ManorAt the Norman survey, the Bishop of Constance had 6 hides and 1½ virgate, which, with a mill of the yearly value of 34s. 8d., 100 eels, and 20a. of meadow, were valued at £5. William Peverel held 7½ hides here at the same time, of the soke of Higham, which were rated at £18. In the reign of Henry II, Robert Fitz-Roger held 2½ hides, and Gilbert Fitz-Richard, 4 small virgates here. These were the lands which formerly belonged to the Bishop of Constance; and the lands which William Peverel held appear to be contained in the 33 hides which were certified to be in the hundred of the demesnes of Peverel, and which passed with Higham to the Ferrers family. In the ninth of Edward II (1315), the king and the Earl of Lancaster were lords of Raunds. We subsequently find a third manor in Raunds, and the whole of them passed through several intermediate hands to the present possessors, Sir James Hay Langham, Bart., and the Crown; the former possessing 2 manors, called Furnell's and Gage's manors, one of which (Gage's) was purchased by Sir John Langham, Bart., in the twelfth of Charles II. (1660), and the other by Sir W. Langham, for £4600, in 1675. The third manor is now in the possession of the Crown.

The Village of Raunds, which is large and scattered, is distant 6 miles west from Thrapston, and is a place of considerable importance for the manufacture of shoes. The Gas Works were established in 1866 by a company of shareholders, whose present nominal capital is £3600, raised in £10 shares. The gas-holder will contain 9000 cubic feet, and the village is lighted with 45 public lamps. The price charged to consumers is 6s. 8d. per 1000 cubic feet and the annual consumption is 1,012,950, and that of Stanwick is 340,000 cubic feet.

The Hall, which is a very handsome mansion, the residence of John K. Nichols, Esq., was erected in 1871.

The Church, dedicated to St Peter, is a large handsome edifice, consisting of a nave and side-aisles, chancel, south chantry, west tower, and spire, and south porch. The tower belongs to the first half of the reign of Henry III., and the walls of the chancel, with the fine east window, are of the same period. The nave and aisles were rebuilt in the time of Edward III, and shortly afterwards the side walls of the chancel were raised, and the clerestory introduced with a new roof in imitation of that of the nave. Many windows were inserted in the later period of the Perpendicular style. The spire was rebuilt, it having been struck with lightning on the 31st of July 1826, when about 30 feet were thrown down, and much damage done to the church, the repairs of which cost ,£1731, 15s, 3d.; in the rebuilding of the spire the original pattern was faithfully copied. This tower and spire, which are 180 feet high, are celebrated as amongst the finest even in this district of spires, which contains some of the best in England. The font, which stands at the west end of the south aisle, is Early English, plain, circular. The cover is made out of an old one, having a finial formed of four heads united. There are five piscinathree in the chancel, one in the chantry, and one in the north aisle. One of those in the chancel is placed in the east end wall, as is also that in the chantry; and the single sedilia, which has a trefoil arch, and a pediment over it, seems to have been part of the original design, though it has been restored. Near the south-east corner of the chancel is a flat grove stone or coffin-lid of the thirteenth century, ornamented with a rich floriated crossvery likely to be the tombstone of the founder, removed from the chancel, and now fast decaying from exposure to the weather. A lid of a tomb, with an Early English floriated cross, turned downwards, was discovered in 1874, and is now placed in the churchyard, west of the south porch. On the southern side of the churchyard are the steps and shaft of an ancient stone sepulchral cross of the late Decorated style. It has a band of quatrefoil panels round the base, and the emblems of the evangelists on the four sides of the shaft; that of St Matthew is unusual, being a bird with a human face instead of an angel. At the west end of the nave a circular stone face for a clock has just been discovered, having 24 discs in its circumference. This is supported by an arc of masonry inside the western arch, and being cleared, some very good frescoes were also discovered. The church is rich in tombs and brasses. Fourteen of the latter were discovered some years ago under the south chantry floor; two of them have effigies, supposed to be of the Talbot familyone of the brasses having the inscription, "Of your charity pray for the souls of John Talbot and Margaret his wife, which John deceased the 11th day of January, in the year of our Lord 1470. On whose souls Jesus have mercy." In the chancel is a brass plate bearing the inscription, "Hic Jacet Gulielmus Holmes Sacre Theologiae Baccalarie Quonda Vicaris hujus Ecclesiae qui obit 9th January 1653." There are also monuments to members of the Gage family. The communion table is of oak, massive, and beautifully carved, and having round the sides the following inscription, "The gift of Gilbert Negouse, who died on 2nd August 1630. The church is now (1873-4), under restoration from plans by Sir G. G. Scott, at a cost of about ;£4000 exclusive of the chancel, the restoration of which rests with the lay impropriator, Thomas Nichols, Esq. of the Grange. The living is a vicarage in the deanery of Higham Ferrers, rated in the king's books at £11, 95. 7d., and now worth about £300 per annum. The patronage is vested in the Bishop of Peterborough, and the Rev. Charles Porter. M.A., is the vicar. The tithes were commuted for Iand in 1797. The register dates from 1581. The Vicarage House stands near the church; and near it also stood a fine barn of the thirteenth century, with a high-pitched roof, which was taken down some sixteen years ago.

The Baptist Chapel was built in 1837, at a cost of about, £500, and will seat about 400. Rev. Joseph Pearce is the minister.

The Wesleyan Chapel, erected in 1812, was rebuilt in 1874, at a cost of nearly £3000. It is a very good substantial stone structure, capable of seating 800, with lecture-room underneath to hold about 300.

The Primitive Methodists have also a chapel here, built in 1870, at a cost of £212, and will seat 150 persons.

The National School (mixed) was built in 1860, at a cost of £1400; including the purchase of site, and the master's residence. The funds were raised by subscription, and a Government grant of £372. An Infant School was built in 1870. The average number in attendance is 250. The Wesleyans have also a good school, built in 1861, at a cost of £1300, towards which the Government granted £420. An Infant School was added in 871, at a further cost of £300. The average attendance is 220. The Science Classes in connection with the science and art department are held in the school from November to May, and are attended by an average of forty students. Here is a Temperance Hall, built in 1859 at a cost of nearly £400. The large room has accommodation for about 300.

Amongst the benefit and friendly societies here are the Oddfellows', Foresters', and the Tradesmen's.

The Charities of this parish consist of 51 acres of Iand, which lets for £85 per annum, which sum is divided for the repairs of the church, the support of the national school, and for those of the poor who are not in receipt of parochial relief. There are also about 2 roods of land in Ringstead parish, let in allotments for about £1 per annum each, and which is divided between the church and the poor; and in 1720 Robert Nichols left six houses to the poor of this parish, the present rent of which is £16, 5s. per annum.

Post, Money-Order, Telegraph Office, and Savings BankAndrew Walker, postmaster. Letters arrive from Thrapston at 8 A.M. and 3 P.M., and are despatched at 10 5 A.M. and 3.55 P.M., on week days only.