Pampisford
Pampisford is a pretty village among fine trees, south of Cambridge, on the A505 road near Sawston, Cambridgeshire.
Here there was once a great ditch, dug to close the gap between forest and marsh. All that is left of this ancient defence is the Brent Ditch running between Abington Park and Dickman's Grove, most clearly seen in the park of Pampisford Hall.
In the park is a remarkable collection of fir trees from Japan, Mexico, China, California, Austria, and the Pyrenees, and worthy of them all is another village tree, the cedar shading the lawn of a house by the church, itself bowered in chestnuts and with a charming porch hewn from oak roofed in mediaeval England.
Famous Local Families
The Herald's Visitations (1575 & 1619) record an armiger holding an estate here, John Killingworth, who is designated "of Pampisford", although he appears to have resided at another Killingworth estate, Balsham Place Manor. However, the parish register for Pampisford records the burial there of John Killingworth, Esquire, on 24th May, 1617.
In 1742 the church monuments were recorded: "on the south wall within the rails is a Mural Monument of white marble, with this inscription on a square of black marble in gold letters, which are now scarce[ly] visible: Here lyeth the Bodye of John Killingworth Esquier whoe was twyse married: his former [1st] wife was Beatrix, daughter of Robert Alington of Horseheath, by whome he had two sons and four daughters. The latter [2nd wife] was Elizabeth, daughter of William Cheyney, Esquier, by whom he had three sons and four daughters. He died the 23rd of Maye Anno 1617. Aetatis suae 70."
In a house in Pampisford (possibly Pampisford Hall) there are, in the parlour window, Arms for Richard Killingworth and his wife Margaret Beriff, and in one of the main bedrooms are Arms for his son (inscription:) "John Killingworth Esquire [who] married Beatrice daughter of Robert Alington". In the same window are another set of Arms for John Killingworth and his second wife Elizabeth Cheyney.
Church
The church porch shelters a simple Norman doorway with a curious arcaded tympanum, and its ten small arches filled with crude carvings, perhaps the story of John the Baptist, for we see the block and the head of the figure lying on the floor. John the Baptist, carved by modern hands, appears again with Christ as a finial for the old domed cover of the Norman font.
The 650 year old tower has a tiny spire and its pleasant arch opens into a massive arcade from the time when Norman styles were changing into English. the 15th century chancel arch is screened with delicate oak tracery of the same age.
In addition to the monument mentioned above, against the North Wall, just at the foot of the steps, is an exceedingly ancient Altar monument of stone, covered with an old English marble, which had formerly around the rims Labels which have been torn off and are now lost; there are large shields on the front and each end of it, but nothing can be seen on them now. It is probable that this is the tomb of the Founder of the Chancel. In the first South Window of the Nave are shields for 4 coats of Arms, but only two of them are to be made out, the other two being defaced. One is for the Parker family, who in the mid-18th century are said to be the then Lords of the Manor at Pampisford. Another is Arms of the Clovell family.
In the churchyard are two altar monuments, one of which is of free-stone with a black marble top for Professor Robert Gell who died in 1665 aged 70.
References
- Palmer, W.M., F.S.A., Monumental Inscriptions and Coats of Arms from Cambridgeshire, (as recorded in 1632, and between 1742 & 1782), Cambridge 1932, pps:132-134.
- Mee, Arthur, The King's England - Cambridgeshire, New revised edition, London, 1965, pps: 176-7.
- Cambridgeshire Family History Society Journal, Cambridge, August 1994, pps: 285 - 292.