Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for ELY

ELY, a city and several territorial tracts in Cambridgeshire; and a diocese in the counties of Cambridge, Bedford, Huntingdon, Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex. The territorial tracts are two parishes, an extra-parochial place, a sub-district, a district, a hundred, and the Isle of Ely. The city occupies a considerable eminence, at the river Ouse, amid flat fertile environs, near the southern extremity of the Isle of Ely, 14¾ miles by railway NNE of Cambridge, and 29 by railway SE by E of Peterborough; and has railway communication in five directions, toward Cambridge, Huntingdon, March, Lynn, and Norwich.

History.—A church or monastery is said to have been founded by King Ethelbert, at Cratendon-field, about a mile from the site of the present city, soon after the introduction of Christianity to East Anglia. That establishment, however, is matter of mere tradition, and may be pronounced doubtful. A church, with monastery and nunnery, was founded on the site of the city, about the year 673, by Etheldreda, daughter of King Anna, and went first to Tonbert, prince of East Anglia, and afterwards to Egfrid, king of Northumbria; and this must be regarded as the germ and nucleus of the city. The site was then encompassed by watery willowy marshes; and formed one of the secluded and inaccessible retreats which the Saxons commonly chose for security, when the open parts of the country were overrun by bandits or armies. The name of the place originally was Suth Gureva; and this was superseded by either Helyg, signifying "willows, " or Ael, signifying "an eel, "-the former alluding to the circumjacent willowy tract, the latter alluding to great abundance of eels in the surrounding waters, and either of them readily passing, in conrse of time, into the present name Ely. Etheldreda's establishment seems to have flourished nearly two hundred years; but about 870 it was destroyed by the Danes, and all its inmates and dependants either slain or dispersed. Beorhed, king of Mercia, drove away the Danes, and annexed the revenues of the monastery and the jurisdiction of the Isle of Ely to his crown. A small number of the dispersed inmates soon afterwards returned, repaired some parts of the buildings, and constituted them into a sort of collegiate church which flourished for about a hundred years. King Edgar, in 970, restored to Bishop Ethelwold the revenues and jurisdiction which Beorhed had taken away; and Ethelwold then made the ecclesiastical establishment of Ely an abbey, re-edified its buildings, and gave it an ample endowment. Brithnoth, the first abbot, called a meeting of the chief inhabitants of the Isle and the adjoining tracts, and adjusted with them the boundaries of property; and then a deep ditch, called the Abbot's Delf, was made through the fens to serve as the march-line. The abbey continued to flourish till the Conquest; received increase of possessions; and got, from Canute and from Edward the Confessor, confirmation of its rights. An old ballad says, -

"Merrily sung the monks within Ely

When Canute the king rowed thereby:

'Row me, knights, the shore along,

And listen we to these monks' song."

Thurstan, the abbot at the time of the Norman invasion, fearing that all his possessions might be seized, and thinking that the Isle was strong enough to resist the Normans, resolved to stand on the defensive; and he received as allies within his borders Hereward, son of Leofric, Lord of Brunne, Edwin, Earl of Chester, Morcar, Earl of Northumberland, and other noblemen, who took refuge with him from their own territories. Hereward was elected general; and he made such dispositions and exertions as defeated a vigorous siege of the Isle by William in the summer of 1069. William renewed the siege from a new point, in the spring of 1070; and was again defeated. He then, in great anger, retired to Cambridge; alienated there all the estates of the abbey situated outside of the Island; and adopted such other measures of policy. as struck fear into the minds of the monks. The abbot followed him to Warwick, implored his pardon, gave him secret information as to the best means of reducing the Isle, went stealthily back to act in his favour, and so far counterworked the efforts of his own quondam allies, that another siege of the Normans was successful. William, on getting possession of the Isle, seized the abbey, but pardoned the monks; and, in 1075, he restored to the abbey all its possessions and privileges. A magnificent new church was founded in 1081; and became a cathedral, the seat of a new diocese, in 1107. Hervey, bishop of Bangor, was made the first bishop of Ely; and he procured many privileges and gifts for the see, and also the grant of an annual fair of seven days, to com . mence on the anniversary of the death of Etheldreda. This fair afterwards took the name of St. Audrey, -a corruption of St. Etheldreda; and was noted for the sale of plain showy laces to poor persons; and thence gave rise to the opprobrious epithet "tawdry. " Nigellus, the successor of Hervey, took part with the empress Maud against Stephen; erected two castles at Ely and Aldrey; was overcome by Stephen, and deprived of all his property; received succours from the empress; and reacquired possession of the Isle and his bishopric. The revenues of the abbey, at the time of the erection of the see, amounted to £1, 400; and about two-thirds of them were then alienated to the bishopric. The abbey, with diminished income, continued to be a distinct establishment; and, from 1413 till the dissolution, was considered as a mitred one. It belonged to the Benedictine order, and usually had between thirty and forty monks. Its income, at the dissolution, is stated variously at £1, 084 and £1, 301: and the income of the bishopric then was £2, 135.

