Buckden, Cambridgeshire

Buckden Towers and parish church

Buckden is a historic village south of Huntingdon, just off the busy A1. Buckden was once the home of Catherine of Aragon - though I doubt she appreciated it, as she was a virtual prisoner on the orders of her estranged husband, Henry VIII.

The most intriguing buildings in the village are the so-called Buckden Towers. The Towers were built to serve as a palace for the powerful Bishops of Lincoln. The Towers are built of red brick, around a central courtyard. The Towers now serve as a residential and retreat centre for Claretian missionaries.

Immediately behind the high red brick wall around the Towers is the parish church of St Mary, a lovely medieval building.

Buckden's prosperity was built around its location on the major coach route between London and the north of England.

Since the coaching days, Buckden has become more of a peaceful backwater, though the proximity of the A1 ensures that it will never be completely quiet!