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Cambridgeshire

Nearby places

STUNTNEY

"STUNTNEY is a chapelry, 1½ miles south-east from Ely station on the Cambridge, Ely and King's Lynn section of the London and North Eastern railway, and ecclesiastical parish, formed from the civil parish of Holy Trinity, Ely, in the union, hundred, petty sessional division, county court district and rural deanery of Ely, archdeaconry of Wisbech and diocese of Ely.

On the death of Sir Thomas Steward, in 1636, the manor and estate of Stuntney passed into the possession of his nephew Oliver Cromwell, who spent much of his time here before he was returned to Parliament in 1640 as M.P. for Cambridge. W. J Evans esq. is lord of the manor. The principal landowners are the Ecclesiastical Commissioners and the trustees of the late Cole Ambrose esq. The population in 1921 was 385."

Cemeteries

• The monumental inscriptions from the churchyard reside in the Cambridgeshire Archives and are available in, on microfiche, from the Cambridgeshire Family History Society Publications list (search)

Census

• The Census Records for Stuntney exist for 1841-51, 1871-1891 and can be found in the Cambridgeshire Archives and also at Wisbech Library. In addition the 1851 Census for Stuntney which is part of Ely Holy Trinity is available in full transcript form, on microfiche, from the Cambridgeshire Family History Society Publications list (search) The 1841 census has been transcribed and is on-line from the Archive.org website.

Churches

• Holy Cross Church, Stuntney.

Church History

• "The church is a building of flint and brick in the Norman style, consisting of chancel, nave, south porch and an embattled tower on the south side containing a clock and 3 bells: the Norman chancel was restored some years ago, at a cost of £350, by the Dean and Chapter of Ely, and again in 1902 by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners: the nave and tower were rebuilt in 1876 at a cost of £1,300. and the nave was again rebuilt in 1902 at a cost of £1,525, by subscription, the three interesting Norman doorways being carefully preserved: there are sittings for 130 persons. The register dates from the year 1545."
  [Kelly's Directory - Cambridgeshire - 1929]
• "The Chapel is a curiosity, being one of the three Saxon buildings in the county; the others being the chapel at Sturbridge, near Cambridge, and the priory church at Isleham, now used as a barn. This is entirely of Saxon architecture, and is supposed to be one of the most ancient in the kingdom. It consists of a nave or body and chancel, in good repair. It has doorways on each side of the nave (one of which is filled up) ornamented with chevron mouldings, as is also the great arch between the nave and chancel: the capitals of the pillars are foliated. The living is a perpetual curacy not in charge, in the patronage of the dean and chapter of Ely. The benefice is returned at the nett value of £77. per annum. The tithes were commuted for a rent charge of £587. 10s., payable to the lessee of the dean and chapter; through the instrumentality of the present lord of the manor, the bishop has granted a license for burying in the yard attached to this ancient edifice."
  [A Brief History of Ely and neighbouring villages in the Isle by J.H. Clements, 1838]

Church Records

• Church of England
  • Stuntney Chapel: Records of baptisms 1545-77, 1589-1905, marriages 1545-1970, burials 1545-1751 and banns for 1754-1921 reside in the Cambridgeshire Archives, indexed transcripts exist for baptisms 1545-77, 1589-1764, marriages 1545-1836 and burials 1545-1751.The Bishop's Transcripts for the years 1599-1640, 1662-1857 can be found in the Cambridge University Library.

Description and Travel

• "Stuntney, is situate on an aclivity commanding an excellent view of Ely. The hamlet, before the drainage of the Fens, was a detached island. The manor-housee, Stuntney-hall (now a farm-house), which stands on an eminence, was the ancient residence of the Stewards, and afterwards of Oliver Cromwell, who inherited it from them. Several hillocks in the vicinity of the hall are supposed to have been thrown up by the latter, when he was preparing to level his cannon against the cathedral." [A Brief History of Ely and neighbouring villages in the Isle by J.H. Clements, 1838]

Manors

• "The Manor of Stuntney was one of the oldest possessions of the church of Ely, having been given by Wolstande Delham, sheriff of Cambridgeshire, to the secular clerks who inhabited the monastery before its restoration by king Edgar. On the partition of the estates of the church by bishop Hervey, Stuntney was one of those assigned for the maintenance of the office of cellarer. After the dissolution, it was not granted with the other possessions of the monastery to the dean and chapter, but granted in 1540 to Sir Edward North. It soon after came into possession of the Steward family, with which it continued till about the year 1723, when it was in the possession of Robert Lightfoot, Esq. It was afterwards in the possession of Francis Bagge, the last of the chief bailiffs for the Isle of Ely, and it is now the property of William Harlock, Esq., of Ely. The lord of the manor of 8tuntney has in his possession a manorial quit rent and fine book from the year 1735 in a fine state of preservation. On the death of Sir T. Steward in 1636, this estate passed to his nephew, Oliver Cromwell, who, in the same year, took possession of the rectory-house (now the residence of Mr. Rushbrook, brewer,) at which he resided much of his time, until he was chosen M.P. for Cambridge in 1640."
  [A Brief History of Ely and neighbouring villages in the Isle by J.H. Clements, 1838]

Military History

• The Stuntney War Memorial has been transcribed and researched.

Names, Geographical

• "Quaney farm, in this township, is also very ancient: the hall, now a farm house, is supposed to have been once a cell or grange to tile abbey [This singular house is about to be pulled down, on the site of which will he erected a modern edifice. Some of the materials of which the old house are composed are the same as those of which the cathedral is built. It is now occupied by Mr. John Marsh, who has all excellent homestead on the spot." [A Brief History of Ely and neighbouring villages in the Isle by J.H. Clements, 1838]

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 1749-1948 (1798 on microfilm).