Britannia: or a Geographical description of the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, with the Isles and Territories thereto belonging.
Blome, Richard
1687
Northamptonshire BEING Part of the CORITANI, and ancient KINGDOM of the West-Saxons.
Northamptonshire BEING Part of the CORITANI, and ancient KINGDOM of the West-Saxons.
an Inland County, and almost scituate in the midst of the having on the East the Counties of and on the South those of and on the West and on the North those of and | |
Its form is long and narrow, being from near in the South-west, to in the North-east in (where it is severed from this County by the River ) about 42 and in breadth (where broadest) not exceeding 20; its circumference making about 120 | |
It is of a fat and rich both for and bearing excellent and feeding great store of and from which (being the general product of the County) the reap such good profit, (which hath encouraged them so much to and ) that there is said to be less waste ground in this County, then in any other in | |
It is blest with a temperate and healthful and generally very populous, and plentifully garnished with insomuch, that in many places twenty or thirty presents themselves at one time to view And amongst its it is said to be honoured with the Seats of as many (if not more) of the and as any County in the especially as to its extent. | |
It is well watered with and fresh amongst which are the the or the the and others; all which have their Spring-heads in this County. | |
The ancient according to were the who were brought under the Romish yoke by Lieutenant in for the Emperour; and became afterwards part of the of the | |
here were many, as at | |
175 | and |
This County is severed into twenty whose names are set down in the in which are numbred 326 and hath intercourse for to eleven whose names are as followeth. | |
pleasantly scituated on the River which compasseth its Southand West parts, over which it hath two a place of good antiquity, and once very large; but this, as almost all other places, felt the sore hand of the and other calamities: yet for and fair it may at present be ranked with many in this numbring four within its which were strongly built, but now demolished; upon the West part of which (mounted upon a ) standeth a large whose gaping chinks, and aged countenance doth dayly threaten the downfall of its ruinous It is a of a considerable and its which is on is very great for and as also for and The Government of this place is committed to the care of a two twelve a and other it enjoyeth good hath the election of is honoured with the Title of an which at present is in the person of the Right Honourable Earl of Is the place where the and the are kept, and the general place for the Assembly of the of the for the County. | |
seated on the River or (which is navigable for ) over which it hath a which leadeth into and in a Marsh-ground, where there was formerly an exceeding deep or which with great pains and diligence was made firm ground by King of the at the time when he laid the foundation of the It is a City of great antiquity, and was of good account in the time of the where the said King for the expiating his crime in the cruel murthering his sons and for being converted to the Christian Faith (to which he was some years after converted himself) in , finished a most stately (sormerly begun by his brother) and dedicated it to St. from which the City took its name, being of old called and was a place of much fame. But in the time of the tyranny it suffered great spoils, lying in its own rubbish, and quite forsaken for many years, till in the end Bishop of (who chiefly devoted himself to pious uses) about the year , began to re-edifie it, gaining to him the helping hand of King and the Kings who (as noteth) upon remorse of conscience, for that he and his wife in their sleep, had overlaid and smothered their child, (which was but a young Infant) expended all his Estate upon the re-edifying the same; and when it was thus rebuilt, he was the first thereof: and then was it in a most flourishing condition, and enjoyed ample which so continued, until the reign of the Eighth, who put an end to it, and all other in the Kingdom; and in its room erected a and founded here a consisting of a and six and allotting to the the Counties of and It hath also an who is entituled of and here the keepeth his for hearing of and hath also a And thus from a it is now become a which is a stately | |
176 | Structure, the Fore-front carrying good majesty with it, it hath large and in the was (if not is) lively presented the History of the Founder thereof. St. is a goodly large building, full of curious work, with a large and here lyeth interr'd the bodies of two unfortunate Queens, of and of This City is a place of no great extent, haveing but one besides its its of late are indifferently well ordered, being formerly very dirty; its well built, and hath a spacious in which is lately erected a well-built and graceful where the and for the of are kept. It is a City that enjoyeth several sendeth to Is honoured with the Title of an Earldom, which at present is in the person of the Right Honorable, Earl of is a place of some account and and the rather by reason of the here seated; and its which is on is well served with |
