Kingston, Cambridgeshire
Encyclopedia
Kingston is a small village and parish in the East of England
region and the county Cambridgeshire
in the United Kingdom
. Situated 7 miles to the west of Cambridge
, the population at the time of the 2001 census was 214.
The ancient parish is 1907 acres (772 ha) in size, at an altitude of between 80 and 250 feet. The land is largely agricultural, with Kingston Wood covering around 100 acres.
and Iron Age
flint tools and pottery in the parish indicate that Kingston's location on a gravel spur above two streams has been occupied for millennia. Additional finds in the Old Rectory garden suggest there may also have been a Roman villa site here.
The name Kingston, meaning "the king's manor", implies that the village was, prior to the Norman Conquest, a royal vill
. It remained in the possession of the crown at the time of the Domesday Book
in 1086.
The village thrived in medieval times, and was the third most-populous parish in Longstow hundred
in 1327. In 1306 the lord of the manor, Constantine Mortimer, was granted the right to hold a weekly market on Tuesdays, as well as two annual fairs around the festivals of St Margaret and St Luke (19–21 July and 17–19 October). The market and fairs lapsed at some point over the next few centuries and the population fell sharply to leave Kingston as one of the smallest parishes by population. There are a number of late medieval houses remaining, and many others date from the 17th and 18th centuries. There are 21 listed buildings and structures in the village.
Electricity and mains water did not arrive in Kingston until after the Second World War, with water previously obtained from the village well or farm pumps.
the building has a clerestoried nave with a low west tower containing three bells. The church has been in the patronage of King's College, Cambridge
since 1457.
In the late 13th century Kingston Wood had its own chapel and chaplain.
A Congregational chapel was built in around 1839, now a United Reformed church.
Though an earlier school held in Crossways house began in 1702, Kingston had a small school from 1876 until its closure in 1960. It is now the Village Hall. Children now attend primary school in the neighbouring village of Bourn.
East of England
The East of England is one of the nine official regions of England. It was created in 1994 and was adopted for statistics from 1999. It includes the ceremonial counties of Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. Essex has the highest population in the region.Its...
region and the county Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Situated 7 miles to the west of Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, the population at the time of the 2001 census was 214.
The ancient parish is 1907 acres (772 ha) in size, at an altitude of between 80 and 250 feet. The land is largely agricultural, with Kingston Wood covering around 100 acres.
History
The discovery of Bronze AgeBronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
and Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
flint tools and pottery in the parish indicate that Kingston's location on a gravel spur above two streams has been occupied for millennia. Additional finds in the Old Rectory garden suggest there may also have been a Roman villa site here.
The name Kingston, meaning "the king's manor", implies that the village was, prior to the Norman Conquest, a royal vill
Vill
Vill is a term used in English history to describe a land unit which might otherwise be described as a parish, manor or tithing.The term is used in the period immediately after the Norman conquest and into the late medieval. Land units in Domesday are frequently referred to as vills, although the...
. It remained in the possession of the crown at the time of the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
in 1086.
The village thrived in medieval times, and was the third most-populous parish in Longstow hundred
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...
in 1327. In 1306 the lord of the manor, Constantine Mortimer, was granted the right to hold a weekly market on Tuesdays, as well as two annual fairs around the festivals of St Margaret and St Luke (19–21 July and 17–19 October). The market and fairs lapsed at some point over the next few centuries and the population fell sharply to leave Kingston as one of the smallest parishes by population. There are a number of late medieval houses remaining, and many others date from the 17th and 18th centuries. There are 21 listed buildings and structures in the village.
Electricity and mains water did not arrive in Kingston until after the Second World War, with water previously obtained from the village well or farm pumps.
Church
There was probably a church in the village in the 11th century, but the present building dates from the 13th century. Dedicated to All Saints and Saint AndrewSaint Andrew
Saint Andrew , called in the Orthodox tradition Prōtoklētos, or the First-called, is a Christian Apostle and the brother of Saint Peter. The name "Andrew" , like other Greek names, appears to have been common among the Jews from the 3rd or 2nd century BC. No Hebrew or Aramaic name is recorded for him...
the building has a clerestoried nave with a low west tower containing three bells. The church has been in the patronage of King's College, Cambridge
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
since 1457.
In the late 13th century Kingston Wood had its own chapel and chaplain.
A Congregational chapel was built in around 1839, now a United Reformed church.
Village life
An inn is listed in Kingston in 1593. The Chequers and the Rose and Crown public houses opened towards the end of the 19th century, but the final pub in the village closed in 1960.Though an earlier school held in Crossways house began in 1702, Kingston had a small school from 1876 until its closure in 1960. It is now the Village Hall. Children now attend primary school in the neighbouring village of Bourn.