Streets and Buildings.—The town comprises a central spacious market-place, one long principal street, and several smaller streets running in various directions; contains many good stone houses, and has undergone great recent improvement; yet includes some houses of very ancient appearance, and presents, in a considerable degree, an antiquated aspect. The chief public edifices in it are the cathedral, the other places of worship, the public schools, the town-hall, a recently-erected corn-exchange, a cattle-market, a court-house, a workhouse, and a house of correction; and the last has capacity for 36 male and 6 female prisoners. The best view of the town is from Stuntney Hill; but a view from the roof of Kings College chapel in Cambridge, though so far distant, reveals the cathedral looming like a hill in a plain, and kindles an expectation in the breast of a stranger that the town will disclose to him features of high interest.

The Cathedral.—This pile comprises galilee, W tower and W transept, central octagon, nave, choir, presbytery, main transept, and Lady chapel; and from 1846 till 1869 underwent restorations, at a cost of fully £40, 000, and then still progressing. The galilee is 44¾ feet long; the western tower is 48 feet long and 266 feet high; the octagon is 65 feet wide; the nave is 250 feet long, 78 feet wide, and 76 feet high; the choir is 64 feet long, 78 feet wide, and 70 feet high; the presbytery is 95 feet long; the main transept is 179 ½ feet long, and 74z feet wide: the Lady chapel is 95 feet long, 46 feet wide, and 60 feet high; the entire edifice is 517 feet long. The galilee was erected about 1215; is early English, in two stories; and, though intrinsically beautiful, is incongruous. The western tower was built in 1184-90; received additions of lantern and angular turrets in 1382; and is a feature possessed by no other English cathedrals except those of Bangor and Manchester. The western transept was built in 1170; wants the northern portion, which has either fallen or been demolished; contains some of the earliest specimens of the pointed arch in England; and forms a magnificent vestibule. The octagon was founded in 1322, and finished in 1380; occupies the place of the central tower, which fell in 1321; forms a rare feature, exemplified in only three other instances, -Peterborough, Evreux, and Batalha; is of one story, surmounted by a wooden, lead-cased lantern, of two stories, and 30 feet in diameter; and this lantern was begun to be reconstructed, in 1862, on a new design, at an estimated cost of upwards of £6, 000, as a memorial to the late Dean Peacock. The nave was built in 1150; is Norman; has thirteen bays, a lofty light triforium, of an arch in each bay beneath a larger arch, and a clerestory of three arches in each bay; and though plain and gloomy, derives striking effect from its size and height. The choir is chiefly early English; has three bays; exhibits a series of broad buttresses below, met by flying buttresses from the clerestory; posscsses much beauty in traceries, statue-niches, and crocketted pinnacles; terminates on the east in three stories with lancet windows; and has, in one part, a Norman arch with decorated tracery. The main transept was finished about 1083; is Norman; and has east and west aisles, -the latter, in the south wing, partitioned into a library and two vestries. The presbytery was built in 1335-52; is decorated English; and has six bays. The Lady chapel was built in 1321-49; stands parallel to the north wall of the choir; and has, on both its east and its west front, flanking pinnacled double buttresses, and an arcade of niches both above and below the great windows. The decorations of stained glass, painting, carving, and polychromy, especially in the octagon and the choir, are very rich, and have been undergoing much enhancement in the current repairs and restorations. The principal monuments are a coffin-lid of black marble, of the 12th century, in the choir-ambulatory; effigies or tombs of Bishops Northwold, Alcock, West, Gray, Red-mayne, Goodrich, and Hotham, in the choir; and monuments of Bishops Kilkenny, Barnet, Heton, and De Louth, Cardinal Luxemburg, and an Earl of Worcester, in the presbytery.

