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Cambridgeshire

ELSWORTH

"ELSWORTH, a parish in the hundred of Papworth, county Cambridge, 5 miles north-east of Caxton, and 10 north-west of Cambridge. St. Ives is its post town, and the Offord station on the Great Northern line is about 7 miles to the west of the village. The living is a rectory* in the diocese of Ely, value £480. The church, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, is a handsome structure, with a lofty tower and pinnacles. The register commences in 1540. The parochial charities produce about £60 per annum, £52 of which is an endowment for Franklin's almshouses. Here is a chapel belonging to the Particular Baptists, and a National school for both sexes, also an Infant school. Philip Gardner, Esq., is lord of the manor."

[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 graveyards of Holy Trinity and the Baptist Church, for the years 1727-1978, are recorded in the Cambridge Records Office and are 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 Elsworth is available in full transcript form, on microfiche, from the Cambridgeshire Family History Society Publications list (search)

Churches

• Here are photographs of Churches etc. in the parish:
  • Church, Elsworth.
    • Internal view looking down the nave
    • The font
• The following Churches have their own websites:
  • Church, Elsworth

Church History

• "The church of the Holy Trinity, which belonged to Ramsey Abbey from a very early period until the dissolution of the monasteries, is a building of stone in the pore Decorated style, and consists of chancel, clerestoried nave of four bays, aisles, south porch and a low embattled western tower, with pinnacles, containing a clock and 4 bells, 3 of which bear the following inscriptions : I, Non vex sed votum non musica cordeala sed cor. 1628; 3, Cum moveo admoneo, R.G.I.A. churchwardens. 1616; 4, + Christopher Graye made me. 1675 : the triple sedilia and double piscina are especially good examples of the Decorated style, and there is also some excellent Perpendicular wood work in the chancel, consisting of stalls returned at the west end, with poppy heads and linen fold panelling; under the book rests of tire stalls are little lockers retaining their original panelled doors, locks arid hinges: outside, on the south side of the chancel, is a lose-side window, with the original iron staples remaining: over the porch door is a sun-dial with the inscription "MOX NOX ; " and on the east gable is a most beautiful and perfect Decorated cross: on the floor are two slabs with matrices of 15th century brasses, and there are traces of others: in the tower is a plain chest: the church was thoroughly I restored in 1892, the north aisle completely rebuilt and I several new windows inserted, at a cost of £1,000, of which £300 was contributed by the late Rev. Edward I Cheere M.A. of Papworth Hall, to whose memory a new east window was inserted: the church affords 400 sittings. The register dates from 1528 and is in excellent preservation."
• "The Particular Baptist chapel here will seat 250 persons."
  [Kelly's Directory - Cambridgeshire - 1929]

Church Records

• Church of England
  • Elsworth, Holy Trinity: Records of baptisms 1538-1848, marriages 1439-1837, burials 1539-1867 and banns 1754-1802 reside in the Cambridgeshire Archives. Indexed transcripts for marriages 1539-1837 reside in the Cambridgeshire Archives. The Bishop's Transcripts for the years 1599-1642, 1662-92 and 1711-1848 can be found in the Cambridge University Library. Transcripts of the parish registers, 1538-1867, are available, on microfiche, from the Cambridgeshire Family History Society Publications list (search)
• Strict Baptist
  • Elsworth Baptist Church: Records exist at the Cambridgeshire Archives for monumental inscriptions 1831-1955.
• Methodist
  • Wesleyan Methodist Church: Records exist at the Cambridgeshire Archives, Bedford and Huntingdon Record Offices for the St. Neots Primitive Circuit of which Elsworth is part.

Description and Travel

• "Half an acre was given in 1901, by the then rector, as an additional burial ground. There are almshouses for three persons and charities of £11 yearly for distribution. Mrs. Banks left £300, the interest of which is distributed in coals &c. on the 21st Dec. annually. James Spearing and W. L. Raynes esqrs. are lords of the manor. The Rector is lord of the rectory manor."
  [Kelly's Directory - Cambridgeshire - 1929]

Gazetteers

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

Military History

• The Elsworth War Memorial has been transcribed and researched.

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 1769, 1798 (on microfilm), 1829-32 and 1946-48.