The Civic History of Woodhurst

Listed below you will find listed in chronological order the major historical civic and manorial events of Woodhurst;

Year	Civic Event

1086	The Domesday survey indicates there was probably a chapel at Woodhurst however the oldest parts of the current church date from the late 12th Century

1545	Records indicate that St John's Cross stood somewhere in the village, possibly at one end or the other.

1834	Serious fire destroys much of the village
1871	Major restorations to the Church of St John the Baptist

Manorial History

The manorial history of Woodhurst is complicated by the fact that is was not one manor but at various times divided into four; Hurst Manor, Stow Manor, Wigan Manor and Pecks Place Manor. You will see that each of the manors passes back and forth into and out of the possession of Ramsey Abbey. To prevent confusion we list the major events individually:

Woodhurst Manor

It is thought that this manor was one of the Hurst Hamlets belonging to the Manor of Slepe (St Ives)

Year	Manorial Event

1112	Pleines of Slepe released some lands of the manor to Abbot Aldwin in return for being accepted into the fraternity of the Abbey
1251	Berengar le Moyne recorded as owning lands formerly possessed by Hervey Tesarde
1285	Emma, widow of Berengar le Moyne released the rest of the manor to the Abbot of Ramsey
	The Woodhurst Manor as an individual entity is absorbed into the properties of Ramsey Abbey

Stow Manor

Lands granted by Ramsey Abbey

Year	Manorial Event

1204	Manor inherited by Richard de Stow
1228	Agnes, widow of Richard, in possession of the manor
1247	Manor assigned to Ramsey Abbey
~1260	Baldwin de Stow regains possession
1281	Manor in possession of William de Stow
1304	Baldwin, son of William, in possession of the manor.
1356	Manor conveyed to Ramsey Abbey for a short while before apparently becoming alienated once again.
1479	The manor passes to John Broughton, from his mother Anne.
1576	Manor passes to John Sotherton from from William Paulet
1583	Manor sold to John and Margaret Marten
1593	Part of the manor apparently sold to Robert Syssun (the younger)
1611	Manor granted by the Crown to George and Thomas Whitmore probably as a result of a dispute over title.
1631	Manor in the possession of the Manning family
1641	Manor conveyed to Jonah James
1676	Heirs of Jonah James sell the manor to Sir John King and John Cooke
1701	Manor held by Robert and Alice Browne
1742	Manor conveyed to John Browne by Susan Browne (Spinster)
~1796	Manor passes to Sir Robert Burton and later to to John Carstairs
1864	Manor passes to Sir Henry Carstairs Pelly
1877	Manor passes to Sir Henry's daughters, Anne Evelyn and Constance Lilian,
1918	Manor sold by Anne and Constance

Wigan Manor

The origin of these lands possibly related to the hide of land given by Ramsey Abbey to the Priory of St Ives.

Year	Manorial Event

1251	Hugh de Sulgrave, former Prior of St Ives, appropriates the parts of the manor
~1539	Manor in tenure of Leonard Hetherington
1544	Lands granted to Thomas Audley of St Ives
1616	Manor settled on Wheathill Audley for life by Thomas, grandson of the Thomas Audley noted above.
1633	Wheathill Audley inherits Wigan Manor at the death of Thomas
1645	Wheathill looses manor for delinquency upon which the manor reverts to the sons of Robert Audley, son of Thomas, and their heirs

Pecks Place Manor

Year	Manorial Event

1316-1342	Land of Ulf in Woodhurst bought by Abbot Simon de Eye for the Abbey of Ramsey
1412	Possibly in possession of John Peck
1477	Manor held by William Peck and his son John
1535	Manor leased to Henry Sherman for 60 years
1595	Lease in reversion granted to John West for 30 years

Woodhurst in Cambridgeshire