The chapter-house has disappeared. The vestry was built in 1200 15; and contains a figured green velvet cope of the 15th century, and some other ancient vestments.The deanery was built in the 13th century, and was originally the refectory. The infirmary chapel, on the further side of the deanery garden, was built a little earlier than the west front of the cathedral. The priory chapel was built in 1321-41; has undergone restoration; and possesses a very curious pavement, with representation of the fall of Adam. Most part of the cloisters was destroyed in 1650; but the north-east angle of them still exists, and has very fine Norman doors. The bishop's palace was built by Bishops Alcock and Goodrich, and much improved by the recent Bishop Keene; is a very neat brick structure; and has a gallery, 100 feet long, containing a picture of the time of Henry VII., representing forty knights whom William the Conqueror quartered on the abbey.

Parishes.—The parishes of Ely are Trinity and St. Mary; and there is also an extra-parochial place called Ely College. Trinity parish includes Stuntney chapelry, part of Witcham-Gravel hamlet, and part of Ely. Westmoor fen; and St. Mary parish includes Chettisham chapelry and the rest of E-westmoor fen. Acres of the two parishes, the extra-parochial tract, the hamlet, and the fen, 16, 507. Real property of Trinity, £36, 881; of which £350 are in gas-works. Real property of St. Mary, £21, 705. Pop. of Trinity, with Witcham-Gravel and Ely-Westmoor, 5, 185. Houses, 1, 078. Pop. of St. Mary, exclusive of its part of Ely-Westmoor, 2, 696. Houses, 587. Pop. of Ely College, 101. Houses, 12. Pop. of Ely-Westmoor, 40. Houses, 8. Pop. of Witcham-Gravel, which is partly in Witcham parish, 23. Houses, 6. There are two manors, -Ely-Barton and Ely-Porta; the former belonging to the bishop, the latter to the dean and chapter. The livings of Trinity and St. Mary are vicarages in the dio. of Ely. Value of T., £300; of St. M., £150. Patrons of each, the Dean and Chapter. Trinity church is the Lady chapel of the cathedral; and St. Mary church has a nave with round columns, an early English chancel and chapel, and a good tower and spire. The p. curacies of Chettisham and Stuntney are separate benefices. There are chapels for Independents, Lady Huntingdon's Connexion, Baptists, Wesleyans, and Primitive Methodists.

Schools and Charities.—The grammar-school was founded by Henry VIII.; has provision for the education of 24 boys, called king's scholars; and numbers among its pupils Bentham, the local historian. Mrs. Needham's free school was founded in 1740; educates and clothes 24 boys; and has an endowed income of £323. Parsons' charity for taxes, the poor, and other purposes, has £757; and other charities have £430. New Chorister schools, with master's residence, were built in 1862.

Trade.—Ely has a head post office, ‡ a railway station with telegraph, three banking offices, and two chief inns. A weekly market is held on Thursday; and fairs are held on Holy Thursday and 29 Oct. Coarse earthen-ware and tobacco-pipes are made; and trade in linseed and other oils, from crushing mills in various parts of the Isle, is carried on; and a large export of strawberries, cherries, vegetables, and dairy produce, from the surrounding country, to Cambridge and London, is briskly conducted.

Government.—Ely has no borough corporation; sent members to parliament once in the time of Edward I., and once in that of Edward III., but never since; and is the only city in England without parliamentary representation. Its ecclesiastical lords, first the abbots, afterwards the bishops, had a jurisdiction of the Isle similar to the palatinate jurisdiction of the bishops of Durham; but much of this was extinguished in the time of Henry VIII., and the rest in that of William IV. The corporation of Bedford Level meet in the city in April and May; and quarter sessions are held in April and October. The limits of the town adopted for the census comprise the area defined by the local board of health; and include all Trinity and St. Mary parishes except small portions, and all Ely College. Pop., 7, 428. Houses, 1, 559. Two daughters of Cromwell, Parker, the antiquary, Sir T. Ridley, the writer on church law, Willet, the theologian, Bishop Nicholas of Ely, Bishop Westfield, and two Benthams were natives.

