Huntingdon's most famous resident, Oliver Cromwell, was born in the parish of St John on 25 April 1599, the son of Robert Cromwell. He was baptised four days later in the parish church.

Oliver Cromwell's baptism entry in the St John's parish register. Cromwell is the very top entry on the left hand page. An unknown individual wrote "England's plague for seven years" across the top of the page, but it was later crossed out.

The young Oliver attended the Grammar School in Huntingdon, where was taught by Dr Thomas Beard, well-known as an anti-Catholic (though not necessarily Puritan) preacher and author of the book The Theatre of God's Judgements, which first appeared in 1597.

Puritanism was a flourishing force in Huntingdonshire during Oliver's childhood. There were at least two Puritans lecturing in the county during the early years of the 17th century, Walter Welles at Godmanchester and Job Tookey in St Ives, so many people had the opportunity to hear and adopt Puritan beliefs.

Further reading: more information about Oliver Cromwell's early life in Huntingdonshire can be found in Risen from Obscurity? (2001), published by Huntingdonshire Local History Society to commemorate the launch of the Cromwell Collection at Huntingdon Library.

For details about Cromwell-related documents held at the County Record Office in Huntingdon, please follow the link to the Cromwell Collection, in the righthand column.