Litlington, Cambridgeshire
Encyclopedia
Litlington is a village and civil parish in the East of England
region and the county Cambridgeshire
in the United Kingdom
. The village lies around 14 miles (22.5 km) south west of Cambridge
and 3 miles (4.8 km) north west of Royston
.
on the Icknield Way
that now follows the A505
. Its northern border with Abington Pigotts
follows a stream, and its western and eastern boundary with Steeple Morden
and Bassingbourn
follow field boundaries.
The ancient track Ashwell Street runs through the parish just south of the village, and the parish has been occupied continuously for over 2000 years. A Roman villa probably dating from the 2nd century AD and containing 30 rooms was discovered just west of the village in 1829 and was excavated in 1881 and 1913.
Prior to the building of the Royston bypass, traffic would frequently go through Litlington to avoid Royston itself. This led to such a volume of traffic that in 1971 the village became the first in Cambridgeshire to introduce a one-way system through the village.
The village was referenced as Litlingetona in ca. 1080, appearing in the Domesday Book
as Lidlingtone and Lidlintone, and in its current form as early as 1242. The name "Litlington" means "farmstead of the family or followers of a man called Lytel".
at the village's chalkpit had grown into a thorn tree. The Seven Stars also opened in the late 19th century. In addition The Horse and Groom was open in the south west corner of the parish, straddling the border with Steeple Morden
, in the late 18th century to serve travellers on the turnpike. It closed towards the end of the 20th century.
The village also retains a village shop with post office, a village hall and a football ground with Recreation Centre and play area.
first transmitted on 7 November 2010. "A quiet Cambridgeshire village gets the full Time Team treatment as Tony and the digging team hunt for the missing remains of what is believed to be one of Britain's biggest Roman villas."
East of England
The East of England is one of the nine official regions of England. It was created in 1994 and was adopted for statistics from 1999. It includes the ceremonial counties of Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. Essex has the highest population in the region.Its...
region and the county 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...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The village lies around 14 miles (22.5 km) south west of Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
and 3 miles (4.8 km) north west of Royston
Royston, Hertfordshire
Royston is a town and civil parish in the District of North Hertfordshire and county of Hertfordshire in England.It is situated on the Greenwich Meridian, which brushes the towns western boundary, and at the northernmost apex of the county on the same latitude of towns such as Milton Keynes and...
.
History
The parish of Litlington covers 2171 acres (878.6 ha) in a thin north-south rectangular shape. Its southern border runs along the county border with HertfordshireHertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
on the Icknield Way
Icknield Way
The Icknield Way is an ancient trackway in southern England. It follows the chalk escarpment that includes the Berkshire Downs and Chiltern Hills.-Background:...
that now follows the A505
A505 road
The A505 is an A-class road in the United Kingdom. It follows part of the route of the Icknield Way and the corresponding Icknield Way Path.-Bedfordshire:...
. Its northern border with Abington Pigotts
Abington Pigotts
Abington Pigotts is a small village in Cambridgeshire, England about 4 miles northwest of Royston, Hertfordshire.-History:The parish of Abington Pigotts covers an area of...
follows a stream, and its western and eastern boundary with Steeple Morden
Steeple Morden
Steeple Morden is a village and civil parish in Cambridgeshire, England, about south west of Cambridge and west of Royston. It is part of the South Cambridgeshire local government district....
and Bassingbourn
Bassingbourn
Bassingbourn can refer to:* Bassingbourn cum Kneesworth, a civil parish in Cambridgeshire, England* RAF Bassingbourn or Bassingbourn Barracks, a former military airbase located in Cambridgeshire...
follow field boundaries.
The ancient track Ashwell Street runs through the parish just south of the village, and the parish has been occupied continuously for over 2000 years. A Roman villa probably dating from the 2nd century AD and containing 30 rooms was discovered just west of the village in 1829 and was excavated in 1881 and 1913.
Prior to the building of the Royston bypass, traffic would frequently go through Litlington to avoid Royston itself. This led to such a volume of traffic that in 1971 the village became the first in Cambridgeshire to introduce a one-way system through the village.
The village was referenced as Litlingetona in ca. 1080, appearing 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...
as Lidlingtone and Lidlintone, and in its current form as early as 1242. The name "Litlington" means "farmstead of the family or followers of a man called Lytel".
Church
The parish church St Catherine consists of a chancel with vestry, aisled and clerestoried nave with south porch and west tower. The earliest parts of the church, including the base of the tower, date from the 13th century. The tower itself is mostly 14th century, and once had a short spire. The church was extensively refurbished at the start of the 19th century, and with the addition of a gallery increased its capacity to around 500.Village life
Litlington has one remaining public houses, The Crown, which opened in the late 19th century. Former pubs include the Robin Hood and Little John, recorded in the early 19th century and closing around 1910. It was named after a local legend that an arrow fired by Robin HoodRobin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
at the village's chalkpit had grown into a thorn tree. The Seven Stars also opened in the late 19th century. In addition The Horse and Groom was open in the south west corner of the parish, straddling the border with Steeple Morden
Steeple Morden
Steeple Morden is a village and civil parish in Cambridgeshire, England, about south west of Cambridge and west of Royston. It is part of the South Cambridgeshire local government district....
, in the late 18th century to serve travellers on the turnpike. It closed towards the end of the 20th century.
The village also retains a village shop with post office, a village hall and a football ground with Recreation Centre and play area.
Time Team
"There's A Villa Here Somewhere" was an episode of Time TeamTime Team
Time Team is a British television series which has been aired on Channel 4 since 1994. Created by television producer Tim Taylor and presented by actor Tony Robinson, each episode features a team of specialists carrying out an archaeological dig over a period of three days, with Robinson explaining...
first transmitted on 7 November 2010. "A quiet Cambridgeshire village gets the full Time Team treatment as Tony and the digging team hunt for the missing remains of what is believed to be one of Britain's biggest Roman villas."
Further reading
- Litlington Views: 1944 and 1984; photographs by Bill Dumas and Brian Maynard; edited by Peter Griffiths. Royston: Limlow Books, 1993.
- History of Abington PigottsAbington PigottsAbington Pigotts is a small village in Cambridgeshire, England about 4 miles northwest of Royston, Hertfordshire.-History:The parish of Abington Pigotts covers an area of...
with Litlington: churches & parishes, with the manors; by Magens De Courcy-Ireland. Royston: [the author], 1944.