Peterborough, city and unitary authority, central England, on the Nene River. The city, which dates to medieval times, embraces a large agricultural area and lies on the western edge of The Fens, a drained swampland. It is an important railroad junction and an industrial and farm market center. Manufactures include machinery, electrical equipment, bricks, and processed foods. Of note in the city is Saint Peter's Cathedral, begun in 1118, which contains the Hedda Stone (circa 800), an important piece of Anglo-Saxon sculpture. A Benedictine abbey was built on the site of the present-day city in 655, and the village that grew around it was called Medeshamstede. The abbey was destroyed by the Danes in 870; it was rebuilt and then sacked in the 11th century, and finally destroyed by fire in 1116. In 1967 Peterborough was designated for expansion under Britain's New Towns Act. By the end of the development program in 1988, the city's population had nearly doubled, and it was well-established as a regional center for economic growth. Population (1996 estimate) 158,674.Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
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