40~ LITTLE HOUGHTON. . [KELLY'S

Smyth Mrs. Lucy Charlotte, Little Gleed Edward, shoe maker Penn Wm. Sbarman,beer ret. &boot ma Houghton house Gorley Isabella (Miss), dress maker Smith Annie (Miss), shopkeeper Whitworth Robert Hegney Emma (Mrs.), Red Lion P.H Smith Caleb, shopkeeper York Miss Holmes Annie (Mrs.), dress maker Smith Charles, rate col. & school mastr COMMERCIAL. Luck John, blacksmith Smith James, boot maker, Post office Mackaness Samuel, butcher Smith William Marriott, farmer Bowler Thomas, market gardener Mackaness William, farmer Tarry Charles, market gardener Clark Reuben, baker Marriot Thomas, jun. farmer Ward Edward, builder & beer retailer Deacon Josiah, builder Nichols Joseph, farm bailiff to Rev. C. Wells Lucy & Ann (Misses), dress lllas . Eyles Alfred, farmer Smyth Whitworth Robert, miller (steam & Foskett Robert, saddler & harness makr Penn Alice (Mrs.), dress maker water), Houghton mills Gaton David, boot maker Penn Rerbert William, shoe maker Wright Aun (Mrs.), dress maker is a parish and village on the borders of The inhabitants are supported partly by agriculture and and bounded on the north by the , partly by shoe making for the manufacturers in Higham 3 miles south-east from and 3 south-west Ferrers and Wellingborough. Irchester was a Roman from , with a station about half a mile east station. Chester House, situated about half a mile from from the village on the main line of the Midland railway. the church, is an ancient Elizabethan mansion of stone, Wellinghorough station, on the branch of the occupied by William Hirst Simpson esg. and was so called and North Western railway, is about 2 miles north- from the local Roman encampment; it is a manor of itself west, of the village. The parish is in the Eastern division and consists of one house and farm; adjacent are earth­ of the county, hundred of Higham Ferrers, petty sessional works. In 1874 an ancient Roman burial ground was dis­ division, union and county courtdistrict of Wellingborough, covered on an estate about half a mile from Chester House; rural deanery of Higham Ferrers (first portion), arch- about 400 skeletons were found, all facing eastwards, a deaconry of Oakham and diocese of Peterborough. The number of stone coffins, and one lof lead containing skele­ church of St. Catherine, situated on high ground, is an tons, besides eight bronze vessels packed in a ninth; some edifice of stone, consisting of spacious chancel with north of the vessels were in an excellent state of preservation; two chapel, clerestoried nave of four bays, aisles, south porch. being perforated at the bottom and partly up the sides with and a western tower with lofty oct;:tgonal spire, 152 feet elegant patterns; numerous ancient coins and Roman high, containing a clock and 5 bells: the spire was rebuilt, pottery have been found and, in a field adjoining the work­ new doors erected, and one of the bells rehung in 1881: the ings, iron slag has been met with: one of the stone coffins spire lights and the south and west belfry windows contain mentioned above, now in a field abutting on Chester House, reticulated tracery: the west window and doorway of the is rougWy hewn out of a solid block of Northamptonshire tower and the chancel windows are Perpendicular: the freestune, with a huge slab of the same for lid, secured by windows of the aisles Decorated; and the north and south. strong iron cramps. a similar stone coffin, together with the doorways and the priests' door in the south wall of the lead one and the bronze vessels or bowls, are in the posses­ chancel are elegant examples of Early English: on the sion of H. R. Arkwright esq. of Knuston Hall. Coins, with south side of the chancel are aumbries, a piscina and a other relics, are still constantly found. The Queen is lady sedile of the same date: the south porch. is of the transition of the manor. The principal landowners are Lord Wantage period from Decorated to Perpendicular; in the north. wall v.c., K.C.B., J.P. (the lay rector), Herbert Robert Arkwright of the chapel is a plain sepulchral niche: the pulpit of oak, esg. of Knuston, the Rev. G. F. Whidborne ~f.A. of St. with elaborate carvings of cinque-centQ character, dates George's ·vie.arage, Battersea, Surrey, and Major Brooks. from the 15th century, and there are ~ome good decorated The soil is of a fertile mixed character; substratum, ooJite benches: the font is Early English: in the chancel is an in~ limestone, sand and ironstone. Iron ore abounds here. cised slab to Thomas Jenyson, dated 1681, and there are The chief crops are cereals.' The area is 2,678 acres; rate­ some remains of ancient glass: the church was restored in able value, £u,592; thepopulationin 1881 was 1,699. 