Everdon parish includes Great and Little Everdon and the hamlet of Snos-comb. It is bounded on the east by Weedon, on the north by Newnham, on the west by Fawsley, and on the south by Farthingstone. It contains 2499 acres; its population in 1801 was 586; in 1831, 745; in 1841, 777; in 1851, 712; m 1861, and in 1871, 672 souls. The rateable value of the parish is £4734, and the gross estimated rental £5340. The soil is a rich loam on the low grounds, and light and sandy on the hills; and the greater part of the lord-ship, except the hills, is in grass. A few brooks run through the parish, and were are several springs, one of which, Swiftwell Spring, is a mineral. The principal landowners are—the Provost and Fellows of Eton College (the lords of the manor), Sir Rainald Knightley, Bart., Robert Canning, Esq., Sanders Pepper, Esq., J. G. Todd, Esq., Mr James Bromwich, Mr Joseph Rivolta, and Mr John Stockley. .

Manor —William Peverell held half a hide of land in Everdon of the fee of the Bishop of Bayeux, and soke of Fawsley, at the time of the general survey. In the reign of Edward I. it was the freehold of Bern, and had been rated at 5s., but it was then advanced to 10s. "Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, was half-brother to the Conqueror by the mother's side, and attended him m his expedition against Harold He was present with many clergy at the battle which gained his brother the crown, and is supposed by his supplications and advice to have been instrumental in procuring success. For these services, and his entire affection to the person of the king, he was raised to the Earldom of Kent, the first office of trust and dignity conferred after the victory. With this post of honour he received many large possessions, and besides the manors lying m other counties, he had 12- in Northamptonshire, which were given him by theConqueror"—(Bridges). In the reign of Henry II. the monks of Bernay held 2 1/2 hides, and 2 small virgates in Everdon ; the monks of Davcntry held 8 small virgates of Hugh de Leycester, and Ralph de Maundevilleand Walter had each 4 small virgates here. The Abbey of Bernay, which was of the Benedictine order, in the diocese of Lisieux in Normandy, was founded by Judith, wife of Richard, second Duke of Normandy. Dugdale and Tanner are of opinion that there was a cell belonging to this abbey in Everdon. In the beginning of the reign of Edward I., the Abbot of Bernay was lord of the manor of Evcrdon. Robert Young, as under-tenant to the monks of Davcntry, held 6 virgates of the fee of Huntingdon, which owed suit to the hundred of Fawslcy, and Geoffrey de Maundeville held 4 virgates of the fee of Albany. The abbot performed suit and service at the Huntingdon court twice a year. Upon the suppression of the alien monasteries, the manor of Everdon, with the priory, was granted by King Henry VI., in the nineteenth of his reign (1440), to the Provost and Fellows of Eton College, in whose possession it still continues.

The Eton Manor-House, formerly the priory, stood at the east end of the village. The lands which belonged to the monks of Daventry, and were called the manor of Little Everdon, were granted to Cardinal Wolsey at the dissolution of that monastery, and afterwards to King Henry VIII.'s new foundations in Oxford. Everdon Hall, formerly the Manor-House of Little Everdon, and which after-wards became a farmhouse, was purchased, together with the estate, in 1809, by Gabriel Doveton, Esq., M.P.,a general in the East India service, who converted the house into a good residence. It is now the seat and property of David St Paul, Esq.

The Village of Everdon is situated in a vale overlooked by a range of hills on the north-west and south, about 4 miles S.S.E. of Daventry, and nearly 12 miles from Northampton. A dreadful fire broke out in this village on the 13th April 1786, when nearly 40 houses were consumed. It was occasioned by a plumber's fire in the belfry, some sparks of which were blown by the wind out of the window upon a thatched building.

The Church, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, stands near the centre of the village, and consists of a nave, side aisles, porches, and chancel, with a tower containing five bells. It is in the Decorated style of architecture, and is a very neat edifice. The chancel is divided from the nave by a wooden screen beneath a lofty arch, and in the south wall of the chancel are two seats and a piscina, The cast end of the chancel was rebuilt about 1860, and the old chancel window replaced by a new one at the expense of the late rector. A portion of the south aisle is appropriated to the inhabitants of Snoscomb. The living is a rectory in the Deanery of Daventry, rated in the king's books at 24,, 2s. 11rid., and now worth about £660 a year. The Provost and Fellows of Eton College are the patrons, and the Rev. Henry Luxmoore, M.A., is the rector. The Commissioners of Enclosure awarded about 162 acres of land, and an annual rent-charge of £100in lieu of the glebe and tithes of Evedon in 1764, besides which the rector has the tithes of Snoscomb Bridges informs us that the churchyard of Everdon was polluted by murder whilst Oliver Button wns Bishop of Lincoln, who granted a commission to the Priors of Daventry to reconcile it, in 1292. A rood of land has been recently added to the churchyard.

