PETERBOROUGH, Northamptonshire, a city, parliamentary bo rough, and the sent of a Poor-Law Union, is situated on the left bank of the river Nen, in 52' 35' N. lat., 15' W. long., distant 40 miles N.E. from Northampton, 81 miles N. by W. from London by road, and 76 miles by the Great Northern railway. The population of the parliamentary borough in 1851 was 8672. The borough returns two members to the Imperial Parliament. The living is a vicarage in the arehdeaconry of Northampton and diocese of Peterborough. Peter borough Poor-Law Union contains 40 parishes and townships, with an area of 100,514 acres, and a population in 1851 of 28,957.
At this place a Benedictine abbey was founded by Panda, son of Panda, king of the Mercians, soon after the revival of Christianity among the Saxons. About 870 the abbey was destroyed by the Dance; it was restored in the reign of Edgar, about which time the name of Burgh, otherwise Cilden-burgh, from the wealth and splendour of the abbey, or Peter-burgh, from the saint to whom it was dedicated, was applied to the town. On two occasions the greater part of the village and the abbey were destroyed by fire. The monastic buildings were gradually restored and augmented ; and at the dissolution of the religious houses under Henry VIII., Peterborough was one of the most magnificent abbeys then existing. Having been selected as the seat of one of the new bishoprics erected by Henry, the buildings were preserved entire. In the civil war of Charles I. great devastations were committed. The cathedral itself was much injured, and many of the other con ventual buildings were utterly demolished and the materials sold.
The city is regularly laid out and well-paved and lighted. The corn exchange, a neat building in the Italian style, erected in 1848, contains a spacious market-room, lighted by a handsome lantern roof.
The jail and house of correction for the liberty of Peterborough is in the Norman style. Besides the cathedral, there is a large parish church, a handsome stone building. There are also chapels for Wesleyan Methodists, Independents, Baptists, and Primitive Metho dists. The Cathedral Grammar or Chapter school has an endowment of 100/. per annum for the education of 20 boys, who receive an annual payment of 51. each, and are entitled to compete for three scholarships at St. John's College, Cambridge. The number of scholars in 1854 was 33. There are also another Endowed school, National and Infant schools, and a mechanics institute, with a library, a dispen sary and infirmary, rebuilt in 1845, and a savings bank. There are amshousca for 52 poor persons.
The cathedral of Peterborough is a regular cruciform structure of Norman and early English character, remarkable for the solidity and massiveness of its construction. Its erection was commenced in 1117 by John de Sais, or Seez, a Norman, then abbot. It is probable that the choir was the part first erected. It him a semicircular eastern
end : the aisles have subsequently been carried out square by an addition of perpendicular character. The building was carried on by degrees under successive abbots. The central tower is low, and forms a lantern. The fine western front of the cathedral is an addition to the nave; it consists of a lofty portico of three compartments, that in the centre being the narrowest ; each com partment has an arch equal in height to the nave, supported by triangular piers faced with clustered shafts, and is surmounted by a lofty and richly ornamented pediment and a cross. At each extremity of the western front Is a lofty turret, flanked at the angles by clustered shafts and pinnacles, and crowned with spires. The inner roof of the nave and of the great transepts is painted wood ; the choir has a wooden groiued roof of very inferior workmanship and appearance.
The dimensions of the church are as follows :—Total length 476 feet 5 Inches, breadth of the nave and aisles 78 feet, height of the ceiling of the chnrch 78 feet, breadth of the church at the great transepts 203 feet, breadth of the transepts 69 feet, height of lantern 135 feet; length of the western front 156 feet, height of the turrets at the extremities of the wort front 156 feet, height of the central tower from the ground 180 feet. At the west cud is a large court, the entry to which from the town ia by • gateway of Norman architecture, wi.h some later additions. On the south side of the court is a range of the ancient monastic buildings. On the greater part of the other aides the cathedral is surrounded by the ancient cemetery of the citizens. The entrance gets to this cemetery from the western court le by • gate of late perpendicular architectnre, remarkably rich in ornament. The bishop's secretary's office, and registry for wills and diocesan document,. lately erected in the minster precincts, harmonises in style with the csthedral buildings.
The trade carried on at Peterborough is chiefly in corn, coal, timber, lime, bricks., and stone. There is a very extensive steam flour-mill. The Nen is navigable for boats. Markets are held on Wednesday and Saturday ; and fairs are held on July 10th and October 2nd.
There 11 no corporation at Peterborough. The don and chapter exercise a certain jurisdiction; thrir steward holds a court for trying all actions, personal or mixed, arising within the city. Peterborough has sent members to parliament from I Edward VI. (1647).
The bishoprio of Peterborough comprehends the counties of Leicester, Northampton, and Rutland, and is divided into the arch deaconries of Northampton and Leicester. It consists of 524 benefices, and includes the dean, 2 archdeacons, 4 canons, 14 honorary canons, 3 minor canons, and a chancellor. The income of the bishop is fixed at 45001.