Newton, South Cambridgeshire

Coordinates: 52°07′29″N 0°05′57″E / 52.12474°N 0.09924°E / 52.12474; 0.09924

Newton
Village sign
Newton  Newton shown within Cambridgeshire
Population	401
OS grid reference	TL435495
District	South Cambridgeshire
Shire county	Cambridgeshire
Region	East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	CAMBRIDGE
Postcode district	CB22
Dialling code	01223
Police	Cambridgeshire
Fire	Cambridgeshire
Ambulance	East of England
EU Parliament	East of England
List of places: UK • England • Cambridgeshire

Newton is a civil parish and small village in Cambridgeshire, England. Situated around 7 miles to the south-west of Cambridge, its lies on the old coaching road between London and Cambridge. Its population in 2001 was 401^[1]

History

The history of Newton has long been tied to that of neighbouring Hauxton; they were ruled by a single manor, were a single civil parish until the 16th century and until 1930 formed a single ecclesiastical parish. There were disputes over the parish boundaries with Harston and Little Shelford until they were finally settled in 1800, when the parish of Newton was set at 402 hectares.^[2]

In 970 the land around Newton and Hauxton was passed to King Edgar who offered them to Bishop Aethelwold for the new Abbey at Ely. However, Edgar died before the lands were transferred and the lands were subject to a series of disputes until they were purchased for the Abbey.^[2]

At the time of the Domesday Book the lands in modern Newton fell under the manor at Hauxton and both villages remained the property of Ely Abbey until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539. Since then the manor has been owned by the Dean and Chapter of Ely Cathedral.

The village of Newton itself built up around the intersection of the five roads from Harston, Hauxton, Whittlesford, Thriplow and Foxton. It has always been a small village, and in 1801 was home to only 114 people. In 1746 much of the village was destroyed by a fire. The village's economy has always been dominated by farming.

There are 31 listed buildings and monuments in the village.^[3]

Church

Church of St Margaret

There has been a small church in the village for at least a thousand years and the present church had long been in use as a chapel when it was finally consecrated in 1346. The church was dedicated to St James until the 18th century when it was dedicated to Saint Margaret.

The oldest parts of the present building date from the early 13th century, including its octagonal font. The church was substantially restored in 1851.^[2]

Village life

The Queen's Head

The village is home to the Queen's Head public house which has been open since at least 1729. The pub is one of very few that have appeared in every edition of the Good Pub Guide since it started in the 1970s. Its sign depicts Anne of Cleves.^[4]

The village also retains its own post office.

References

1. ^ 2001 Census (PDF)
2. ^ ^{a b c} 'Parishes: Hauxton and Newton', A History of the County of Cambridge and the Isle of Ely: Volume 8 (1982), pp. 194-20. Victoria County History. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=66755. 
3. ^ "Listed buildings in Newton". http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/england/cambridgeshire/newton. 
4. ^ "The Queen's Head, Newton". CAMRA. http://www.cambridge-camra.org.uk/ale/326/queens-head.html. 

See also

• Newton, Fenland
• List of places in Cambridgeshire

External links

• village website