Huntingdonshire
Contents
Nearby Places
Nearby churches
Aethelington, Aeilington (x cent.), Adelintune (xi cent.), Aethelyngtone, Ailincton, Adelington (xii cent.), Aylington, Alyngton (xiii, xiv, xv cent.), Aylton (xvi cent.).
"In the district of Huntingdon, there is a certain township, to which far distant antiquity gave the name Athelintone; it lies in a most beautiful situation, well provided with streams of water, in a pleasant plain of meadows, abounding in grazing for cattle and rich in fertile field". Thus, in the 12th century, the chronicler of Ramsey Abbey described Elton, and the description remains to the present day.
The parish of Elton lies in the north-west corner of the old county of Huntingdonshire on the borders of Northamptonshire, into which the southern portion of Elton Park extends. The ancient parish was partly in the Polebrook Hundred of Northamptonshire and partly in the Norman Cross Hundred of Huntingdonshire. The River Nene forms the greater part of the western boundary and the Billing Brook the eastern boundary. The land is undulating and, in the places near the Nene, it is less than 50 ft. above sea-level. Near Stock Hill Lodge, however, it rises to 200 ft. The sub-soil is mainly clay and the land is used for agriculture.
The village lies close to the River Nene at the western boundary of the parish and is chiefly built along the High Street and a parallel road, both running east from the river to the junction of the roads from Peterborough and Stamford to Oundle. There was only a ford over the river until 1844 when a wooden bridge (called the Crown Bridge) was built. This was replaced by a stone bridge in 1875. The common fields of Elton were inclosed by an Act of Parliament in 1779, when the first Earl of Carysford (d. 1789) was lord of the manor.
The village is divided into Nether End and River End, and Over End. These divisions can be traced back to 1331 when the Cross in 'Overtoun' is mentioned, and in 1386 the Manor House stood in Netherton, presumably on the same site as the present day. In 1675 separate searchers of balks and tellers of cattle were appointed for the two divisions, which in 1791 each contained 109 houses. In the early part of the 20th century, there were a village Green and the Mill at Nether End; the church stands in Over End. Further to the south are Elton Hall and Elton Park. At the Sheep Walk, a name still preserved by Sheep Walk Farm near Billing Brook, there is a rectangular moat mentioned in 1588 when it was leased with the site of the Manor.
Various Neolithic implements have been found in fair numbers scattered over the parish. Romano-British pottery, some being 3rd century Castor Ware, has been found in the village, whilst the remains of two Anglo-Saxon crosses of the christian period, dated to around the year 970, are standing in the churchyard.
Elton Hall was built by Sir Richard Sapcote (d. 1477), and was subsequently extended by his successors. This house was originally surrounded by a moat, now long since filled up, but in 1894 indications were found that it was 13 ft. deep. Robert Sapcote, who died on 4th January 1600/1 was probably the last of his family to live here, for in 1617 the property was finally sold coming into the possession of Sir Thomas Proby. In 1665, because of its ruinous condition, it was pulled down and a new house built in its place. Subsequent alterations were undertaken by other owners of the property including the Earls of Carysford.
In 1851 the civil parish was considered to be entirely in Huntingdonshire. However, in 1965, the parish boundaries were altered with those of its neighbours. Parts were exchanged with Fotheringay civil parish of Northamptonshire; Elton also gained part of Warmington civil parish, and lost part to Nassington civil parish, both these latter two parishes being in Northamptonshire.
Monumental inscriptions for Elton have not been recorded by the Huntingdonshire FHS. However, Peterborough & District FHS have an interest in the parish.
Census information for this parish (1841 - 1891) is held in the Huntingdon Records Office.
The full 1841 Census of Elton Parish is available as fiche set C90.
The full 1851 Census of Elton Parish is available as fiche set C40.
A surname index of the 1881 Census of the Oundle Registration District of Northamptonshire, in which Elton was enumerated (RG11/1588, Folios 58a - 81a), and which took place on 3rd April 1881, is available, as Fiche C2.
A full transcription of the 1891 Census of the Huntingdonshire (Miscellaneous Parishes) Registration District in which Elton was enumerated, and which took place on 5th April 1891, is available as fiche set C16.
The above mentioned fiche are available from the Huntingdonshire FHS.
OS Grid Square TL 089937.
The church of All Saints consists of a chancel, organ chamber and
vestry on the north, nave, north aisle, south aisle, west tower and
south porch. The walls of the tower and porch are faced with ashlar, and the
rest of the church with rubble with stone dressings. The roofs are covered with
lead and slates.
The church is mentioned in the
Domesday survey of 1086, and some foundations of this early church were
found under the north wall of the chancel in 1886. Nothing, however,
remains above ground earlier than the chancel arch which dates from
around 1270. The chancel, nave and two aisles were built in the first
decade of the 14th century, and there are indications that a vestry was
added a little later. The three western arches of the south arcade were
rebuilt in the 15th century, and at the extreme end of that century, the south
aisle itself was rebuilt, the western tower built, and both aisles extended to
its west face. At the same time, the south porch was also built and a
clearstory was added to the nave.
The west gallery was taken down and
the tower arch opened out by the Rev. F W Faber (1843-45), and further
improvements were made by his successor, Rev. P C Claughton (1845-59). The
church was restored in 1885-6 when the vestry and organ chamber were built, the
aisle roofs renewed and the clearstory windows opened out. In 1905, the east
wall of the chancel was rebuilt.
Baptisms: 1560-1656, 1653-1690 (includes births), 1688-1751,
1751-1812, 1813-1847, 1847-1884.
Banns: 1824-1855,
1855-1953.
Marriages: 1561?-1653, 1653-1690, 1688-1750/1, 1751-1756,
1754-1812, 1813-1837, 1837-1957.
Burials: 1560-1653, 1653-1690,
1688-1750/1, 1751-1812, 1813-1860.
Bishop's Transcripts: 1604-5,
1607-10, 1612, 1617-19, 1625-7, 1629, 1660-2, 1669-71/1675-6, 1678-80,
1682-7, 1690-3, 1700-2, 1704, 1706, (1708 is in Fletton BT's), 1709-34,
1736-40/1741-1776/1776-86, 1788-1813/1813-16, 1818-27/1828-43,
1845-58.
These are available in the Huntingdon Records Office.
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 parish of Elton was originally the Oundle Registration District
from 1st July 1837. Subsequently, it became part of the sub-District of
Fotheringhay. It was later transferred to the Peterborough
District.
From 1st April 1998, marriage records were transferred
to the Huntingdon Registry Office, but the births and burial records
were retained by Peterborough.
A GENWEB page on Elton is available.
An old map of the parish of Elton is available.
The war memorial with detailed information about those who fell is available on the Roll of Honour site for Huntingdonshire.
Population in 1801 - 738.
Population in 1851 - 878.
Population
in 1901 - 674.
Population in 1951 - 980.
Population in 1971 -
501.
Population in 1991 - 643.
The parish of Elton was in the Peterborough Union of Northamptonshire for Poor Law administration.
The parish of Elton occupies 3758 acres of land.
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