Introduction
The reason I chose to do a history project on Kirtling was because I wanted to find something out about my local surroundings.
Here are some questions I am trying to answer in my project:
- How did Kirtling get its name and how has it changed?
- Why was a settlement built on the present site?
- How old are the churches and chapel?
- How old is the shop?
- How old in the Towers?
Kirtling
Kirtling is a little village about 5 miles south east of Newmarket. Kirtling was most probably called Kirtling because Kirtling is a ridge and Kirtling developed from “Cyrtla’s” ridge. Here are some examples of how Kirtling has changed:
Curtalinga and Quetelinge: 1086
Chertelinges: 1166
Kyrtelinges: 1436
Catlidg: 1594
Cateledge: 1616
Catlage: 1808
The population of the village in 1801 was 438; by 1831 it had risen to 735; in 1841 it was 803; by 1861 it was 820 and in 1931 it had dropped to 510.
Next: Part 3