Chatteris Mini Guide

to King Edward School in Railway Lane, then became St Peter’s Peter’s St became then Lane, Railway in School Edward King to

view of the other side of the Crown Theatre roof. roof. Theatre Crown the of side other the of view

open until 1927 (Victoria County History) after which boys transferred transferred boys which after History) County (Victoria 1927 until open 6 are modest cottages. No 2 at the junction with West Park Street

fight. At the rear of the Hotel is a large yard from which there is a a is there which from yard large a is Hotel the of rear the At fight. th the evacuees to the town in World War 2. War World in town the to evacuees the

of 200 boys and 150 girls on Weekdays and Sundays. This remained This Sundays. and Weekdays on girls 150 and boys 200 of was built in the mid 19 century. All of these buildings, along with Turning right into East Park Street, past

hotel and trained there for a big championship championship big a for there trained and hotel

was used as a place for feeding the first of of first the feeding for place a as used was

1819 the school was built by the National Society for the education education the for Society National the by built was school the 1819 many others in Chatteris are ‘listed’. Turn left now into Park Street the Emmanuel Church and the Police Station you will reach the

In the 1950s the boxer Freddie Mills stayed at the the at stayed Mills Freddie boxer the 1950s the In

on the site of the present road. The building building The road. present the of site the on

is built on the site of the old school room and former parish room. In In room. parish former and room school old the of site the on built is where you will rejoin the longer trail at no 24. Salvation Army Fortress which was built with a crenellated frontage

5.30pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Friday. and Wednesday Monday, every 5.30pm

graveyard was sited beyond the brick wall wall brick the beyond sited was graveyard

The town trail starts at the car park in Church Lane. This car park park car This Lane. Church in park car the at starts trail town The between 1900 and 1904.

and Saturday and for Wisbech and March at at March and Wisbech for and Saturday and

building is now privately owned. A small small A owned. privately now is building For the longer trail, continue down Station Street, past

left for London at 9am every Tuesday, Thursday Thursday Tuesday, every 9am at London for left

in Chatteris from 1703 until the 1920s. The The 1920s. the until 1703 from Chatteris in Windmill Mews until you reach no 23 - a large house called

The Town Trail Town The To the right is Victoria Street, a road constructed across what

’ which which ’ Defiance The ‘ coach six-horse the of point

The George Hotel was once the departure departure the once was Hotel George The

which was once the Society of Friends Friends of Society the once was which gated arch believed to contain materials from the old abbey, of circa 980AD by Aelfwen , was situated on what is now the North

way along on the left is a white building building white a is left the on along way which you will find out more later. side of Victoria Street with the grounds surrounded by walls of which

Cross the road into Ash Grove. A short short A Grove. Ash into road the Cross Great Fire of Chatteris. of Fire Great

for offices. offices. for none remain. All the stonework in existing walls has been reused. Market Hill passing what was once the Crown Pub. It is now used used now is It Pub. Crown the once was what passing Hill Market

station and through the area affected by the the by affected area the through and station Further down the road, just past no 51, there is a driveway The perimeter of the Abbey can be traced along the four Park

the Babbling Brook” fame started his career. Walk back round to to round back Walk career. his started fame Brook” Babbling the

found throughout the town in the nineteenth century. nineteenth the in town the throughout found leading to what was once Mill House. This listed building, which Streets. The abbey buildings were dismantled and the stone reused

This is the roof of the Crown theatre where Donald Pears of “By “By of Pears Donald where theatre Crown the of roof the is This follows a route down to the site of the railway railway the of site the to down route a follows

example of one of the yards of labourer’s cottages, which were were which cottages, labourer’s of yards the of one of example according to a plaque dates to 1807 was once the miller’s after the dissolution in 1538 with the exception of the block on the

Look behind you at the roof above the Working Men’s club. club. Men’s Working the above roof the at you behind Look as Earls Place and though quite modernised, is still a good good a still is modernised, quite though and Place Earls as

the stories behind them. The extended trail trail extended The them. behind stories the cottage of Larratts Mill. No trace remains of the octagonal tower western side of the cloisters which was converted into Park House

hand side just past Furrowfields. This yard was known for a time time a for known was yard This Furrowfields. past just side hand and adjacent barn to the north which were demolished a few and enlarged in the seventeenth century. In 1847 this building was

the older and more interesting buildings, and and buildings, interesting more and older the

Continue down the High Street to Pecks Yard on the right right the on Yard Pecks to Street High the down Continue

mortician’s slab. mortician’s years ago. pulled down and much of the stone was used in the building of

fixed on the wall. It was once a a once was It wall. the on fixed

walk around Chatteris highlighting some of of some highlighting Chatteris around walk Seymour Place, a terrace of 5 cottages on London Road.

