Houghton, Cambridgeshire
Encyclopedia
Houghton is a village in the English county of Cambridgeshire
. Prior to 1974, it was part of the former county of Huntingdonshire
. The village is in the civil parish
of Houghton and Wyton and is situated between Huntingdon
and St Ives
on the A1123 road, and not far south of RAF Wyton
. It lies on the north bank of the River Great Ouse
, where Houghton Mill
is located.
and described as "Hoctune".
It has had a number of serious floods.
There used to be an old piece of film footage taken by the Houghton Scout group of the village.
The first RAF sortie of the second world war was flown out of RAF Wyton.
that is still used for demonstrating flour milling.
There is a fine Norman (Anglican) church, St Mary's and a former chapel that has been converted into a retreat centre.
There is a picturesque village centre, known affectionately as "the green" (although no grass has been present for very many years) and marked by a thatched clock tower. On the village green there is a statue to Potto Brown
, atraditional old water pump and red phone box.
It is possible to walk from Houghton to Hemingford Abbots
across the flood meadows and to St Ives
along the Thicket Path. There is a nature reserve along the Thicket Path known as Houghton Meadows ("Far Close") that shows markings of traditional ridge and furrow
farming.
In the village centre there is a War memorial hall.
On Houghton Hill there is a cemetery.
There used to be two veterinary poultry research centres, one on Houghton Hill and the other in "The Elms".
There are a number of old houses of interest, particularly in the village green and near the playing field. The playing field is used for football, tennis
and cricket
. The field was donated to the village by Mr Anderson, whose family used to farm in the village. On the field there is a bowling
club, cricket
pavilion, tennis courts, football pitch and a scout hut.
At the village green is the former home of artist Charles Whymper. He was a relative of Edward Whymper
who led the first ascent of the Matterhorn
, in which members of the team (including schoolboy Douglas Hadow died during the descent under what some consider controversial circumstances. A model of the mountain is in the garden and just visible from the green.
The village is also home to the Three Horseshoes and Three Jolly Butchers pubs.
Punts
and rowing boats can be hired at the riverside across the watermill footbridge.
The disused railway line runs through Houghton near the river.
Scarecrow competition
Drama evening
Tennis tournament
Fishing competition
Homecraft competitions
Gardening competition
Poetry (for children)
Photo competition
Bowls tournament
Musical performance
Cricket
Bingo
Fun Run - prize for best Potto Brown lookalike.
Riverside Picnic
Duck race and face painting
Jazz at Houghton mill
Car treasure hunt
Football competition
Antiques road show
Golf challenge
Cheese and wine and Quiz
Open air church service
Bread and baking with Houghton Mill Flour
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...
. Prior to 1974, it was part of the former county of Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire is a local government district of Cambridgeshire, covering the area around Huntingdon. Traditionally it is a county in its own right...
. The village is in the civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
of Houghton and Wyton and is situated between Huntingdon
Huntingdon
Huntingdon is a market town in Cambridgeshire, England. The town was chartered by King John in 1205. It is the traditional county town of Huntingdonshire, and is currently the seat of the Huntingdonshire district council. It is known as the birthplace in 1599 of Oliver Cromwell.-History:Huntingdon...
and St Ives
St Ives, Cambridgeshire
St Ives is a market town in Cambridgeshire, England, around north-west of the city of Cambridge and north of London. It lies within the historic county boundaries of Huntingdonshire.-History:...
on the A1123 road, and not far south of RAF Wyton
RAF Wyton
RAF Wyton is a Royal Air Force station near St. Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.In terms of organisation RAF Wyton is now part of the combined station RAF Brampton Wyton Henlow, a merger of Wyton with two previously separate bases, RAF Brampton and RAF Henlow. Wyton is the largest of the three. It...
. It lies on the north bank of the River Great Ouse
River Great Ouse
The Great Ouse is a river in the east of England. At long, it is the fourth-longest river in the United Kingdom. The river has been important for navigation, and for draining the low-lying region through which it flows. Its course has been modified several times, with the first recorded being in...
, where Houghton Mill
Houghton Mill
Houghton Mill is a water mill located on the Great Ouse in Houghton, Cambridgeshire, England. It is a National Trust property.-History:Various mills have occupied this spot since the first building was erected in the year 969. In the Middle Ages, the mill was owned by the nearby Benedictine Abbey,...
is located.
History
Houghton is mentioned in the Domesday BookDomesday 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...
and described as "Hoctune".
It has had a number of serious floods.
There used to be an old piece of film footage taken by the Houghton Scout group of the village.
The first RAF sortie of the second world war was flown out of RAF Wyton.
