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Huntingdonshire

Nearby places

WARESLEY

"WARESLEY, a parish in the hundred of Toseland, county Huntingdon, 7 miles south-west of Caxton, its post town, 4 north-east of Potton, and 7 south-east of St. Neot's. The village is situated on the main road from Biggleswade to St. Ives. The Cambridgeshire hounds meet in this parish. The living is a vicarage* in the diocese of Ely, value £303, in the patronage of Pembroke College, Cambridge. The church is dedicated to St. Andrew. The parochial charities consist in some poors' cottages. There are parochial and Sunday schools. Lord Duncombe is lord of the manor."

Cemeteries

• Monumental Inscriptions from the Parish Churchyard (approximately 170 entries) are available as fiche set M23 from the Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire FHS.

Census

• Census information for this parish (1841 - 1891) is held in the Huntingdon Records Office.
• The full 1841 Census of Waresley Parish is available as fiche set C80.
• The full 1851 Census of Waresley Parish is included as fiche set C30.
• The full 1891 Census of Waresley Parish is available as fiche set C13.
• A surname index of the 1881 Census of the St. Neots Registration District, in which Waresley was enumerated (RG11/1611, Folios 122a - 126b), and which took place on 3rd April 1881, is available as fiche set C5.
• The above mentioned fiche are available from the Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire FHS.

Churches

• Here are photographs of Churches etc. in the parish:
• St. James's Church, Waresley.

Church History

• OS Grid Square TL 250546.
• The ancient church which appears to have been dedicated to St Andrew, but later was generally spoken of as St James the Great, stood at the east end of the village. It was destroyed by a storm in 1724 and in 1728 was rebuilt 'in humble imitation of Pembroke College' (Cambridge). It had only one small bell without a wheel.
• This church was pulled down and a new church was built on another site in 1856, but the ancient churchyard continued to be used as a burial ground.
• The present church of St James consists of a chancel with vestry and organ chamber on the north, nave with north aisle and a large mortuary chapel on the south, and a tower with spire on the west end of the north aisle. The walls are of stone and the roof is covered with slate; the spire being of timber covered with oak shingles. There are three bells. The church is adorned with numerous monuments.
• The church and priest of Waresley were mentioned in the Domesday survey of 1086.

Church Records

• The following are available in the Huntingdon Records Office.
  • Baptisms: 1647-1781, 1782-1812, 1813-1960
  • Banns: 1754-1812.
  • Marriages: 1662-1750, 1754-1812, 1813-1835, 1837-1979, 1964-1973.
  • Burials: 1663/4-1781, 1782-1812.
  • Bishop's Transcripts: 1604-5, 1607-10, 1612, 1617-19, 1625, 1627, 1631/1681-2, 1685-6, 1688, 1690-1702, 1704-16, 1718, 1720, 1722-44, 1746-58, 1760-71, 1773-1812/1813-1824/1825-58.
• The Huntingdonshire Marriage Indexes include marriages from this parish. These are, at present, issued in alphabetical listings in series: 1601-1700, and 1701-1754, and are available from the Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire FHS.

Civil Registration

• The parish of Waresley was in the St Neots Registration District from 1st July 1837 until 31st March 1997. Since 1st April 1997, it has been in the Huntingdon Registration District.

Gazetteers

• A transcript of the Waresley parish entries from 1932 Victoria County Series
• A transcript of the Waresley parish entries from Samuel Lewis's 1835 Topographical Dictionary of England,

Military History

• The war memorial with detailed information about those who fell is available on the Roll of Honour site for Huntingdonshire.

Names, Geographical

• Wedreslei (xi cent.),
• Weresai, Werisleg (xii/xiii cent),
• Werisley (xvi cent.).

Poor Houses, Poor Law, etc.

• The parish of Waresley was in the St Neots Union for Poor Law administration.
• Births and Deaths registered in the St Neots Union Workhouse (1913 - 1952) are available, as fiche set D11, from the Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire FHS.

Population

• Population in 1801 - 195
• Population in 1851 - 295
• Population in 1901 - 216
• Population in 1951 - 170
• Population in 1971 - 202
• Population in 1991 - 272