Somersham Cambridgeshire
Church of St John the Baptist, Somersham Cambridgeshire
The manor of "Someresham" was given to Ely Abbey along with others, in 991 by east saxon earldorman Brihtnoth after he had been lavishly entertained by the monks, and promised that they would be bury him within the abbey, which they did after he was killed in the battle of Maldon. 1086 Domesday book records it as worth £8 with 3 fishponds, 20 acres of meadow & 7 furlongs wide woodland.
After 1109 it became one of the bishop's residences, a convenient resting place after a day's travel by water from Ely to London. By 1279 the palace and gardens covered 4 acres and the fishponds and park 200 acres.
Replacing an earlier church , the present building was built gradually from east to west, starting c1250 with the chancel, followed by nave, aisles, and early 14c west tower, Ralph de Walpole was rector from 1270 - already archdeacon of Ely he later became successively bishop of Norwich, and of Ely. It was also at this time, and under the famous prior Alan de Walsingham, much of the best work in Ely Cathedral was done.
From entries in wills l, the south aisle chapel was dedicated to the BVM and above the altar was a 15c canopied niche with the image and light of Our Lady of Pity.
In late 14c the nave was heightened with clerestory windows & king post roof and the north porch built. . The south porch was erected in 15c , extended in 1885 with an organ chamber On the chancel floor is an early 16c brass of a priest in mass vestments www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/q584Ak holding a chalice and wafer. The inscription is lost, but it probably represents John Alcoke parson of the church who, by his will dated 13 January 1524–5 directed that his body should be buried in this spot.
In 1600 the bishop exchanged the property with the Crown for others, and during the 17c when it was part of the jointure of Queen Henrietta Maria, the palace became dilapidated , the Hammond family living in one wing.
Andrew Perne, rector from 1551-1589 known as "Old Andrew Turncoat" bent with the prevailing religious wind, becoming a zealous reformer under Edward Vl, an enthusiastic papist under Queen Mary & an ardent upholder of the new Church Settlement of Queen Elizabeth.
Henry Caesar rector from 1597-1607 , brother of judge Julius Caesar was twice accused of being a secret papist, who eventually became Dean of Ely and buried in the cathedral.
In 1605 King James gave Somersham and others to the University of Cambridge, their regis professors of divinity becoming automatic rectors here, employing vicars and curates to do the actual work.
It is recorded in a solemnly signed statement that Daniel Whiston on March 1st 1712 repeated the first part of the catechism "well and distinctly" & the 2nd part a fortnight later in the church when he was 2 years, 8 months and 5 days old.
The last person to be hanged for arson, Thomas Savage who set fire to a barn in Somersham causing great damage, was, because of his good conduct while in custody , allowed to be buried in the churchyard in 1824
Somersham Cambridgeshire
Church of St John the Baptist, Somersham Cambridgeshire
The manor of "Someresham" was given to Ely Abbey along with others, in 991 by east saxon earldorman Brihtnoth after he had been lavishly entertained by the monks, and promised that they would be bury him within the abbey, which they did after he was killed in the battle of Maldon. 1086 Domesday book records it as worth £8 with 3 fishponds, 20 acres of meadow & 7 furlongs wide woodland.
After 1109 it became one of the bishop's residences, a convenient resting place after a day's travel by water from Ely to London. By 1279 the palace and gardens covered 4 acres and the fishponds and park 200 acres.
Replacing an earlier church , the present building was built gradually from east to west, starting c1250 with the chancel, followed by nave, aisles, and early 14c west tower, Ralph de Walpole was rector from 1270 - already archdeacon of Ely he later became successively bishop of Norwich, and of Ely. It was also at this time, and under the famous prior Alan de Walsingham, much of the best work in Ely Cathedral was done.
From entries in wills l, the south aisle chapel was dedicated to the BVM and above the altar was a 15c canopied niche with the image and light of Our Lady of Pity.
In late 14c the nave was heightened with clerestory windows & king post roof and the north porch built. . The south porch was erected in 15c , extended in 1885 with an organ chamber On the chancel floor is an early 16c brass of a priest in mass vestments www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/q584Ak holding a chalice and wafer. The inscription is lost, but it probably represents John Alcoke parson of the church who, by his will dated 13 January 1524–5 directed that his body should be buried in this spot.
In 1600 the bishop exchanged the property with the Crown for others, and during the 17c when it was part of the jointure of Queen Henrietta Maria, the palace became dilapidated , the Hammond family living in one wing.
Andrew Perne, rector from 1551-1589 known as "Old Andrew Turncoat" bent with the prevailing religious wind, becoming a zealous reformer under Edward Vl, an enthusiastic papist under Queen Mary & an ardent upholder of the new Church Settlement of Queen Elizabeth.
Henry Caesar rector from 1597-1607 , brother of judge Julius Caesar was twice accused of being a secret papist, who eventually became Dean of Ely and buried in the cathedral.
In 1605 King James gave Somersham and others to the University of Cambridge, their regis professors of divinity becoming automatic rectors here, employing vicars and curates to do the actual work.
It is recorded in a solemnly signed statement that Daniel Whiston on March 1st 1712 repeated the first part of the catechism "well and distinctly" & the 2nd part a fortnight later in the church when he was 2 years, 8 months and 5 days old.
The last person to be hanged for arson, Thomas Savage who set fire to a barn in Somersham causing great damage, was, because of his good conduct while in custody , allowed to be buried in the churchyard in 1824