CHATTERIS
[Transcribed from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868]
by Colin Hinson ©2013
"CHATTERIS, a parish and market town in the hundred of North Witchford, in
the county of Cambridge, 26 miles north-west of Cambridge, and 7 south of March. It
is a station on the Ely and Peterborough railway, and is situated on the
river Ouse. Alwina, wife of Athelstan, and niece of King Edgar, founded a
convent of Benedictines about A.D. 980, which was in Henry VIII.'s reign
wholly suppressed. The place is mentioned in Domesday Survey under the name
of Cateriz, or Cetriz. The living is a vicarage* in the diocese of Ely,
value £1,500, in the patronage of W. Hawkins, Esq. The church, dedicated to
SS. Peter and Paul, is a handsome edifice. The General Baptists, Particular
Baptists, Wesleyans, Independents, Primitive Methodists, High Calvinists,
and Society of Friends have chapels, and there are National, British,
girls' and infant schools. The town was made a market town in 1834; and a
court-leet and petty sessions are held here. The Bishop of Ely is lord of
the manor. A large number of Roman coins and curious relics have been found
at various times, and not many years since part of the skeleton of an
elephant. The market day is Friday."
[Transcribed and edited information from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868]
- "There are two cemeteries, both in New street: the Parochial cemetry, formed in 1856,
covers an area of nearly 6 acres, with two mortuary chapels, and is under the control
of the Urban District Council: the General cemetry was formed by a company in 1850
and is 3a. 2r. 13p. in extent."
[Kelly's Directory - 1900]
- Records of grave sales in the general cemetery reside in the Cambridgeshire Archives
for the years 1815-1943.
- Monumental inscriptions are recorded for the churchyard of St. Peter for the years
1701-1859, these reside in the Cambridge Record office.
- Registers for the General Cemetery from 1850 and the Parochial Cemetery from 1856
are held at the Fenland District Council Offices in Chatteris.
- A third cemetery called the 'New Church Yard' was in use from 1832 - 1856. It was
cleared and built over in the 1970's. Its registers are at the Cambridgeshire Archives.
This cemetery was quickly filled by the victims of a cholera outbreak
in the 1830's. It was located in New Road, opposite the General Cemetery.
- The Census Records from 1841-1891 can be found in the Cambridgeshire Archives and
also in the Wisbech Library. In addition the 1851 Census for Chatteris is available
in full transcript form, on microfiche, from the
Cambridgeshire Family History Society Publications list (search)
- The following Churches have their own websites:
- "The church of St. Peter is an ancient building of stone, in various styles, consisting
of chancel, nave, aisles, south porch and an embattled western tower with a low spire
containing a clock and 5 bells: the chancel is divided from the body of the church
by a handsome screen: there are 750 sittings, 500 being free. The register dates
from the year 1650."
- "The particular Baptist chapel in Hive Lane was endowed by Miss Claridge in 1800
with lands now producing £50 yearly for the support of a minister, and has sittings
for 250; there is another in Park street with 900 sittings; and a General Baptist
chapel in West Park street holding 700 persons; the Congregational chapel, Park street,
is a brick building in the Tudor style seating 350; there is a Primitive Methodist
chapel at Slade End with about 20 sittings; the Wesleyan chapel, New road, was enlarged
in 1855, and now has about 600 sittings. The Society of Friends have a meeting house
in High street with sittings for about 300."
[Kelly's Directory - 1900]
- Church of England
- Chatteris, St Peter:
Records of baptisms 1614-1917, marriages 1614-1911, burials 1614-1946 and banns
for 1754-1954 reside in the Cambridgeshire Archives. The parish records are available
on microfiche from the
Cambridgeshire Family History Society Publications list (search). The Bishop's Transcripts for the years
1600-90 and 1702-1857 can be found in the Cambridge University Library. Transcripts exist
in Cambridgeshire Archives of the Bishop's Transcripts 1600-14, 1638-67 and indexed transcripts of
the baptisms, marriages and burials 1600-1902 (also at Huntingdon Record Office).
- Baptist
- Baptist, Mill End:
Records exist on microfilm at the Cambridgeshire Archives for baptisms 1778-1815.
- Congregational
- Congregational:
Records exist at the Cambridgeshire Archives for baptisms 1876-80, 1918-21 and marriages/burials
1918-21..
- Quakers
- Methodist
- 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 1755, 1798-1801, 1946-48 and the Huntingdon
Record Office has 1798-99 (on microfilm).
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