William
the Conqueror's inventory, the Domesday Book
of 1086, reports that Great Gidding supported
at least 6 'sokemen' - half of the village in
the soke of Accumesbury, the other in the soke
of the hundred of Cresseuuelle. No mention of
separate village
of Little Gidding. Total population 343-490.
Norman barons Engaine became landlords, displacing
the Danes.
Little Gidding - Gidding Parva
- formed as separate manor for a younger son
soon after
Domesday.
1185 Fund raising for the Crusades
- Maud Engaine granted Little Gidding church
to
the Order of
Knights Templars at Temple Bruer in Lincs., but
the Inquiry of the Knights Templars in 1186 reveals
that the church returned 'no geld'.(The gift
would have been of the revenue due to the church
in tithes.)
Engaines continued in possession
of their manors Little Gidding and Great Gidding
until 16th century
1279 Little Gidding had 600
acres under cultivation, and 31 households living
either side of the street
which ran from the present main road to a point
in the wood behind the church
1312 Order of the
Knights Templars dissolved in England, and their
property passed to the
Knights Hospitallers "hence the present
dedication of the church to St John" according
to a Victorian writer; but the St John of Jerusalem
was John the Baptist, and Little Gidding is dedicated
to John the Divine, or Evangelist. Is this a
mistake, or a change of preferences?
1348 the
great plague - Little Gidding village deserted
1554 Knights
Hospitallers dissolved along with the Monasteries,
patronage went to the Crown.
1566 there
were 6 households. The plague was not the only
cause of Little Gidding decline: it seems that
landlords turned to livestock rather than arable
farming, as the workforce declined. Enclosure
followed, and possibly eviction of the remaining
residents.
1594 there
were no houses left in the village.
1625 Ferrars
bought the Manor of Little Gidding, found the
church and house in ruins and started rebuilding.
The family comprised old Mary Ferrar, her sons
Nicholas and John, daughter Susanna; John's wife
Bathsheba and their 2 children, Susanna's husband
John Collett and their 16 children; along with
friends and elderly people in an almshouse.
1626Nicholas
Ferrar ordained Deacon by Archbishop Laud
in Westminster Abbey.
1637 Nicholas
Ferrar died. 'It is the right, good old way you
are in: keep in it.'
1642 King
Charles I spent the day with the community, in
March, en route for the north.
1643 During a period of local unrest in the Civil Wars, John Ferrar and some of his family went to Holland, but had returned by 1646. There have been successive allegations of ransacking of the church and the estate during this period. Latest research shows that this did not happen.
1646 King
Charles visited 2nd May on the run after the battle of Naseby. He was led across the fields to Coppingford Lodge during the night by John Ferrar.
1657 John
Ferrar and Susanna Collett died; the end of community,
although the family remained.
1714 John
Ferrar and his son the Reverend Thomas renovated
the church. Installed
wooden panelling. Church reduced in length about
2 feet, new façade built.
1790Dr Peter Peckard published his ‘Life of Nicholas Ferrar’. Dr Peckard had inherited the Ferrar papers from his father in law, Edward Ferrar II, the last male heir of the Little Gidding Ferrars. This contains the first published reference to the alleged ransacking of the church in 1646, which is now discounted.
Interior of Church 1851 View drawing by Cuthbert Bede
19th
century – present day
1848 William
Hopkinson bought the property, built new house
(now Ferrar House), the old Manor House having
disappeared. He began to restore the church,
starting with a bell to call people to worship.
1880 'John
Inglesant' by JH Shorthouse published. In it,
the hero is described visiting the Ferrars at
Little Gidding in the year of Nicholas' death,
and on later occasions. An intimate picture is
drawn of daily life in the family, of personalities,
appearances and habits, as well as the daily
routine of worship. It was extremely popular.
1913 Oratory
of the Good Shepherd established at a meeting
at Little Gidding
1920s another
renovation, wall sconces added; the gift of Lady Margaret Proby of Elton Hall.
1938 Alan
Maycock's biography of Nicholas Ferrar published
1942 TS
Eliot's Fourth Quartet 'Little Gidding' published
1946 Alan
and Edith Maycock visited Little Gidding, found
the church in poor condition, and with others,
formed the Friends of Little Gidding in July.
Friends organised and paid for many renovations and repairs to
the church over the next decades, and organised an annual pilgrimage
led by the Bishop of Ely.
1964 The
Nicholas Ferrar Memorial Church, the Church
of the Good Shepherd, consecrated at Arbury in Cambridge.
1970 Tony
and Judith Hodgson bought the Manor Farm at Little
Gidding, formed a new community.
1980s Brick
flowerbeds replaced the old fence separating
the church from the Manor Farm property. Carpark
improved. Community of Christ the Sower flourished.
1990 West
window replaced - stained glass crucifixion sold
to Peterborough High School; 'venetian' window
installed, designed by the Diocesan architect,
Julian Limintani
1998 Community
disbanded. Ferrar House in the charge of wardens-caretakers appointed by The Little Gidding Trust.
The church in the care of the Parochial Church
Council (Giddings PCC)
2004 Society of the Friends of Little Gidding re-founded
2005 Tony and Judith Hodgson returned to Little Gidding as Wardens of Ferrar House, appointed by the Little Gidding Trust. The church continues in the care of the Giddings PCC. Resumed summer-time pilgrimage, led by Bishop Simon Barrington-Ward. This is to be an annual event, organised by Ferrar House and the PCC.
