Hundreds of Cambridgeshire
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.
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.
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]
Hundred |
Area (acres) |
Parishes |
Armingford |
29287 |
Abington Pigotts, Bassingbourn, Croydon, East Hatley, Guilden Morden, Litlington, Melbourn, Meldreth, Royston (part), Shingay, Steeple Morden, Tadlow, Wendy, Whaddon |
Chesterton |
15847 |
Chesterton, Childerley, Cottenham, Dry Drayton, Histon |
Cheveley |
12905 |
Ashley, Cheveley, Kirtling, Newmarket All Saints, Wood Ditton |
Chilford |
22364 |
Babraham, Bartlow, Castle Camps, Great Abington, Hildersham, Horseheath, Linton, Little Abington, Pampisford, Shudy Camps, West Wickham |
Ely |
42667 |
Downham, Littleport |
Flendish |
11906 |
Cherry Hinton, Fen Ditton, Fulbourn, Horningsea, Teversham |
Longstow |
25500 |
Bourn, Caldecote, Caxton, Croxton, Eltisley, Gamlingay, Great Eversden, Hardwick, Hatley St. George, Kingston, Little Eversden, Little Gransden, Longstowe, Toft |
North Witchford |
86275 |
Chatteris, Doddington, March, Whittlesey |
Northstow |
19651 |
Girton, Impington, Landbeach, Lolworth, Longstanton, Madingley, Milton, Oakington, Rampton, Waterbeach |
Papworth |
26923 |
Boxworth, Conington, Elsworth, Fen Drayton, Graveley, Knapwell, Over, Papworth St Agnes, Papworth Everard, Swavesey, Willingham |
Radfield |
23869 |
Balsham, Brinkley, Burrough Green, Carlton-cum-Willingham, Dullingham, Stetchworth, West Wratting, Westley Waterless, Weston Colville |
South Witchford |
37462 |
Coveney, Grunty Fen, Haddenham, Manea, Mepal, Sutton, Stretham and Thetford[5], Welches Dam, Wentworth, Wilburton, Witcham, Witchford |
Staine |
18917 |
Bottisham, Great Wilbraham, Little Wilbraham, Swaffham Bulbeck, Swaffham Prior, Stow-cum-Quy |
Staploe |
40775 |
Burwell, Chippenham, Fordham, Isleham, Kennett, Landwade, Snailwell, Soham, Wicken |
Thriplow |
16160 |
Fowlmere, Foxton, Great Shelford, Harston, Hauxton, Little Shelford, Newton, Stapleford, Thriplow, Trumpington |
Wetherley |
16160 |
Arrington, Barrington, Barton, Comberton, Coton, Grantchester, Harlton, Haslingfield, Orwell, Shepreth, Wimpole |
Whittlesford |
11078 |
Duxford, Hinxton, Ickleton, Sawston, Whittlesford |
Wisbech |
61157 |
Elm, Leverington, Newton, Outwell, Parson Drove, Thorney, Tydd St. Giles, Upwell, Wisbech, Wisbech St. Mary |
References
See also