Burton-Latimer (St. Mary)

BURTON-LATIMER (St. Mary), a parish, in the union of Kettering, hundred of Huxloe, N. division of the county of Northampton, 6 miles (N. W.) from Higham-Ferrers; containing 965 inhabitants. This place derives its distinguishing appellation from the barons Latimer, who had a residence here. The parish is intersected by the road from Higham-Ferrers to Kettering, and comprises by computation 2300 acres. The soil is a free loam, and very good except in the wold, where it is cold stiff land. The immediate locality is not picturesque, owing to the land having been but lately inclosed; but the surrounding country is very pretty, well wooded, and undulated. Limestone of the oolite formation, with fossils, is abundant. A mill for spinning worsted-yarn affords employment to about 100 persons; and there is a large manufactory for Brussels and Kidderminster carpets, in connexion with it. The living is a rectory, valued in the king's books at £29. 10.; patron, David Bevan, Esq.; incumbent, the Rev. D. Barclay Bevan. The tithes were commuted for land, under an inclosure act, in 1800: the glebe now comprises 700 acres; and the parsonage is a good house, much enlarged and improved by the present rector. The church is a handsome structure, partly in the Norman and partly in the early English style, and contains a richly carved oak screen: a new east window has been put up in the chancel by the Rev. Mr. Bevan, by whom, also, stalls have been erected. There are places of worship for Baptists and Wesleyans. The free school was founded in the reign of Elizabeth, by Margaret Burbank, and William Vaux, Lord Harrowden, the former of whom endowed it with 10 acres of land, and the latter with a house. The Rev. S. Barwick, in 1792, left an endowment of 7 acres, producing £20 per annum, for preparing children for the free school; and an infants' school has been lately established by the incumbent. The rent of 40 acres of land is distributed among the industrious poor, and 70 acres are set apart in lieu of the right of cutting furze.