CAXTON, a parish and market-town (small), in the
hundred of LONGSTOW, county of CAMBRIDGE, 10§
miles (W. by S.) from Cambridge, and 49 (N.N.W.) from
London, containing 406 inhabitants. This place, one of
the oldest post towns in the country, is situated on the
Roman Ermin-street, which passes through the town
from Holm to Papworth: the houses are in general irregularly
built and of mean appearance; there are
some good inns, and the trade of the place arises chiefly
from its situation on the old north road to York. The
market, granted to Baldwin Freville in 1247, is on
Tuesday: fairs, principally for pedlary, are held on May
5th and October 18th. The living is a discharged vicarage,
in the archdeaconry and diocese of Ely, rated
in the king's books at £7-12. 4., and in the patronage
of the Dean and Canons of Windsor. The church, dedicated
to St. Andrew, contains several memorials of
the Barnard family, and a handsome monument to the
memory of Mary, wife of John Hanson. Robert Langwith,
in 1581, bequeathed £31. 10. per annum for the
benefit of eight of the poorest housekeepers, and for
four sermons to be preached quarterly in the church,
Matthew Paris, a Benedictine monk, who flourished in
the reign of Henry III., and who wrote a history of the
world from the creation to the year of his death, which
happened in 1259, was a native of this place. It has
been erroneously stated that Caxton, who introduced
the art of printing into England, was born in this parish;
his own memoirs refer his birth and education
to the county of Kent.