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HARSTON

"HARSTON is a parish on the bank of the River Cam and on the London road, with a station, half a mile distant, on the Cambridge and Hitchin line of the London and North Eastern railway, 52½ miles from London and 5 south-south-west from Cambridge, in the hundred of Triplow, petty sessional division of Arrington and Melbourn, union of Chesterton, county court district of Cambridge, rural deanery of Barton and archdeaconry and diocese of Ely. The village is well supplied with excellent water, derived from artesian wells."

"The soil is chiefly of a chalky and gravelly character, and the subsoil is chiefly gravel. The chief crops are wheat and barley; a large quantity of fruit is also grown here. The area is 1,733 acres of land and 8 of water; the population in 1921 was 713."
[Kelly's Directory - Cambridgeshire - 1929]

Cemeteries

The Monumental Inscriptions in the graveyards of both churches, All Saints and the Baptist Chapel, for the years 1714-1973 are recorded in the Cambridge Records Office and are available, on microfiche, from the Cambridgeshire Family History Society Bookstall.

Census

The Census Records from 1841-1891 can be found in the Cambridge Record Office. In addition the 1851 Census for Harston is available in full transcript form, on microfiche, from the Cambridgeshire Family History Society Bookstall.

Church History

"The church of All Saints is a building of stone in the Perpendicular style, consisting of chancel, clerestoried nave of five bays, north transept or chapel, aisles (the south aisle being considerably narrower than the north), north porch and an embattled western tower containing 4 bells; the tenor bell, cast by Austen Bracker, bears an inscription to that effect, the lettering being oddly reversed: there is a piscina at the east end of each aisle and a rood screen and rood of picturesque design; the corbels in the church are quaint and of outstanding interest in the north transept are a few interesting remains of 15th century glass : the pulpit is of the Late Decorated period the interior of the church was restored and reseated in 1870 and an organ was placed in the church in 1883: there are 240 sittings. The register dates from the year 1686."

"There is a Baptist chapel here, founded in 1781, with 330 sittings."
[Kelly's Directory - Cambridgeshire - 1929]

A list of vicars of Harston is available.

Church Records

Church of England

Harston, All Saints: Records of baptisms 1687-1994, marriages 1689-1970, burials 1687-1993 and banns 1754-1995 reside in the Cambridge Record Office. Indexed transcripts for baptisms 1599-1857, marriages 1599-1840 and burials 1599-1840 also reside in the Cambridge Record Office. The Bishop's Transcripts for the years 1599-1800 and 1815-1855 can be found in the Cambridge University Library. Parish register transcripts of Harston All Saints, 1599-1837, are available in full transcript form, on microfiche, from the Cambridgeshire Family History Society Bookstall.

Baptist

Harston Baptist Church: Records exist at the Cambridge Record Office for deaths, in summary form for the years 199-1987 and monumental inscriptions 1799-1974.

Description and Travel

"In this parish stands an obelisk, erected to Gregory Wale esq. of Little Shelford, and dated 1739, and close to the vicarage house is a spot called "the red field" where it is said an encounter took place between the Royalists and Parliamentary forces. Harston Manor House is the residence of William Taylor Rowley esq. There are two manors. W. T. flowley esq. who is lord of the manor of Tiptoff, Samuel Reuben Ginn esq. D.L., J,P. who is lord of the manor of Harston-Shadworth, and Arthur Hurrell esq. J.P. are the principal landowners."
[Kelly's Directory - Cambridgeshire - 1929]

Taxation

Land Tax: records were compiled afresh each year and contain the names of owners and occupiers in each parish, but usually there is no address or place name. These records reside in the Cambridge Record Office for the years 1798 (on microfilm) and 1811-1948.


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[Last updated 20 March 2003 Martin Edwards]