The District.—The sub-district of Ely includes all the city, and some additional portions of its two parishes. Pop., 7, 919. Houses, 1, 663. The district comprehends also the sub-district of Haddenham, containing the parishes of Haddenham, Wilburton, and Stretham; the sub-district of Littleport, containing the parishes of Downham and Littleport, the tract of Ely-Westmoor fen, and small parts of the parishes of Witcham, Wentworth, and Witchford; and the sub-district of Sutton, containing the parishes of Sutton and Mepal, most of the parish of Coveney, parts of the parishes of Wentworth, Witchford, and Witcham, small parts of the two Ely parishes, and the extra-parochial tract of Grunty Fen. Acres, 79, 894. Poor-rates in 1862, £12, 123. Pop. in 1851, 22, 896; in 1861, 21, 910. Houses, 4, 724. Marriages in 1860, 161; births, 767, -of which 50 were illegitimate; deaths, 432, -of which 170 were at ages under 5 years, and 19 at ages above 85. Marriages in the ten years 1851-60, 1, 667; births, 7, 908; deaths, 4, 775. The places of worship in 1851 were 16 of the Church of England, with 4, 293 sittings; 1 of Independents, with 120 s.; 1 of Lady Huntingdon's Connexion, with 550 s.; 12 of Baptists, with 2, 370 s.; 1 of Quakers, with 150 s.; 15 of Wesleyan Methodists, with 2, 721 s.; 8 of Primitive Methodists, with 975 s.; and 2 undefined, with 350 s. The schools were 24 public day schools, with 1, 773 scholars; 61 private day schools, with 1, 072 s.; and 37 Sunday schools, with 2, 706 s.

The Isle.—The hundred of Ely lies around the city; extends eastward to Norfolk, and northward to the neighbourhood of Welney; and includes, besides the city parishes and places, the parishes of Downham and Little-port. Acres, 42, 432. Pop., 13, 868. Houses, 2, 968. The Isle contains also the hundreds of Wisbeach, North Witchford, and South Witchford, the liberty of Whittlesey and Thorney, and the borough of Wisbeach. Its length, north-westward, is 28 miles; and its extreme breadth is 17 miles; and its area is 226, 005 acres. Pop., 64, 595. Houses, 14, 115. The Isle is part of Bedford Level: which see. It is chiefly separated from the rest of the county by the old channel of the Ouse. It once was nearly all a marsh, subject to be flooded by the streams which creep through it; and it has been rendered habitable and cultivable only by an elaborate cutting and maintaining of artificial drainage. Its southern side is diversified by one or two ridges of comparatively high land; its northern portion is diversified only by some small elevations, mostly the sites of villages; and all the rest of it is a continuous plain, stretching away from all interior points of view to the horizon. See Cambridgeshire.

The Diocese.—Ely diocese was formed chiefly out of the diocese of Lincoln. The bishops most conspicuous in its history are Ridel whom A Becket called an arch-devil; Longchamp the viceroy, who discovered Cœur-de Lion in his dungeon; Eustace, Hotham, and Goodrich, lord chancellors; Kilkenny, Kirkby, and Morgan, lord keepers; Balsham, the founder of Peter-house in Cambridge; Langham, Bourchier, Morton, and Luxemburgh, who were cardinals; Alcock, the founder of Jesus college in Cambridge; Redmayne, notable for almsgiving; West, who fired the provost's lodge at King's college; Cox, whom Elizabeth swore she would unfrock; Andrews, Wren, Gunning, and Patrick. The bishop's income now is £5, 500. The cathedral establishment includes a dean, six canons, four archdeacons, and four minor canons. The income of the chapter in 1852 was £16, 214. The dio. comprehends the entire counties of Cambridge, Bedford, and Huntingdon, considerable part of Suffolk, and small parts of Norfolk and Essex; and is divided into the four archdeaconries of Ely, Bedford, Huntingdon, and Sudbury. Acres, 1, 357, 765. Pop. in 1861, 480, 716. Houses, 101, 588. Some of the livings have recently been raised in status, noted in our articles on them; but all shall be named here as they stood in 1862.

