The Parish Registers Of Edgcott Buckinghamshire 1538-1837

The Parish Registers of Edgcott, Buckinghamshire 1538-1837

Unlock Three Centuries of Your Buckinghamshire Heritage

Step back in time to the quiet, rolling fields of Buckinghamshire and discover the rich tapestry of your family's past. The Parish Registers of Edgcott (1538-1837) are not just a collection of names; they are the very heartbeat of a rural English community, meticulously recorded for almost 300 years. For any genealogist with roots in this corner of England, this collection is an indispensable key to unlocking the stories of your ancestors.

From the reign of Henry VIII to the dawn of Queen Victoria's reign, these pages hold the baptisms, marriages, and burials of the people who lived, worked, loved, and died in Edgcott. This was a time of immense change—of religious upheaval, civil war, and agricultural revolution—and your ancestors were at the centre of it all.

What You Will Discover Inside:

Baptisms (1538-1837): Find the names of your forebears, often with the names of their parents, allowing you to link generations with certainty.
Marriages (1538-1837): Unite family lines and discover the maiden names of female ancestors, often with the names of witnesses who could be siblings or other close relatives.
Burials (1538-1837): Trace the end of life's journey, closing chapters on family lines and providing clues to ages and family relationships.
A Primary Source: This is a direct transcription from the original registers held by the parish, offering you the most authentic and accurate record available.
Why These Registers are Invaluable:

Pre-Civil Registration: These records cover the crucial period before national civil registration began in 1837, making them one of the only ways to trace your family line this far back.
Break Through Brick Walls: Stuck on an ancestor born around 1800? A marriage record here could provide the missing link you need.
Build a Vivid Picture: Go beyond names and dates. Understand family sizes, infant mortality rates, and the tight-knit nature of a village community where everyone knew everyone else.

A Parish in the Shadow of History: Famous Connections

Edgcott is more than just a typical rural parish; it sits on land touched by some of the most significant figures in English history. Owning these registers allows you to walk in the footsteps of giants and imagine the lives your ancestors may have witnessed.

The most famous historical connection is to Sir John Hampden (c. 1595-1643).

While his family seat was at nearby Great Hampden, the Hampden family held significant lands and influence in the area, and Edgcott was part of their world. Sir John was a pivotal figure in the events leading up to the English Civil War. A celebrated Parliamentarian, he became a national hero for his defiance of King Charles I's unpopular "Ship Money" tax.

Your ancestors living in Edgcott during the 1630s and 1640s would undoubtedly have known of him. They may have been tenants on his lands, heard the local gossip about his legal battles, or even served in the militia under his command. Hampden was mortally wounded at the Battle of Chalgrove Field in 1643, an event that would have sent shockwaves through the local community. When you find a burial in the register from 1643, you are looking at a record made in a time of national crisis, directly linked to one of its most famous participants.

Earlier in its history, the manor of Edgcott was held by the powerful Grenville family, who later produced Earls and played major roles in the court of Henry VIII and the exploration of the New World.

Could your ancestor have been a farmer who tilled the same fields as these great families? A craftsman who built their homes? A parishioner who listened to sermons about the king and the law? With these registers, you are not just tracing genealogy; you are connecting your personal history to the grand narrative of Britain.