Hundreds of Cambridgeshire

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Hundreds of Cambridgeshire in 1832 Cambridgeshire1832Map.png
Hundreds of Cambridgeshire in 1832

Between Anglo-Saxon times and the 19th century Cambridgeshire was divided for administrative purposes into 17 hundreds, plus the borough of Cambridge. Each hundred had a separate council that met each month to rule on local judicial and taxation matters.

Contents

The shire-system of East Anglia was in all probability not definitively settled before the Norman Conquest, but during the Danish occupation of the 9th century the district possessed a certain military and political organization round Cambridge, its chief town, from where the constitution and demarcation of the later shire most likely originated. [1]

At the time of the Domesday Survey in 1086 the county was divided into the hundreds as they are now, except that the Isle of Ely, which then formed two hundreds having their meeting-place at Witchford, were subsequently divided into the four hundreds of Wisbech, Ely, North Witchford and South Witchford, while Cambridge formed a hundred by itself. The hundred of Flendish was then known as Flamingdike. [1]

During the 19th century the Isle of Ely was divided into the hundreds of Wisbech, North Witchford, South Witchford, and Ely, the Liberty of Whittlesey and Thorney, and the borough of Wisbech. [2]

Parishes

In 1929 the hundreds contained the following parishes. [3] [4]

HundredArea (acres)Parishes
Armingford29287 Abington Pigotts, Bassingbourn, Croydon, East Hatley, Guilden Morden, Litlington, Melbourn, Meldreth, Royston (part), Shingay, Steeple Morden, Tadlow, Wendy, Whaddon
Chesterton15847 Chesterton, Childerley, Cottenham, Dry Drayton, Histon
Cheveley12905 Ashley, Cheveley, Kirtling, Newmarket All Saints, Wood Ditton
Chilford22364 Babraham, Bartlow, Castle Camps, Great Abington, Hildersham, Horseheath, Linton, Little Abington, Pampisford, Shudy Camps, West Wickham
Ely42667 Downham, Littleport
Flendish 11906 Cherry Hinton, Fen Ditton, Fulbourn, Horningsea, Teversham
Longstow25500 Bourn, Caldecote, Caxton, Croxton, Eltisley, Gamlingay, Great Eversden, Hardwick, Hatley St. George, Kingston, Little Eversden, Little Gransden, Longstowe, Toft
North Witchford86275 Chatteris, Doddington, March, Whittlesey
Northstow19651 Girton, Impington, Landbeach, Lolworth, Longstanton, Madingley, Milton, Oakington, Rampton, Waterbeach
Papworth26923 Boxworth, Conington, Elsworth, Fen Drayton, Graveley, Knapwell, Over, Papworth St Agnes, Papworth Everard, Swavesey, Willingham
Radfield23869 Balsham, Brinkley, Burrough Green, Carlton-cum-Willingham, Dullingham, Stetchworth, West Wratting, Westley Waterless, Weston Colville
South Witchford37462 Coveney, Grunty Fen, Haddenham, Manea, Mepal, Sutton, Stretham and Thetford, [5] Welches Dam, Wentworth, Wilburton, Witcham, Witchford
Staine18917 Bottisham, Great Wilbraham, Little Wilbraham, Swaffham Bulbeck, Swaffham Prior, Stow-cum-Quy
Staploe40775 Burwell, Chippenham, Fordham, Isleham, Kennett, Landwade, Snailwell, Soham, Wicken
Thriplow16160 Fowlmere, Foxton, Great Shelford, Harston, Hauxton, Little Shelford, Newton, Stapleford, Thriplow, Trumpington
Wetherley16160 Arrington, Barrington, Barton, Comberton, Coton, Grantchester, Harlton, Haslingfield, Orwell, Shepreth, Wimpole
Whittlesford11078 Duxford, Hinxton, Ickleton, Sawston, Whittlesford
Wisbech61157 Elm, Leverington, Newton, Outwell, Parson Drove, Thorney, Tydd St. Giles, Upwell, Wisbech, Wisbech St. Mary

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References

  1. 1 2 Wikisource-logo.svg One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain :  Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Cambridgeshire". Encyclopædia Britannica . Vol. 5 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 97–99.
  2. John Marius Wilson (1872). Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales, Ely.
  3. "Cambridgeshire Hundreds". rootsweb.
  4. Kelly (1929). Directory of Cambridgeshire, Norfolk & Suffolk.
  5. "'South Witchford Hundred: Stretham and Thetford', A History of the County of Cambridge and the Isle of Ely: Volume 4: City of Ely; Ely, N. and S. Witchford and Wisbech Hundreds (2002), pp. 151-159". British History Online.

See also