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Huntingdonshire

Nearby places

UPWOOD

"UPWOOD, a parish in the hundred of Hurstingstone, county Huntingdon, 2; miles south-west of Ramsey. Bury is its post town. The village is a place of great antiquity, and went by the name of Upwode at the time of the Conquest, at which time it was given by Ailwin the Saxon to Ramsey Abbey. The manor afterwards came to the Cromwells, Pheasants, &c. The land is fenny, and partly in common. The living is a perpetual curacy annexed to that of Great Raveley, in the diocese of Ely, value £78. The church, dedicated to St. Peter, has recently been restored. It contains several old monuments. The parochial charities produce about £12 per annum. The Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists have each a chapel. R. H. Hussey, Esq., is lord of the manor."

Cemeteries

• Monumental Inscriptions from the Parish Churchyard (approximately 161 entries - £1.50 inclusive of postage worldwide) 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 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.

Churches

• St. Peter's Church}, Upwood.

Church History

• 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".
• There are photographs and further information on St. Peter's Church on Rob's Churches website.

Church Records

• The following are available in the Huntingdon Records Office.
  • 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.
• 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").

Civil Registration

• 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.

Description and Travel

• 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.

Gazetteers

• A transcript of the Upwood parish entries from Stepehen Whatley's 1750 Topographical Gazetteer of England,
• A transcript of the Upwood parish entries from 1932 Victoria County Series
• A transcript of the Upwood parish entries from Samuel Lewis's 1835 Topographical Dictionary of England,

Maps

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

Military History

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

Names (Geographical)

• Upehude (xi cent.),
• Upwude (xiii cent.),
• Upwode (xiv-xvii cent.).

Poorhouses and Poor Law Etc

• 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.

Population

• 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.

Societies

• The Upwood & Raveley Local History Group is a new group recently formed, and is providing some support for local and family historians. They are currently transcribing Upwood and Great Raveley Parish registers and are able to answer queries on these two parishes. Enquiries should be sent to the Chairman: Liz Carter, 11 Church Lane, Upwood, Huntingdon PE26 2QF. Telephone and Fax enquiries can be made to (+44 (0)1487 813008) or

Statistics

• The parish of Upwood occupies some 2141 acres.