Little Gidding background fun-ness

Ok, so I am really bad at keeping up with blogs, but here I go at attempting to catch up. I apologize everyone!!!

Anyways, I found the history of Little Gidding absoluetely fascinating when I was doing research for the group project. Through my efforts, I created a sort of timeline of Little Gidding of things that I found interesting, helpful, intriguing etc.

500-700: Anglo Saxons at Great Gidding found an early settlement.
*Their leader was named Gydel, and it was from his name that Gidding comes from. Gidding actually means "Gydel's People"

800-900: Viking Invasions

1086: In the Domesday Book of 1086, which was William the Conquerer's inventory it was reported that Great Gidding supported a minimum of six 'sokemen.' Locations: Accumesbury an Cresseuuelle. Population = 343-490
*At this point there was no reference to Little Gidding
*Norman barons displaced Danes and became the new landlords

Post Domesday Book: Little Gidding formed as a seperate manor
*Gidding Parva = Little Gidding

1185: Maud Engaine grants Little Gidding Church to the Order of the Knights Templars at Temple Bruer in Lines, but the Inquiry of the Knights Templars showed that the church retained 'no geld' which is what the church would have taken in from the offerings. This was considered a time when fund raising was happening for the Crusades.

1279: LG has 600+ acres that are being used for agriculture. There was a street that is today used for the Main Street where there were 31 houses

1348: LG is deserted because of the Great Plague

1566: Only 6 households remain, though its not entirely due to plague. There were also issues with how land was managed and how the workforce was used and abused

1594: No houses left in LG

1625: Ferrars bought the Manor of LG. They came and found everything in ruins

1626: Nicholas Ferrar ordained Deacon by the Archbishop Laud in Westminster Abbey

1642: King Charles I spent the day while traveling North

1646: King Charles I visited May 2nd while escaping battle of Naseby

1848: William Hopkinson bought the Manor of Little Gidding, built a new house in the place of the old manor house and named it the Ferrar House.
*He also started to restore the house, and began with the bell because it was the most important messenger for it called people to worship

1853: Restoration complete and had stained glass windows and a chandelier

1936: TS Eliot visited May 25th

1942: TS Eliot Fourth Quartet 'Little Gidding' published

1964: The Nicholas Ferrar Memorial Church, the Church of the Good Shepherd, consecrated at Arbury in Cambridge

After this time, LG changed hands a few times, and then in 1998 the community disbanded, and Ferrar House went into care of caretakers and wardens , and the Parochial Church Council now cares for it

http://www.littlegiddingchurch.org.uk/