Histon & Impington On-Line

Impington in 1900

This is an extract from Kelly's Directory of Cambridgeshire 1900*

IMPINGTON is a small parish, 3 miles north from Cambridge, and immediately adjacent to Histon station on the St. Ives and Cambridge section of the Great Eastern railway, in the Western division of the county, hundred of Northstow, union of Chesterton, petty sessional division and county court district of Cambridge, rural deanery of North Stowe and archdeaconry and diocese of Ely.

The church of St. Andrew, restored in 1879, is a small building of stone in the Decorated and Perpendicular styles, consisting of chancel, nave, south porch and a low embattled western tower containing 3 bells: the wooden south porch is an interesting structure of the 15th century: the chancel retains some carved work, and in the church are several curious fragments of alabaster figures: during the restoration a fine fresco painting of St. Christopher was discovered on the north wall, where it is still preserved: there is also on the floor under the tower a very fine brass with effigies to John Burgoyne and his wife, ob. 1525, and a fine tombstone inscribed to Thomas Wibrow, ob. 1669: there are 200 sittings. The registers date from the year 1562. The living is a discharged vicarage, net yearly value from 60 acres of glebe £135, in the gift of and held since 1882 by the Rev. Dennis Hall M.A. of the University of Cambridge, who resides at No. 2 Newnham, Cambridge.

In this village resided Elizabeth Woodcock, who, on her return from Cambridge, February, 1799, was enveloped in a drift of snow, under which she remained nearly eight days and nights; she was taken out alive, and lived until the July following: a monument recording the event has been erected by subscription, on the spot where she was found.

Impington Hall, a handsome mansion, frequently referred to in Pepys' Diary, was built by a member of that family, but was some years ago transferred by marriage from the family of Pepys to that of Coffin, and is now the property and residence of W. A. Macfarlane-Grieve esq. who is the principal landowner; it stands in a park of 56 acres, containing some fine old timber, fish ponds and a small lake.

The Master and Fellows of Christ's College, Cambridge, are lords of the manor of Impington Burgoynes.

The soil is red loam and stiff clay; subsoil, clay, producing good crops of wheat and barley; it is also excellent fruit growing land.

The area is 1,668 acres; rateable value, £ 3,4I7; the population in 1881 was 398, and in 1891 was 418. By the Divided Parishes Act, 1882, and Local Government Board Order, No. 18,936 (March 24, 1886), detached parts of Histon were added to Impington.

Sexton, Joseph Parker.

A School Board of 5 members was formed compulsorily September 28, 1875; J. F. Symonds, 9 Bene't Street, Cambridge, Clerk to the board.

The School (mixed), built in 1881, will hold 240 children; average attendance, 102; Mrs. F. Adams, mistress.

* Kelly's Directory of Cambridgeshire 1900 (London: Kelly's Directories Limited, 1900), pp.148.