CHESTERTON : CHURCH ST MICHAELS.
Chesterton is a hamlet, which can be found five miles to the West of Peterborough. The village sits at the side of the A605. Chesterton might be small, but it has a massive history, with the village history going back to Roman times. A Roman signal station still sits atop of Ivens Hill, looking out towards the Roman town of Durobrivae, close to where the village of Water Newton is today.
In the church grounds, a Roman coffin sits on the left hand side as you enter the yard. This was found in the 1840's during Roman excavations, with the tomb being taken back and placed in the churchyard. There are also stone Roman coffins to be found in Castor and Water Newton Churchyards.
Many more photos of St Michaels, including views from the spire looking out over the village during the church restoration a few years ago can be looking at the Chesterton web site, run by myself, which can be found by clicking on the link at the foot of the page.
St Michales church is normally kept locked, but it is worth seeing inside with the Beville Monument, four photographs of which are included below, being particularly worth a look. Also inside the church is a wall plaque to poet John Dryden and the tomb of Sir Robert Beville from the late 1400's.
Please note that if you are visiting St Michaels Church, it is set back from the road about 100 yards. Look out for the small gate which will take you to the church.
Chesterton has its own web site. To see more photographs of St Michaels, along with past and present photographs of the village, click the photograph immeadiately above.
To visit the website for St Michaels Chesterton, St Andrews Alwalton, All Saints Elton, St Remigius Water Newton and St John The Baptist Stibbington please click on the photograph immediately above.
