Welcome to Leighton Bromswold

A look down the Avenue in Leighton Bromswold, Huntingdonshire

Lecton (11th century); Leghton, Leghton upon Brouneswold (Brunneswold) (14th century) and Leighton Bromswold (Modern).

Leighton Bromswold extends southwards from the Fay Way and Salome Wood to the Ellington Brook and the main Kettering Road. The village, on a ridge between two valleys, has attractive old cottages set amidst a splendid avenue of trees. Sir Gervase Clifton commenced to build a castellated manor house here in 1616 but completed only the gatehouse. This brick building, with corner towers is still approached by a bridge across a moat.

Leighton Bromswold was the first living of the poet, George Herbert. At that time the 13th century church was in a ruinous state. He never resided here, nor it is said, ever came here; yet, with great zeal, he had the church rebuilt and furnished under the care of his friend, Nicholas Ferrar, of Little Gidding.

Much of his early 17th century work on the Church of St Mary the Virgin still remains including the altar, nave seating and two oaken pulpits with sounding boards, one of these actually being a reading desk, for he affirmed that prayer and preaching were of equal importance, Alabaster tombs with effigies of Sir Robert Tyrwhitt (1572), his wife and his daughter should be noticed; also the screen, a Jacobean chest and a font made from a 13th century stone of the original church.

Leighton Bromswold is one of the parishes of the District of Huntingdonshire, whose administrative centre is Huntingdon, the other principle towns being St Ives home of the Chapel on the Bridge, St Neots the largest town in the County of Cambridgeshire, the Roman town of Godmanchester and Ramsey site of the former Abbey.