Little Wilbraham
Encyclopedia
Little Wilbraham is a village in Cambridgeshire
, England
, 6 miles (10 km) southeast of Cambridge
between the A1303
and the A11. It is in the district of South Cambridgeshire
. It is a small village with a population of only 394 and there is little employment within the village. The church of Saint John the Evangelist lies to the east of the village.
by 1086, known as Little Wilbraham by the 13th century - however also known as 'Little Wilborham' during the early 17th century. No ancient woodland
was recorded in 1086, but 13 peasants were. The number of landholders increased to c. 40 by 1279. In 1563 there were only 21 families. Under Charles II
, there were c. 40 dwellings and 124 adults. By the 1750s, this stood at 41 families with 183 adults. The total population
rose steadily to reach 392 in 1851 and then 412 in 1881 before falling gradually to 266 in 1951. It now stands at 394.
Nowadays, a few small farmhouse
s and cottages survive from the 17th and early 18th century including White Hall, as timber framed building from around 1600. Since 1800, there has been a divide in habitation in the village. To the east, on a street called Green Street by 1460, lay the rectory and the church whilst to the west, as section called Hawk Street, most of the farmhouses and cottages existed. The Gate, originally the main village public house, recorded from 1783, closed after 1937. The Hole in the Wall, however, is still open today in a 3 bayed, mid 16th century building, enlarged westward in the 18th century.
of the church was Walter, son of William, who lived around 1230. Late in the 13th century, the north aisle was added, probably originally as a chapel. On the outside, set into the flint wall, are the remains of the lower half of a crusader
cross and this, along with the memory of the Order of the Templars, demonstrates the close links between the village and one of the Military Orders of the Crusading period. The fourteenth century saw major changes to the church. Early in the century, the square tower was added at the west end, strengthened by supporting abutments or flying arches. On the north side, the wall was reconstructed so the top half of the crusader cross was lost. New windows were built in. Nearing the end of the century, five ornate windows were also added.
In the fifteenth century, the south side of the chancel was reconstructed and the oak door leading into the church was added. The octagonal font
to be found in the church is a remarkbly well preserved example of perpendicular stone-work. The church at this time would have looked very similar to how it looks today. The tomb on the left side of the altar commemorates Revd. Erasmus Lane, rector who died on 27 October 1715, aged 75. In the chancel are two further tombs, one commemorating William Blackwey (died 11 April 1521) and the other fro Rev. John Hook, fellow of Bene't College, who died on 12 August 1777.
in Cambridge
; the Doctors surgeries are in Bottisham
2 miles (3 km) away and Fulbourn
. The majority of children attend the Church Controlled Primary School in Great Wilbraham
, which was built in 1996 and has approximately 100 on roll. They then move on to Bottisham Village College
. A Playgroup meets in a mobile classroom in the school grounds. There are no shops in the village and the nearest Post Office is in Great Wilbraham
, there is however a small pub and a post box. There is no projected housing for the village as it is infill only. Many villagers also play in the local cricket and football teams based in the nearby village of Great Wilbraham.
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...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 6 miles (10 km) southeast 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...
between the A1303
A1303 road
The A1303 is a predominantly single carriageway road running entirely in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. Prior to the construction of the Cambridge northern bypass and the Newmarket bypass, the A1303 had been classified as part of the A45....
and the A11. It is in the district of South Cambridgeshire
South Cambridgeshire
South Cambridgeshire is a mostly rural local government district of Cambridgeshire, England. It was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of Chesterton Rural District and South Cambridgeshire Rural District. It surrounds the city of Cambridge, which is administered separately from the district by...
. It is a small village with a population of only 394 and there is little employment within the village. The church of Saint John the Evangelist lies to the east of the village.
History
Little Wilbraham was an independent villageVillage
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
by 1086, known as Little Wilbraham by the 13th century - however also known as 'Little Wilborham' during the early 17th century. No ancient woodland
Ancient woodland
Ancient woodland is a term used in the United Kingdom to refer specifically to woodland that has existed continuously since 1600 or before in England and Wales . Before those dates, planting of new woodland was uncommon, so a wood present in 1600 was likely to have developed naturally...
was recorded in 1086, but 13 peasants were. The number of landholders increased to c. 40 by 1279. In 1563 there were only 21 families. Under Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
, there were c. 40 dwellings and 124 adults. By the 1750s, this stood at 41 families with 183 adults. The total population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
rose steadily to reach 392 in 1851 and then 412 in 1881 before falling gradually to 266 in 1951. It now stands at 394.
