Huntingdonshire
Contents
Nearby Places
Nearby churches
Opeford, Upford, Upperfordia (xi cent.), Ufford, Ufforde Deneys, Daneys, Danes or Darcy (xiii-xvi cent.), Offord Dacye alias Daynes (xvii cent.).
The parish of Offord Darcy lies low; the land in the west along the banks of the River ouse being liable to flooding. The soil is gravel and clay and the sub-soil is clay. The chief crops are wheat, barley, turnips and beans. Amongst local place-names are: Alcroft, Parloe and Stoneyland.
The village is on the road from St. Neots to Godmanchester; it is about 3 miles from the latter place. It forms almost one continuous village with Offord Cluny on its north; both are on the east side of the River Ouse. The church stands on the west side of the village separated from the river by the railway line. A little to the south-west of the church is the Manor House - a brick building with a tiles roof. It was built by Richard Naylor shortly after he purchased the property in 1606, and is referred to as his 'newly-built edifice' in a settlement of 1608. the east front was rebuilt in the 18th century, and the west front has been partly refaced.
To the north of the church are the Rectory House, the Rectory Farm and the Horseshoe Inn. On the south-east is Manor Farm, which has a homestead moat nearby which probably marks the site of the new grange which was destroyed about 1236-7.
COTTONS is a name of long continuance in the parish, first appearing probably as COTES.
Monumental inscriptions for this parish have not yet been recorded by the Huntingdonshire FHS.
Census information for this parish (1841 - 1891) is held in the Huntingdon Records Office.
The full 1841 Census of Offord Darcy Parish is available as fiche set C105.
The full 1851 Census of Offord Darcy Parish is available as fiche set C55.
The full 1891 Census of Offord Darcy Parish is available as fiche set C13.
A surname index of the 1881 Census of the St. Neots Registration District, in which Offord Darcy was enumerated (RG11/1611, Folios 55a - 62b), and which took place on 3rd April 1881, is available, as fiche set C5.
The above mentioned fiche are available from the Huntingdonshire FHS.
OS Grid Square TL 217665.
The church of St. Peter consists of a chancel, nave, north aisle,
south aisle, west tower and south porch. The walls are of rubble with
stone dressings, and the roofs are covered with tile and
slates.
The church is not mentioned in the Domesday survey of
1086, but by 1130 a small church, consisting of a chancel, nave of two
bays amd a north aisle, existed here. Shortly afterwards, this was
lengthened by the addition of a western bay. The chancel was rebuilt
soon after 1265; in about 1300, a south aisle with its arcade and a
south porch, were added.
At the end of the 14th century, the
western tower and spire were erected, and a hundred years later the
north aisle was rebuilt, and a clearstory added to the nave.
The
spire was rebuilt in 1860.
Baptisms: 1563-1680, 1697-1774, 1775-1812, 1813-1923,
1923-1976.
Banns: 1755-1819, 1823-1976.
Marriages: 1566-1639,
1698-1751/2, 1755-1811, 1813-1838, 1837-1959, 1961-1975.
Burials:
1603-1678, 1697-1774, 1776-1812, 1813-1976.
Bishop's Transcripts:
1604-5, 1607-8, 1610, 1612, 1617-19, 1625, 1631-2, 1671/1674-8, 1683,
1685, 1694-6, 1698-1702, 1704-16, 1718, 1720, 1722-4, 1726-66, 1768-75,
1777, 1781, 1786-1812/1813-24/1825-6, 1828-58.
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.
Offord Darcy was originally in the St. Neots Registration District from 1st July 1837, which subsequently became a sub-District. From 1st April 1997, it is now directly under the Huntingdon District.
An old map of the parish of Offord Darcy in the 19th century is available.
Population in 1801 - 156.
Population in 1851 - 419.
Population
in 1901 - 338.
Population in 1951 - 295.
Population in 1971 -
453.
Population in 1991 - 759.
The parish of Offord Darcy 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 Offord Darcy occupies 1854 acres of land and 12 acres of land covered by water.
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