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Bluntisham

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BLUNTISHAM

[Transcribed and edited information from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868]

"BLUNTISHAM, a parish in the hundred of Hurstingstone, in the county of Huntingdon, 4 miles to the north-east of St. Ive's, its post town. It is situated on the borders of Cambridgeshire, on the west bank of the river Ouse, and includes the village of Earith. The manor belonged to the monks of Ely before the Norman Conquest, and part of it is still held by the dean and chapter. The living is a rectory* in the diocese of Ely, of the yearly value of £1,070, in the patronage of the Bishop of Peterborough. The church stands on elevated ground, commanding a wide prospect over the rich meadow lands and the river. It is dedicated to St. Mary, and is in the early English style of architecture, containing a screen, piscina, and an octagonal font. Here is also a neat marble monument to Dr. Samuel Knight, who once held the rectory, and was the author of the biographies of Erasmus and Dean Colet. Dr. Knight died here in 1746. There are chapels belonging to the General and Particular Baptists, Wesleyan and Primitive Methodists, and Quakers in the town, and a free school founded in 1708, which has an income from endowment of about £88 per annum. The other charitable endowments of the parish-the principal of which is the estate held by feoffees for the benefit of the poor-produce about £140 a year. In September, 1741, this place was visited by a destructive storm of wind, which lasted nearly a quarter of an hour and did fearful havoc in the village. It also touched upon Cambridge, Downham, and Lynn, at the latter place injuring St. Margaret's church.

"EARITH, a chapelry in the parish of Bluntisham, hundred of Hurstingstone, county Huntingdon, 6 miles north-east of St. Ives, its post town, and 3 south-east from Somersham. The village is situated on the navigable river Ouse, near the border of the county, and is a place of considerable trade. The chapel-of-ease, dedicated to St. James, has been demolished. The Baptists and Wesleyans have each a chapel, and the Friends a meeting-house. There is a school for boys, founded in 1703 by John Skeeles, with an endowment of £50 per annum. An industrial school for girls has an endowment of £16 per annum. The town lands produce a rental of £50, which is applied to the repair of a bridge and other public works. To the east of the village is a rectangular encampment called Earith Bulwarks, with bastions at each corner. Fairs are held on the 4th May, 25th July, and 1st November, chiefly for cattle."

[Transcribed from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868]
by Colin Hinson ©2013
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Cemeteries

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Census

  • Census information for this parish (1841 - 1891)is held in the Huntingdon Records Office.
  • The full 1841 Census of Bluntisham-cum-Earith Parish is available in fiche format as Fiche Set C83.
  • The full 1851 Census of Bluntisham-cum-Earith Parish is available in fiche format as Fiche Set C33.
  • A surname index of the 1881 Census of the St. Ives Registration District, in which Bluntisham (Folios 51a - 65b) and Earith (Folios 69a - 80b) were enumerated, and which took place on 3rd April 1881, is available as Fiche C4.
  • A full transcription of the 1891 Census of the Somersham sub-District of the St. Ives Registration District (RG12/1239) in which Bluntisham and Earith were enumerated, and which took place on 5th April 1891, has also been produced by the Huntingdonshire FHS (as Fiche C-11).
  • The fiche sets mentioned above are available from the Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire FHS.
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Churches

  • St. Mary's Church, Bluntisham.
  • The Baptist Church, Bluntisham.
  • The following Churches have their own websites:
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Church History

  • OS Grid Square TL 374744.
  • The church of St Mary is located in Bluntisham; it consists of a chancel, north vestry, nave, north aisle, south aisle, west tower, and north and south porches. The walls are of rubble with stone and clunch dressing, and the roofs are covered with tiles and lead.
  • Of the church mentioned in the Inquisitio Eliensis and the Domesday survey of 1086, nothing now remains. The earliest parts of the existing building are the chancel with its north vestry or chapel, built about 1330, and the west tower, built about 1370-1380.
  • In about 1450, the nave and aisles were rebuilt, the aisles being extended to the west wall of the tower, the side walls being pierced with arches and the chancel arch rebuilt. The south porch was built at the same time as the aisles, but the north porch was added slightly later as is shown by the plinth of the aisle running through the porch wall.
  • The church was restored in 1850 when the chancel was much altered, the north wall and vestry being largely rebuilt and a gallery removed. The west tower was restored in 1903-1905, the south aisle in 1904, and other works occurred in 1912-1913.
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Church Records

  • These are available in the Huntingdon Records Office.
    • Baptisms: 1538-1641/2, 1586-1649, 1649-1650, 1705-1767, 1768-1812, 1813-1842, 1842-1921
    • Banns: 1754-1801, 1801-1823
    • Marriages: 1538/9-1641, 1587-1649, 1649-1650, 1705-1754, 1754-1801, 1801-1823, 1837-1931, 1931-1941, 1941-1951, 1951-1960, 1960-1975
    • Burials: 1538-1641/2, 1585-1646, 1649-1650, 1705-1767, 1768-1812, 1813-1919
    • Bishop's Transcripts: 1604-6, 1608-9, 1612, 1618-19, 1621, 1625, 1627, 1632, 1680/1692-6, 1704-10, 1714-16, 1718, 1720, 1722-57/1754-64, 1768-1812/1813-20/1825-9, 1833-34
  • The Bluntisham-cum-Earith Parish Registers of St Mary's (baptisms, marriages and burials) 1538-1918, on 7 microfiche, are available from the Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire FHS.
  • 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 Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire FHS..
  • The Minute Books for the Bluntisham Non-Conformist Church Meeting House (1786-1940) and the Huntingdonshire Marriage Indexes which include marriages from this parish, (and which are at present, issued in alphabetical listings in series: 1601-1700, and 1701-1754) are both available from the Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire FHS.
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Civil Registration

  • The united parish of Bluntisham-cum-Earith was originally in the Registration District of St Ives from 1st July 1837. Subsequently the parish came under the Registration sub-District of Somersham. Since 1st April 1997, it has been in the Registration District of Huntingdon.
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Gazetteers

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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference TL368747 (Lat/Lon: 52.353304, 0.007172), Bluntisham which are provided by:

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Military History

  • The war memorial with detailed information about those who fell is available on the Roll of Honour site for Huntingdonshire.
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Names, Geographical

  • Bluntisham
    • Bluntersham (x - xiii cent.),
    • Blondesham (xiv cent.),
    • Bluntysham,
    • Bluntsome,
    • Blunsham (xvi cent.)
  • Earith
    • Herhythe,
    • Herhethe (xii cent.),
    • Herethe,
    • Erehethe,
    • Erhuth (xiv cent.),
    • Earette,
    • Earythe (xvi cent.).
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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Bluntisham-cum-Earith was in the St. Ives Union for Poor Law administration.
  • Births and deaths registered in the St Ives Union Workhouse (1836 - 1913) are available as fiche set D9 from the Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire FHS.
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Population

  • The population of the two villages was kept separate for civil purposes, except for the period 1881 to 1951 when the figures for both were combined under Bluntisham.
  • Population in 1801 - 460 (Bluntisham) and 362 (Earith)
  • Population in 1851 - 760 (Bluntisham) and 790 (Earith)
  • Population in 1901 - 950 (Bluntisham and Earith)
  • Population in 1951 - 499 (Bluntisham) and 634 (Earith)
  • Population in 1971 - 654 (Bluntisham) and 899 (Earith)
  • Population in 1991 - 1610 (Bluntisham) and 1643 (Earith)

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[Last updated at 12.10 on Sunday, 27 August 2023, by Colin Hinson]