PETERBOROUGH, an episcopal city and parliamentary borough of Northamptonshire, stands on the left bank of the Nert—which is thus far navigable for boats-37 m. n.e. of Northampton, and 76 in. n.n.w. of London by railway. The Great Northern, the Eastern Counties', the Northampton and Peterborough, and the Midland Counties' rail-. ways pass the city, and have stations here. Peterborough is regularly laid out, has an excellent grammar-school with an endowment, a corn-exchange in the Italian style, a jail and house of correction, a handsome parish-church, and a number of chapels and meet ing houses, schools, and charitable institutions.
But the great edifice of Peterborough is the famous cathedral, which holds a high, if not the highest rank among English cathedrals of the second classs. The choir and eastern aisles of the transept (built 1118-33) are early Norman; the transept (1155-77) is middle Norman ; the nave (117743) is bite Norman ; the western transept (datiug from the same period), is transiTiOn Norillati; the w. front, which, as a portico (using that term in its classical sense), is said to be the grandest and finest in Europe, is early English; and the eastern aisle (begun in 1438, but not completed till 152S), is perpendicular. The beautiful western front consists of three arches 81 ft. in height, supported by triangular piers detached from the w. wall. Each arch is surmounted by a beautiful pediment and cross The front is flanked on (etch side with turrets 156 ft. high, and crowned with pinnacles. The roof of the nave is painted in lozenge-shaped divisions, containing figures of kings, bishops, grotesques. etc., imcolors. fl central tower, lantern-shaped, rises at the intersec
tion of the nave and transept. In the north-choir aisle, a slab of blue stone still covers the remains of Cathsrine of Aragon. On the stone is carved the simple inscription, Catharine, A.D. 1530." In July, 1587, the remains of Mary, queen of Scots, were brought here from Fotheringay for interment, and here they rested until, 25 years after, they were removed to Westminster Abbey. The entire length of the cathedral is 476 ft. 5 in.; the breadth of nave and aisles, 78 ft.; height of the ceiling of the church, 78 ft.; breadth of the church at the great transepts, 203 ft. ; height of lantern, 133 ft. ; length of western front, 153 ft.; height of central tower from the ground, 150 feet.
Peterborough carries on en active trade in corn, coal, timber, lime, bricks, and stone. Two newspapers are published weekly. Peterborough returns two members to the house of commons. Pop. '71, 17,434.
The city had its origin iu a great Benedictine monastery, founded in 655 by Oswy, king of Northumbria, end Peada, son of Penda king of Mervin. This monastery, which became one of the wealthiest and most important in England, was reared in honor of St. Peter; but it was not until after being destroyed by the Danes in S07, and rebuilt about 906, that the town was celled Peterborough. On the dissolution of the monasteries, this magnificent edifice was spared, owing, it is supposed, to its containing the remains of queen Catherine of Aragon.—Murray's handbook to the English Cufhcdcals