Notable buildings
Houghton has a beautiful old watermill owned by the National TrustNational Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
that is still used for demonstrating flour milling.
There is a fine Norman (Anglican) church, St Mary's and a former chapel that has been converted into a retreat centre.
Other Places of interest
Potto Brown
Potto Brown was a miller and nonconformist philanthropist in Huntingdonshire, England. He is commemorated by a statue in the village of Houghton where he was born, lived and died. Local schools and churches are a monument to his philanthropy....
, atraditional old water pump and red phone box.
It is possible to walk from Houghton to Hemingford Abbots
Hemingford Abbots
Hemingford Abbots is a village in Huntingdonshire , England. The village, almost continuous with neighbouring Hemingford Grey, is situated two miles south west of St Ives.-History:...
across the flood meadows and to St Ives
St Ives, Cambridgeshire
St Ives is a market town in Cambridgeshire, England, around north-west of the city of Cambridge and north of London. It lies within the historic county boundaries of Huntingdonshire.-History:...
along the Thicket Path. There is a nature reserve along the Thicket Path known as Houghton Meadows ("Far Close") that shows markings of traditional ridge and furrow
Ridge and furrow
Ridge and furrow is an archaeological pattern of ridges and troughs created by a system of ploughing used in Europe during the Middle Ages. The earliest examples date to the immediate post-Roman period and the system was used until the 17th century in some areas. Ridge and furrow topography is...
farming.
In the village centre there is a War memorial hall.
On Houghton Hill there is a cemetery.
There used to be two veterinary poultry research centres, one on Houghton Hill and the other in "The Elms".
There are a number of old houses of interest, particularly in the village green and near the playing field. The playing field is used for football, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
and cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
. The field was donated to the village by Mr Anderson, whose family used to farm in the village. On the field there is a bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
club, cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
pavilion, tennis courts, football pitch and a scout hut.
At the village green is the former home of artist Charles Whymper. He was a relative of Edward Whymper
Edward Whymper
Edward Whymper , was an English illustrator, climber and explorer best known for the first ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865. On the descent four members of the party were killed.-Early life:...
who led the first ascent of the Matterhorn
Matterhorn
The Matterhorn , Monte Cervino or Mont Cervin , is a mountain in the Pennine Alps on the border between Switzerland and Italy. Its summit is 4,478 metres high, making it one of the highest peaks in the Alps. The four steep faces, rising above the surrounding glaciers, face the four compass points...
, in which members of the team (including schoolboy Douglas Hadow died during the descent under what some consider controversial circumstances. A model of the mountain is in the garden and just visible from the green.
The village is also home to the Three Horseshoes and Three Jolly Butchers pubs.
Punts
Punt (boat)
A punt is a flat-bottomed boat with a square-cut bow, designed for use in small rivers or other shallow water. Punting refers to boating in a punt. The punter generally propels the punt by pushing against the river bed with a pole...
and rowing boats can be hired at the riverside across the watermill footbridge.
The disused railway line runs through Houghton near the river.
Feast week
Every summer (normally the first fortnight of July) there is a week of community events, entitled "feast week". This has included a fun run, fayre and other sporting and fancy dress events. Other events include:Scarecrow competition
Drama evening
Tennis tournament
Fishing competition
Homecraft competitions
Gardening competition
Poetry (for children)
Photo competition
Bowls tournament
Musical performance
Cricket
Bingo
Fun Run - prize for best Potto Brown lookalike.
Riverside Picnic
Duck race and face painting
Jazz at Houghton mill
Car treasure hunt
Football competition
Antiques road show
Golf challenge
Cheese and wine and Quiz
Open air church service
Bread and baking with Houghton Mill Flour
Education
The only school in the village is Houghton Primary School for children aged five to eleven. The school straddles the boundary between Houghton and Wyton. Children from the school normally feed into St Peters school, Huntingdon, although some pupils go to St Ivo school, Hinchingbrooke school, or Ramsey Abbey school.Notable residents
- Potto BrownPotto BrownPotto Brown was a miller and nonconformist philanthropist in Huntingdonshire, England. He is commemorated by a statue in the village of Houghton where he was born, lived and died. Local schools and churches are a monument to his philanthropy....
- Claud Vernon Burder
- George Christopher Burder MC (died 17th April 1945 in Germany) formerly of Wyton Rectory and son of Revd. Claud Vernon Burder and Mary Gabrielle Fielding Burder. He has been described by the Torenmuseum De Peperbus museum in Geffen as the 'hero of Geffen'
- Charles Whymper, artist
- John Leslie GreenJohn Leslie GreenJohn Leslie Green VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Early life:...
, awarded the Victoria crossVictoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
during world war one