Daventry
Daventry is a small market town close to Watling Street (now the A5)
in
Northamptonshire, about 15 miles from Northampton itself. In the early
eighteenth century its population was about 1,300,
[8]
and had risen to 2,582 by 1801.
[9] The town had a claim to fame in
the
eighteenth century, for it was the seat of one of the most important of the
nonconformist academies. The Academy was founded, in Northampton, by
Philip Doddridge in 1729. It was his wish that his successor should be
Caleb Ashworth, the minister at Daventry. When Doddridge died, however,
Ashworth refused to move, and so the Academy moved to him in 1752. It
remained in Daventry until 1789. The Academy's pupils during the
Daventry years included Joseph Priestley, Samuel Palmer, and William
Enfield.
[10] It was also to prove of
considerable significance for Clay's business.
