The book is thought to be the only of its kind in existence, giving an insight into daily life in one part of Cambridge
The history of a Cambridge neighbourhood has been brought to life by the acquisition of a rare document. Cambridgeshire Archives has secured grant funding to acquire a ‘terrier’ which details 18th century life in Chesterton.
A land terrier is a record system for keeping track of a property’s boundaries, ownership, and rents. The rare document now acquired by the archives contains a detailed record of land and property ownership in rural Chesterton, before the area was subsumed by the city of Cambridge.
UK charity Friends of the Nations’ Libraries has provided £350 to acquire the document from a private owner in South Africa. The charity helps libraries, archives, and museums to acquire books, manuscripts, and archives that they could not otherwise afford.
The document, titled ‘Terrier of John Chettoe’s Property in Chesterton’, dates back to 1768. It includes a transcript of an earlier terrier from 1694. No other terriers of Chesterton are known to exist from this period.
It provides an account of land use, ownership, and the estate’s layout, describing Chettoe’s residence – thought to be Chesterton Hall. The hall was originally purchased from Captain Gamaliel Nightingale in 1772, sold to William Wragg in 1799, and eventually acquired by St John’s College, Cambridge.
The land was sold for housing developments in the 1930s. Chesterton Hall was then converted into flats. The terrier also includes details about approximately 84 acres of surrounding land, listing field boundaries, tenant names, plot sizes, and estimated land values, which offers a glimpse into what life was like at the time.
Councillor Alison Whelan, Chair of the Committee for Communities, Social Mobility and Inclusion, said: “I’m very grateful to Friends of the Nations’ Libraries for funding Cambridgeshire Archives’ purchase of this document. Preserving our local heritage enriches our understanding of community identity and development.
“Documents like the Chesterton Terrier connect us to the lives and landscapes of the past, helping us appreciate the journey our county has taken.”
Esther Bellamy, Archivist for Cambridgeshire County Council, said: “This document preserves a vital piece of Cambridgeshire’s history, capturing the landscape of Chesterton and marking its transformation from rural estate to urban community. It’s a valuable resource for historians, or anyone interested in the way land use and social history have evolved in our county.”
