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| A Tale of Cambridgeshire History-00-4590 |
By:
4Ps--Marketing |
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Cambridge itself boasts historical roots that date back for centuries and its surrounding areas are no exception.
To the north of Cambridge is Ely; the third smallest city in the UK and home to numerous cathedrals. Its name derives from the word ‘island’ as for many years it was situated amongst eel-rich marshlands that separated Ely from nearby towns and villages. The origin of the small city comes from the foundations of an abbey that was built in 673AD that was destroyed and rebuilt throughout the years. Once home to Oliver Cromwell in the 17th century, his former abode is now the Tourist Information Centre and attracts many to admire its façade.
Huntingdon is also a popular area which was founded by the Anglo-Saxons and the Danish. After experiencing a mixed history, from a market town to a coaching centre, Huntingdon is now famous for its medieval bridge that was part of the ancient Ermine Street. Nearby is St Ives, a town that is famous for its market-status that it has successfully upheld for more than 1,000 years. The Great River Ouse is the setting for the bustling market town and for many years it relied on the waterway for trading and travel.
Travelling to the south-west from St Ives you will find St Neots; a pretty town that reaped the rewards for being part of the pilgrim trade in the 11th and 12th centuries. Six hundred years later corn milling, stage coaching and brewing also brought prosperity and the Great River Ouse also played its part in the town’s history even though nowadays it is mainly used for recreation.
Further to the east is Newmarket, which actually sits in the county of Suffolk and is world-famous for its horse racing events. Racing here has been enjoyed since 1174 and the town celebrates its long and well established roots in the horse racing circuit at every opportunity. King James I can be thanked for his enthusiasm in the sport, which fuelled its popularity in the 1600s. King Charles I enjoyed the inaugural cup race in 1634 and more recently in 1967, Queen Elizabeth II a breeding centre specifically aimed at breeding thoroughbred horses.
South-east of Newmarket sits the Saxon-established town of Haverhill that sadly lost the majority of its historical buildings in a devastating fire in the 1600s. There is an interesting Tudor house that was awarded to Anne of Cleves following her divorce from Henry VIII and numerous Victorian-era buildings that draw many to visit. The 1960s saw an increase in population as many who suffered in WWII moved to the area to start a new life and nowadays many who live in the town commute to London for work, leaving the community with many non-local accents.
To the south of Cambridge lies Royston; a town that was created at the crossroads of two Roman military roads. Sometime between 1100 and 1400 a cave under the heart of the town was carved out and it lay undiscovered until the 1700s and is now a popular tourist attraction. A few miles to the east lies Saffron Walden that was founded by an Iron Age tribe. The 16th century saw the town play a dominant part in the wool trade, but soon after the saffron crocus was discovered and the precious flower was cultivated for its perfume, medicinal use, aphrodisiac qualities, and as a costly yellow coloured dye; thus lending the town its current name.
About the Author:
Cambridge News keeping you up to date with all the latest http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/cn_news_cambridge/ news. Plus all the news for the surrounding areas, such as the latest http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/cn_news_saffronwalden/. |
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