ANCIENTLY written Leighton-Beau-desert, is a thriving and respectable market town, in rather an extensive parish of the same name, in the hundred of Manshead and deanery of Dunstable: it is situated on the river Ousel, near to the borders of Buckinghamshire; 41 miles from London, 33 from Oxford, 20 from Bedford, 17 from Buckingham, 10 from Aylesbury, 8 from Dunstable, and 6 from Woburn. This place lays claim to some notice in early ages; it is contended to be the Lygean burgh of the Saxon chronicle, which was taken from the Britons by Cuthwulph, in the year 571: it still boasts an erection of ancient date, in the form of a Gothic cross of stone, beautiful even in decay; standing in the open area of the Market-place, and is said to have been erected more than 500 years, but by whom, or for what purpose other than that of sanctity, is not known; its form is pentagonal, in height 38 feet: the upper story is divided into five niches, each containing a statue; the first is in an episcopal habit, the second represents the virgin and Jesus, the third appears to be St. John the evangelist, the others are too mutilated to be known. The whole of this strcture was repaired in 1650, on which occasion a rate of fourpence was levied upon every inhabitant towards defraying the expense. The parish church, dedicated to All Saints, is a handsome Gothic structure in the cathedral form, and was formerly collegiate; it consists of a nave, chancel, two side aisles, two transepts, a vestry and school room; a plain massive tower rises from the centre, surmounted by a beautiful octagonal stone spire, 193 feet in height, which contains a ring of bells and set of chimes: the living is in the gift of the Bishop of Lincoln and the present vicar is the Rev. John Wilson. The quakers, who are a numerous and respectable class here, as have the baptists and methodists. Here are alms-houses for eight poor women, founded by Matthew Wilkes in 1630, and a school, endowed by the Hon. Mrs. Leigh in 1790. Chandos Leigh, Esq. Is lord of the manor, and courts leet and baron are held under him twice in the year; when the officers in whom the government of the town is vested are chosen. Leighton Buzzard enjoys a considerable trade in corn, timber, seed, iron &c.; the grand junction canal affording, by its proximity, the means of conveyance to all parts. There are also some very respectable establishments in the lime and brick trade; and the making of straw plat and lace [as in many other towns in this county] gives employment to a great number of females. The market day, which is on Tuesday, is most populously attended, and extensively supplied with cattle, corn, lace, straw plat &c.: the fairs are held on the second Tuesday in April, Whit-Tuesday, July 26th, October 24th, and the first Tuesday after the 10th of December. The parish of Leighton Buzzard contains the chapelries of BILLINGTON, EGGINGTON, HEATH-AND-REACH, and STANDRIDGE, which, with the township of Leighton Buzzard, contained collectively, by the census of 1821, 4,421 inhabitants, 2,749 of which number were returned as resident in the township.

POST OFFICE, Church-square, Charles Pyne, Post Master, - Letters from all parts arrive from DUNSTABLE, by a horse post, every morning between eight and nine, and are despatched every evening at six.

GENTRY AND CLERGY
Ashwell Mrs. High st.
Bassett Mrs. Market place
Benson Rev. Martin, Heath
Deverell Mrs. Church square
Millard John, gent. Leek st.
Wilson Rev. John, Church square

ACADEMICS AND SCHOOLS
Brown John, [boys’], High st.
Cooper Mary, [girls’], Leek st.
LANCASTRIAN, America - John Cooper, master
Rogers Sarah, [girls’], Leek st.

ATTORNEYS
Ashfield Arthur, Market place
Willis David Lee, & Fredk. High st.

AUCTIONEERS
Flint John, Market place
Wood Thos. Lane, [& land agent], High street

BAKERS
Chew William, North st.
Claridge Daniel, North st.
Claridge David, Leek st.
Claridge Mary, Leek street.
Collett Thomas, Canal st.
Goodman Thomas, Leek st.
Loke William, High st.
Maltby Thomas, North st.
Odell Thomas, Leek street
Proctor John, High street
Rogers Charles, Leek st.
Sinfield James [of gingerbread], North street
Walker Ann, High street

BANKERS
Bassett & Grant, Market place - [draw on Barclay & Co. London]

BASKET & SIEVE MAKERS
Collett Thomas, Canal st.
Wheeler Josiah, Market st.

