Graveley, Cambridgeshire
Encyclopedia
Graveley is a village and civil parish in South
Cambridgeshire
, England
.
. Until Huntingdonshire
was merged into Cambridgeshire in 1965, its north, west, and south borders were with Huntingdonshire parishes. Its eastern border follows a small stream that separates it from Papworth St Agnes
.
In 1941 an area of 106 acres (42.9 ha) straddling the border with Offord Darcy was requisitioned by the government to form Graveley airfield and was used by bomber squadrons until the end of the Second World War. The part in Graveley included the end of the main runway and a number of buildings. The airfield closed in 1946 but reopened in the late 50s as a relief airstrip for Oakington
barracks. The land returned to agricultural use in 1967.
Listed as Greflea in the 10th century and Gravelei in the Domesday Book
of 1086 the name is believed to mean "woodland clearing by the pit or trench".
The church has been in the patronage of Jesus College, Cambridge
since 1558.
From the 18th century, the village had a schoolmaster, and in 1872 a new schoolroom for 70 children was built. Numbers had fallen to 20 by 1900 and under 10 by the 1930s. Older children were moved to Croxton
in 1948, and primary children followed when the school finally closed in 1961.
South Cambridgeshire
South Cambridgeshire is a mostly rural local government district of Cambridgeshire, England. It was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of Chesterton Rural District and South Cambridgeshire Rural District. It surrounds the city of Cambridge, which is administered separately from the district by...
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
History
The parish of Graveley covers an area of 1582 acres (640.2 ha) at the western end of the historical county of CambridgeshireCambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
. Until Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire is a local government district of Cambridgeshire, covering the area around Huntingdon. Traditionally it is a county in its own right...
was merged into Cambridgeshire in 1965, its north, west, and south borders were with Huntingdonshire parishes. Its eastern border follows a small stream that separates it from Papworth St Agnes
Papworth St Agnes
Papworth St Agnes is a village and civil parish in South Cambridgeshire, England.- History :The original village can be traced in the settlement remains between existing cottages and the Manor house....
.
In 1941 an area of 106 acres (42.9 ha) straddling the border with Offord Darcy was requisitioned by the government to form Graveley airfield and was used by bomber squadrons until the end of the Second World War. The part in Graveley included the end of the main runway and a number of buildings. The airfield closed in 1946 but reopened in the late 50s as a relief airstrip for Oakington
Oakington
Oakington is a small village 4 miles north-west of Cambridge in Cambridgeshire in England, and belongs to the administrative district of South Cambridgeshire. The village falls into the parish of Oakington and Westwick.-History:...
barracks. The land returned to agricultural use in 1967.
Listed as Greflea in the 10th century and Gravelei in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086 the name is believed to mean "woodland clearing by the pit or trench".
Church
The parish church has been dedicated to St Botolph since at least the 14th century. The present building consists of a long chancel and a four-bay nave with north aisle, and a three-stage west tower. The present building largely dates from the 13th century, but fragments of a Norman building survive. The current tower dates from the 15th century. The chancel was rebuilt in the mid-18th century. Further restoration was performed in 1874 and again in 1888.The church has been in the patronage of Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The College was founded in 1496 on the site of a Benedictine nunnery by John Alcock, then Bishop of Ely...
since 1558.
Village life
The village has one public house, the Three Horseshoes, that opened in the early 20th century. Previous to that The Chequers served between the 1760s until it burnt down in around 1900, after which The White Lion opened, closing in around 1920.From the 18th century, the village had a schoolmaster, and in 1872 a new schoolroom for 70 children was built. Numbers had fallen to 20 by 1900 and under 10 by the 1930s. Older children were moved to Croxton
Croxton, Cambridgeshire
Croxton is a village and civil parish about 13 miles west of Cambridge in South Cambridgeshire, England. In 2001, the resident population was 163 people. Croxton Park is to the south of the current village and contains a large house and parkland....
in 1948, and primary children followed when the school finally closed in 1961.