St Peter Coton

St Peter, High Street, Coton

Historyof St Peter, Coton

Listed building on Heritage at Risk Register

Parish Church. C12 nave and chancel, early and late C14 south aisle, C15 north aisle, C14 west tower. Restoration of 1863-4, and 1880. Recently (1984) the tower has been repaired.

https://lordsbridge.org/churches/st-peters-coton/

Originally a chapel attached to parish of Grantchester.

1285 William de Holland fled to the church  of Cotes, acknowledged that he was a thief and abjured the realm. he had no chattels being a vagabond.

1298 Engaine family took over patronage

1384 agreement with vicar of Grantchester whereby priest-in-charge at Coton allowed to bury parishioners in Coton churchyard upon payment of 3d to vicar of Grantchester for each burial.

15th century: right of presentation passed to St Catharine’s college

1481 Andrew Wwinhoe recorded on the north side of the tower arch that he began work on St Wulfstan’s Day 1481.

1503 small fragment of painted glass in east window of south aisle records a bequest by John Lenton

1510 Monghe Charlton born. Events of his life are recorded in detail in the church records.

On latch of north door there are witches marks. It was thought that on baptism evil spirits went out of the church through this door.

The pews date from the 15th century.

1549 Roger Childerly was reported by the churchwardens because he had cursed and slandered Agnetem Keale publicly in church.

1591 William Kettle for breach of promise to Katherine Steve

1593 William Cole and Elizabeth Kettle admonished for getting married verba de presenti [without banns]. William gave her a steel and a pair of gloves.

1613 Coton’s oldest inhabitant, John Lewes the elder, died at 115 having, according to Dr Gale of the Royal Society, produced a new set of teeth and new hair at 100.

-the date 1622 in on the chancel screen.

-Interesting features of the church:

-12th century font on 5 legs

-medieval parish chest

-ten commandments painted in 18th century

-fragments of medieval glass in west window

-Hatley tomb in vestry

-late medieval stone coping or lid with Catharine wheel-like design

The church has detailed records covering the period 1576-1592.

1788 – 1827 Joshua Waterhouse, rector. Details about his murder can be found at the Old Rectory, Little Stukeley. Waterhouse had failed to get elected as Master of St Catharine’s College in 1798; he was held in low esteem by his colleagues for being a womaniser. he moved out of Coton in 1813 to Little Stukeley. He sold all his possessions in Coton but held on to the living until his death in 1827.

Source: “Coton Through The Ages: Kathleen Fowle

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