BLACKSMITHS
Cooper George, Leek st.
Grace George, near Canal wharf
Roberts John, Back lane
Whybrow Henry, North st.

BOOKSELLER, PRINTER, STATIONER &c.
Flint John, Market place

BOOT & SHOE MAKERS
Harris James, [& leather cutter], Market place
Middleton Samuel, [& leather cutter & corn dealer], Friday st.

BRAZIERS AND TINMEN
Sharp John, Leek street
Sharp Joseph, Canal street
Wyton William, North st.

BRICKLAYERS
Elliot Thomas, North st.
Saunders Francis, North st.
Saunders James, North st.

BUTCHERS
Ginger Coleman, Market place
Goss Henry, Friday st.
Hopkins Benjamin, High st.
Hopkins Joshua, Leek st.
Hopkins Samuel, North st.
Reeve Benjamin, Leek st.
Stonhill Richard, Canal st.
Turnham Thomas, North st.
White Thomas, North st.

CABINET MAKERS AND UPHOLSTERERS
Aveline George, High st.
Inwood John, High street

CHINA, GLASS &c. DEALERS
Cox John, Jeffs lane
Neale Nathaniel, High street

CORN MILLERS
Chew William, North street
Claridge Mary, Leek street
Flemons Joseph, Lamsey

DRESS MAKERS
Claridge Mary & Hannah, Leek st.
Dickins Sarah, High street
Matthews Elizabeth, High street

FIRE, &c. OFFICE AGENTS
County, John D. Bassett and Co. Market place
Protector, Chas. Pyne, Church square
Royal Exchange, Dav. Lee Willis, [and notary], High street
Sun, John Proctor, High st.

GARDENERS & SEEDSMEN
Felts John, Leek street
Hopkins Samuel, Market place
Parsons Matthew, Market place

GROCERS & TEA DEALERS [see also Shopkeepers]
Allen Joshua and William, Market place
Cotching Robert, High street
Edwin Edmund, [and druggist], Leek street
Morris Thomas, Market place
Odell Gregory F. and Sarah, Market place
Poulter James, Friday st.
Sanders Richard, Market place
Wilson Sarah, High street

HAIR DRESSERS
Anthony Elizabeth, Market place
Partridge Jesse, Market place
Matthews Thomas, [& toy dealer], High street

HATTERS
Deverell Ann, Market place
Hon Thos. Wm. Market place

INNS
Swan [and posting house], John Bushell, Market place
Unicorn, Geo. Claridge, Leek st.

IRONMONGERS
Matthews John, High street
Page Charles, High street
Wheeler Josiah, Market place

JOINERS & CARPENTERS
Adams Thomas, Canal street
Dawson Edward, North street
Mead Thomas, Leek street

LAND SURVEYORS
Bevan Benjamin, [& civil engineer], High street
Flint John, Market place
Wood Thos. Lane, High street

LINEN AND WOOLLEN DRAPERS
Bassett John Dollin and Co. Market place
Price Thomas, jun. High st.
Ridgway Charles, Leek street

MALSTERS
Clarke James, Leek street
Cotching William, High street
Franklin Henry, Leek street
Hopkins Benjamin, High st.
How John [and corn dealer], North street
Reeve Samuel, High street
Rogers Josiah, Leek street
Stonhill Nathaniel, North street

MERCHANTS - GENERAL
Grant and Lawford, High street - office, Canal wharf
Osborn John, High street - office, Canal wharf

PLUMBERS, PAINTERS AND GLAZIERS
Lawley John, North street
Purser Jabez, High street
Purser Richard, High street
Watkins John, [painter & plasterer], Prospect place

SADDLERS AND COLLAR MAKERS
Bates Richd. [& tawer], Leek st.
Clare Thos. [& tawer], Leek st.
Stutchfield Edward, Market place
Swinstead Bernard, High st.

