Willingham, Cambridgeshire
Encyclopedia
Willingham is a medium to large village
in Cambridgeshire
, England
. It is located on the edge of the Fens
just south of the River Ouse
. Driving north from the village one may observe the characteristic elevated straight roads and black soil.
Located approximately 12 miles (19 km) northwest of Cambridge
, on the B1050 road, Willingham Parish occupies 1878 hectares (4,641 acre), and had a population in 2007 of 3,900 people. Although the highest point in the village is only approximately 7 metres (23 ft) above sea level, Willingham is not generally considered to be at risk from flooding.
in 1650 which diverted the flow of the Ouse from the Old West into the New Bedford River
that the parish was able to remain largely unflooded. Additional areas were drained by windmill
s until replaced by steam pumps in the mid-19th century.
The area at the edge of the fens to the north of the present village was already occupied by the 2nd century, though these were at some point abandoned. The Aldreth causeway, which formed the main route between Cambridge and Ely
in medieval times and perhaps dating from the Bronze Age
, runs through the east of the parish past Belsar's Hill, and until the opening of the Cambridge-Ely turnpike in 1768, carriage traffic would have run through Willingham.
Willingham has almost always been one of the most populous villages in Cambridgeshire. Registered population grew from 23 at the time of the Domesday Book
in 1086 to 79 in 1251, and in 1377 the poll tax was paid by 287 adults. By 1801 the population was almost 800 inhabitants growing to more than 1600 in 1851 despite a wave of emigration to America in the 1830s. Numbers then remained generally constant until the 1960s when it grew rapidly again, and passing 2500 by 1981 and 3436 in 2001.
In 1940 a German spy parachuted into Willingham, was eventually captured and turned into a double agent.
The name Willingham probably originated from being the homestead of the family or followers of a man called "Wifel" and was called Vuivlingeham c. 1050 and Wivelingham around 1086. The name Wivelingham was also used to refer to the village until the 18th century.
There are currently two pubs in the village — The Duke of Wellington and The Black Bull. (The Three Tuns is now an Indian restaurant.) The first recorded alehouses were The George in 1665 and the Five Bells in 1671 though by the late 19th century the number had risen to 16 with The George and The Vine the most notable. The White Hart opened in 1910; there were still 7 pubs in 1933 and 5 in 1982, of which the oldest was The Duke of Wellington (known as the Warriors in the 18th century).
Transport links nearby include the A14 trunk road, guided busway
(opened in 2011), with the River Great Ouse
, also known as the Old West River, less than 2 miles (3 km) away, forming part of an extensive river network of almost 200 miles (322 km) of navigable river popular with boat owners. A bus service links Willingham and surrounding villages with Cambridge and St Ives.
Villages adjacent to Willingham include Earith
, Over
, Rampton
, Longstanton
, and Bar Hill
.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in 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...
. It is located on the edge of the Fens
The Fens
The Fens, also known as the , are a naturally marshy region in eastern England. Most of the fens were drained several centuries ago, resulting in a flat, damp, low-lying agricultural region....
just south of the River 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...
. Driving north from the village one may observe the characteristic elevated straight roads and black soil.
Located approximately 12 miles (19 km) northwest 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...
, on the B1050 road, Willingham Parish occupies 1878 hectares (4,641 acre), and had a population in 2007 of 3,900 people. Although the highest point in the village is only approximately 7 metres (23 ft) above sea level, Willingham is not generally considered to be at risk from flooding.
History
Willingham's history is closely associated to its position on the edge of the Fens and it was only with the major efforts to drain the Fens during the 17th century that the parish took its modern structure. During the Middle Ages, the majority of the low-lying land in the parish was inundated annually, and the village had two permanent meres, with the larger of the two growing to 380 acres at times of highest water level. It was only with the construction of the sluice at EarithEarith
Earith is a village in the Fens of Cambridgeshire, England, south of Chatteris and east of Huntingdon. At Earith, two artificial diversion channels of the River Great Ouse, the Old Bedford River and the New Bedford River, leave the river on a course to Denver Sluice near Downham Market, where they...
in 1650 which diverted the flow of the Ouse from the Old West into the New Bedford River
New Bedford River
The New Bedford River, also known as the Hundred Foot Drain because of the distance between the tops of the two embankments on either side of the river, is a man-made cut-off or by-pass channel of the River Great Ouse in the Fens of Cambridgeshire, England. It provides an almost straight channel...
that the parish was able to remain largely unflooded. Additional areas were drained by windmill
Windmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
s until replaced by steam pumps in the mid-19th century.
