Huntingdonshire
Contents
Nearby Places
Nearby churches
Emingeforde (xi cent.), Hemmingeford Magna, Emmingeforde Abbatis (xiii cent.).
The parish and village lies south of the Ouse which forms its northern boundary. Near the river, the land is liable to floods but the ground rises to over 100 ft above sea-level in the south. The soil near the river is gravel and loam, but in the north it is stiff clay growing wheat, barley, oats and beans.
The village is almost continuous with that of neighbouring Hemingford Grey, and stands near the south bank of the River Ouse, and about one mile north of the road from Godmanchester to Cambridge, from which branch roads lead to the village. The village street follows the line of the river, the church standing on its north side where the river widens around Batcock Island. To the east of the church is the Manor House and to the west is the Rectory. There are several 17th century cottages in the village.
On the east side of the cross roads, about 250 yards south-east of the church, is the base of a wayside cross with part of the stem, and on the east side of Watts Lane are the remains of a homestead moat, possibly the site of the Manor House of William de Hemingford.
The local area consists mainly of farmland, and also provides dormitory accommodation for the population working in nearby towns.
Monumental Inscriptions from the Parish Churchyard (approximately 500 entries - fiche set M4) are available from Huntingdonshire FHS.
Census information for this parish (1841 - 1891) is held in the Huntingdon Records Office.
The full 1841 Census of Hemingford Abbots Parish is available as fiche set C98.
The full 1851 Census of Hemingford Abbots Parish is available as fiche set C48.
A surname index of the 1881 Census of the St. Ives Registration District, in which Hemingford Abbots was enumerated (RG11/1609, Folios 57a - 65a), and which took place on 3rd April 1881, is available, as fiche set C4.
A full transcription of the 1891 Census of the St. Ives Registration District (RG12/1234) in which Hemingford Abbots parish was enumerated, and which took place on 5th April 1891, is available as fiche set C12.
The above mentioned fiche are available from the Huntingdonshire FHS.
OS Grid Square TL 283711
The parish church originally called St Margaret Church of the Virgin,
is now dedicated to St Margaret of Antioch. It consists of a chancel
with vestry and organ chamber on the north, nave, north aisle, south
aisle, west tower and south porch. The walls are of rubble with stone
dressings, with the exception of the chancel and vestry, etc. which are
of brick. The roofs are covered with lead and slates.
The church
is mentioned in the Domesday Survey of 1086, but nothing of this date
remains. It is probable that in the 12th century the church had a
central tower, of which small parts of the wall may remain. A complete
reconstruction took place at the end of the 13th century, the aisles
being the first to be rebuilt, followed by the arcades, including
arches, in the north and south walls of the central tower (which was
apparently then pulled down and its west wall removed), and a low
clearstory. Late in the 14th century the west tower was built, partly
within the church and absorbing part of the western bay of the
nave.
Around 1500, the clearstory was raised and reconstructed.
The chancel was rebuilt in the 18th century. The south aisle was
restored in 1872, the porch in 1873, and a general restoration took
place in 1875-6 and again in 1887. The spire was partly rebuilt in 1911, the
nave roof was restored in 1915 and the roofs of the aisles in
1928-30.
Baptisms: 1604-1851 (indexed transcriptions), 1813-1863,
1863-1952.
Banns: 1824-1843 (indexed transcriptions), 1863-7,
1896-1961.
Marriages: 1605-1851 (indexed transcriptions),
Marriages 1754-1812 are missing, 1837-1956, 1957-1967, 1967-1978,
1978-1984, 1984-1991.
Burials: 1605-1851 (indexed transcriptions),
1813-1901.
Bishop's Transcripts: 1604-5, 1608-10, 1612, 1619,
1625/1690, 1693, 1700-2, 1706-14, 1716, 1718, 1720, 1722-41, 1743-7,
1749-61, 1764-5, 1796-1812/1813, 1815-18, 1820-2, 1824/1825-33,
1835.
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.
Hemingford Abbots was originally in the Registration District of St Ives, which later became a sub-district of Huntingdon. From 1 April 1997, the parish is now in the Registration District of Huntingdon.
A GENWEB page on Hemingford Abbots is available.
Hemingford Abbots has its own website.
An old map of the parish of Hemingford Abbots can be viewed.
The war memorial with detailed information about those who fell is available on the Roll of Honour site for Huntingdonshire.
Population in 1801 - 306
Population in 1851 - 544
Population in
1901 - 345
Population in 1951 - 348
Population in 1971 -
578
Population in 1991 - 625
Hemingford Abbots was part of 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 Hemingfords Local History Society was founded in 1994 to enable
people to meet others who share an interest in local history of Hemingford
Abbots and Hemingford Grey. The Society aims to increase knowledge of earlier
times in the Hemingfords and the surrounding locality by research and the
exchange of information. Activities include a programme of talks and
visits
The Society meets on the third Thursday of each month from
September to May. Meetings are held in the Reading Rooms, High Street,
Hemingford Grey, at 7.30 pm. Contact the Secretary - Mrs Ronnie Fowdrey, Tel.
(within the UK) 01480-462823.
The parish consists of 2398 acres of land with 23 acres of land covered by water
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