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Cambridgeshire

LEVERINGTON

"LEVERINGTON, a parish in the hundred of Wisbech, Isle of Ely, county Cambridge, 2 miles north-west of Wisbech, its post town and railway station. The parish is situated near the river Nen, and contains the chapelry of Parson Drove. It formerly had a chantry at Fitten End. A portion of the land is in common, though the greater part was enclosed by Act of Parliament in 1841. The soil consists of rich loam, but the surface is fenny. The living is a rectory* in the diocese of Ely, value £2,099, in the patronage of the bishop. The church, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, is of great antiquity, and has a spired tower containing a clock and six bells. It was thoroughly restored in 1856. The interior of the church contains an old brass lectern or reading desk. There is also a district church at Parson Drove, the living ofwhich is a perpetual curacy,* value £271, in the patronage of trustees. This living was formerly held by Bishop Warren, and Nasmith, the editor of Tanner's "Notitia." The register dates from 1558. The charities produce about £600 per annum. There is an endowed school for both sexes, and a Sunday-school."

• "FITTON END, in the parishes of Newton in the Isle and Leverington, about a mile south of Newton in the Isle"

• "PARSON DROVE, a chapelry in the parish of Leverington, hundred of Wisbech, Isle of Ely, county Cambridge, 5 miles south-west of Wisbech, its post town, and 3 south-west of Leverington. The village, which is considerable, is situated at a short distance from the river Nene. The land is fenny, and in part common, but most of the waste lands have been recently enclosed under an Act obtained in 1841. The living is a perpetual curacy* in the diocese of Ely, value £271. The church, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, is an ancient structure, with a square tower containing five bells. The register dates from 1651."

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

Cemeteries

• Parson Drove: The Monumental Inscriptions in the church 1684-1865 and the graveyard of St. John, 1686-1879, are recorded in the Cambridge Records Office.

Census

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

Churches

• St. Leonard's Church, Leverington.

Church History

• "The church of St. Leonard is an ancient edifice of Barnack stone, chiefly in the Early English and Perpendicular styles, consisting of chancel with aisle, clerestoried nave, aisles, south porch and an embattled western tower with spire containing a clock and 6 bells: the chancel retains its sedilia, and there are several monuments and an eagle lectern of oak the font is adorned with figures under canopies : in 1847 the lead was removed from the nave and a slate roof was substituted: the present chancel roof and the seating of the nave are of the same date: in 1877 a new roof was placed on the Swains chapel, an organ and new chancel stalls erected and the bells renovated, at a cost of about £900: the very remarkable south porch was restored in 1891 : in 1901 a new roof was placed on the north aisle and the spire rebuilt, at a cost of £1,300: the tower and bells were repaired in 1924, at a cost of £1,600: there are 400 sittings. A new churchyard was opened in 1916: in the centre is a memorial, erected in 1920, inscribed with the names of the men of this parish who fell in the Great War, 1914-18 the register dates from the year 1558."
• "The Primitive Methodist chapel at Leverington was erected in 1885."
  [Kelly's Directory - Cambridgeshire 1929]
• "The Church of St. John the Baptist at Parson Drove is an edifice of stone and brick in the Early English style, cosisting of nave, aisles, north and south porches, and an embattled western tower containing 5 bells; in 1895 the roof of the church was raised and restored; there are 400 sittings. The register dates from the year 1657. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £646, with glebe and residence, in the gift of the Bishop of Ely, and held since 1918 by the Rev. Arthur Parnham, of Chichester College.
  [Kelly's Directory - 1929]

Church Records

• Church of England
  • Leverington, St. Leonard : The registers of baptisms, marriages and burials, from 1558, is held at the church. Microfilm copies of baptisms 1558-1859, marriages 1558-1837 and burials 1558-1842 plus indexed transcripts of baptisms and burials 1558-1800, and 1565-1812 reside in the Cambridgeshire Archives plus photocopies of baptisms 1800-59 and burials 1800-38. The Bishop's Transcripts for the years 1600-41, 1662-1855 can be found in the Cambridge University Library. The transcripts of the parish registers 1558-1800 are available on microfiche from the Cambridgeshire Family History Society Publications list (search)
  • Leverington Marriage Index 1626-1675 is on-line on the Cambridgeshire Family History site as a searchable database.
  • Parson Drove, St. John: Records of baptisms 1657-1971, marriages 1657-1971, burials 1657-1943, banns for 1756-1812 and 1958-71 reside in the Wisbech Museum. The Bishop's Transcripts for the years 1603-39 and 1661-1850 can be found in the Cambridge University Library with some extra entries in the Leverington transcripts. Indexes to transcripts exist in Cambridgeshire Archives for marriages 1603-1754. Microfilm copies of baptisms 1657-1971, marriages 1657-1969, burials 1657-1954 and banns 1756-1817, 1854-1971 reside at the Cambridgeshire Archives.

Directories

• The "1839 Pigot's Directory of Cambridgeshire" for Leverington index of Inns & Hotels, Taverns and Public Houses, Brewers & Maltsters + Wine & Spirit Merchants.

Gazetteers

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

Military History

• The War Memorial has been transcribed and the men 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 1798-1803 and 1935-48. Records for 1751-82 (on microfilm) can be found at the Wisbech Museum.