county of England, bounded on the south by Bedfordshire; on the west by Northamptonshire, as also on the north; and by Cambridgeshire on the east; extending 26 miles in length from north to south, 20 in breadth from east to west, and nearly 67 in circumference. This county, which is in the diocese of Lincoln, is divided into four hundreds, and contains 6 market-towns, 29 vicarages, 78 parishes, 256 villages, about 6841 houses, and in 1811, 42,208 inhabitants; but sends only four members to parliament, namely, two knights of the shire, and two members for Huntingdon. It is a good corn country; and abounds in pastures, especially on the eastern side, which is fenny. The rest is diversified by rising hills and shady groves, and the river Ouse waters the southern part.

The air of this county is in most parts pleasant and wholesome, except among the fens and meres, though they are not so bad as the hundreds of Kent and Essex. The soil is fruitful, and produces great crops of corn, and the hilly parts afford a fit pasture for sheep. They have great numbers of cattle; and plenty of water-fowl, fish, and turf for firing; which last is of great service to the inhabitants, there being but little wood, though the whole county was a forest in the time of Henry II. The only river besides the Ouse is the Nen, which runs through Whittlesey mere.