NORTHAMPTON, a town in England, capital of a county of the same name, situated in W. Long. o. 55. N. Lat. 52. 15. According to Camden, it was formerly called North-afeldon, from its situation to the north of the river Nen, called anciently Aujona, by which and another lesser river it is almost inclosed. Dr Gibbon says, that the ancient Saxon annals called both it and Southampton simply Hampton; and afterwards, to distinguish them, called the one, from its situation, Southampton, and the other Northampton; but never North-afeldon. Though it does not appear to be a place of very great antiquity, nor to have emerged from obscurity till after the conquest, it has sent members to parliament since the reign of Edward I., and being in the heart of the kingdom, several parliaments have been held at it. There was also a castle, and a church dedicated to St Andrew, built by Simon de Sancto Licio, commonly called Seulez, the first earl of Northampton of that name. It is said to have been burnt down during the Danish depredations; but in the reign of St Edward it appears to have been a considerable place. It was besieged by the barons in their war with King John; at which time that military work called Hunhill, is supposed to have been raised. In the time of Henry III. it sided with the barons, when it was besieged and taken by the king. Here the bloody battle was fought in which Henry VI. was taken prisoner. It was entirely consumed by a most dreadful fire in 1675; yet, by the help of liberal contributions from all parts of the country, it hath so recovered itself, that it is now one of the neatest and best-built towns of the kingdom. Among the public buildings, which are all lofty, the most remarkable are the church called All-hallows (which stands at the meeting of four spacious streets), the seffions and assize house, and the George-Inn, which belongs to the poor of the town. A county hospital or infirmary has been lately built here, after the manner of those of Bath, London, Bristol, &c. It has a considerable manufacture of shoes and stockings; and its fairs are noted for horses both for draught and saddle; besides, Northamptonshire, a county of England, is situated in the very heart of the kingdom; bounded on the east by the counties of Bedford and Huntingdon; on the south by those of Buckingham and Oxford; on the west by Warwickshire; and on the north by the counties of Leicestershire, Rutland, and Lincoln, which are separated from it by the lesser Avon, and the Welland. Its greatest length is about 50 miles, its greatest breadth about 20, and its circumference about 130. It contains 330 parishes. There are in it one city, 11 market-towns, 25,000 houses, and 1,50,000 inhabitants. Nine members are returned to parliament for this county, viz., two knights for the shire, two for the city of Peterborough, two for each of the towns of Northampton and Brockley, and one for Higham Ferrers. It lies in the Midland circuit, and in the diocese of Peterborough. As this county is dry, well cultivated, free from marshes, except the fens about Peterborough, in the centre of the kingdom, and of course at a distance from the sea, it enjoys a very pure and wholesome air. In consequence of this it is very populous, and so full of towns and churches, that 30 spires or steeples may be seen in many places at one view; and even in the fens, the inhabitants seem to enjoy a good state of health, and to be little affected by the water which frequently overflows their grounds, especially in winter, but is never suffered to remain long upon it. Its soil is exceeding fertile both in corn and pasturage; but it labours under a scarcity of fuel, as it doth not produce much wood, and, by lying at a distance from the sea, cannot be easily supplied with coal. Its commodities, besides corn, are sheep, wool, black cattle, and salt-petre; and its manufactures are ferges, tammies, shallos, boots, and shoes. Besides many lesser brooks and streams, it is well watered by the rivers Nene, Welland, Ouse, and Leam; the three first of which are large, and for the most part navigable.

NORTHAMPTON, a county of north America, in Virginia, forming the south part of the peninsula on the eastern coast of Virginia.