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Cambridgeshire

BABRAHAM

"BABRAHAM, a parish in the hundred of Chilford, in the county of Cambridge, 4 miles to the north-west of Linton. Cambridge is its post town. It is situated a little to the south of the Gogmagog hills, the loftiest in Cambridgeshire, and stands on the site and within the limits of a very extensive ancient entrenchment, formed on the line of the Roman road called Via Devana. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Ely, of the value of £106, in the patronage of H. J. Adeane, Esq. The church is dedicated to St. Peter. The parochial charities, which consist of endowments for a free school, and for the relief of the poor, are of the annual value of £134. Babraham Hall, the seat of H. J. Adeane, Esq., was built in 1576, and became the property and residence of Sir H. Palavicini, who was the papal tax-gatherer in the reign of Queen Mary, and served in the reign of Queen Elizabeth against the Spanish Armada."

[The above was transcribed (and edited) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868]
by Colin Hinson ©2023

Cemeteries

• The Monumental Inscriptions in the graveyard of St. Peter for the years 1709-1981 and within the church for the years 1723-1813 are recorded in the Cambridge Records Office. These inscriptions are also available on microfiche from the Cambridgeshire Family History Society Publications list (search)

Census

• The Census Records from 1841-1891 can be found in the Cambridgeshire Archives. In addition the 1851 Census for Babraham is available in full transcript form, on microfiche, from the Cambridgeshire Family History Society Publications list (search)

Churches

• The following churches have their own websites:
  • St. Peter's Church, Babraham

Church History

• "The church of St. Peter, situated in the park, about 100 yards west of the Hall, is a building of rubble, chiefly in the Perpendicular style, and consists of chancel, clerestoried nave, aisles, large north and south porches and an embattled western tower containing 2 bells: the chancel retains a piscina and sedilia, and has some Early English windows, and on the south side of the chancel arch is a trefoiled niche: the tower is a very early structure, perhaps pro-Norman, and has a rude arch: in the south aisle is a marble monument, with two figures, to Richard Bennet esq. ob. 1658, and Sir Thomas Bennet bart. ob. 1667, who were formerly owners of the parish; there are also several memorials to the Adeane family, bearing date 1802, 1847, 1870 and 1853: the church affords 250 sittings, 200 being free. The register dates from the year 1561." [Kelly's Directory - 1929]
• There is further information and photographs of the Church on Ben and Mark's Cambridgeshire Churches website.

Church Records

• Church of England
  • Babraham, St. Peter: Records of baptisms 1561-1923, marriages 1561-1925, burials 1561-1812, and banns 1754-1812 reside in the Cambridgeshire Archives, indexed transcripts exist for all of these registers.The Bishop's Transcripts for the years 1599-1641 and 1662-1857 can be found in the Cambridge University Library.
• Methodist
  • Wesleyan Methodist Church: Records exist for the Cambridge Wesleyan Circuit of which Babraham is part.
  • Primitive Methodist Church: Records exist for the Cambridge Primitive Circuit of which Babraham is part.

Description and Travel

• Genweb Cambridgeshire has details of the Kelly's 1929

Gazetteers

• A transcript of the Babraham parish entries from Samuel Lewis's 1835 Topographical Dictionary of England,
• A transcript of the Babraham parish entries from 1929 Kellys Directory of Cambridgeshire

Land and Property

• "Near the village, standing in a park of about 200 acres, is Babraham Hall, a red-brick mansion with stone facings in the Elizabethan style, pleasantly situated in the centre of the park, and surrounded by gardens and pleasure grounds which have been laid on with great taste: it was rebuilt by the late Henry John Adeane esq. (grandfather of the present owner) in the year 1832, and is the property and residence of Charles Robert Whorwood Adeane esq. C.B., J.P. (Lord-Lieut. of the county), who is lord of the manor and principal landowner." [Kelly's Directory - 1929]

Military History

• The Babraham War Memorial has been transcribed and and the men researched, it stands in the village centre.

Taxation

• 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 Cambridgeshire Archives for the years 1759-63, 1789-1846 and 1865-1948.