St John the Baptist, Woodhurst, Huntingdonshire

I Location

Site Location
Woodhurst
National Grid Reference
TL 316 761
County
traditional: Huntingdonshire
now: Cambridgeshire
Diocese
medieval: Lincoln to 1837
now: Ely
Dedication
medieval: not confirmed
now (or name of monument): St John the Baptist
Type of building/monument
Parish church

II General Description

Exterior from S.

Exterior from S.

Church Plan

Church Plan

The church has a four-bay nave with a S aisle of pebbles, a W bell turret of wood and a brick chancel. The S arcade and S doorway are 13thc., but the nave is late 12c, as indicated by the plain N doorway. The clerestorey is post-medieval, with plain square-headed windows. The chancel and S porch are modern.

III Exterior Features

1. Doorways

(i) N nave doorway

N doorway.

N doorway.

Round headed, of one continuous order with a chamfer, and a double-chamfered label. Construction is of shelly limestone except for two replacement jambstones to either side.

Dimensions
h of opening 2.14 m
w of opening 0.925 m

VII History

Woodhurst was one of the Hurst hamlets belonging to the Manor of Slepe (now St. Ives). In 1086 two holdings were noted in Slepe, each with a priest and a church. The manor of 20 hides was held by the Abbot of Ramsey; of this 4 hides with a second church and priest were held by three of his men. This might be Woodhurst.

Benefice of Bluntisham cum Earith with Colne and Woodhurst.

VIII Comments/Opinions

IX Bibliography

  • N. Pevsner, The Buildings of England. Bedfordshire and the County of Huntingdon and Peterborough. Harmondsworth 1968, 368.
  • RCHM(E), An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Huntingdonshire. London 1926, 295-96.
  • Victoria County History: Huntingdonshire. II (1932)