Huntingdonshire
Contents
Nearby Places
Nearby churches
Cherry Orton (xv cent.).
The parish of Orton Waterville was separated from Northamptonshire by the River Nene. The altitude varies from 19 ft. to 77 ft. above sea-level, and the village lies about half a mile from the river at about 50 ft. The sub-soil is Oxford clay and Cornbrash. In 1861, Roman tesserae and other remains were dug up, and indicate the presence of a Roman Villa.
Various explanations have been given for the name Cherry Orton, but it is interesting to find in a Will dated 1504 that Cherry Week was an established and recognised yearly event in the parish. Its history has always been closely linked with that of Orton Longueville, and the origins of both appear to be from the same source. The parish was inclosed in 1805.
There were some changes in the civil boundary in 1956, and in the ecclesiastical boundary in 1959. Orton Waterville is now part of Peterborough Urban area.
Monumental inscriptions for this parish 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 Orton Waterville Parish is available as fiche set C106 from the Huntingdonshire FHS.
The full 1851 Census of Orton Waterville Parish is available as fiche set C56 from the Huntingdonshire FHS.
An index of surnames in the 1851 Census of the Peterborough
Registration District (HO107/1747) in which Orton Waterville was
enumerated (Folios 171B-179), and which took place on 30th March 1851,
has also been produced by the Peterborough & District FHS.
The Index is
available in either microfiche or A5 booklet form from Mr G Harbron, 7 Newby
Close, Peterborough PE3 6PU, England. Please state which version you want.
A full transcription of the 1891 Census of the Stilton sub-District of the Peterborough Registration District (RG12/1225) in which Orton Waterville was enumerated, and which took place on 5th April 1891, has also been produced by the Huntingdonshire FHS (as Fiche C-15). This is available from the Huntingdonshire FHS.
OS Grid Square TL 155962.
The church of St. Mary 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 lead and
slates.
The church is not mentioned in the Domesday survey of
1086, but it would appear that a stone church with a north aisle existed
here in the 12th century. This church, with the possible exception of
the chancel (about which there is no evidence), appears to have been
rebuilt towards the end of the 13th century, commencing with the north
arcade c.1300, which was rebuilt upon earlier 12th century bases. The
west tower and south arcade were built some 10 years later. The chancel
arch was rebuilt around 1300 - 1310, and this probably gives the date
when the chancel assumed its present size. Probably the lower parts of
the walls of this date remain. The two aisles and side walls of the
porch were rebuilt c.1330. The clearstory was added in the 15th century,
and the belfry seems to have been added (or rebuilt) on the west tower
c.1500.
The chancel was evidently rebuilt in the 17th century,
probably upon the old foundations and using much of the old materials.
The nave roof was rebuilt in 1753. Some repairs were done to the church
and tower in 1840-1843. The chancel roof was much restored in 1919, the
roof of the south aisle in 1920, and that of the north aisle in
1924.
Baptisms: 1538-1748, 1747-1812, 1813-1887.
Banns: 1754-1823,
1823-1944.
Marriages: 1540-1747, 1747-1752, 1754-1837 (indexed
transcriptions), 1754-1812.
Burials: 1539-1748,
1747-1812.
Bishop's Transcripts: 1604-5, 1610, 1612, 1617-19, 1625,
1627, 1660-9/1680, 1682, 1684-8, 1690-1702, 1704-5, 1707-26, 1735,
1739-43, 1745-8, 1750-80, 1782-3, 1785-96, 1798-1813/1813-23/1825-35,
1837-59.
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.
Orton Waterville was originally in the Peterborough Registration District of Northamptonshire from 1st July 1837. Subsequently it was transferred to the Stilton sub-District of Huntingdonshire. It was later transferred back to the Peterborough District where it remains.
Population in 1801 - 270.
Population in 1851 - 302.
Population
in 1901 - 276.
Population in 1951 - 334.
Population in 1971 -
819.
Population in 1991 - 9745.
Boundary changes moved some
450 people from Orton Longueville into Orton Waterville between 1981 and
1991.
The parish of Orton Waterville was in the Peterborough Union of Northamptonshire for Poor Law administration.
The parish of Orton Waterville occupies 1400 acres of land.
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