| Godmanchester | |
|---|---|
 Godmanchester's Causeway, which overlooks theRiver Great Ouse | |
  Godmanchester Location withinCambridgeshire | |
| Area | 1.983 km2 (0.766 sq mi) civil parish |
| Population | 7,893 (2021) |
| • Density | 3,980/km2 (10,300/sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | TL245704 |
| • London | 56 miles (90 km) |
| Civil parish |
|
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | HUNTINGDON |
| Postcode district | PE29 |
| Dialling code | 01480 |
| Police | Cambridgeshire |
| Fire | Cambridgeshire |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| UK Parliament | |
| |
Godmanchester (/ˈɡɒdməntʃɛstər/GOD-mən-ches-tər)[2] is a town andcivil parish in theHuntingdonshire district ofCambridgeshire, England. It is separated fromHuntingdon, 1 mile (1.6 km) to the north, by the valley of theRiver Great Ouse. Being on theRoman road network, the town has a long history. It has a waterside location, surrounded by open countryside of high value for its biodiversity but it remains highly accessible, with arailway line toLondon, theA1 road andM11/A14 which run nearby.[3]
The name ‘Godmanchester’ is first attested asGodmundcestre in theDomesday Book of 1086, and subsequently variously appears asGutmuncetre, Gudmencestre, Gudmundcestria, Gum(m)uncestre, Gumencestre, Guncestre, Gumcestria, Gumecestre, Gommecestre, Gomecestria, Gummecestre, Gurmund(es)cestre, Gormecestre, Gormancestre, Gomecestre, Gunnecestre, Gurmecestre, Godmechestre, Gurminchestre, Gumchestre, Gurmencestre, Gumcestre, Gumestre, Godmonchestre, Gumecestur andGumycestre.[4]
The first part of the name comes from an Anglo-Saxon personal name, either Guðmund or Godmund. Godmund is also the basis of the place-namesGoodmanham (East Riding of Yorkshire) andGumley (Leicestershire). Later forms of these names occur with a spelling Guth- or Gut-. The second part of the name refers to theRoman fort or ‘chester’ (from the Latin ‘castrum’) south of theRiver Ouse, identified with the Durovigutum mentioned in theAntonine Itinerary.[4]
There is no etymological or historical connection between the town and the Danish KingGuðrum ofEast Anglia (c.835–890) or with theGoths, a Germanic people of central and eastern Europe.[4]
A minority of visitors, former residents and residents continue to pronounce the place asGumster (/ˈɡʌmstər/), though this has long-since been superseded byGodmunchester, with stress on the first syllable.[5][6]
The town is on the site of the Roman town ofDurovigutum.[7] There is archaeological evidence ofCeltic and earlier habitation prior to the establishment of a keyRoman town and amansio (inn), so the area has probably been continuously occupied for more than 2,000 years. In contrast toHuntingdon, archaeological finds have been extensive in the centre of Godmanchester.The town has twoconservation areas[8] showing architecture from the last 400 years. Over 100 privately occupiedListed buildings, including many timber-framedTudor houses may be seen. The largest being Tudor Farm, dating from 1600 and restored in 1995.
The remains of a 6.3-hectare (16-acre)neolithic temple of considerable importance,carbon dated to 3685–3365 cal BCE and aligned to theBeltane sunrise, were documented on the edge of Godmanchester.[9] The site between the town and the village ofHemingford Abbots has been exposed to gravel extraction.[10][11] The location is likely to have been originally settled due to thegravel beds providing a ford across theRiver Great Ouse.
The Roman settlement was at a crossroads of:Ermine Street, (from London to York); theVia Devana (fromColchester throughCambridge toChester); and a military road fromSandy, Bedfordshire. Archeological discoveries include a basilica, a bathhouse, temple, aMansio which is one of the largest in the UK, other villas, farmsteads and a hoard of Jewelry, suggesting a population of up to 3000 people. The end of the third century saw a catastrophic contraction of the Roman town, probably following an attack bySaxon raiders[12][13]
The town's prosperity since the Romans has been closely tied to its strategic position on the oldRoman Road from London to York. It is suggested that, in theMiddle Ages, theDanes allowed development of an inland port by digging theMill Lade.[14]
The place was listed asGodmundcestre in theDomesday Book of 1086 in theHundred of Leightonstone in Huntingdonshire.[15] The survey records that there were 26ploughlands, with capacity for a further 31 and, in addition to the arable land, there were 160 acres (65 hectares) of meadows, 50 acres (20 hectares) of woodland and threewater mills, a church and a priest.[16]
Godmanchester was first recognised with atown charter byKing John in 1212, although it had been amarket town and royal manor for some years. King James I granted a second Royal Charter in 1604.[14]
Farm Hall, on West Street, was used as a bugged detention centre for German nuclear scientists as part of Operation Epsilon, from July 1945 to January 1946.[17] The plot was successfully produced as aWest End play in 2023[18]
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Godmanchester was amunicipal borough based atGodmanchester Town Hall in the county of Huntingdonshire until 1961.[19] It was then part of the borough ofHuntingdon and Godmanchester until 1974.[19] At county level, the town was inHuntingdonshire until 1965, when it became part of the new administrative county ofHuntingdon and Peterborough.[20] In 1974, the former, relatively diminutive, county of Huntingdon and Peterborough was absorbed into the administrative county of Cambridgeshire.[21]
The highest tier of local government isCambridgeshire County Council, locally represented by two county councillors servingGodmanchester and Huntingdon East (electoral division).[22][23]
