CHESTERTON
[Transcribed from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868]
by Colin Hinson ©2013
"CHESTERTON, a parish in the hundred of Chesterton, in the county of
Cambridge, 1 mile north of the Cambridge railway station. It is situated on
the river Cam, and has the remains of Cambridge Castle, of a seat of the
priors of Barnewell, and of a Roman camp called Harborough, or Arbury,
where coins and other antiquities have been found. It is the head of a
deanery, of a Poor-law Union, and of a Registration district, but is within
the new County Court district of Cambridge. The living is a vicarage* in
the diocese of Ely, value £206, in the patronage of Trinity College,
Cambridge. The church, dedicated to St. Andrew, is a commodious and
handsome edifice in the perpendicular style. The Wesleyans and Baptists
have each a place of worship. There are British, National (for both sexes),
and Industrial (for boys only) schools. The asylum of the Victoria Benefit
Society, county gaol, and Union workhouse are hero situated, and there is a
cemetery for Dissenters of all denominations. The manorial rights are
vested in the Benson family."
[Transcribed and edited information from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868]
- "The General Cemetry, in the Histon road, opened in December, 1843, and covering
an area of four acres, has one chapel, and is under the control of a private company,
the offices being at 7 Downing street, Cambridge."
[Kelly's Directory - 1900]
- The Monumental Inscriptions for St. Andrew churchyard are recorded in the Cambridge
Records Office and are available on microfiche from the
Cambridgeshire Family History Society Publications list (search) A record of the burial ground also exists for 1865-81.
- The Monumental Inscriptions for St. Luke churchyard 1853-1981 are recorded in the
Cambridge Records Office along with a register of graves 1874-1953.
- The Monumental Inscriptions for the Congregational churchyard, Victoria Road, 1881-1981
are recorded in the Cambridge Records Office. Mary Lockwood (former Church Secretary) says:
to the best of my knowledge the Monumental Inscriptions for the Congregational church,
Victoria Road, 1881-1981 were recorded by Dr Lucy Slater before redevelopment of the site (1989/90) and were
those recorded within the interior of the church building - there was no "churchyard" or "cemetery" to this church.
- The following Churches have their own websites:
- "The church of St. Andrew, picturesquely situated near the river, is a large and
interesting embattled structure of flint, chiefly in the Decorated style with Perpendicular
additions, consisting of chancel, clerestoried nave of seven bays, aisles, north
porch and an embattled western tower, with a beautiful octagonal spire, and containing
a clock and 5 bells: the chancel was restored about 1844, when a piscina and three
sedilia of Late Perpendicular work were discovered: there are remains of Late screen
and a roof of the 15th century: the nave is Decorated, but has a perpedicular clerestory
and roof, some of the corbels bearing shields of arms: on the spandrels between the
arches and in other parts of the church are remains of frescoes, c.1300: in the north
aisle is a plain sepulchral recess; and both this and the south aisle have finely-carved
corbels: the chancel still retains some good chestnut benches, richly carved: in
the churchyard are several stone coffin slabs, bearing floriated crosses: there are
650 sittings, 600 being free. The register dates from the year 1564."
- "St. Luke's is a district parish, formed April 1, 1881: the church, built in 1784,
at a cost of £10,240, is an edifice of white brick and stone in the Decorated style,
consisting of chancel, transept, nave of five bays and a tower with spire, the principal
entrance being under the tower: there are 650 sittings. The register dates from the
year 1874."
- "The Baptist chapel, in Chapel street, was erected in 1842, and enlarged and restored
in 1863: the Wesleyan chapel, in High street, was erected in 1858. The Congregational
church, in the Vistoria road, was built in 1884, at a cost of £4,000."
[Kelly's Directory - 1900]
- Chesterton civil parish was mostly absorbed into the Borough of Cambridge in 1912.
- Chesterton Good Shepherd is an ecclesiastical parish formed from Chesterton St. Luke
in 1969.
- Chesterton Saint George is an ecclesiastical parish formed from Chesterton
in 1938.
- Chesterton Saint Luke is an ecclesiastical parish formed from Chesterton
in 1881.
- Church of England
- Chesterton, St. Andrew:
Records of baptisms 1564-1956, marriages 1564-1968, burials 1564-1946 and banns
1754-1910, 1934-69 reside in the Cambridgeshire Archives. The Bishop's Transcripts
for the years 1599-1641, 1662-1872 can be found in the Cambridge University Library.
Indexed transcripts exist in the Cambridgeshire Archives for baptisms 1564-1916,
marriages 1564-1923 and burials 1564-1916. Transcripts of the registers are available
for the years 1564-1812 on microfiche from the
Cambridgeshire Family History Society bookstall.
- Chesterton, Good Shepherd:
Registers are held at the church for baptisms and burials 1960 and marriages 1965.
- Chesterton, St. George:
Registers are held at the church for baptisms 1933 and marriages 1939.
- Chesterton, St. Luke:
Records of baptisms 1869-1966, marriages 1875-1974, burials 1874-1963 and banns
1961-79 reside in the Cambridgeshire Archives. Indexed transcripts exist in the Cambridgeshire Archives
for baptisms 1869-1940, marriages 1875-1940 and burials 1874-1940.
Parish register transcripts for St. Lukes, 1869-1940 are available on microfiche
from the
Cambridgeshire Family History Society Publications list (search)
- Methodist Church
- Congregational Church
- Congregational Church, Victoria Road:
Records for baptisms 1911-49, marriages 1917-48 and burials 1918-49 reside in the
Cambridgeshire Archives.
- "Her Majesty's Prison and the Shire Hall at Castle Hill are both in this parish,
for an account of which see Cambridge. The Victoria Friendly Society's Asylum, for
old members of friendly societies, opened in 1841, is also here. Here was once an
ancient fortified house, said to have been built by the Abbot of Vercellis; a portion
of this building, massively constructed and probably a well-room, still exists. About
£60 yearly from land is distributed in fuel and money. In the parish are brick and
tile manufactories and boathouses, where boats for the use of undergraduates of the
University are built and kept. The boathouses built by the Cambridge University Boat
Club in 1882, Christ's College in 1886, Caius in 1887, Jesus in 1882, King's in 1895
and Emmanuel and Pembroke in 1896 add much to the picturesqueness of the river at
this point. The Recreation Ground is situated near the church. The manor belongs
to the Benson family; and the principal landowners are Trinity, St. Catherine's,
Clare, Queens' and St. John's Colleges and Trinity Hall, Cambridge, Mrs. Wragg-Gurney
and Mrs. E. Bell. "
[Kelly's Directory - 1900]
- Chesterton Union Workhouse:
later the Public Assistance Institution, records are held in the Cambridge Record
Office for births 1866-1913 and deaths 1866-1951.
- 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 1789, 1798 (on microfilm), 1829-35,
and 1880-1948.
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