Huntingdonshire
Contents
Nearby Places
Nearby churches
The parish of Little Paxton lies on clay soil with the sub-soil of Oxford clay; the principal crops are wheat and barley. The River Ouse forms the southern and eastern boundaries of the parish, and the River Kym the western. The latter is crossed by Hail Bridge on the main A1 trunk road. At Wray House Farm there was once a ferry to Great Paxton.
The village lies to the east of the A1 trunk road, and is about 2 miles from the centre of St. Neots. Paxton Hall at the southern end of the village is a mid-18th century house, but has the remains of earlier work both in its walls and in its fittings. Near to it is Paxton Park where the Pointer family lived in the 18th century. the Park passed by marriage to the Stanleys, and it was sold with other properties to Lord Overstone. It later passed to Lord Esme Gordon, who rebuilt the house.
In 1885 there were paper mills on the Ouse owned by Messrs. Towgood; Mr Alfred Towgood was living at Riversfield. The parish was inclosed by Act of Parliament in 1811-12.
Monumental Inscriptions from the Parish Churchyard (approximately 244 entries) are available as fiche set M22 from the Huntingdonshire FHS.
Census information for this parish (1841 - 1891) is held in the Huntingdon Records Office.
The full 1841 Census of Little Paxton Parish is available as fiche set C108.
The full 1851 Census of Little Paxton Parish is available as fiche set C58.
The full 1891 Census of Little Paxton Parish is available as fiche set C13.
A surname index of the 1881 Census of the St. Neots Registration District, in which Little Paxton was enumerated (RG11/161, Folios 84a - 88b and 98a -99a), and which took place on 3rd April 1881, is available, as fiche set D5.
The above mentioned fiche are available from the Huntingdonshire FHS.
OS Grid Square TL 189627.
The church of St. James consists of a chancel, nave, south aisle, west tower
and modern north porch. The walls are of pebble rubble mixed with ironstone,
and with stone dressings The angle-quorms of the belfry are chiefly of
ironstone. The roofs are covered with slates and tiles.
The church is
not mentioned in the Domesday survey of 1086, but a stone church was standing
here towards the end of the 12th century, of which considerable parts of the
chancel walls remain, together with the reset south door of the church. The
chancel arch has been rebuilt at a later date, and new windows were inserted in
the chancel during the 14th century. About 1400, the tower was built and the
south aisle, with its arcade, about 1500.
The north wall is said to have
been knocked down during the civil wars of 1642 - 1646, but was rebuilt and
much modified in 1849 when the church was completely restored. At the same time
that this restoration work was being undertaken, the arcade was rebuilt, the
south aisle much modernised, and the south porch pulled down. The present north
porch was built a few years later. The chancel was restored in 1890.
Baptisms: 1656-1967 (indexed).
Banns: 1824-1886 (indexed).
Marriages:
1559-1901 (indexed), 1902-1944, 1945-1965, 1965-1972.
Burials: 1580-1621
(indexed), 1667-1966 (indexed), 1813-1967.
Bishop's Transcripts: 1604-5,
1608-9, 1612, 1617-19, 1625-7, 1661-72/1675-6, 1678-80, 1682-3, 1685-8, 1690-1,
1693-1702, 1705-8, 1710-16, 1720, 1723, 1725-87, 1789-1813/1813-24/1825-40,
1844-55, 1857, 1859.
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.
Little Paxton was originally in the St. Neots Registration District from 1st July 1837, which later became a sub-District. From 1st April 1997, it is now directly under the Huntingdon District.
There is a book available entitled "History of Little Paxton" by David Broad.
An old map of the parish of Little Paxton in the 19th century is available.
The roll of honour with detailed information about those who served, and died, in World War 1 is available on the Roll of Honour site for Huntingdonshire.
Population in 1801 - 225.
Population in 1851 - 224.
Population in 1901
- 219.
Population in 1951 - 291.
Population in 1971 - 1629.
Population
in 1991 - 3195.
The parish of Little Paxton was part of the St Neots Union (for Poor Law
administration).
Births and Deaths registered in the St Neots Union
Workhouse (1913 - 1952) are available, as fiche set D11, from the Huntingdonshire FHS.
The parish of Little Paxton occupies some 1521 acres of land.
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