High Street, Somersham, Huntingdonshire 1998

In former times Somersham, with its 700 year old church, had been a favourite place of the Bishops of Ely for it was there that they built a palace which one Bishop liked so much that “he lived all summer at Somersham keeping company with a certain woman in an offensive manner”.  It had Royal connections too, for the manor was part the settlement made on Henrietta Maria’s marriage to King Charles the First. During the Civil War it was granted to Oliver Cromwell’s brother in law.

In 1851 the village of Somersham was described as being "remarkably clean and neat" and "situated in a pleasant and fertile district abounding with mineral and other springs remarkable for the purity and salubrity of their waters". It consists of one main street nearly a mile in length with a shorter one crossing at its upper end and until the turn of the 19th century was a market town with fairs for small wares in June and November. In the 1850s a number of inhabitants earned a living preparing wicks for rush lights which were transported to various parts of the country.

The Weir at Warboys

This photograph was taken in August 2000 by Mike & Julia Campbell. The significance of the picture can be seen when compared to the one below ("borrowed" from Cambridgeshire Library service) which shows the same scene about 100 years earlier, on the occasion of a public baptism.

View of Warboys village

in August 2000 by Mike & Julia Campbell. Again below is the same area about 1910

What was life like in the fens and in Warboys in those days?

In the 1650s fenland folk were growing oats and wheat, hemp and flax, and vegetables. Near Whittlesey there were rich meadows and plantations of fruit. However, gnats were a nuisance and flooding frequent and in 1724 windmills began to be erected to pump water and prevent flooding. So many were built that they dominated the landscape -there were 50 in Whittlesey parish alone. By 1794 things were much improved and although there were still large areas of unimproved fen, outside was "nearly all corn country -growing barley and wheat" Around the Isle of Ely there was much sheep and cattle raising. [Hist. Geog to 1800]

Warboys was and is a parish of 8,103 acres lying in the north eastern part of Huntingdonshire, much of which was still "fenny" as late as 1850. The village was described at that time as " the largest and most populous in the county" (population 1996 in 1851) with houses -many of which were "well built and of a respectable and pleasing exterior"- spread over a large area of ground. The village's situation, 4 miles south east of the town of Ramsey, was described as " healthy and open". The church of St. Mary Magdalene is early English and its nave features Norman arches and an ancient font.

The Witches of Warboys
The town achieved notoriety in 1693 as a result of the case known as "The Three Witches of Warboys". The witches -John Samwell, his wife Alice and daughter Ann- were convicted and executed at Huntingdon for "bewitching of the five daughters of Robert Throckmorten, Esquire and divers other persons, with sundry devilish and grievous torments; and also for bewitching unto Death, the Lady Cromwell".

The Blacksmiths Shop in Woodhurst,

Residence and smithy of John Dring of Woodhurst Now known as Swan Wier (photograph taken in 1999) To the left of this building is the pond pictured below.

Entering Church Street, Woodhurst View from the pond alongside John Dring's Smithy to his neighbour's house across the street. The street sign behind the car shows that you are entering Church Street (coming from St Ives).Under the windows of this cottage are long hooks, known as fire hooks. they were provided for the speedy stripping of thatch from the roof in the event of fire (a constant threat with close packed timber framed cottages with thatched roofs, open hearths and candles. Woodhurst suffered a serious fire in 1834 when almost half the village was destroyed, leaving twelve families homeless. It was reported that people were slow to respond as they were either drunk at one of the 7 public houses or engaged in fighting contests.

The information above about the fire hooks and fire was added after I bought the excellent book "Curiosities of Huntingdonshire" (cost about GB£2.50 (US$3.50 apx) available from Hunts FHS (internet purchases through Genfair)

Looking West along Church Street, Woodhurst from the village water pump. Picture taken October 2000