The archdeaconry of Ely comprises the deaneries of Barton, Bourne, Cambridge, Chesterton, Ely, Shingay, and Wisbeach. The deanery of Barton contains the rectories of Coton, Foulmire, Grantchester, Harlton, Orwell, Shelford-Parva, and Wimpole; and the vicarages of Arrington, Barrington, Barton, Comberton, Foxton, Harston, Haslingfield, Hauxton, Newton, Shelford-Magna, Shepreth, Stapleford, Thriplow, and Trumpington. The deanery of Bourne contains the rectories of Boxworth, Childerley, Conington, Croxton, Elsworth, Little Eversden, Fen-Drayton, Little Gransden, Graveley, Hardwicke, Hatley-St. George, Kingston, Knapwell, Lolworth, Papworth-St. Agnes, Papworth-St. Everard, Long Stow, and Toft; and the vicarages of Bourne, Caldecot, Caxton, Eltisley, Great Eversden, Gamlingay, and Swavesey. The deanery of Cambridge contains the rectories of Cambridge-St. Botolph, Cambridge-St. Mary the Great, Fulbourn-St. Vigors, Ditton, and Teversham; the vicarages of Cambridge-All Saints, Cambridge-St. Andrew the Great, Cambridge-St. Clement, Cambridge-St. Giles, Cambridge-St. Sepulchre, Cherry-Hinton, and Fulbourn-All Saints; and the p. curacies of Cambridge-St. Andrew the Less, Cambridge-St. Benedict, Cambridge-St. Edward, Cambridge-St. Mary the Less, Cambridge-St. Michael, Cambridge - St. Paul, Cambridge - St. Peter, and Cambridge-Holy Trinity. The deanery of Chesterton contains the rectories of Cottenham, Dry Drayton, Girton, Landbeach, Rampton, Long Stanton-St. Michael, and Willingham; a the vicarages of Chesterton, Histon, Impington, Madingley, Milton, Oakington, Over, Long Stanton-All Saints, and Waterbeach. The deanery of Ely contains the rectories of Coveney, Doddington, Downham, Mepal, Stretham, and Wentworth; the vicarages of Chatteris, Littleport, Whittlesey-St. Andrew, Whittlesey-St. Mary, Witcham, and Witchford; and the p. curacies of Mamea, March, Benwick, Ely-Trinity, Ely-St. Mary-, Chettisham, Stuntney, Haddenham, Thetford, Coates, and Wilburton. The deanery of Shingay contains the rectories of Abington-Pigotts, Clopton, and East Hatley; the vicarages of Basingbourne, Guilden-Morden, Litlington, Melbourn, Meldreth, Steeple-Morden, Tadlow, Wendy, and Whaddon; and the p. curacy of Shingay. The deanery of Wisbeach contains the rectories of Leverington, Newton, and Tyd-St. Giles; the vicarages of Elm and Wisbeach-St. Peter; the p curacies of Emneth, Friday-Bridge, Guyhirn-in-Wisbeach, Parson-Drove, Wisbeach-St. Mary, and Wisbeach-Chapel of Ease; and the donative of Thorney-Abbey.

