Market-Harborough,

Market-Harborough, a market-town of Leicestershire, on the river Welland and the Union Canal, 16 miles S.E. of Leicester, 18 N. of Northampton, and 84 NNW. of London. It has traces of a Roman camp; a fine Perpendicular church, built by John of Gaunt as an atonement for his intrigue with Catharine Swynford, with a broach spire 154 feet high; a corn exchange (1858); and a grammar-school (1614; restored 1869). Charles I. slept here before Naseby. Situated in a rich grazing country, it is a famous hunting-centre, and gives title to one of Whyte-Melville's novels. Pop. (1851) 2325; (1891) 5876. See works by John H. Hill (Leicester, 1875) and J. E. Stocks (Lond. 1890).