town and borough (district), administrative and historic county of Northamptonshire, England, situated east of Northampton along the River Nene. Wellingborough grew as a market town in the Middle Ages. After a fire in 1738, it was rebuilt on its present hill site. Wellingborough School, founded in 1595, was endowed with revenues from a suppressed medieval guild. Wellingborough's industries include leather-goods manufacture, flour milling, brewing, and a variety of other light industries. The borough includes a rural area stretching south from the town. Area borough, 63 square miles (163 square km). Pop. (2001) town, 46,959; borough, 72,530.