Countess Ethelgiva (died 985) second wife of the earldorman Ailwyn, gave to the monks of Ramsey Abbey (Hunts), an estate at Longstowe. It included a hide at Bourn which was a berewick of that estate in 1086 and remained connected with it until the late 13th century.

The Longstowe property was held by the abbey in demesne in 1066, when it was reckoned at 2 hides, but in 1086 it was occupied by a tenant, one Guy. Subsequently the Ramsey land at Longstowe may have been appropriated by Picot the sheriff, for it was recovered from his successor, Pain Peverel, Lord of Bourn, by Abbot Bernard (died 1107). The overlordship of the chief manor, called from one of its 12th century tenants STOWE WYTHE, was retained by the abbey until the dissolution, after which it may have come to Richard Williams alias Cromwell, who acquired much Ramsey land from the crown in 1540.

Reinald (Reginald) abbot of Ramsey 1114-33, granted the abbeys demesne at Longstowe, among other lands to Guy of Eu, whose son Gilbert soon after relinquished it to Reinald most of the grant, including Longstowe, under an exchange. Guy of Stowe, probably son of Gilbert held 3½ hides off the abbot in 1166, and he or a namesake, whi held the 3½ hides c1185, was still alive in 1200.

At the time of the Domesday survey the three estates in Longstowe, those held by the abbey of Ramsey, Count Alan and Hardwin de S–lers, together comprised 3 hides and a virgate. Arable farming evidently predominated and there were 6½ ploughs and 6 oxen, forming part of a further plough team, together with meadow lands for those beasts. Two ploughs were attached to the abbots demesne farm. There were five villani and 6 Bordars on the abbots land. In all it is worth 50s.

The abbot had pasture for the cattle of the vill, and each estate had wood for fences and houses.There was probably a church at Longstowe c1100, belonging to Ramsey Abbey, for Abbot Reinald received half the tithe when he granted the manor to Guy of Eu. The avowson subsequently descended with the manor held by the family of Stowe. (Ref 25)