1854 – Post Office Directory of Northampton
Hardingstone is a parish in the Hundred of Wymersley, 2 miles south-east from Northampton, contained, in 1851, with the hamlets of Cotton End, Far Cotton, with paper mills and Delapre Abbey. 1,196 inhabitants, and about 3060 acres of land. The living is a vicarage, value £534, in the archdeaconary of Northampton, diocese Peterborough, and in the patronage of the crown. the church dedicated to St. Edmund has portions in the early style of English Architecture; the Rev Edward Gilbert MA is the incumbent. The river Nen, and a branch of the Grand Junction Canal to Northampton pass through the parish, and join at Cotton End, where are commodious wharfs and warehouses; also the Northampton Station of the London and North Western Railway. Near the side of the London Road is one of the most beautiful monumental crosses erected by Edward I in memory of his consort, Eleanor, called Queens cross, to the south west of which is a commanding eminence, crowned by the remains of Danes camp, a circular fortification, and enclosing more than four acres and supposed to have been constructed by Sweyn, the father of Canute. A battle called the battle of Northampton was fought here, in which the Duke of Buckingham and other nobles were killed and Henry VI was made prisoner, in the 38th year of his reign. James Hervey, author of the Meditations, was born here in 1714. Delapre Abbey is now the seat of Edward Bouverie Esq.
Gentry Bluke Rev William MS [curate] Rectory Bouverie Edward esq. Breton Miss Mary Ann Forbes Mrs Mary Freeman John esq. Green Mrs Jane Kendal Mr Charles Marriot Williams esq Mercer John esq Payne James Esq Scriven Mrs Mary Weston John esq. Traders Adams John plough manufacturer and smith Cotton End Adkins Jabez and son, corn & coal merchants, millers and farmers Allen James beer retailer Atherton Thomas and co timber merchants Cotton end Bailey Samuel blacksmith Cotton End Battams William farmer Battams Thomas farmer and cattle salesman Chamberlain Ann (Mrs) shopkeeper Chapman Joseph, shopkeeper, Cotton End Cheeseman George Christopher, manager of the goods department, Railway Station, Cotton End Clayson George Tailor Coldhart Edward receiving officer Crosher Joseph coal merchant railway station cotton end Dickens William 'five bells' Elton Charles carpenter and wheelwright Elton James Butcher Elton Thomas grocer and postmaster Fletcher Charles gamekeeper Ford Robert. Boot and Shoe maker, Cotton End Frost Elizabeth (Mrs) farmer Frost Samuel butcher Gilling Edward butcher Cotton end Hager Thomas, brewer, maltster & wine and spirit merchant Cotton end Hall George carpenter and grocer Hall Richard grocer Holloway Maria (Mrs) ladies boarding school Cotton end Holloway William, auctioneer, Cotton end Holt John, grocer, Cotton end Howes Samuel & Charles farmers lodge farm Livecock Charles, Station Master, Railway Station, Cotton End Morris Mark 'Pomfret Arms' Cotton end Norton William grocer Norman William coal merchant and farmer Cotton end Odams and Norton coal merchants, railway station Cotton end Olden & Co northamptonshire iron ore works Payne Catherine 'Sun' Peach Henry tailor beer retailer & parish clerk Phipps John draper Pickford & Co. Carriers (William Butcher agent) Cotton end Rice James, farmer, Cotton end Roberts George, shop keeper, Cotton End Rolfe john Baker Rogers Robert Steward to Edward Bouverie esq. Shaw john farmer Shaw William, farmer, Cotton end Smith Samuel, engineer & agricultural implement maker, retailer, Grand Junction wharf, Cotton end Smith James salt merchant Cotton end Smith William baker Stenson William & Co. coal Merchants (Saml. Wood, agent), Railway station, Cotton End Thompson Samuel, hay and corn factor coal merchant & beer retailer, Grand junction Wharf Cotton end Underwood Francis farmer Weightman John, Wharfinger Grand Junction wharf, Cotton end Whitehouse Stephen coal merchant Railway station, Cotton end Wooding Henry, builder, Bridge Street & Cotton End. Ward & Beeby, steam saw planing & flour mills, grand junction wharf Cotton end Wise Elizabeth Sarah (Mrs) paper manufacturer Rush mills York William, White Hart, Cotton end (Also refereed to later in directory as "Old White Horse")