The second tier of local government, the planning authority and council-tax collecting body, isHuntingdonshire District Council, anon-metropolitan district, locally represented by two councillors elected for an eponymousward.[22][24]
The third and lowest tier of local government is Godmanchestertown council. The council comprises 17 councillors, including a mayor and a deputy mayor.[25]
Godmanchester is represented within the parliamentary constituency of Huntingdon, in theHouse of Commons.Ben Obese-Jecty(Conservative) was elected asMP in 2024, replacingJonathan Djanogly[22]
Since 1801, the population has been recorded every ten years by theUK census, the only exception being in 1941 due to theSecond World War. In the 19th century, the population ranged from 1,573 (in 1801) to 2,438 (recorded in 1861).[26]
The fastest growth, an 81% increase in population, was between 1981 and 1991[27]
Population figures since 1911 are:
| Parish | 1911 | 1921 | 1931 | 1951 | 1961 | 1971 | 1981 | 1991 | 2001 | 2011 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Godmanchester | 2,130 | 2,035 | 1,993 | 2,502 | 2,955 | 5,255 | 5,996 | 6,711 | 7,893 | ||
| Population census figures from reportHistoric Census figures Cambridgeshire to 2011 byCambridgeshire Insight.[26][28] The censuses of 1961 and 1971 are omitted asHuntingdon and Godmanchester were merged into a singlemunicipal borough. | |||||||||||
In 2021, the parish covered an area of 4,900 acres (1,983 hectares)[26] and so the population density for Godmanchester in 2021 was 10,300 persons per square mile (3,980 per square kilometre).[29]
By 2016, Godmanchester had a population of about 6800 in 3,100 homes;[30] it is expected that this will further increase to at least 4050 homes and 8600 residents by 2036.[31][32]
The town has a waterside location surrounded by open countryside of high value for its biodiversity, agricultural land value, scenic beauty and landscape quality.[33]
There are several bridges across the Great Ouse to Huntingdon. TheOld Bridge, Huntingdon, a historic, medieval bridge, was the only road until 1975. In that year the original bypass route which is now used as alocal road was built. Pedestrian traffic across the river is principally served by three additional footbridges.
England's largest meadowPortholme may be accessed from Godmanchester or Huntingdon, but lies within the Parish ofBrampton.[34] It remains an important flood plain, but has served as an equestrian racecourse and centre for early aviation.
To the North and East of the town are West andEastside Common (SSSI), andGodmanchester Nature Reserve. Thesecommons are intersected by TheOuse Valley Way andPathfinder Way[35] long-distance footpaths, and the route of a disused railway which connected the demolishedGodmanchester Station andSt Ives.
South of the town centre are the headquarters and a large operational shelter of veterinary/rescue charityWood Green Animal Shelters.
A number of small businesses, plusDHL andCoop warehouses are situated on the southern edge of the town, on Chord Business park, Roman Way Industrial Estate and Cardinal Business Park.
Original historical documents relating to Godmanchester, including the original church parish registers, local government records, maps, photographs and the surviving borough charters, are held byCambridgeshire Archives and Local Studies at the County Record Office, Huntingdon.
TheChurch of St Mary the Virgin is aChurch of Englandparish church and is a Grade Ilisted building, with its earliest phase dating to the 13th century.[36] Most of the structure is of 13th- to 15th-century date but the tower was built in 1623. The stalls withmisericords date from the late 15th century.[37]
In October 2003 BBC1'sSongs of Praise was hosted by St Mary's and featured the new hymn tuneGodmanchester, written by the then vicar, Peter Moger.[38]
One of the town's largest public works of art and of landscaping is its Chinese Bridge, which connects to a water meadow. Local legend has it that the bridge was built without the use of nails or other fixings. The bridge was removed by crane on 9 February 2010. A new replica was built off-site in two parts and was installed on 15–16 February 2010.[39] Today the Chinese Bridge does feature nails. The claims are believed to be false; abridge inQueens' College, Cambridge, had the same urban myth. Expert commentators write that the original nails had corroded away, masking their presence.
Godmanchester istwinned with:
Facilitated by Huntingdon and Godmanchester Twinning Association[40]
Thenon-League football clubGodmanchester Rovers F.C. play at Bearscroft Lane, whose teams play in various regional divisions.
In 2019 the six laneA14 was opened allowing heavy traffic to pass unhindered over the 0.5 miles (0.80 km) long Great Ouse Viaduct, 2.1 miles (3.4 km) south of the town.[41][42] The arterial road connects theWest Midlands to theHaven ports ofIpswich,Harwich andFelixstowe and via the M11 to London. Since opening in 2020 theA1307 provides a resilient route for light vehicles, north across the river into Huntingdon, or south to St. Ives and Cambridge.[43] (Historically this route has been repeatedly renamed:[44] most recent first, A1307, A14, A604, A132,Via Devana).
TheA1198 road,Ermine Street links traffic to the A14 or toRoyston, and is used for shorter journeys south avoiding the A1.
Huntingdon railway station, a semi-major stop on theEast Coast Main Line is less than 1.8 miles (2.9 km) from the town centre by car.
The town ofHuntingdon and railway station may also be accessed on foot via the expansive meadow or byNational Cycle Network route 51.
Local buses from Godmanchester are provided byWhippet (bus company) on routes 66 (to Huntingdon and St Neots) and X2/X3 (to Huntingdon or Papworth and Cambridge).
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