Huntingdonshire
Contents
Nearby Places
Nearby churches
Upehude (xi cent.), Upwude (xiii cent.), Upwode (xiv-xvii cent.).
The parish of Upwood comprises clay land which falls from the south towards the fens on the north west. More than half is arable growing corn and potatoes, but where the parish touches the fens, there is a fair amount of pasture. Although there is now very little woodland, there was once considerably more; Rolts Wood and Lady's Wood are virtually all that remain.
Historically, Upwood has been linked with Great Raveley. The village lies along the High Street which runs parallel to the main road from Great Raveley to Ramsey, about 300 yards to the west. The church stands about the middle of the village, and there are several 17th century cottages to the north and south of it.
The parish was inclosed in 1847.
Monumental Inscriptions from the Parish Churchyard (approximately 161 entries - £1.50 inclusive of postage worldwide) are available from the Huntingdonshire FHS.
Census information for this parish (1841 - 1891) is held in the Huntingdon Records Office.
The full 1841 Census of Upwood Parish is available as fiche set C119 from the Huntingdonshire FHS.
The full 1851 Census of Upwood is available as fiche set C69 from the Huntingdonshire FHS.
A surname index of the 1881 Census of the Huntingdon Registration District, in which Upwood was enumerated (RG11/1600, Folios 148a - 155b), and which took place on 3rd April 1881, is available as fiche set C3 from the Huntingdonshire FHS.
A full transcription of the 1891 Census of Ramsey Registration District (RG12/1234) in which Upwood was enumerated, and which took place on 5th April 1891, is available from the Huntingdonshire FHS as fiche set C6.
OS Grid Square TL 260827.
The church of St Peter consists of a chancel, nave, north chapel, north aisle,
south aisle and west tower. The walls are of rubble with stone dressings, those
of the chancel patched with brick work, and the roofs are covered with lead.
Of the church mentioned in the Domesday
survey of 1086, which was probably of timber, nothing remains. About the year
1100, a stone church consisting of of a chancel and aisle-less nave was built
of which the chancel arch and part of the north wall of the nave remain. Some
fifty years later, the chancel was rebuilt and widened, and an arcade cut into
the nave wall and a north aisle built. The following century saw the building
of the south aisle and west tower and, apparently in connection with this work,
the western arch of the north arcade was rebuilt. The south arcade, however,
was rebuilt in the 15th century, when the clearstory was built. The chancel
walls were raised and a new roof constructed in 1642, the north aisle was
rebuilt in 1884-5, and the west tower in 1890. Other works were undertaken in
1912 and again in 1921. The history of the church links it strongly with Great
Raveley. Robert Leman made his Will on 4 September 1719 as curate "of Upwood
with Great Raveley".
Now known as the church of Upwood with Great Raveley. Information on the church
organisation of Upwood St Peter is also available.
Baptisms: 1558/9-1700/1, 1700-1799, 1780-1812, 1813-1856, 1856-1896,
1897-1987
Banns: 1754-1812, 1824-1931
Marriages:
1558-1700, 1700-1760, 1754-1812, 1813-1837, 1837-1957, 1957-1967,
1968-1974, 1975-1981, 1981-1990
Burials: 1558-1700, 1700-1780,
1780-1812, 1813-1867, 1867-1981
Bishop's Transcripts: 1604, 1608, 1612,
1617-19, 1625-7, 1660-4, 1668-72/1679-80, 1683-7, 1689-1716, 1718-20, 1723-4,
1726-32, 1734-7, 1740-5, 1747-1750/1751-79, 1781-2, 1784-1813/1813-24/1825-40,
1842-4, 1846-66.
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.
The Upwood and Raveley Local History Group are transcribing the Parish Registers for Upwood and Great Raveley, and are willing to perform look-ups. (See below under "Societies").
The parish of Upwood was originally in the Huntingdon Registration District from 1st July 1837. It then became part of the Ramsey sub-District. From 1st April 1997 it again became directly part of the Huntingdon Registration District.
A GENWEB page for Upwood is
available.
The Upwood and Raveley Local History Group have produced a
book containing scenes of village life from the Victorian and Edwardian period
through to the Second World War. This illustrated book includes anecdotes from
village people combined with carefully researched village history. It comprises
64 pages, 23 black and white photographs and is available from: Deana Hudson,
The Old Post Office, 71-73
High Street, Upwood, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE26 2QE. Enquiries only to Liz
Carter on upwoodlhg@btinternet.com.
The
book is also available from the Huntingdonshire
FHS.
An old map of the parish of Upwood in the 19th century is available.
From 1935, the population figures include those of the parishes of Great
and Little Raveley.
Population in 1801 -
316.
Population in 1851 - 416.
Population in 1901 -
350.
Population in 1951 - 569.
Population in 1971 - 1162.
Population
in 1991 - 1350.
The parish of Upwood was in the Huntingdon Union for Poor Law
administration.
Births and Deaths registered in the Huntingdon
Union Workhouse (1838 - 1949) are available as fiche set D10, from the Huntingdonshire FHS.
The parish of Upwood occupies some 2141 acres.
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