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Brackley in Northampton County England History and GeographyBRACKLEY, a borough, market town, and parish, in the hundred of KING'S SUTTON, county of NORTHAMPTON, 20 miles (S.W. by S.) from Northampton, and 64 (N. W. by W.) from London, containing 1851 inhabitants. This place derives its name from the Anglo-Saxon Bracken signifying fern, with which the neighbourhood formerly abounded: it was a Saxon burgh of considerable importance, but was greatly injured by the Danes. In the reign of John, Saher de Quincy, Earl of Winchester, joined the confederate barons at Stamford, who marched to Brackley, whence they sent a remonstrance, setting forth their grievances to the king, who was then at Oxford. In the reign of Henry III., two splendid tournaments were held, on a plain called Bayard's Green, near the town. Edward II., who conferred many privileges upon Brackley, made it a staple town for wool; and, in the reign of Edward III., having become famous for its trade, it sent three representatives, as 'Merchants Staplers,' to a grand council held at Westminster. In the reign of Henry VIII., the plague raging violently at Oxford, the fellows and scholars of Magdalene College removed to this town, and resided in an hospital founded by Robert le Bossu, Earl of Leicester, about the middle of the twelfth century, of which there are considerable remains, the chapel, with a broad low tower on the north-west side, being still entire. The town is on the confine of Buckinghamshire, and is situated on the declivity of a hill, near a branch of the river Ouse, which has its source in the immediate vicinity: it is divided into two portions, New Brackley and Old Brackley; the latter, which is the smaller division, is without the limits of the borough. The principal street, nearly a mile in length, extends from the bridge up the acclivity of the hill, and contains many good houses, which are mostly built of stone: there is an abundant supply of water. The inhabitants are chiefly occupied in the making of bobbin lace, and boots and shoes. The market is on Wednesday: the fairs, principally for horses, horned cattle, and sheep, are on the Wednesday after February 25th, the second Wednesday in April, the Wednesday after June 22nd, the Wednesday after October 11th (a statute fair), and December 11th, which is a great fair for cattle, and wearing apparel. The government, by charter of incorporation confirmed and extended in the seventh of Edward II., is vested in a mayor, six aldermen, and twenty-six burgesses: the mayor is appointed by the lord of the manor, and sworn into office at his annual court leet, which is also a court baron and port-mote, on the Monday after September 29th, when two constables, two thirdboroughs, and other officers, are also chosen. The aldermen are selected from among the burgesses, the mayor and the lord of the manor each nominating one candidate, whose election is decided by a majority of the rest: the burgesses are chosen from householders residing in New Brackley only, by the whole body, as vacancies occur. The corporation have power to hold a court of record for the recovery of debts under £20, but do not exercise it; and the mayor is not vested with magisterial authority, the town being wholly within the jurisdiction of the county magistrates. The elective franchise was conferred in the first of Edward VI., since which time, the borough has returned two members to parliament: the right of election is vested in the mayor, aldermen, and burgesses, in number thirty-three, who are principally in the interest of the Marquis of Stafford and the Earl of Bridgewater: the mayor is the returning officer. The town-hall, a handsome building in the centre of the town, supported on arches, under which the market is held, was erected in 1706, by Scroop, Duke of Bridgewater, at an expense of £2000. Brackley comprises the parishes of St. Peter and St. James, which, though ecclesiastically united, are distinct as regards civil affairs. The living is a consolidated vicarage, in the archdeaconry of Northampton, and diocese of Peterborough, rated in the king's books at £19. 1. 6. The Marquis of Stafford was patron in 1825. The church, dedicated to St. Peter, is an ancient building, with a low embattled tower; it contains a Norman font of curious design. St. James', formerly a parochial church, is now a chapel of ease to the vicarage of St. Peter. Mr. Welchman bequeathed £10 per annum to the minister, for performing evening service in the chapel every alternate Sunday. There is a place of worship for Wesleyan Methodists. The free grammar school was founded about the year 1447, by William of Wainfleet, who endowed it with £13. 6. 8. per annum, for ten boys of the parishes of St. Peter and St. James, which sum is paid by the President and Fellows of Magdalene College, Oxford, to whom the site of the ancient hospital was granted at the time of its dissolution: there is a house for the master, who has a salary of £18 per annum, and the profits of some land attached to the school. A National school for boys was established, and is supported, by subscription. Almshouses for six aged widows were founded by Sir Thomas Crewe, in 1633, and endowed with a rentcharge of £24, which was increased in 1721, by his descendant, Nathaniel, Lord Crewe, Bishop of Durham, with an additional rent-charge of £12. The site of a castle, built by one of the Norman barons, is still called the Castle-hill. Samuel Clarke, an eminent Orientalist, and one of the coadjutors of Walton in publishing the Polyglott Bible, was born here in 1623. From Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of England 1831, courtesy of Databases 4 Sale |
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