Nowadays, a few small farmhouse
Farmhouse
Farmhouse is a general term for the main house of a farm. It is a type of building or house which serves a residential purpose in a rural or agricultural setting. Most often, the surrounding environment will be a farm. Many farm houses are shaped like a T...
s and cottages survive from the 17th and early 18th century including White Hall, as timber framed building from around 1600. Since 1800, there has been a divide in habitation in the village. To the east, on a street called Green Street by 1460, lay the rectory and the church whilst to the west, as section called Hawk Street, most of the farmhouses and cottages existed. The Gate, originally the main village public house, recorded from 1783, closed after 1937. The Hole in the Wall, however, is still open today in a 3 bayed, mid 16th century building, enlarged westward in the 18th century.
St. John the Evangelist
The main body of St. John's Church in Little Wilbraham dates from the mid 13th century. The first known rectorRector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of the church was Walter, son of William, who lived around 1230. Late in the 13th century, the north aisle was added, probably originally as a chapel. On the outside, set into the flint wall, are the remains of the lower half of a crusader
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
cross and this, along with the memory of the Order of the Templars, demonstrates the close links between the village and one of the Military Orders of the Crusading period. The fourteenth century saw major changes to the church. Early in the century, the square tower was added at the west end, strengthened by supporting abutments or flying arches. On the north side, the wall was reconstructed so the top half of the crusader cross was lost. New windows were built in. Nearing the end of the century, five ornate windows were also added.
In the fifteenth century, the south side of the chancel was reconstructed and the oak door leading into the church was added. The octagonal font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
to be found in the church is a remarkbly well preserved example of perpendicular stone-work. The church at this time would have looked very similar to how it looks today. The tomb on the left side of the altar commemorates Revd. Erasmus Lane, rector who died on 27 October 1715, aged 75. In the chancel are two further tombs, one commemorating William Blackwey (died 11 April 1521) and the other fro Rev. John Hook, fellow of Bene't College, who died on 12 August 1777.
Services
The nearest hospital is Addenbrooke'sAddenbrooke's Hospital
Addenbrooke's Hospital is an internationally renowned teaching hospital in Cambridge, England, with strong links to the University of Cambridge. It was founded in 1766 on Trumpington Street with £4,500 from the will of Dr John Addenbrooke, a fellow of St Catharine's College...
in 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 Doctors surgeries are in Bottisham
Bottisham
Bottisham is a village and civil parish in the East Cambridgeshire district of Cambridgeshire, England, about east of Cambridge, halfway to Newmarket. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 1,983.-Church:...
2 miles (3 km) away and Fulbourn
Fulbourn
Fulbourn is a village in Cambridgeshire, England. The term for a resident of the village is "Fulbourner".- Geography :Fulbourn lies about five miles south-east of the centre of Cambridge, separated from the outer city boundary by farmland and the grounds of Fulbourn Hospital. The village itself is...
. The majority of children attend the Church Controlled Primary School in Great Wilbraham
Great Wilbraham
Great Wilbraham is a small village situated in a rural area some seven miles to the east of Cambridge, between the edge of an area of low-lying drained fens to the west and north, and higher ground beyond the A11 to the east....
, which was built in 1996 and has approximately 100 on roll. They then move on to Bottisham Village College
Bottisham Village College
Bottisham Village College is a comprehensive secondary school located in Cambridgeshire, England. The school opened in 1937 as the second village college in part of the Local Director of Education Henry Morris' vision for providing a good quality education for local people in the countryside around...
. A Playgroup meets in a mobile classroom in the school grounds. There are no shops in the village and the nearest Post Office is in Great Wilbraham
Great Wilbraham
Great Wilbraham is a small village situated in a rural area some seven miles to the east of Cambridge, between the edge of an area of low-lying drained fens to the west and north, and higher ground beyond the A11 to the east....
, there is however a small pub and a post box. There is no projected housing for the village as it is infill only. Many villagers also play in the local cricket and football teams based in the nearby village of Great Wilbraham.