The area at the edge of the fens to the north of the present village was already occupied by the 2nd century, though these were at some point abandoned. The Aldreth causeway, which formed the main route between Cambridge and Ely
Ely, Cambridgeshire
Ely is a cathedral city in Cambridgeshire, England, 14 miles north-northeast of Cambridge and about by road from London. It is built on a Lower Greensand island, which at a maximum elevation of is the highest land in the Fens...
in medieval times and perhaps dating from 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...
, runs through the east of the parish past Belsar's Hill, and until the opening of the Cambridge-Ely turnpike in 1768, carriage traffic would have run through Willingham.
Willingham has almost always been one of the most populous villages in Cambridgeshire. Registered population grew from 23 at the time of 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...
in 1086 to 79 in 1251, and in 1377 the poll tax was paid by 287 adults. By 1801 the population was almost 800 inhabitants growing to more than 1600 in 1851 despite a wave of emigration to America in the 1830s. Numbers then remained generally constant until the 1960s when it grew rapidly again, and passing 2500 by 1981 and 3436 in 2001.
In 1940 a German spy parachuted into Willingham, was eventually captured and turned into a double agent.
The name Willingham probably originated from being the homestead of the family or followers of a man called "Wifel" and was called Vuivlingeham c. 1050 and Wivelingham around 1086. The name Wivelingham was also used to refer to the village until the 18th century.
Church
Evidence of Christian Anglo-Saxon activity in Willingham has been found, and there has probably been a church in the village since at least the 12th century. The present church of St Mary and All Saints was built on the foundations of the 12th century building. Mainly constructed in the 14th century, it consists of a chancel with north vestry, nave, a south porch, and a west tower with an unusual spire. It has notable 14th and 15th century figure paintings including a rare picture of a pregnant Virgin Mary.Village life
Willingham is well-served with facilities and has a primary school, library, surgery, post office and a number of shops and restaurants.There are currently two pubs in the village — The Duke of Wellington and The Black Bull. (The Three Tuns is now an Indian restaurant.) The first recorded alehouses were The George in 1665 and the Five Bells in 1671 though by the late 19th century the number had risen to 16 with The George and The Vine the most notable. The White Hart opened in 1910; there were still 7 pubs in 1933 and 5 in 1982, of which the oldest was The Duke of Wellington (known as the Warriors in the 18th century).
Transport links nearby include the A14 trunk road, guided busway
Cambridgeshire Guided Busway
The Cambridgeshire Guided Busway , branded the busway , is a public transport scheme connecting the population centres of Cambridge, Huntingdon and St Ives in the English county of Cambridgeshire...
(opened in 2011), with 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...
, also known as the Old West River, less than 2 miles (3 km) away, forming part of an extensive river network of almost 200 miles (322 km) of navigable river popular with boat owners. A bus service links Willingham and surrounding villages with Cambridge and St Ives.
Villages adjacent to Willingham include Earith
Earith
Earith is a village in the Fens of Cambridgeshire, England, south of Chatteris and east of Huntingdon. At Earith, two artificial diversion channels of the River Great Ouse, the Old Bedford River and the New Bedford River, leave the river on a course to Denver Sluice near Downham Market, where they...
, Over
Over, Cambridgeshire
Over is a large village near the River Great Ouse in the English county of Cambridgeshire, just east of the Prime Meridian.The parish covers an area of approximately...
, Rampton
Rampton, Cambridgeshire
Rampton is a village in Cambridgeshire, England. Situated on the edge of The Fens six miles to the north of Cambridge, it is a relatively small village of only around 400 people but has a thriving community.-History:...
, Longstanton
Longstanton
Longstanton is a village in South Cambridgeshire, England, 6 miles northwest of Cambridge city centre.-History:For most of its history Longstanton was split into two parishes: the larger Long Stanton All Saints to the north and the smaller Long Stanton St. Michael to the south...
, and Bar Hill
Bar Hill
Bar Hill is a purpose-built village with a population of 4,000 about 4 miles northwest of Cambridge, England on the A14 road.The Prime Meridian passes just to the west of Bar Hill.-History:...
.