Elsworth Chronicle - Elsworth Chronology

Elsworth Chronology

Last updated: 06/12/2017

A chronology of the village of Elsworth in Cambridgeshire from around the sixth century A.D. to the present day, containing various events connected with the village. The original information was drawn from work by Betty Evans and updated with information on later events. The pdf version of the chronology is available here.

C6	Anglo-Saxon settlements established in the forested uplands of West Cambridgeshire.
969	Ramsey Abbey founded.
986	Aethelstan Mannessune, thegn, died and left Elsworth estate to his wife.
1007	Aelfwaru, his daughter, died and left her Elsworth estate to Ramsey Abbey (Eastern Mansion)
early C11	Etheric, Bishop of Dorchester, conveyed his Elsworth estate to Ramsey Abbey (Western Mansion)
1086	Doomsday Book. Population 250.
1180	Master Matthew appointed rector of Elsworth.
1185	Order by Pope Urban III for revenues of Elsworth church and manse to be used for upkeep of St Ives priory. Manfred named as priest.
late C13	Present church built.
1307	Robert Ratford appointed rector of Elsworth.
1325	John Coupland appointed rector of Elsworth.
c1349	John de Merton appointed rector of Elsworth.
1356	John de Merton cited as rector of Elsworth on his appointment as Advocate of the Court of Arches.
1381	Peasants’ revolt. Manor in Elsworth Wood attacked by John Cook of Barton.
1384	John de Neylond appointed rector of Elsworth.
1386	Henry Graneby appointed rector of Elsworth.
1389	Simon de Neylond appointed rector of Elsworth.
1401	Henry Graneby appointed rector of Elsworth (again).
1418	John Wadyn appointed rector of Elsworth.
1446	Thomas Atwode appointed rector of Elsworth.
1456	Richard Ewen appointed rector of Elsworth.
1457	William Spenser appointed rector of Elsworth.
1467	William Hill appointed rector of Elsworth.
1492	John Fynn appointed rector of Elsworth.
1498	William Smith appointed rector of Elsworth.
early C15	New Town House (Low Farm) built.
1516	John Watson appointed rector of Elsworth.
1534	Act of Supremacy.
1536	John Watson, rector, resigned.
1536	Robert Truslove appointed rector of Elsworth.
1538	Elsworth registers begin.
1550	Suppression of Ramsey Abbey. Elsworth manor conveyed to Thomas Wendy of Haslingfield.
1559	Philip Baker appointed rector of Elsworth.
1563	Thirty-nine Articles define Elizabethan church settlement.
1570	Philip Baker, rector, deprived of his living and fled to Louvain.
1571	Clergy of Diocese of Ely subscribe to liturgy and Articles of Faith in Elsworth Church.
1571	Robert Holbeam appointed rector of Elsworth.
1587	John Paman appointed rector of Elsworth.
1595	New Town House (Low Farm) rebuilt from a previous structure.
1601	Dear’s Farm built.
1614	Richard Franklin appointed rector of Elsworth.
1628	Draining of Bedford Level.
1631	Thomas Whincop appointed rector of Elsworth.
1656	Manor conveyed to Samuel Disbrowe of Eltisley.
1660	Samuel Disbrowe built present Manor House.
1660	Nicholas Dickons appointed rector of Elsworth.
1676	Population 250.
1690	Death of Samuel Disbrowe. Succeeded by his granddaughter Elizabeth.
1694	William Lunn appointed rector of Elsworth.
1697	Elizabeth Disbrowe married Matthew Holworthy.
1705	Franklin’s Charity almshouses built.
c1714	Brown’s Farmhouse built (Boxworth Road).
1745	William Cole, antiquarian, visited Elsworth.
1747	Edward Lunn appointed rector of Elsworth.
1749	Death of Elizabeth Holworthy. Succeeded by her grandson Samuel Smith.
1750	Samuel Smith took name of Holworthy by Act of Parliament.
1756	Samuel Holworthy erected memorial to his family in the church. Samuel Holworth died. Succeeded by eldest son, Matthew.
1791	Matthew Holworthy senior appointed rector of Elsworth.
1800	Elsworth Enclosure Act.
1801	Population 585.
1803	Elsworth Enclosure Award.
1825	Manor sold to Thomas Pochin.
1826	Matthew Holworthy sr died. Succeeded by eldest son, Matthew Holworthy jr.
1827	Manor sold to Philip Gardner of Conington.
1827	Matthew Holworthy junior appointed rector of Elsworth.
1830	Baptist chapel and manse built.
1831	Population 689.
mid 1830s	Rectory rebuilt under Matthew Holworthy jr.
1835	Elsworth included in Caxton and Arrington poor law union.
1836	Death of Matthew Holworthy jr.
1837	Manor conveyed to Philip Gardner of Conington.
1837	Oliver Lodge appointed rector of Elsworth.
1838	Philip Gardner died. Succeeded by his son, Philip Gardner jr.
1841	Population 915 (including Feast Week visitors).
1843	Roof of church nave rebuilt.
1845	Philip Bagge appointed rector of Elsworth.
1847	National School opened for 250 children in Brook Street.
1850	Sedilias and piscina discovered in the church chancel and restored.
1853	Four persons baptized in Brook. Over 400 people present.
1853	Church bells ceased to be rung. Bell frames in need of repair.
1853	Post office established in connection with St Ives, Mr R Papworth, tailor, appointed postmaster.
1853	Emigration of two families to Australia.
