Huntingdonshire
Contents
Nearby Places
Nearby churches
Bluntersham (x - xiii cent.), Blondesham (xiv cent.), Bluntysham, Bluntsome, Blunsham (xvi cent.).
Herhythe, Herhethe (xii cent.), Herethe, Erehethe, Erhuth (xiv cent.), Earette, Earythe (xvi cent.).
The two townships of Bluntisham and Earith, which are one mile apart, have probably always formed one ecclesiastical parish with the parish church in Bluntisham and a chapelry in Earith. The usual ecclesiastical name is Bluntisham-cum-Earith. The soil varies: in the gravel areas, fruit trees, barley and oats do well whilst on the loam and clay lands wheat prevails. The water supply traditionally was derived from gravel springs in places; later wells, fed by surface water (called 'sock' wells) were used. On the west, near the Somersham road, was Chalybeate spring where more than one attempt was made in the 18th century to establish a Spa (known as Somersham Spa).
Evidence of Neolithic and Roman inhabitants have been found. However, the four open fields of the old village can still be traced. Higham Field lay in the north-western part of the parish - about 100 ft. above sea-level. Gill Field in the south-western part, gradually slopes down to the River Ouse, takes its name from the 'Gills' or water channels. From Higham Field eastwards, on the north side was Coleway Field, and between that and Bury Fen (which lies below the church) was Old Mill Field or Inhams, which stretched from Bluntisham to Earith.
The once quite considerable woodland has almost disappeared. In 1843, there still was 68 acres of woodland but this had reduced to only 10 acres by 1925, leaving only their names.
The west end of the parish was part of Somersham Heath, which was inclosed in 1797. There was no road across it before then. This part of the parish is still called Bluntisham Heath. The western end of the village is called Wood End; eastwards was the Colne road where some of the oldest buildings were located. The main part of Bluntisham Village runs straight north and south to the Rectory Corner on the St. Ives road. At this point stood the village pound and a small hamlet known as Little London.
Earith means 'mud' (or more probably gravel) and hithe means a landing place. Earith has always had an importance distinct from Bluntisham because of its propinquity to the river. The village lies chiefly along the road coming from Earith Bridge towards St. Ives. Many Quakers had their homes in Earith after 1650, and a Meeting House has existed there since.
The Earith bridge has always been important. As early as 1346, the local community complained to Parliament that this bridge, which had been used from ancient times, was entirely gone for default of repair. A bridge and causeway (known as 'Earith Causey') over Haddenham Fen were looked after by Hermits in the 14th and 15th centuries, and indulgencies were granted around 1400 for the repairs and maintenance. This bridge was still in existence in 1637. A new bridge over the old Bedford River was erected in 1812, and a further cast-iron one was put over the new Bedford River in 1826.
The civil parish of Bluntisham-cum-Earith was dissolved in 1948 when two separate civil parishes of Bluntisham and Earith were formed.
Monumental Inscriptions from the Parish Churchyard (approximately 490 entries) are available from the Huntingdonshire FHS Bookstall.
Census information for this parish (1841 - 1891)is held in the Huntingdon Records Office.
The full 1841 Census of Bluntisham-cum-Earith Parish is available in fiche format as Fiche Set C83.
The full 1851 Census of Bluntisham-cum-Earith Parish is available in fiche format as Fiche Set C33.
A surname index of the 1881 Census of the St. Ives Registration District, in which Bluntisham (Folios 51a - 65b) and Earith (Folios 69a - 80b) were enumerated, and which took place on 3rd April 1881, is available as Fiche C4.
A full transcription of the 1891 Census of the Somersham sub-District of the St. Ives Registration District (RG12/1239) in which Bluntisham and Earith were enumerated, and which took place on 5th April 1891, has also been produced by the Huntingdonshire FHS (as Fiche C-11).
The fiche sets mentioned above are available from the Huntingdonshire FHS.
OS Grid Square TL 374744.
