Pidley-cum-Fenton

An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Huntingdonshire. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1926.

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'Pidley-cum-Fenton', in An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Huntingdonshire, (London, 1926) pp. 203-204. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/rchme/hunts/pp203-204 [accessed 18 March 2024]

In this section

64. PIDLEY-CUM-FENTON (D.d.).

(O.S. 6 in. (a)XV S.W., (b)XIX N.W.)

Pidley-cum-Fenton is a parish containing the two villages of Pidley and Fenton, 5 m. N.N.E. of St. Ives. Stanley Farm, Manor Farm and Fenton House are the principal monements.

Ecclesiastical

a(1). Parish Church of All Saints, stands N. of Pidley village. It was entirely re-built in 1864–5 but incorporates a considerable amount of material from the earlier building. The E. window is of early 14th-century character and of three trefoiled lights with tracery in a two-centred head. In the W. wall of the vestry is a window of late 14th-century date and of two cinque-foiled lights in a square head with a moulded label.

Fittings—Bells: three, by Christopher Gray, 1675. Coffin-lid: In churchyard—in S.W. corner, with remains of cross with double omega-ornament, 13th-century, upper part missing. Monuments: In churchyard—S. of nave, (1) to Joanna, wife of William Goodwen, 1692, head-stone; S. of tower, (2) to Stephen Peck, 1695, head-stone; (3) to Rose, wife of Francis Roffe, 1678, head-stone. Sundial: Incorporated in N. wall of vestry— scratched circular dial.

Condition—Rebuilt.

Secular

Homestead Moats.

a(2). E. of Dovehouse Close Spinney and nearly ¾ m. E. of the church.

b(3). At Hayden Hall, 1100 yards S.E. of the church.

a(4). Manor Farm, house, 720 yards E. of the church, is of two storeys with attics; the walls are of plastered brick and the roofs are tiled. The N. wing of the house was built early in the 17th century and the main S. block was added c. 1700. The S. front is symmetrical and has rusticated angles, a band between the storeys, a heavy eaves-cornice and a hipped roof. The window-openings of the first floor are of c. 1700 but those of the ground-floor have been blocked and replaced by modern windows. The central chimney-stack is square with a narrow sinking in each face. Inside the building the front block has two moulded ceiling-beams. The late 17th-century staircase (Plate 164) has turned balusters, moulded strings and rails and square newels with moulded pendants and terminals in the form of faceted cubes.

Condition—Fairly good.

a(5). Fenton House, nearly 1 m. N.N.W. of the church, is of two storeys; the walls are of brick and the roofs are tiled. It was built early in the 18th century on an H-shaped plan with the cross-wings on the N.W. and S.E. The N.W. front is symmetrical and has a band-course between the storeys and a modillioned eaves-cornice with a small gable in the middle. The doorway has panelled jambs and an elliptical head, the whole enclosed by an eared architrave; above the architrave is an enriched frieze and a moulded cornice supported on scrolled brackets. Two windows on the ground-floor retain their original sashes; the first-floor windows have rusticated heads. Inside the building the entrance-hall has old stone paving and a staircase with turned balusters, moulded strings and rails. The N.E. room of the front wing is lined with original panelling, with a moulded cornice; beside the fireplace is a small niche with a round head and applied ornament. The staircase in the S.E. wing is smaller but of similar character to the front staircase.

Condition—Good.

b(6). Stanley Farm, house and barn, on the S. side of the road, about ½ m. S.E. of the church. The House is of two storeys with attics and cellars; the walls are of brick and the roofs are tiled. It was built early in the 18th century on a roughly rectangular plan. The N. front is symmetrical and has a band between the storeys, a modillioned eaves-cornice and a hipped roof. The doorway has a moulded architrave and a flat moulded hood, supported on carved and scrolled brackets; the door has raised and moulded panels. The windows have segmental heads. Inside the building, the E. room on the ground-floor retains the enriched architraves of the doorway and windows; the room above is lined with original panelling in two heights, with a moulded cornice and dado-rail; above the fireplace is a bolection-moulded panel. The staircase has turned and fluted balusters, cut string and fluted newels in the form of Composite columns; the walls have a panelled dado. There are several original panelled doors.

The Barn, S. of the house, is of brick with a thatched roof; it was built probably early in the 18th century.

Condition—Of house, good.

Monuments (7–10).

The following monuments, unless otherwise described, are of the 17th century and of two storeys, timber-framed and plastered; the roofs are thatched or tiled. Some of the buildings have original chimney-stacks and exposed ceiling-beams.

Condition—Good, or fairly good, unless noted.

a(7). Range of four tenements, 140 yards S. of the church, is modern, but incorporates a 17th-century chimney-stack.

b(8). Cottage, on the N. side of the road, 200 yards N.E. of (6) has been largely re-built in brick. The original chimney-stack has grouped diagonal shafts.

b(9). Cottage, 100 yards E. of (8).

Condition—Poor.

b(10). Cottage, 70 yards E. of (9), has a roof of corrugated iron.