which inclose about an 
acre of ground), and part of two towers 
towards the south. This fortress must 
once have been very formidable, as to 
the west is a steep descent to the Nen, 
which defended it on that side, while 
round the other parts, a deep hollow, 
forming the fosse, is easily traced, whose 
waters communicated with the river. 
This castle was a ruin in the tinie’ of the 
contest between Charles and his Parlia- 
ment, and was probably dismantied in the. 
Barons’ wars. It was founded by an 
Earl of Northampton, in 1084. Below 
the Castle to the Cliff, is the road to 
Warwick, over the West-bridge. . Here 
the Castle is a very conspicuous object 3 
aud at one glance the importance of the 
station may be appreciated, commanding 
the avenues to the town, and the pas- 
sage’ of the river. A gentle ascent leads 
to the entrance of Gold-street, where 
formerly stood the western gate. In 
this streetis the free-school, an ancient 
stone bending: and ‘midway up the 
street, facing the horse-market, is the 
theatre, recently erected. The other 
public ‘buildings are the County Hall; 
where the Courts of Justice are held,\ 
the Town Hall, and the County Goal, a 
modern erection. None of these are 
peculiarly worthy of notice. The town 
is governed by a mayor and aldermen: 
it, sends two members to Parliament. 
The present representatives are the Right 
Hon. Spencer Perceval, Chancellor of 
the Exchequer, and the Hon. Edward 
Bovverie. The last gentleman is sup-— 
ported by the Whig interest, or the par- 
tisans of the late Mr. Fox, in opposition 
to the government member. Political 
interests here are so nearly divided, that, 
by 
