RECORDS OF THE PARISH OF ALL SAINTS CROYDON, WITH CLOPTON

Listed before 1970, and by Angela Black in 1971. List slightly amended, and introductory note added, September 2003.

The main body of records was deposited by the Rector in 1968 and 1970. Records relating to the civil activities of the parish passed to the Parish Council sometime after 1894, and were deposited by the Clerk to the Parish Council in 1978 (P53/11, 12, 19 and 20) together with other records of the post 1894 civil parish, listed as CP53/.

Ecclesiastical parish records deposited at County Record Office Cambridge were listed according to a scheme of numbered classes, not all of which are present for every parish. Additional records have been added to each class as they have been deposited, with the result that some series are broken and it may be necessary to look through the entire class to identify a full series.

The parish of Croydon with Clopton lies in the Archdeaconry and Diocese of Ely, and comprises the ancient parishes of Croydon and Clopton, united by the Bishop in 1561 after inclosure had removed most of the inhabitants of Clopton, and the advowson of both churches had come into the hands of Oliver St John. Clopton church was converted to agricultural use before 1660, and wholly demolished probably under Charles II (Victoria County History, vol 8, p42).

The incumbent was regularly called vicar until after 1800, although the living is a rectory. The last resident rector left the parish in 1966, following disputes about projected demolition of the parish room, and presentation was suspended. From 1969 the parish was part of the Shingay Group of churches, being held together with Abington Pigotts with Litlington, Guilden Morden, Hatley St George, Steeple Morden and Tadlow with East Hatley, and Wendy with Shingay (Victoria County History, vol 8, p41, Diocesan Directory 1977/8). Since 1979/80 it has been part of the Arrington Group, held together with Arrington, Barrington, and Orwell and Wimpole (Diocesan Directory 1979/80 and 2003).

In 1836, the parish was incorporated (for poor law and related purposes) into the Caxton Poor Law Union. The civil (non-ecclesiastical) affairs of the parish, known for civil purposes simply as Croydon, have been separately governed since 1894.