Cambridgeshire
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Nearby Places
Nearby churches
"Burwell is an extensive village and parish, including part of the hamlet of Reach, with a station on the Cambridge and Mildenhall branch of the Great Eastern railway, andis 5 miles north-west from Newmarket, in the Eastern division of the county, hundred of Staploe, Newmarket union, petty sessional division and county couty district, rural deanery of Fordham, archdeaconry of Sudbury and diocese of Ely. "
[Kellys Directory of Cambridgeshire 1900]
The Monumental Inscriptions for the Baptist churchyard c. 1858-1994 are recorded in the Cambridge Records Office. These inscriptions are also available on microfiche from the Cambridgeshire Family History Society Bookstall.
The Census Records from 1841, 1861-1891 can be found in the Cambridge Record Office and at Wisbech Library. The records for 1861 were lost at source. In addition the 1861 Census for Burwell is available in full transcript form, on microfiche, from the Cambridgeshire Family History Society Bookstall.
"The church of St. Mary, at the south end of the village, is a light and elegant structure in the Late Perpendicular style, and consists of chancel (restored in 1867-8 by the University of Cambridge), nave, aisles, north and south porches and an embattled western tower, with pinnacles and spire, and containing a clock and 5 bells: the wall between the nave and chancel and the roof of the nave were built in 1464, at the expense of the Bennet family, as appears by an inscription in stone in the church: the church was extensively restored during the period 1877-90, and an organ and chancel screen erected, at a total cost of £1,727, and it now affords 650 sittings. The register dates from ther year 1562, and contains an account of a calamitous fire which took place in 1727, when a barn in which about 140 persons were assembled to witness a puppet show took light from the accidental firing of loose straw, and about 80 persons perished. "
[Kelly's Directory - 1900]
Burwell, St Mary's: Records of baptisms 1562-78, 1599-1636, 1645-1974, marriages 1562-78, 1599-1640, 1655-2003, burials 1560-76, 1599-1634, 1655-1932 and banns 1754-1811, 1867-1972 reside in the Cambridge Record Office. The Bishop's Transcripts for the years 1567-1641 and 1663-1836 can be found in the Suffolk Record Office and copies on microfilm for 1567-1641 and 1663-99 can be found in the Cambridge Record Office. Indexed transcripts exist in the Cambridge Record Office for baptisms 1562-78, 1599-1636, 1654-1891, marriages 1562-76, 1599-1640, 1655-1891 and burials 1560-1576, 1599-1639, 1655-1890.
Causeway Methodist Church: Records exist for marriages 1971-85.
Wesleyan Methodist Church: Records exist for the Mildenhall Wesleyan Circuit of which Burwell is part.
Primitive Methodist Church: Records exist for the Ely Primitive Circuit of which Burwell is part.
High Town Independent Church: Records exist for baptisms 1747-96 and 1819-36 (the latter on microfilm) both of these have indexed transcriptions available.
There is a Genweb Cambridgeshire Kelly's 1900 description of Burwell with photograph.
The "1839 Pigot's Directory of Cambridgeshire" for Burwell index of Inns & Hotels, Taverns and Public Houses, Brewers & Maltsters + Wine & Spirit Merchants.
There is a transcription for Burwell from several trade directories (all names)
The Burwell War Memorial has been transcribed and and the men researched, it is located on the Gable End of a private dwelling. The transcript reads
"In honoured memory of the following men of this village who died for us in the Great War 1914 - 1919. This cottage was erected by the people of Burwell."
Burwell Museum
Burwell Museum (registered charity No.290431) holds an immense ammount of information relating to Burwell families. This includes all available Census reports for Burwell, a map and index of graves in the churchyard of St Marys Church and also the Burwell Photographic Archive consisting of thousands of photographs of people, buildings and events(including a photo of every wedding at St Marys church from 1900 to 1999.). Their official website includes information of admission (times & prices), how to find them and contact details.
Steven's Mill
The Burwell Windmill, built in the early 19th Century, is built of Clunch stone, plastered and tarred. The wood and iron machinery drives three pairs of stones on the first floor. The second floor contained bins and the third was empty. The domed cap has a finial. It is known as Stevens' Mill and was last worked in 1955. It ground 'Old Kent Longred' wheat to produce flour of exceptional quality.
Two courts cover Burwell as follows:
Archdeaconry Court of Sudbury: Jurisidiction in various parishes including Ashley cum Silverley which were in the diocese of Norwich until they were transferred to the diocese of Ely in 1837.
Records are held at the Suffolk Record Office covering Wills, 1439-1857, administrations, 1544-46, 1568-93, 1605-12, 1630-1858, inventories, 1573-76, 1617, 1625, 1640, 1650-1747. Index to wills to 1535 are published in Proceedings of Suffolk Institute of Archaeology, volume 12 and of all records to 1700 in the Index Library of the British Records Society, volumes 95 and 96.
Consistory Court of Norwich: Record are held at the Norfolk Record Office. Wills 1370-1857, administrations, 1370-1499, 1549-1640, 1666-1857, inventories, 1584-1846. There is an index to wills covering 1370-1857 published by the Norfolk Record Society, volumes 16, 21, 34, 38 and 47.
Land Tax: records were compiled afresh each year and contain the names of owners and occupiers in each parish, but usually there is no address or place name. These records reside in the Cambridge Record Office for the years 1750-1948; 1798 is on microfilm at Huntingdon Record Office.
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[Last updated 9 February 2008 Martin Edwards]