About Wistow
A Brief History
A historical time line for the village of Wistow from its early beginnings to the present day.
974 – Royal Charter
This is the first official record of Wistow village in a royal charter from King Edgar on 28 December 974 to Ramsey Abbey, confirming and granting privileges and land, of which Wistow was included.
King Edgar to Ramsey Abbey; confirmation and grant of privileges and of land at Ramsey, Upwood with Raveley, Hemingford, Sawtry, Stukeley, Brington and Old Weston, Hunts.; Hilgay and Walsoken, Norfolk; fish from Wells, Norfolk; land at Brancaster, Norfolk; at Warboys, Kingston that is Wistow with Raveley and Biri berewicis (Bury), and at Slepam (St Ives), Hunts.; at Chatteris and Elsworth, Cambs.; at Whiston and Isham, Northants.; at Houghton, Wyton, Ripton, Ellington, Bythorn, Hunts.; at Graveley, Cambs.; and at Dillington, Great Staughton and Yelling, Hunts.
1086 – The Domesday Book
In WISTOU the Abbot of Ramsey had 9 hides to the geld. [There is] land for 16 ploughs, and [he had] land for 3 ploughs demesne, apart from these hides. There are now 2 ploughs in demesne: and 32 villans having 11 ploughs. There is a priest and a church, and 1 mill [rendering] 2s, and 24 acres of meadow, [and] woodland pasture 1 league long and a half broad. TRE worth £9: now £8.
1831
Extract from Samuel Lewis’ Topographical Gazeetter
WISTOW, a parish in the hundred of HURSTINGSTONE, county of HUNTINGDON, 3¾ miles (S.S.W.) from Ramsey, containing 352 inhabitants. The living is a rectory, in the archdeaconry of Huntingdon, and diocese of Lincoln, rated in the king’s books at £10, 17.8½ and in the patronage of J. Torkington, Esq. The church is dedicated to St. John the Baptist.
Wistow is a farming community that has grown up around its church and manor house in the small secluded valley cut by Bury Brook alongside the road between Ramsey and St. Ives.
The Church is partly Norman and contains examples of 15th Century painted glass while the manor house dates from the early 17th Century. There are a number of timber-framed houses in this attractive village including the 16th and 17th Century Rooks Grove Farm, Porch House, Thatch Cottage and Lavender Cottage. The Three Horseshoes, a thatched pub, provides good fare.