Helpston, Cambridgeshire

Helpston (also, formerly, "Helpstone") is an English village formerly in Northamptonshire — subsequently (1965–1974) in Huntingdon and Peterborough, then in Cambridgeshire — and administered since 1988 by the City of Peterborough unitary authority.

The civil parish of Helpston covers an area of 754 hectares and had an estimated poupulation in 2005 of 870. [ [http://www.peterborough.gov.uk/PDF/env-plan-pop-2005popdwellingreport.pdf Peterborough City Council Population Estimates] ]

The parish church is dedicated to St Botolph.

The poet John Clare was born in Helpston in 1793. he had a very interesting life, he fell in love with a girl who lived at the manor house in glinton, who eventually drove hm insane due to their romeo and juliet styled relationship.

The name Helpston is Anglo-Saxon in origin and means the farmstead ("tun") first settled by "Help" (an Old English personal name). [ [http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/english/ins/epntest/php/detailpop.php?placeno=11176 A Key to English Place-Names] ]

there are lots of activities in helpston, such as a FOCC group.

External links

* [http://www.botolphsbarn.org.uk/ Helpston Parish Website]
* [http://www.fuller-web.co.uk/helpston/ A website about the village]
* [http://www.anvil.clara.net/johnclar.htm A John Clare website]

References