Cambridgeshire Travel Guide - Towns and villages

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.
Buckden, Cambridgeshire, England

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One of the most popular and endearing historic towns in England, Cambridge owes its prominence as a tourist destination to the medieval university buildings that take up so much of the town centre. The wonderful architecture of the medieval colleges give a fascinating glimpse into life long ago, and the rich history of the colleges makes for enjoyable exploring. And when you're done exploring the university, try your hand at punting on the River Cam.
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England

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A small, quiet village on the River Great Ouse, near the border of Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire. The village suffers from the urban sprawl of St. Neots, across the county border, but maintains its own sense of identity and long history. The main point of interest is the 15th-century church of St Mary, which boasts a 12th-century font made of Purbeck marble.
Eaton Socon, Cambridgeshire, England

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Elsworth is a village in south Cambridgeshire, about 9 miles from Cambridge. Elsworth was inhabited at least as early as the 10th century and is listed in the Domesday Book. The parish church of Holy Trinity dates to the 14th century and is built on the site of an earlier 11th-century church belonging to Ramsey Abbey. The highlight of the church is a series of Perpendicular choir stalls with beautifully carved linenfold panelling and poppyhead bench ends. of thatched cottages and farmhouses grouped around a brook. The church looks out over a small brook that runs through the centre of the village, past a lovely collection of thatched cottages.
Elsworth, Cambridgeshire, England

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The name 'Ely' tells a lot about the history of this small, pretty town. The name comes from the Saxon for 'eel Island', a reference to the large number of eels caught here in the marshes that covered most of the landscape before the Fens were drained in the 17th and 18th centuries. At the heart of Ely is the fabulous medieval cathedral, famous for its wooden-framed lantern tower, a marvel of medieval architecture.
Ely, Cambridgeshire, England

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Godmanchester is a pretty town on the River Great Ouse, just south of Huntingdon. The town began as a Roman fort and stands at the junction of major Roman roads. Highlights include Huntingdon Old Bridge, begun around 1300.
A1307, Godmanchester, Huntingdonshire, Cambridgeshire, England

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Heritage Highlight: St Mary's 13th-century parish church

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Grantchester lies on the edge of urban Cambridge but still manages to retain the charm of a village. At the heart of the village is the vicarage that was home to poet Rupert Brooke when he attended King's College, Thatched cottages add to the traditional feel of old Grantchester.
Grantchester, Cambridgeshire, England

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Hemingford Abbots is a pretty village on the River Great Ouse, just outside Godmanchester. The village boasts a large number of thatched buildings and the parish church of St Margaret dates to around 1300. Look for the picturesque and historic thatched pub, the Axe and Compass.
A1307, Hemingford Abbots, Cambridgeshire, England

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Heritage Highlight: The medieval parish church of St Margaret

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Hemingford Grey is a beautiful chocolate-box village on the south bank of the River Great Ouse near St Ives. The Manor House dates to 1130 and is one of the oldest continuously occupied houses in Britain.
Hemingford Grey, Cambridgeshire, England

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Heritage Highlight: 12th-century Hemingford Grey Manor

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Huntingdon is an attractive market town, famed as the birthplace of Oliver Cromwell. There is a small museum opposite the medieval parish church where Cromwell was baptised. There was a Roman villa here, and a Saxon town grew up here on the River Great Ouse as early as the 6th century. For centuries Huntingdon was the county town of Huntingdonshire, but the county disappeared as a distinct entity during political reform in 1974 (Huntingdonshire lives on as an administrative district). The poet William Cowper lived in Huntingdon, and a plaque marks his unpretentious house.
Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, England

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