The archdeaconry of Bedford comprises the deaneries of Bedford, Clapham, Dunstable, Fleete, Eaton, and Shefford. The deanery of Bedford contains the rectories of Bedford-St. Cuthbert, Bedford-St. John, Bedford-St. Mary, Bedford-St. Peter Martin, Houghton-Conquest, and Houghton-Gildable; the vicarages of Bedford-St. Paul, Biddenham, Cardington, Cople, Goldington, Kempston, Willington, Wilhampstead, and Wootton; and the p. curacies of Bedford-Trinity and Elstow. The deanery of Clapham contains the rectories of Bletsoe, Carlton, Chellington, Farndish, Knotting-cum-Souldrop, Odell, and Wymington; the vicarages of Bromham, Oakley, Clapham, Felmersham, Harrold, Milton-Earnest, Puddington, Sharnbrook, Stagsden, Stevington, and Turvey; and the p. curacy of Pavenham. The deanery of Dunstable contains the rectories of Barton-le-Cley, Battlesden, Potsgrave, Dunstable, Higham-Gobian, Hockcliffe, Milton-Bryan, Toddington, and Whipsnade: the vicarages of Caddington, Eaton-Bray, Houghton-Regis, Chalgrave, Leighton-Buzzard, Luton, Sundon, Streatley, Studham, Tilsworth, and Toternhoe; and the p. curacies of Billington, Egginton, Heath-and-Reach, and East Hyde. The deanery of Fleete contains the rectories of Ampthill, Apsley-Guise, Clophill, Cranfield, Eversholt, Lower Gravenhurst, Holcott, Maulden, Marston-Moretaine, Milbrook, Stepingley, and Tingrith; the vicarages of Crawley, Flitwick, Flitton, Harlington, Hawnes, Salford, Lidlington, Pulloxhill, Ridgemont, and Westoning; and the p. curacies of Silsoe, Stanbridge, and Woburn. The deanery of Eaton contains the rectories of Bolnhurst, Colmworth, Shelton, Staughton-Parva, Tilbrook, Wilden, and Yielden; the vicarages of Eaton-Socon, Keysoe, Melchburn, Pertenhall, Renhold, Ravensden, Riseley, Roxton, Great Barford, and Thurleigh; and the p. curacy of Dean. The deanery of Shefford contains the rectories of Astwick, Blunham, Campton, Clifton, Edworth, Hatley-Cockayne, Holwell, Meppershall, Sandy, Over - Stondon, Sutton, Tempsford and Wrestlingworth; the vicarages of Arsley, Little Barford, Biggleswade, Dunton, Eyworth, Henlow, Langford, Potton, Shitlington, Stotfold, Southill, and Old Warden; and the p. curacies of Shefford, Upper Gravenhurst, Moggerhanger, and Northill.

The archdeaconry of Huntingdon comprises the deaneries of Huntingdon, Leightonstone, St. Neots, St. Ives, Leightonstone-Second, and Yaxley. The deanery of Huntingdon contains the rectories of Huntingdon-All Saints, and Huntingdon-St. John; and the vicarages of Huntingdon-St. Mary, and Huntingdon-St. Benedict. The deanery of Leightonstone contains the rectories of Brington, Covington, Graffham, Great Catworth, Abbots-Hemingford, Keystone, Little Stukeley, Molesworth, and Woolley; the vicarages of Brampton, Easton, Ellington, Fenstanton, Godmanchester, Great Stukeley, Hartford, Grey-Hemingford, Leighton-Bromswold, and Spaldwick; and the p. curacies of Bythorn, Old Weston, Hilton, and Long Stow. The deanery of St. Neots contains the rectories of Eynesbury, Offord-Cluny, Offord-D'Arcy, Swineshead, and Yelling; the vicarages of Abbotsley, Buckden, Diddington, Everton, Tetworth, Great Gransden, Great Paxton, Hailweston, Kimbolton, Southoe, Great Staughton, St. Neots, and Waresley; and the p. curacies of Little Paxton and Toseland. The deanery of St. Ives contains the rectories of Abbotts-Ripton, Bluntisham, Broughton, Holywell, Houghton, Kings-Ripton, Somersham, Warboys, and Wistow; and the p. curacies of Earith, Bury, Little Raveley, Oldhurst, Pidley, Ramsey, Ramsey-St. Mary, St. Ives, Upwood, Great Raveley, Woodhurst, and Wyton. The deanery of Leightonstone-Second contains the rectories of Hamerton, Little Gidding, Steeple-Gidding, Thurning, Upton, and Copmanford; the vicarages of Great Gidding and Winwick; and the p. curacy of Buckworth. The deanery of Yaxley contains the rectories of Alwalton, Chesterton, Conning on, Denton, Caldecote, Elton, Fletton, Folksworth, Glatton, Haddon, Melborne, Orton-Longville, Orton-Waterville, Sawtry-St. Andrew, Stibbington, Stilton, Waternewton, Woodstone, and Woodwalton; the vicarages of Sawtry-All Saints, Standground, and Yaxley; and the p. curacies of Farcet and Holme.