SHOPKEEPERS & DEALERS IN SUNDRIES
Culverhouse Mary, High street
Hide John, Jeff’s Lane
Kiteley John, High street
Munday Martha, Canal street
Turney Edward, Canal street
Wilkinson Charles, Leek street

STRAW HAT MAKERS
Lock Sarah, North street
Page Maria, High street
Partridge John, [and plat dealer], Vandyke
Webb James, Church square

SURGEONS
Heckford William, Leek street
Lawford Wm. Robinson, Leek street
Wagstaff Thos. Michael, High st.

TAILORS
Doggett Thomas & Sons, [and drapers], Market place
Dumpleton William, [and clothes dealer], Market place
Ratt William, [and clothes dealer], Market place
Webb James, Church square

TALLOW CHANDLERS
Odell Gregory F. and Sarah, Market place
Poulter James, Friday street
Sanders Richard, Market place

TAVERNS & PUBLIC HOUSES
Bell, Coleman Ginger, Market place
Bell & Woolpack, Thos. Hutson, Leek st.
Black Horse, Thos. Irons, North st.
Black Lion, Benj. Hopkins, High st.
Boot, William Drage, Market place
Bull, Nathaniel Stonhill, High street
Coach & Horses, Thos. Parsons, Leek st.
Corbet Arms, William Cotching, near Canal wharf
Cross Keys, Henry Samuel, Market place
Crown, Thos. Turnham, North st.
Currier’s Arms, Ann Marlton, Market pl.
Ewe, Lamb and Shepherd, Edwd. Loke, Canal street
Falcon, John Felts, Leek street
George & Dragon, Hy. Franklin, Leek st.
Golden Bell, John Cotching, Church sq.
Greyhound, Charles Carter, North street
King’s Arms, Jos. Hopkins, North st.
Nag’s Head, Thos. Yirrell, Leek st.
Peacock, Saml. Hopkins, Leek st.
Plume of Feathers, Jas. Clarke, Leek st.
Raven, William Dickins, High st
Roebuck, Benj. Gartside, Market place
Saracen’s Head, Jos. Rogers, High st.
Shoulder of Mutton, Jos. Turney, Canal st.
Sun, William Simmonds, Leek st.
Wheat Sheaf, Wm. Collings, North st.

WATCH AND CLOCK MAKERS
Matthews John, High st.
Page Charles, High st.

WHARFINGERS AND LIME AND BRICK MAKERS
Grant & Lawford, High street - office, Canal wharf
Osborn John, High street - office, Canal wharf
Young John, [and coal dealer], Canal wharf

WINE & SPIRIT MERCHANT
Odell Gregory F. [& stamp distributer], Market place

MISCELLANEOUS
Drage Wm. gunsmith, Market place
Foster John, wheelwright, Leek st.
Hugh Jabez, fellmonger, Back lane
Norman Robert, cooper, Jeff’s lane
Lock Richd., coach, &c. maker, North st.
Page Jesse, turner, High st.
Pettit Chas. lace manufacturer, High st.
Reeve Samuel, brewer, High street
Simmonds Richd., corn dealer, Leek st.
Smith Wm. sheriff’s officer, Jeff’s lane
Wright Elizbth., confectioner, North st.

COACHES
To LONDON, a Post Coach, from the Swan, every morning [Sundays excepted] at seven; goes through Hockliffe, Dunstable, and St. Albans.
To CAMBRIDGE, a Post Coach [from Oxford] calls at the Swan, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at twelve; goes through Woburn, Ampthill, Bedford and St. Neots.
To OXFORD, a Post Coach [from Cambridge] calls at the Swan, every Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday afternoons at two; goes through Aylesbury.

CARRIERS
To LONDON, Wm. Claridge’s Wagon, from Leek street, and John Young’s Wagon, from Canal wharf, every Tuesday and Friday morning.
To DUNSTABLE, Wm. Kent’s Wagon, from the Roebuck, twice a week.

CONVEYANCE BY WATER
To LONDON, BIRMINGHAM, MANCHESTER, &c. Fly Boats pass daily by which goods left at the wharfs of Messrs. Grant and Lawford, J. Osborn, or John Young, are safely forwarded to all parts of the kingdom.