The Rectory House, a neat residence, stands in the village. It was thoroughly repaired about 1861, and part of it newly roofed.'

Here is a small Independent Chapel,, which was built in 1813 ; and William Folwell, Esq., bequeathed the interest of £500 towards the support of the minister in the same year. He also left the interest of £500 towards a Charity School here, which was built in 1828 by subscription, and a grant from the National Society; and the Rev. Sir John Knightley, Bart, of Fawsley, left the interest of £133, 6s. 8d., which yields about £5, 5s. per annum, for the support of the Sunday-school- Here is also a small Wesleyan Meeting-house; and there is a Girls' Day Sehool in the village, supported by the rector and other subscribers.

The town land consists of 16a. 2r. 28p., and lets for about £30 per annum, which is expended in the repairs of the church and church bells, and the bridge at the east end of the village.

Several Roman coins, particularly of Constantine, Constantius, and Magnen-tius, were ploughed up, some years since, in a field called Longsmall, in this parish. Mr Baker is of opinion that this field lies in the line of the Roman road from Benaventa, through Preston Capes and Woodford, to the station of Brenavis, at Chipping Warden.

SNOSCOMB or SNORSCOMB, occupies the southern portion of this parish, and consists of about 640 acres, the whole of which belong to Sir Rainald Knightley, Bart, who is lord of the manor.

Manor.—The Earl of Morton held 1 1/2 virgates in Snochescumbe at the time of the general survey: it was valued at 10s., and had been the freehold of Turbern. In the reign of Henry II. Snoscomb consisted of 4 small virgates, which were held of the fee of Leicester. In the reign of King John, the manor of Snoscomb was in the possession of the Lovell family, with which it continued till the fourteenth of Richard II. (1391), when John Lord Lovell and Holland conveyed it to John de Everdon. From the De Everdons it passed to the family of Knightley, and descended with Fawsley to the present proprietor.

In Bridges' time it was "a hamlct of five houses, including the mill, but reputed to have been formerly a more considerable village." The manor-house, now reduced to a farmhouse, a cottage, and the water-mill, include the whole of Snoscomb.

Post-Office.—James Wright, sub-postmaster. Letters arrive here from Daventry at 8.30 A.M., and are despatched at 5.30 P.M.

Ayres Mrs Mary, Westcomb

Ayres Jas. woodmn. Snorscomb

Baseley Matthew, carpenter

Bird Mrs Eliz. beerh. & shopkr.

Bird Mr Richard

Bird Wm. commlr.bkr. &grzr.

Bishop William, blacksmith

Bliss Joseph, butcher

Bodily Robt, mason & bricklr.

Borman MrsArm Lt. Everdon

Bradley George, higgler

Bromwich Miss Sarah

Brown Mrs Sarah, schoolmrs.

Brown Mr William

Buswell William, butcher

Butlin Henry, blacksmith and vict. Plough

Carter Hy. scholmr. & rate col.

Coates Mrs Sarah, Lt. Everdon

Elliott Robert, baker

Ellis Rev. J, S. curate

Hopcroft Wm. grocer & farmer

Hollier Wm. beerhouse

Judkins Mr John

Judkins William, shopkeeper

Luxmoore Rev. Henry, M.A., rector

Mann Wm. carpntr. & bird stff.

Oliver Edward, saddler

Oliver Sam. machst. & shopkn

Osborn George, victualler, Plume of Feathers

St Paul David, Everdon Hall

StevensJno. wine & spirit mer.

Sutton Wm. tailor & sexton

Wright Jas. shoemkr. P.-O

Wright Joseph, carrier, beerhouse & shopkeeper

Farmers and Graziers.

(Marked thus * are yeomen)

*Bromwich James

Brown Thomas

*Burton Thomas

Coates Hy. Little Everdon

*Goodman Jno. Little Everdon

Gudgeon Elishha

Mountfort Thomas (& Corn

miller), Snorscomb

Osborn George

Payne John, Little Everdon

*Pepper Sanders (& surveyor)

Smith Mrs Sarah Ann, LittleEverdon

Stockley John (& maltster)

.

Carriers to Northampton, —George Bradley, [on Wednesday and Saturday, and George Wills to Daventry on all days except Thursday.

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