Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition/Aylesbury

AYLESBURY, a market-town, parliamentary borough, and railway junction, in the county of Buckingham, 39 miles N.W. of London. It stands on a gentle eminence in the centre of a fertile vale, and consists of several streets and lanes irregularly built, but well paved and lighted. The county-hall, market-house, and county gaol are hand some buildings, as is also the parish church, an ancient structure with a tower rising from the centre. It has a free grammar-school (1611), several other schools and charities, a corn-exchange (1865), three banks, a savings bank, an infirmary (1833), a union workhouse, and places of public worship for Roman Catholics, Methodists, Baptists, Independents, &c. It returns two members to parliament. The assizes and quarter sessions and the elections of mem bers for the county are held here. The inhabitants are prin cipally employed in the manufacture of bonelace and straw- plaiting, besides the rearing of ducks, which are sent in large quantities to the London market at Christmas. A branch canal, six miles in length, connects Aylesbury with the Grand Junction Canal. Population of parliamentary borough in 1871, 28,760.