Composite register

Baptisms 2 April 1558 - 11 October 1681

Marriages 27 October 1560 - 12 May 1681

Burials 15 March 1560/1 - 13 October 1681

Between 1560 and 1563 dates of birth, not baptism entered; names of godparents recorded 1560 - 1562.

Entries 1558 - 1598 transcribed from earlier register.

Baptisms of children of the Revd. John Sparrow (Vicar 1600 - 1649) recorded in large gothic lettering. Entries 1602 include 'Margaret Brettin widowe was buried the 5 daye of June, and their was distributed to the poore XXs. which she gave by hir will'.

Memorandum of appointment of John Wignall as parish register by Thomas Bennett J.P. 10 January 1653/4. [Wignall, who usually signs as 'Wignald alias Martin' became curate to John Sparrow in 1643, succeeded him as vicar in 1649 and continued as incumbent until his death in 1685].

Date of birth noted in baptism entries 3 January 1653/4 - 22 May 1660. Collections made on six fast days August 1665 - January 1665/6 'for the removall of god's heavie visitation from the nation'.

Burials 1669 include:

'Ferdinando Salmon a person not excommunicated was buried in the Bee-garden of George Bayly his tenant upon the 9 of November by Joan Salmon his wife and Robert Salmon and John Salmon his sonnes Quakers'.

Burials in woollen recorded 1678 - 1681.

Amongst 1665 entries:

'An Advertisement to the next Incumbent.

Upon the 31 of August ..... Doctor King the Chancellor ..... and ... Matthew Lord Bishop of Ely did personally (with Mr. Twelves Register and with Wells Flack Apparitor and two young clerks) visit our church of Shudy Camps, and coming into the Churchyard and finding the Churchyard but indifferently fenced with a hedge, he asked me, who did look after the churchyard to fence it; I told him myself, he told me presently that it did belong to the Churchwardens and not to me the minister; William Hamond and Edward Flower the Churchwardens told him, that the fence had been kept by the minister a certain time, and they conceived he ought to keep it still. Thereupon he tells me that if the vicarage yard, or orchard did bound upon the churchyard that part of the fence was to be kept by him, and that the said John Wignald minister could not be compelled by any law that he knew of to fence any other part of the churchyard.'

(Signed) John Wignald

Collections on briefs noted 1659 - 1674; large numbers recorded 1660 - 1667. Collections receipted in batches usually twice yearly 1665 - 1673. Subjects of briefs include: the fishing trade November 1661, 'those of the inhabitants of London undone by fire' October 1666, John Osborne Russia merchant May 1667, English captives in 'Algiers, Sally and other parts of the Turkes dominions' November 1669, Michael and Peter Kis, Hungarians June 1670, the 'sugar bakers of Cole harbour in the parish of All Hallows London' August 1672, and 'the inhabitants of Russell Street in the parish of St. Martins in the Fields undone by fire which began in the Theatre Royal', May 1673. Briefs for local causes include John Ellis of Milton April 1663, Edward Townesend, John Adams and John Morden of Papworth and Elsworth September 1665, Edward Gilson of West Wickham June 1667, George Williams of Rampton June 1670 and Thomas Throckmorton of Hauxton July 1671.