The archdeaconry of Sudbury comprises the deaneries of Blackburne, Camps, Clare, Fordham-Cambridge, Fordham-Suffolk, Sudbury, Thedwaster, and Thingoe. The deanery of Blackbnrne contains the rectories of Bardwell, Barningham, Coney-Weston, Elmswell, Eustone, Fakenham-Parva, Fakenham-Magna, Barnham, Hepworth, Hinderclay, Honington, Ingham, Timworth, Culford, Knettishall, Langham-St. Mary, Little Livermere, Great Livermere, Norton-St. Andrew, Stanton-All-Saints, Stanton-St John, Stowlangtoft, Thelnetham, Troston, Wattisfield, Weston-Market, and Wordwell; the p. curacies of Ashfield-Magna, Hopton, Hunston, Ixworth, Sapeston, and Walsham-le-Willows; and the donative of Thorpe-by-Ixworth. The deanery of Camps contains the rectories of Balsham, Bartlow, Brinckley, Burrough-Green, Carleton, Castle-Camps, Duxford-St. Peter, Hildersham, Horsheath, Westley-Waterless, Weston-Colville, and Little Wilbraham; the vicarages of Great Abington, Little Abington, Babraham, Bottisham, Dullingham, Duxford-St. John, Hinxton, Ickleton, Linton, Pampisford, Sawston, Shudy-Camps, Stetchworth, Swaffham-St. Mary, Swaffham-St. Cyriac, Swaffham-Bulbeck, Whittlesford, Great Wilbraham, and West Wratting; and the p. curacies of Bottisham-Lode, Willingham, Stow-with-Quy, and West Wickham. The deanery of Clare contains the rectories of Barnardiston, Great Bradley, Little Bradley, Chedbnrgh, Dalham, Depden, Kentford, Hawkedon-St. Mary, Keddington, Lydgate, Ousden, Stansfield, Stradishall, Little Thurlow, Whixoe, Withersfield, Great Wratting, and Little Wratting; the vicarages of Clare, Haverhill, Hundon, Poslingford, Great Thurlow, and Wickhambrook; and the p. curacies of Cowling, Denham, Denston, Heigbam-Green, and Stoke-by-Clare. The deanery of Fordham-Cambridge contains the rectories of Ashley, Cheveley, Kennett, and Snailwell; the vicarages of Silverley, Burwell-St. Mary, Chippenham, Fordham, Kirtling, and Soham; and the p. curacies of Newmarket, Barway, and Wicken. The deanery of Fordham-Suffolk contains the rectories of Barton-Mills, Brandon, Wangford, Elden, Eriswell, Herringswell, Icklington-St. James, Icklington-All Saints, Newmarket-St. Mary, Tuddenham, and Worlington; the vicarages of Cavenham, Exning, Mildenhall, and Wood-Ditton; and the p. curacies of Landwade and Santon-Downham. The deanery of Sudbury contains the rectories of Aldham, Alpheton, Bildeston, Boxford, Brenteleigh, Brettenham, Cavendish, Chellesworth, Chilton, Cockfield, Little Cornard, Elmsett, Glemsford, Groton, Hadleigh, Hartest, Boxted, Hitcham, Kettlebaston, Lavenham, Lawsall-All Saints, Layham, Long Melford, Milden, Naughton, Nedging, Newton-by-Sudbury, Polstead, Preston, Semere, Shimplingthorne, Somerton, Stanstead, Thorpe-Morieux, Great Waldingfield, and Whatfield; the vicarages of Acton, Assington, Bures-St. Mary, Great Cornard, Edwardston, Stoke-by-Nayland, Sudbury-All-Saints, Ballingdon, Little Waldingfield, and Wiston; and the p. curacies of Kersey, Levenheath, Lindsey, Nayland, Sudbury-St. Gregory, Sudbury-St. Peter, and Wattisham. The deanery of Thedwaster contains the rectories of Ampton, Bradfield-Combust, Bradfield-St. Clare, Bradfield-St. George, Rushbrooke, Drinkston, Felsham, Fornham-St. Genieve, Gedding, Hessett, Rattlesden, Rougham, Stanningfield, West Stow, Wordwell, Tostock, Great Welnetham, Little Welnetham, and Woolpit; and the vicarages of Great Barton, Beyton, Pakenham, and Thurston. The deanery of Thingoe contains the rectories of Barrow, Brockley, Chevington, Flempton, Hengrave, Fornham-All-Saints, Fornham-St. Martin, Westley, Hargrave, Hawstead, Ickworth, Lackford, Nowton, Reed, Risby, Great Saxham, Little Saxham, and Whepstead; and the three p. curacies of Bury-St. Edmund.


(John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72))

Linked entities:
Feature Description: "a city and several territorial tracts"   (ADL Feature Type: "cities")
Administrative units: Cambridgeshire AncC
Place: Ely

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