Art Holiday Travel and Vacation information for Northamptonshire

"Northamptonshire, (or Northampton), south-midland county of England, bounded N. by Leicestershire, Rutland, and Lincolnshire, E. by Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, and Bedfordshire, S. by Bucks and Oxfordshire, and W. by Warwickshire; greatest length, NE. to SW., about 70 miles; greatest breadth, E. to W., about 26 miles; area, 629,912 acres, population 272,555. Although the surface appearance of the county is generally hilly there are no elevations of considerable altitude, the highest being near Daventry, where Arbury Hill reaches 804 ft. The NE. part of the county belongs to the Fen district. In some localities, particularly the W. and SW., the scenery is especially attractive; while here and there throughout the county rich woods and well-watered vales afford pleasing aspects. The chief rivers are the Nen and the Welland; the Avon forms a part of the N. boundary of the Co., the Cherwell of the SW. boundary, and the Leam of the W. boundary; the Ouse has its rise near Brackley in the S. . . Throughout the whole county, farming is successfully prosecuted, all kinds of cereal and green crops being raised; while upon the splendid pastures large numbers of cattle are reared, principally for the London market. Northampton is celebrated for its ash trees, old oaks, and elm avenues. . . Iron is largely found, and although worked as early as the time of the Roman occupation, its modern manufacture dates only from 1850. . . Apart from ironworkng, the great industry of the county is centred in the manufacture of boots and shoes in the town of Northampton and the towns of the middle of the county." [Bartholomew's Gazetteer of the British Isles, 1887]