1889, under the direction of Mr. J. L. Pearson R.A. at a LITTLE IRCHESTER is a hamlet about I~ miles west-north­ cost of £3,500, of which £.1,000, expended in the chancel, west. Here is the (WeIlingborough) London and North was defrayed by Lord Wantage V.C., K.C.B. as lay rector, Western railway station. who also contributed £500 towards the restoration fund: KNUSTON hamlet, forming the eastern portion of this the work inclqded the renewal of the roof in oak, the relay- parish, is the property of Berbert Robert Arkwright esq. ing of the floors, restoration of the carved oak benches, with whose seat, Knuston Hall, is a large mansion standing on additions, the re-opening of three previously blocked win- an elevated spot in the centre of a well-wooded park over­ dows and a priest's doorway on the south side of the chan- looking a vast area of country: to the south-east of the eel, and the refitting of the chancel with some other details: mansion a stream of water traverses the park and breaks in the course of the work several wall paintings of pre- over a rocky fall j the stream is crossed by a light and ele­ Reformation date were discovered, one of which, above the gant bridge. chancel arch, has been allowed to remain, but is very much Parish Clerk, William Ward. faded. The register dates from the year 1622. Theliving POST & M. O. 0., S. B. & Annuity & Insurance Office.- is a discharged vicarage separated from that of Wollaston, John Ward, receiver. Letters arrive from Wellingborough June 21, 1880, tithe rent-charge £.56, gross yearly value at 7 a.Ul. & 12.20 p.m.; dispatched at 5.40 p.m. ; sun- £330, including 95 acres of glebe, with residence, in the days, II.SO a.m. The nearest telegraph office is at gift of and held since 1883 by the Rev. Henry Horrocks Wellingborough Slater M.A. of St. Catharine's College, Cambridge. The WALL LETTER Box cleared week days at 5.45 p.m. ; sundays Wesleyan chapel, erected in 1869, will seat 400 persons; and u.S5 a.m the PrimitiveMethodist chapel,built in 1877,has ISO sittings. Police Station, Thomas Swingler, constable in charge There are three charities: Sharwood's charity consists of National School (mixed), built in 1848 & enlarged in 1873 £187, vested in railway debentures, the interest to be appor- & r888, for 277 children j average attendance, 260, & tioned annually as follows, £2 to Irchester National school supported in part by the small endowment above men- and remainder in sums of 5S. or ros. to the industrious poor tioned ; attached is a master's residence; William Grange, of the parish; Jenyson's charity consists of £5 4S. to be dis- master tributed weekly in twopenny loaves of bread among such RAUWAY STATIONs.-Wellingborough (London & North poor of the parish as attend church regularly; the Feoffee Western railway), John Green, station master; Irchester estate, consisting of land and cottages of the value of up- (Midland), Knuston, George Crowson, station master wards of £100 a year, is distributed in gifts to the poor of CARRIER.-James Stokes, to Wellingborough, daily; Wm. the parish and expended in repairing the parish bridges. Payne, Wellingborough, daily . • Arkwright Herbert Robt. Knuston hall Collins Montague, Crown &Anchor P.li. Lillie Samuel, shoeing & general smith Arkwright J ulius boats to let, Little Irchester Lucas Charles, boot maker &shopkeepr Arkwright Mrs. Knuston hall Denton George & Sons, shoe manufctrs Newcombe George, farm bailiff to H. Harden Mrs Eady John Cook, farmer, The Grange R. Arkwright esq Ratcliffe Miss Ellis It Everard, general merchants Parsons Stephen & Son, drapers &c Simpson William Hirst, Chester house (John Craddock, agent) Parsons Edward,baker,butcher,farmer, Slater Rev. HenryHorrocks M.A. Vicarge Fortescue Gerrard, farmer, The Lodge beer retailer & coal merchant Turnell Miss Hal'dwick Saml. shopkeeper & carpentr Parker & Co. shoe manufacturers; & at Turnell Thomas Battamg Herring John, farmer, Knuston lodge Higham Ferrers (Joseph George, agt) COMMERCIAL. Hipwell William, miller (water) Payne John, grindery dealer Austin Jonathan, farmer Irchester IndustrialCo-operativeSociety Payne WiIliam, carrier & shopkeeper Ball Thomas James, Red Lion P.H (Daniel Darnell, manager) Perkins Charles, Prince of Wales P.H. Barringer William, beer retailer Joll Samuel James, grocer Little Irchester Berrill Thomas & Chas. bldrs. & cntrctrs J oyce John, carpenter Pettit Benjamin, beer retailer Brighty John, Carpenters' Arms P.H Kmg Geo.farm bailiff to Edwd.Blott esq Pettit Edward, baker & shopkeeper Cbapman John, wheelwright Letts John, shoe manufacturer Rolinson William, fishmonger