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Huntingdonshire

Nearby places

MOLESWORTH

"MOLESWORTH, a parish in the hundred of Leightonstone, county Huntingdon, 5 miles north-west of Kimbolton, and 11 west of Huntingdon. Thrapstone is its post town. The village, which is of small extent, is situated near Molesworth Wold, and gives name to the Molesworths of Swords and Pencarrow. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in agriculture. The tithes were commuted for land under an Enclosure Act in 1800, with the exception of a small portion since commuted for a rent-charge of £33 14s. The living is a rectory* in the diocese of Ely, value £228, in the patronage of the Bishop of Chester. The church, dedicated to St. Peter, is an ancient edifice with a tower. The charities produce about £27 per annum, which is distributed annually amongst the poor. Benjamin Welstead, Esq., is lord of the manor."

Cemeteries

• Monumental Inscriptions from the Parish Churchyard (approximately 125 entries) are available from the Huntingdonshire FHS.

Census

• Census information for this parish (1841 - 1891) is held in the Huntingdon Records Office.
• The full 1841 Census of Molesworth Parish is available as fiche set C102.
• The full 1851 Census of Molesworth Parish is available as fiche set C52.
• A surname index of the 1881 Census of the Thrapston Registration District of Northamptonshire, in which Molesworth was enumerated (RG11/1583, Folios 19a - 23b), and which took place on 3rd April 1881, is available as fiche set C1.
• A full transcription of the 1891 Census of the Huntingdonshire (Miscellaneous Parishes) Registration District in which Molesworth was enumerated, and which took place on 5th April 1891, is available as fiche set C16.
• All the above mentioned fiche are available from the Huntingdonshire FHS.

Churches

• St. Peter's Church, Molesworth.

Church History

• The church of St. Peter consists of a chancel, nave, west tower and late-19th century south porch. The walls are of rubble, partly coursed and mixed with large stones, and with stone dressings. The roofs are covered with tiles and lead.
• The church is not mentioned in the Domesday survey of 1086. Several 12th century stones preserved in the church seem to indicate a stone church of this period, but the earliest work, in-situ, is the chancel which was built about 1275. The nave was rebuilt towards the end of the 15th century, and the tower was added early in the next century.
• The church was restored in 1884-5 when it was said that the chancel was taken down and rebuilt because its orientation differed from that of the nave. The south porch was rebuilt in 1890, and the tower and west wall of the nave were under-pinned in 1931.
• There are photographs and further information on St. Peter's Church on Rob's Churches website.

Church Records

• These are available in the Huntingdon Records Office.
  • Baptisms: 1564-1669, 1682-1706, 1707-1748, 1748-1812, 1813-1992.
  • Banns: 1754-1815, 1857-1858.
  • Marriages: 1564-1706, 1707-1748, 1748-1753, 1813-1837, 1838-1954.
  • Burials: 1564-1663, 1682-17-6, 1707-1748, 1748-1812, 1813-1991.
  • Bishop's Transcripts: 1604-5, 1608-10, 1612, 1617-19, 1627, 1661-1676/1677-8, 1680, 1683-8, 1691, 1695, 1699, 1700, 1702, 1704-11, 1714-42, 1744-6, 1748/1749-1813/1813-24/1825-58.
• The Huntingdonshire Marriage Indexes include marriages from this parish. These are, at present, issued in alphabetical listings in two series: 1601-1700, and 1701-1754, and are available in fiche format from the Huntingdonshire FHS.
• Molesworth Parish Registers (Baptisms, Marriages and Burials 1564 - 1900), are available as fiche set D-51 from the Huntingdonshire FHS.

Civil Registration

• The parish of Molesworth was originally in the Thrapston Registration District of Northamptonshire from 1st July 1837, and was subsequently transferred to the Raunds sub-District of Northamptonshire. In 1935, the parish was transferred to the Spaldwick sub-District of Huntingdonshire. It is now part of the Huntingdon Registration District.

Gazetteers

• A transcript of the Molesworth parish entries from 1932 Victoria County Series
• A transcript of the Molesworth parish entries from Samuel Lewis's 1835 Topographical Dictionary of England,

Maps

• An old map of the parish of Molesworth in the 19th century is available.

Military History

• The war memorial with detailed information about those who fell is available on the Roll of Honour site for Huntingdonshire.

Names (Geographical)

• Molesworde (xi cent.),
• Mulesworth,
• Mullesworthe (xii cent.).

Poorhouses and Poor Law Etc

• The parish of Molesworth was in the Thrapston Union of Northamptonshire for Poor Law administration.

Population

• Population in 1801 - 160.
• Population in 1851 - 245.
• Population in 1901 - 114.
• Population in 1931 - 114.
• Population figures after 1935 are included under Brington.

Statistics

• The parish of Molesworth occupies 1787 acres of land.