Piddington (St. Mary)
PIDDINGTON (St. Mary), a parish, in the union of Hardingstone, hundred of Wymmersley, S. division of the county of Northampton, 5 miles (S. E. by S.) from Northampton; containing, with the hamlet of Hackleton, 981 inhabitants, of whom 545 are in Piddington hamlet. The parish comprises 2653 acres, of cold clayey land, in equal portions of arable and pasture; and is intersected by the road from Northampton to London, which passes through Hackleton. Shoes are manufactured by a large number of the men, and lace by the women. The living is a perpetual curacy, united to that of Horton: the church was erected about 1500, and has a tower and spire. There is a place of worship for Baptists at Hackleton; and schools are supported, on the national plan. Mrs. Judith Willoughby, in Queen Anne's reign, left £14 yearly for apprenticing boys. About 1781 were discovered the remains of a Roman building, among which was a handsome tessellated pavement.
Transcribed from A Topographical Dictionary of England, by Samuel Lewis, seventh edition, published 1858.