Leighton Bromswold or Bromeswold, Huntingdonshire
Historical Description
Leighton Bromswold or Bromeswold, a village and a parish in Huntingdonshire. The village stands near two affluents of the river Ouse, 5 miles N by E of Kimbolton station on the M.R., and 10 W from Huntingdon. It has a post office under Huntingdon; money order office, Spaldwick; telegraph office, Ellington. Area of parish, 3128 acres; population, 345. The manor belongs to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, who are sole landowners. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Ely; gross value, £270 with residence. Patron, the Bishop of Ely. The church is an ancient cruciform building of stone in the Early English and Perpendicular styles, and consists of nave, transept, chancel, and porches, with fine pinnacled tower. It has two ancient altar-tombs with recumbent effigies.
Administration
The following is a list of the administrative units in which this place was either wholly or partly included.
| Ancient County | Huntingdonshire | |
| Ecclesiastical parish | Leighton St. Mary | |
| Hundred | Leightonstone | |
| Poor Law union | Huntingdon |
Any dates in this table should be used as a guide only.
Church Records
The parish register dates from the year 1653.
Churches
Church of England
St. Mary (parish church)
The church of St. Mary is an ancient cruciform edifice of stone in the Early English and Perpendicular styles, consisting of chancel, nave, transepts, porches and an embattled western tower in the Classic style, surmounted by four pinnacles and containing a clock and 5 bells, rehung about 1901: the church was thoroughly restored by George Herbert, the poet preacher, upon his becoming patron of the living in 1626: the restoration was carried out under the supervision of the Ferrars, of Little Gidding and completed shortly after Herbert's death: there is a double piscina and a shelved locker in the chancel and a piscina and locker in the south transept: the lead spout heads are of singular design, and bear the date 1632: in the north transept is an altar tomb of white marble, with recumbent effigies, to Sir Robert Tyrwhitt kt. and his wife, who was governess to Queen Elizabeth and one of the maids of honour to Queen Catherine Parr; adjoining this is a similar tomb with the effigy of a daughter of the aforesaid Sir Robert Tyrwhitt: the church was restored in the year 1870 by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners and the parishioners, at a cost of £2,000: there are 300 sittings.
Methodist
Wesleyan chapel
There is a Wesleyan chapel, opened in 1902.
Civil Registration
For general information about Civil Registration (births, marriages and deaths) see the Civil Registration page.
Directories & Gazetteers
We have transcribed the entry for Leighton Bromswold or Bromeswold from the following:
- Samuel Lewis' A Topographical Dictionary of England, by Samuel Lewis, seventh edition, published 1858. (Leighton (St. Mary))
Land and Property
The Return of Owners of Land in 1873 for Huntindonshire is available to browse.