Directory

Petty Sessions for the Towcester division of the county are held at the Police Station, on every alternate Tuesday, when two or more of the following magistrates preside: - His Grace the Duke of Grafton, Lord Southampton, Hon. H. Hely Hutchinson, Rev W. H. Clarke, and George Stone, Esq.. Towcester is a polling-place at the election of M.P. for the western division of the county. The police establishment consists of a superintendent and six men whose district extends over 30 parishes.

A branch of Northampton savings-bank is held here; and the provident societies in the town are the Freemason's Lodge of Fidelity, No. 652, and the order of Odd Fellows, of the Manchester and Nottingham bodies.

BURCOTE, or Wood Burcote, as it is generally called, is a small hamlet, containing three farm houses and a few cottages on the east side of the parish.

CALDECOTE, or CALDICOTT usually pronounced Caucote, is another hamlet containing about six good houses and several cottages, on the western side of the parish, about 1 mile north of Towcester. Here is a small Wesleyan Chapel erected in 1846.

HANDLEY or HANLEY PARK contains 863 acres, the property of the master and fellows of University College, Oxford, forms the S.E. division of this parish. It was formerly within the forest of Whittlebury, and in the 5th of Charles (1629), the King in consideration of £6000 granted it to Sir Edmund Bennet, Bart., Beauchampton, in Buckinghamshire. Sir Simon by will dated 15th of August, 1631, devised the reversion of this estate after the death of Elizabeth his wife, to the University College in Oxford, in which he had been educated, for the advancement of learning there, for enlarging and completing the buildings, and founding four new fellowships, and four new scholarships. The whole of the north side of the larger quadrangle of the college fronting the High street, and the south side containing the chapel and hall, were erected by means of this bequest, at a cost of about £4000, and new fellowships, and scholarships have been added and incorporated with the foundation of the college. The Lodge is a commodious residence, and remains nearly in its original state.

Source

This text has been transcribed (with original spelling and punctuation) from the "History, Gazetteer and Directory of Northamptonshire" by William Whellan and Co, London, MDCCCXLIX. Published by Whittaker and Co., Ave Maria Lane, London. Printed by Robert Gardner, Narrow Street, Peterborough. Transcription and additional research by David Wilcock, November 2004.