We are going to England (London) in late summer. Research shows that my ancestor, Thomas Hunt came from Northants in the early 1600's. While I haven't been able to pin down exactly where he was from, Pilton and Keston/Keyston are mentioned as possibilities. There is a Richard Hunt who "died a poore man" and had a son Thomas b. 1607 from Pilton who seems to fill the bill. That said, I would like to go to Northants and, well for want of a better phrase, "look around", so I can say I have been there. My question? who could I contact in that area that would have a good idea of where I could go to see the church yard in Pilton where my ancestor may be buried?
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
A place as small as Pilton is only going to have one parish church. Any mapping software would be able to nail the village. Google map's satellite view would show you if there's a graveyard, but you can bet there is. There are never restrictions on entering churchyards.
If you wrote the parish priest, you'd be able to find out if records still exist that go back that far.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33987 posts
Pilton is a very very small village next to the River Nene just south of the lovely town - with very large public school - of Oundle, off the Oundle to Thrapston road. There has been dramatic flooding in the Nene flood plain and beyond near Oundle the last two years so that I had to divert my route. I don't know if Pilton was affected this year, but everything is now back in its banks and the ground nearly dry.
The church is around the back of the village and most definitely has a churchyard. The church tower has 4 bells rung from the ground floor.
The church is in the Peterborough Diocese and likely shares a priest or 2 with several surrounding villages, likely also involving Oundle.
I will likely be by there before your visit.
Posted by
Oxford, United Kingdom
5466 posts
Pilton apparently has 62 inhabitants today. The church warden is probably the person to contact as the church itself is usually locked, and services are fairly infrequent. Any records may no longer be held on site either. Details are at http://www.oundledeanery.org.uk/news2/PI+AA.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33987 posts
Telephone numbers in Pilton use the standard dialing code of 01832.
If you use the Pink Sheet that Marco provided and want to call one of the Church Wardens from overseas you would dial +44 1832 nnn nnn.
You don't give any hint in your profile of where you are so I can't tell you what to replace the "+" with, but it will be you international dialing code, nor can I give you the time offset so that you can call during normal hours, but please be conscious of that.
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
One of you buggers need to explain what a warden is before I goof it up.
In small-town America we're used to the padre cutting the grass, counting the collection, and painting the steeple.
Posted by
Oxford, United Kingdom
5466 posts
A churchwarden in the Church of England is lay person, usually a part-time volunteer that amongst other things looks after the maintenance of churches and their contents. A parish usually has 2.