Manea or Maney is in the middle of the fens, near the old Bedford River, 7 miles from March and Chatteris and 9.5 miles from Ely. It is in the North Witchford Union, in the South Witchford Hundred March county court district, rural deanery, archdeanery and diocese of Ely.
Its claim to fame is that Charles I wanted to build a palace here (although I can’t think why!).
The parish register dates from 1708.
The population in the 1861 census was 1206.
1869
According to Kelly’s Directory of 1869, there were chapelries for Baptists and primitive and Wesleyan Methodists.
Lord Rokeby was Lord of the Manor.
The main landowners were Robert Beart of Godmanchester, William Whitting of Thorney Abbey, William Strong of Peterborough and Michael Sears, Esq.
The soil is clay and fen, with a clay subsoil. Chief crops are wheat, oats, beans and roots
In those days, carriers went from Manea to Chatteris on Tuesdays and Fridays and to March on Mondays and Wednesdays, returning the same day.
The diectory listed several of the Green family, and farmers William Golding and William Watson.
1884
In 1884 (March 25) detached parts of the parishes of Downham, Wentworth, Witchem, and Witchford in the Ely Union were amalgamated with this parish. (it is not clear if these are the bits that were amalgamated, but it lists Bedlam Fens 2 mile North, Fodder Fen 2 miles SE, Cranmore Fen, 2.5 mile NNW and Byall Fen, half a mile to the South). The Greens were still there and John Watson was listed as a farmer.
1888
Kelly’s of 1888 notes the erection of a church of St Nicholas, opened in 1875 at a cost of £3,700.
By then, William Porter from Coveney was Lord of the Manor. Main landowners were William Frederick Beart, Esq. JP of Godmanchester, the trustees of William Whitting, Lt. Colonel Charles Isham Strong JP of Thorpe Hall, William Wiles Green, R Rushton, William Henry Nix Esq. of Chatteris, Thomas Nix and E&R Lamb Esq. and Thomas Mason.
