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Churches and Chapels

Upwood & The Raveleys History Pages

Churches & Chapels

St Peter's Church, Upwood is mentioned in the Doomsday survey of 1098, but nothing remains of this timber structure. The current stone building was begun in about 1100 as a simple chancel and nave construction with the later additions of the north chapel, north aisle, south aisle and west tower. The tower had to be almost entirely rebuilt in 1890 due to subsidence.

The church has served both Upwood and Great Raveley since medieval times when the two villages were joined together for worship.

 St Peters
St Peter's Church, Upwood
1928 Raveley Chapel

The original Wesleyan Chapel at Great Raveley was built in 1812 with seating for 150. This was destroyed by fire in the late 1890s and permission for building a new chapel, on a piece of land called The Pightle, was granted in February 1900 at a cost of £340.

This new chapel, which seated 130, only survived for 37 years when, with falling attendance, the building was sold, dismantled and rebuilt in Warboys where it now stands.
Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Great Raveley


It is thought that St James' Church, Little Raveley, was built in about 1230 with the nave being rebuilt in the late 14th Century when it was widened. Restoration work was carried out on the chancel in 1914 and, in the late 20th Century, the church was deconsecrated, becoming a private house.

The church is first mentioned as a chapelry of Wistow in the papal bull of 1178, but it is not clear when it received its own parochial rights of baptism, marriage and burial, although the parish registers go back to 1576.

 St James B&W
St James' Church, Little Raveley
Chapel Upwood

At one time there were two Methodist Chapels in Upwood. The Wesleyan Methodist Chapel was originally built in 1840 opposite the school (now the village hall). However this chapel was replaced with a new building further up the High Street in 1893. It closed in 1982 and was converted into a private residence.

The chapel of the so-called "Primitive Methodists", which could seat 100, was built around 1839 on land opposite Townsend Farm. The Primitives were a breakaway sect set up in 1808 by Hugh Bourne, a lay preacher, when he was expelled from the Wesleyan movement. This building no longer exists.
Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Upwood
     

Further Information & Useful Links
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Surname indexed transcripts of the parish registers for St Peter's Church, Upwood
Upwood War Memorial Photographs and full roll of honour including full background information on personnel
Church Bells at St James' Church Extract from The Church Bells of Huntingdonshire by Rev T.N.M. Owen M.A.
The Chapels of Gt Raveley Brief history of the chapels from 1812 to 1938
Gt Raveley Chapel 1900 Document Transcription of document assessing need for rebuild following fire
Surname indexed lists of graves including plot number plans
Cambs Community Archive Network A variety of old photographs of St Peter's Church and Gt Raveley Chapel
St Peter's Church Current webpage for St Peter's Church, giving details of services etc.
Data and information on the history of St Peter's Church
British History Online (Little Raveley) Data and information, including floor plan, of St James' Church, Lt Raveley