Snailwell
Encyclopedia
Snailwell is a small village and civil parish in East
Cambridgeshire
, England
around 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) north of Newmarket.
. The western and southern boundaries also form the border between Cambridgeshire and Suffolk, with the southern boundary following the line of the ancient Icknield Way
(now the B1506). The northern boundary with Fordham
follows the River Snail that rises in the parish, and the eastern boundary with Chippenham
follows field boundaries.
The parish has been occupied since at least the Bronze Age
when woodland was cleared. Ten tumuli
, discovered in 1879, were situated alongside the Icknield Way but were flattened in 1941 when preparing space for a wartime airfield. The airfield was open from 1941 until 1946 just north of the railway line towards Bury St Edmunds and housed primarily American Air Force personnel with contingents from the R.A.F.
, 302 Polish squadron and the Royal Belgian Air Force. Sections of the concrete track and air-raid shelters can still be seen.
Due to its prosimity to Newmarket, the village has been heavily involved in the breeding and training of horses since the Jockey Club
of Newmarket bought 421 acres (170.4 ha) in the village for training in around 1882. In around 1900 Snailwell Stud was founded to the south-west of the village and grew to one of the most renowned in the country. Its most famous stallion was Chamossaire (1943-65), and in 1965 a life-size bronze statue of the horse was made by John Skeating to stand where the Newmarket Road reaches the village. Around a third of the land in the parish is now involved in the horse-racing industry.
Listed as Sneillewelle in around 1050, and Snelleuuelle in the Domesday Book
of 1086, the village's name means "spring or stream infested with snails" or perhaps "sluggish stream". The spring in question may well be that in the north west of the parish that is the source of the River Snail.
in Cambridgeshire (the other being in Bartlow
). The tower is the oldest part of the church and was built in the 11th century. It had a lead spire until the mid-19th century. The chancel dates from the 13th century.
The church had fallen into disrepair by 1820 and attendance fell. In 1878 a new rector immediately closed the church in order to perform extensive renovation.
The 17th century lawyer Sir Isaac Thornton
is buried in the church, as is Sir Arthur Clarke
(1715-1806), the last of the Baronets of Snailwell.
An annual fair, the Snailwell Medieval Fayre, is held each May in the village, though none was held in 2011.
East Cambridgeshire
East Cambridgeshire is a local government district in Cambridgeshire, England. Its council is based in Ely....
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...
around 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) north of Newmarket.
History
The parish of Snailwell covers an area of 2034 acres (823.1 ha) in the extension of eastern Cambridgeshire that surrounds the town of Newmarket in SuffolkSuffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
. The western and southern boundaries also form the border between Cambridgeshire and Suffolk, with the southern boundary following the line of the ancient 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:...
(now the B1506). The northern boundary with Fordham
Fordham, Cambridgeshire
Fordham is a village in rural Cambridgeshire, England. Fordham is part of the East Cambridgeshire district. It is four miles north of Newmarket, as well as being close to the settlements of Soham, Burwell, Isleham, Mildenhall and Chippenham.-History:...
follows the River Snail that rises in the parish, and the eastern boundary with Chippenham
Chippenham, Cambridgeshire
Chippenham is a village and civil parish in Cambridgeshire, England, part of East Cambridgeshire district around north-east of Newmarket and north-east of Cambridge.-History:The parish of Chippenham covers at the eastern end of Cambridgeshire...
follows field boundaries.
The parish has been occupied since at least the Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
when woodland was cleared. Ten tumuli
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
, discovered in 1879, were situated alongside the Icknield Way but were flattened in 1941 when preparing space for a wartime airfield. The airfield was open from 1941 until 1946 just north of the railway line towards Bury St Edmunds and housed primarily American Air Force personnel with contingents from the R.A.F.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, 302 Polish squadron and the Royal Belgian Air Force. Sections of the concrete track and air-raid shelters can still be seen.
Due to its prosimity to Newmarket, the village has been heavily involved in the breeding and training of horses since the Jockey Club
Jockey Club
The Jockey Club is the largest commercial organisation in British horseracing. Although no longer responsible for the governance and regulation of the sport, it owns 14 of Britain's famous racecourses, including Aintree, Cheltenham and Newmarket, amongst other concerns such as the National Stud and...
of Newmarket bought 421 acres (170.4 ha) in the village for training in around 1882. In around 1900 Snailwell Stud was founded to the south-west of the village and grew to one of the most renowned in the country. Its most famous stallion was Chamossaire (1943-65), and in 1965 a life-size bronze statue of the horse was made by John Skeating to stand where the Newmarket Road reaches the village. Around a third of the land in the parish is now involved in the horse-racing industry.
Listed as Sneillewelle in around 1050, and Snelleuuelle 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 village's name means "spring or stream infested with snails" or perhaps "sluggish stream". The spring in question may well be that in the north west of the parish that is the source of the River Snail.
Church
There has been a church in Snailwell since at least the 11th century and the present parish church dates from this period. Now dedicated to St Peter it was dedicated to St Andrew in the 13th century. The current building consists of a clerestoried nave with north and south aisles, chancel and a circular west tower, one of only two round-tower churchesRound-tower church
Round-tower churches are a type of church found mainly in England, almost solely in East Anglia; of about 185 surviving examples in the country, 124 are in Norfolk, 38 in Suffolk, 6 in Essex, 3 in Sussex and 2 each in Cambridgeshire and Berkshire. There is evidence of about twenty round-tower...
in Cambridgeshire (the other being in Bartlow
Bartlow
Bartlow is a small village and civil parish in the South Cambridgeshire district of Cambridgeshire, England, about south-east of Cambridge and west of Haverhill in Suffolk. The River Granta runs through the village.-History:...
). The tower is the oldest part of the church and was built in the 11th century. It had a lead spire until the mid-19th century. The chancel dates from the 13th century.
The church had fallen into disrepair by 1820 and attendance fell. In 1878 a new rector immediately closed the church in order to perform extensive renovation.
The 17th century lawyer Sir Isaac Thornton
Isaac Thornton
Sir Isaac Thornton was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1660.Thornton was the son of Sir Roger Thornton of Soane, Cambridgeshire. He matriculated from Corpus Christi, Cambridge at Easter 1631...
is buried in the church, as is Sir Arthur Clarke
Clarke Baronets
There have been five Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Clarke , two in the Baronetage of England and three in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom...
(1715-1806), the last of the Baronets of Snailwell.
Village life
A pub has been recorded in Snailwell since at least 1670. The village's only remaining pub, The George and Dragon, opened before 1834, moving to its present site in 1842.An annual fair, the Snailwell Medieval Fayre, is held each May in the village, though none was held in 2011.