The church of St Mary is located in Bluntisham; it consists of a chancel,
north vestry, nave, north aisle, south aisle, west tower, and north and south
porches. The walls are of rubble with stone and clunch dressing, and the roofs
are covered with tiles and lead.
Of the church mentioned in the Inquisitio Eliensis and the Domesday
survey of 1086, nothing now remains. The earliest parts of the existing
building are the chancel with its north vestry or chapel, built about 1330, and
the west tower, built about 1370-1380.
In about 1450, the nave and
aisles were rebuilt, the aisles being extended to the west wall of the tower,
the side walls being pierced with arches and the chancel arch rebuilt. The
south porch was built at the same time
as the aisles, but the north porch was added slightly later as is shown by the
plinth of the aisle running through the porch wall.
The church was
restored in 1850 when the chancel was much altered, the north wall and vestry
being largely rebuilt and a gallery removed. The west tower was restored in
1903-1905, the south aisle in 1904, and other works occurred in 1912-1913.
Baptisms: 1538-1641/2, 1586-1649, 1649-1650, 1705-1767, 1768-1812,
1813-1842, 1842-1921
Banns: 1754-1801, 1801-1823
Marriages: 1538/9-1641,
1587-1649, 1649-1650, 1705-1754, 1754-1801, 1801-1823, 1837-1931, 1931-1941,
1941-1951, 1951-1960,
1960-1975
Burials: 1538-1641/2, 1585-1646, 1649-1650, 1705-1767, 1768-1812,
1813-1919
Bishop's Transcripts: 1604-6, 1608-9, 1612,
1618-19, 1621, 1625, 1627, 1632, 1680/1692-6, 1704-10, 1714-16, 1718, 1720,
1722-57/1754-64, 1768-1812/1813-20/1825-9, 1833-34
These are available in the Huntingdon Records Office.
The Bluntisham-cum-Earith Parish Registers of St Mary's (baptisms, marriages and burials) 1538-1918, on 7 microfiche, are available from the Huntingdonshire FHS.
The Huntingdonshire Marriage Indexes include marriages from this parish. These are, at present, issued in alphabetical listings in series: 1601-1700, and 1701-1754, and are available from the Huntingdonshire FHS..
The Minute Books for the Bluntisham Non-Conformist Church Meeting House (1786-1940) and the Huntingdonshire Marriage Indexes which include marriages from this parish, (and which are at present, issued in alphabetical listings in series: 1601-1700, and 1701-1754) are both available from the Huntingdonshire FHS.
The united parish of Bluntisham-cum-Earith was originally in the Registration District of St Ives from 1st July 1837. Subsequently the parish came under the Registration sub-District of Somersham. Since 1st April 1997, it has been in the Registration District of Huntingdon.
GENWEB pages on Bluntisham and Earith are available.
An old map of the parish of Bluntisham-cum-Earith is available.
The war memorial with detailed information about those who fell is available on the Roll of Honour site for Huntingdonshire.
The population of the two villages was kept separate for civil purposes,
except for the period 1881 to 1951 when the figures for both were combined
under Bluntisham.
Population in 1801 - 460 (Bluntisham) and 362
(Earith)
Population in 1851 - 760 (Bluntisham)
and 790 (Earith)
Population in 1901 - 950 (Bluntisham and
Earith)
Population in 1951 - 499 (Bluntisham) and 634 (Earith)
Population
in 1971 - 654 (Bluntisham) and 899
(Earith)
Population in 1991 - 1610 (Bluntisham) and 1643 (Earith)
Bluntisham-cum-Earith was in the St. Ives Union for Poor Law
administration.
Births and deaths registered in the St Ives Union
Workhouse (1836 - 1913) are available as fiche set D9 from the
Huntingdonshire FHS.
The parish of Bluntisham-cum-Earith occupied 3354 acres, of which 1254 were arable, 1262 were permanent grass and 484 acres were fruit orchards.
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