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road very heavy. This stage is eighteen miles.
Stoney-Stratford (Bucks,) is a populous town, and principally inhabited by lacemakers. At every door almost, the women and children are seen industriously employed in this manufacture. There are two good parish churches here, and the houses are of stone and brick. King Edward I. erected a cross here, in memory of his Queen, Eleanor. In May 1743, a dreadful fire happened in this town, which destroyed 150 houses. Near Old Stratford commences Northamptonshire commonly considered the center of the kingdom. From thence we proceeded to Towcester which contains nothing remarkable; and is a very dull town. In 917 it was ineffectually besieged by the Danes.
Daventry is the next town noticeable. Here was formerly a monastery: many Roman coins have been discovered in theneigh-