Not far distant from westwards, was seated the ancient City which by the was called which said City took up a great tract of ground on both sides of the and in both Counties; for according to Mr. observations, about a from the by its ancient there often digged up, seemeth to be part of the City; and in the adjoyning (which the call ) have oft-times been digged up. Also the two coming from this place, whose are to be seen, the one called and the other and sufficiently makes it to be a place of good account. | |
pleasantly seated on the banks of the over which it hath two good a well built uniform beautisied with a fair a and an and hath a very great for and other on | |
Nigh unto Northwards, is seated environed on all sides with pleasant a place of good note in former time, where Duke of in the second year of the Reign of the Fifth, founded a fair wherein himself, who was slain at the of together with his Brother who lost his life at and his Wife had stately which were spoyled, together with the upper part of the in the Reign of the Sixth. And at this Queen of was beheaded. | |
seated on the Eastern banks of the over which is a goodly fair It is a pretty good and hath an indifferent on | |
scituate on an ascent, and also on the Eastern banks of the an ancient and sending one to is governed by a seven thirteen a was once graced with a fair founded by Arch-Bishop which building is yet kept in good Repair: And hath weekly two on and which are well resorted unto, but that on is of late years either disused, or very inconsiderable. Here is a for the education of youth; and an for the relief of poor and was anciently strengthned with a whose ruins are yet to be seen. | |
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pleasantly seated on the ascent of a and on the Western banks of the a large and well inhabited which enjoyeth a good is beautified with a fair and a and hath a on which is well served with and This place is of some note for its of not far distant from the | |
delightfully seated on an ascent, an indifferent well-built where there is a for the of the of the this being a place where they sometimes assemble together. Its which is on is well frequented, and served with and | |
Not far from this was (if not is) where was erected a in honour to Queen | |
seated on the which falleth into the a small in former time of note for its long since demolished; but is the habitation of the Right Honorable Lord Its which is on is of no great account. | |
or scituate on the side of a an indifferent whose which is on is but small. | |
Not far from is famous for somewhat more then the late bloody there fought, that it is said to stand upon the highest ground in and in or near the said two considerble Rivers have their Spring-heads, to wit, the and the also the highest Spring of the (though not the furthest from the Sea) riseth in this which is very large, conteining near 4000 of And in this there is no sign of a fight remaining, except some few holes which were the burial places of the and | |
Further West ward is once a of the | |
seated on the side of a good governed by a a and 12 and hath a on which is well served with and | |
Here was raised upon an high (which commandeth a fair prospect round about) a four-square on the East-side of which was a called as Mr. noteth, all which incloseth within a bank of earth cast up, about 100 of where have been oft-times found | |
Not far from is or a of the and where there was a founded by the holy Virgin St. daughter to King who had here his | |
About six Northwards from is which anciently was a and now a small where there hath been a of which nothing is now remaining, save a great encompassed with very deep when and by whom founded is not known. And about a quarter of a Westwards, upon an indifferent rising there is a little round and high of which there are several conjectures made; some supposing it to have been an ancient others, that it was raised as a Battery against the aforesaid as having a perfect view and command thereof; and others that it was a of some eminent Commander of the for that it is near to the ancient or and was a of some of their | |
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scituate on the banks of a small and in a a place of good antiquity, which Mr. believeth to be the ancient mentioned by the (which took its name from three For here the which in many places between it and sheweth it self) is cut through by three or which the there divideth it self into. And about the year of our Lord , it was a place so strongly fortified, that it proudly resisted the furious affaults of the It is at present a small but beautified with a fair and hath an indifferent good on | |
seated on the edge of the towards and on a Branch of the an ancient and large conteining two governed by a and sendeth to had formerly a which now is made use of for a and hath a on which at present is but small; but in former time was famous, especially for its being (as it were) the staple in the County for | |
Footnotes: [] Its form and extent. [] Its Fertility. [] Very populous. [] Its Rivers. [] Ancient Inhabitants. [] Religious Houses. [] Its division. [] Northampton. See Speed and Cambden. [] Peterburgh. [] The ancient City of Durobrivae. [] Normaton-fields. [] Rode-wayes of the Romans. [] Oundle. [] Fotheringbay-Castle. [] Thrapston. [] Higham-Ferrers. [] Wellingborow. [] Kettering. [] Gedington-Castle. [] Rockingham. [] Rothwell. [] Naseby. [] Guilsborow. [] Daventrey. [] Wedon. [] Lilbourn. [] Towcester. [] Brackley. |