OUNDLE  , a

market-town in the Northern parliamentary division of Northamptonshire, England, 302 M . N.E. of Northampton by a branch of the London & North-Western railway . Pop. of urban district (1901) 2404 . It is picturesquely situated on an eminence, two sides of which are touched by the river Nene, which here makes a deep bend . The church of St Peter is a fine building with Early English, Decorated and Perpendicular porticos, with a western tower and lofty spire . Oundle School, one of the English public schools, was founded under the will of Sir William Laxton, Lord Mayor of London (d . 1556) . There are about 200 boys . The school is divided into classical and modern sides, and has exhibitions to Oxford and Cambridge universities . A second-grade school was instituted out of the foundation in 1875 . Oundle has a considerable agricultural trade . Wilfrid, archbishop of York, is said to have been buried in 711 at a monastery in Oundle (Undele) which appears to have been destroyed shortly afterwards, and was certainly not in existence at the time of the Conquest .

The

manor, with a market and tolls, was among the possessions confirmed in 972 by King Edgar to the abbot of Peterborough, to whom it still belonged in ro86 . The market was then worth 20S. yearly and is shown by the quo warranto rolls to have been held on Saturday, the day being changed to Thursday in 1835 . After the Dissolu-379 tion the market was granted with the manor to John, earl of Bedford, and still belongs to the lord of the manor . The abbot of Peterborough about the 13th century confirmed to his men of Oundle freedom from tallage, " saving to himself pleas of portmanmoot and all customs pertaining to the market," and they agreed to pay 8 marks, 12s. rid., yearly for their privileges . The town was evidently governed by bailiffs in 1401, when the " bailiffs and good men " received a grant of pontage for the repair of the bridge called " Assheconbrigge," but the town was never incorporated and never sent members to parliament .