a town in the county of Northumberland, in the western division of the ward of its own name, 292 miles from London, situated on the banks of the river Wensbeck, in the course of the great road from London to Edinburgh. The town can boast of remote antiquity, and is well built, consisting chiefly of two wide streets, in the centre of which is the market-place, which, though conveniently situated, is not sufficiently capacious for the large droves of cattle which are here exposed for sale. From the year 1553 till 1832 the town returned two members to parliament, elected by the bailiffs and free burgesses; but since the passing of the reform bill it returns only one. Before 1832 the number of voters was estimated at about 200; at the last general election (1835) there were 336 electors registered as qualified to vote. By the late municipal corporations bill, the borough is placed under the municipal government of four aldermen and twelve councillors. Morpeth has been twice destroyed by fire, first in 1215, on which occasion, Camden says, it was burned down by its inhabitants, out of hatred to King John; but the chronicle of Melrose assigns a more probable cause, asserting that this and many other towns were destroyed by the barons, with the view of distressing that monarch on his march to punish their revolt. It was burned down a second time by accident in 1689, when nearly the whole buildings were destroyed. Besides the parish church (a very plain structure), there is a Catholic chapel, and a Presbyterian and a Methodist meeting-house, in the town. Edward VI founded and endowed a grammar school here; there is likewise an English free school. In 1829 there was erected a new county jail, house of correction, courthouse, &c. The town-house was erected at the expense of the Earl of Carlisle, in 1714. Of Morpeth Castle, which was situated on an eminence in the neighbourhood, few vestiges remain. It was built by William Lord Greystock in 1358, and is said to have been of some extent and consequence as a baronial mansion. The population of the town amounted in 1801 to 2951, in 1811 to 3244, in 1821 to 3415, and in 1831 to 3890; but the whole parish, which contains seven other townships, appears by the last census to have had 4797 inhabitants. In the borough of Morpeth there are 560 inhabited houses, 897 families, fifty-five of whom are chiefly employed in agriculture, 358 in trade, manufactures, and handicraft, and 489 not comprised in either of these classes; the males amounted to 1851, and the females to 2039.