1853	John Dobson appointed rector of Elsworth.
1854	Philip Papworth’s mill at the crossroads burnt down.
1854	29 April declared Day of Humiliation. All public houses in the village closed.
1857	10 October declared Day of Humiliation for peace in India.
1861	Death of Prince Consort. Church bells tolled from 12 noon until 1 pm on day of funeral.
1862	Elsworth rock investigated by Henry Sealey of Cambridge University.
1863	Manor sold to Colonel Octavius Duncombe and heir.
1865	Elsworth National School Friendly Society set up.
1866	Cattle plague (rinderpest) reported in village at Mr Dear’s and Mr Parsons’ farms.
1870	Church tower restored. Tower clock donated by the Lodge family. (Oliver Lodge, rector, 1837 - 1845).
1870	Education Act. Compulsory elementary education for everyone between five and thirteen years of age.
1871	Population 802.
1873	Serious fire in the Causeway. Broke out in Dolphin outbuilding. Butcher’s shop, stable and six cottages burnt out.
1874	Main drain laid in Brook Street.
1874	George Shaw appointed rector of Elsworth.
1880	George and Dragon public house burnt down.
1881	Population 673.
1881	Henry Coddington appointed rector of Elsworth.
1884	Henry Hutchinson appointed rector of Elsworth.
1886	Installation of two Porritt’s air warming underground stoves in Elsworth church.
1887	Queen Victoria’s Jubilee. Celebrations in Elsworth.
1889	Allotments set up.
1891	Major restoration of church began. Church closed.
1892	Restoration of the church completed.
1894	Local Government Act; Parish Council set up.
1897	Parish Council took over the two village pumps.
1898	Lighting Act adopted; street lighting installed (oil lamps).
1901	Population 558. Telegraphic service installed at Post office.
1907	Christopher Tibbits appointed rector of Elsworth.
1910	Church organ installed.
1911	King Edward VII coronation celebrations.
1911	Population 487.
1915	Three Horseshoes pub closed.
1916	Manual Instruction Room built in the Causeway for teaching Handicraft and Cookery.
c1918	Manor bought by Pamplin Brothers.
1919	John Throssell appointed Clerk to the Parish Council.
1920	Manor let to F W Davison who later bought it.
1921	Dolphin beerhouse licence surrendered.
1921	Elsworth branch of British Legion founded.
1921	Brook cleaned out to ease unemployment.
1921	Population 388. Drought; village wells dried up.
1921	War memorial erected.
1923	Elsworth W.I. founded.
1923	Edward Woolard appointed rector of Elsworth.
1927	Lawrence Iggulden appointed rector of Elsworth.
1928	British Legion hut opened. It was built by C Throssell and Sons of Elsworth.
1931-2	Piped water supply installed.
1938-9	Electricity supplied to the village.
1939	Evacuees from Popham (Islington) arrived.
1940	Bombs dropped on Elsworth hitting a cottage in Brook Street.
1945	End of War celebrations.
1946	Elsworth C. E. School in Brook Street closed.
1946	Wilbert Awdrey appointed rector of Elsworth.
1950	First sports pavilion built on the sports field.
1954	New Elsworth C.E. Primary School opened in Broad End for 75 children from Elsworth, Boxworth, Knapwell and Conington.
1955	Brian Dupré appointed rector of Elsworth.
c1956	Post office in Brook Street closed and moved to the Causeway.
1957	First Elsworth Show held.
1959	Bus shelter erected on Smith Street opposite the Fox and Hounds (now the Poacher).
1960	Caravan site development (Constellation Caravans) in the Drift.
1961	Plough Inn closed.
1961	Population 476.
1961	Cotterell’s Lane housing development.
1961	Hugh Mosedale appointed rector of Elsworth.
1962	Rectory garden housing development (Orchard Close).
1964	Roger’s Close housing development.
1964	Franklin’s almshouses demolished.
1965	Franklin’s Close bungalows built.
1970	Industrial development on POW camp (Castle Acres).
1971	Population 566.
1973	Main drains installed.
1974	John Throssell, Parish Clerk for 55 years, resigned.
1975	Village sign erected.
1975	School extension built.
1976	School extension opened.
1976	Chapel and manse sold.
1976	Play Group hut erected.
1976	Manual Instruction Room building in the Causeway demolished.
1977	Jubilee celebrations. Jubilee Club founded.
1978	Population 650 (estimated).
1980	Permanent motor cycle track established at Lawn Farm.
1981	Population 637.
1981	Manor House sold and reconstructed into 4 dwellings.
1981	25th Elsworth Show Held.
1982	British Legion hut and site sold.
1988	John Throssell died aged 99 (see above).
1991	Population 670.
1993	Church bells restored.
1999	New sports pavilion built to replace the old pavilion.
1999	Jeremy Pemberton appointed rector of Elsworth.
2005-2006	Extensive restoration work carried out on the church.
2007	50th Elsworth Show held.
2008	Fiona Windsor appointed rector of Elsworth.
2009	Elsworth post office closed and replaced by an outreach service.
2012-2013	South porch of the church restored.
2014	Post office building on the Causeway demolished.
2015	Nigel di Castiglione appointed rector of Elsworth.
2017	Elsworth village garage (Empsons) closed.