Street there is a shallow bath like slab slab like bath shallow a is there Street

machine in the country. country. the in machine Near the end of Station Street on the right was the Railway

The town trail leaflet provides the basis for a a for basis the provides leaflet trail town The

bible. Around the corner in Station Station in corner the Around bible.

the proprietor of Coles Engineering made the first carrot washing washing carrot first the made Engineering Coles of proprietor the Tavern which is now residential accommodation. Just past this on Continue along East Park Street as it bends to the right and

church, kept the keys and a copy of the the of copy a and keys the kept church,

was originally detached, still remains as a marker. Charles Cole Cole Charles marker. a as remains still detached, originally was the same side is Old Station Yard, a reminder that this was once continue to the junction with South Park Street. Walk back along

the country, which being close to the the to close being which country, the

being converted into apartments. The tall chimneystack, which which chimneystack, tall The apartments. into converted being the site of the Railway Station. The A141 March to Huntingdon East Park Street and cross to St Martins Road. At one time this road

Peterborough to Newmarket. to Peterborough

was one of many of that name around around name that of many of one was

House, which became Coles Engineering Works before recently recently before Works Engineering Coles became which House, road runs along what was once the was called Smarts Road but it was changed by the residents to its

is the Cross Keys 17 Keys Cross the is century inn. This This inn. century

Walk. On the left is the Old Brewery, now known as Lindsells Lindsells as known now Brewery, Old the is left the On Walk.

Western Counties and from from and Counties Western

th railway track which suffered as a present name in the Mid 1900s.

Just along from the Palace and opposite the War Memorial Memorial War the opposite and Palace the from along Just

Further down the High Street on the same side is Lindsells Lindsells is side same the on Street High the down Further result of the Beeching cuts. Across

Huntingdon and the the and Huntingdon the bypass is Stainless Metalcraft A short way down St Martins Road, on the left, is a house

the first properly sprung floor in the country. the in floor sprung properly first the roads from Norfolk to to Norfolk from roads

the auction yard. yard. auction the formerly Chatteris Engineering. It called ‘Old Forge’. This is the only indication that a blacksmith’s

The cinema was then transformed into a ballroom in 1937. It had had It 1937. in ballroom a into transformed then was cinema The

Seward in the 1970s. The Army in World War II commandeered commandeered II War World in Army The 1970s. the in Seward was famous for its production of

on the junctions of the the of junctions the on premises once stood on this site. Walk a little further down the road

the 19 the century and was converted into the Picture Palace cinema. cinema. Palace Picture the into converted was and century

produce. The auctions continued until the retirement of Lindsey Lindsey of retirement the until continued auctions The produce. heavy cranes and diamond mining

th and turn left into Church Walk. At the end of Church Walk you will

Palace ballroom. It was a thriving Corn Exchange in the middle of of middle the in Exchange Corn thriving a was It ballroom. Palace was due to its situation situation its to due was

hours, and handled sales of furniture, livestock and dairy and farm farm and dairy and livestock furniture, of sales handled and hours, equipment, more recently making find the car park in Church Lane.

If you look across the road and to the left you will see the the see will you left the to and road the across look you If

events that were held every Friday. They could last for 8 or 9 9 or 8 for last could They Friday. every held were that events 4km of the Hadron Collider used in

prosperity prosperity

started in 1908 by Frederick William Seward, were popular popular were Seward, William Frederick by 1908 in started scientific experiments in Switzerland.

On your left is Chatteris Its later later Its

and outbuildings of Chatteris House. The auctions, which were were which auctions, The House. Chatteris of outbuildings and

the front of the churchyard in 1798. in churchyard the of front the Museum where you can find a

The Old Auction Yard was once the site of the coach house house coach the of site the once was Yard Auction Old The

which no trace remains. A new fire engine house was also built to to built also was house engine fire new A remains. trace no which Turn left here and walk along Clare Street, formerly Anchor

the fens. the large number of objects,

died in the two World Wars. It is on the site of an old vicarage of of vicarage old an of site the on is It Wars. World two the in died Street, which was renamed in honour of the Chatteris soldier, documents and photographs

settlements in in settlements The War Memorial was built to those from Chatteris who who Chatteris from those to built was Memorial War The

been renovated and converted into luxury apartments. apartments. luxury into converted and renovated been George Clare, who was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross in connected with the history of the

Indian restaurant. After being empty for many years it has now now has it years many for empty being After restaurant. Indian the Great War. This road was badly affected by the Great Fire of

to the other other the to town. The building in Church

shop, furniture store, English restaurant, and eventually became an an became eventually and restaurant, English store, furniture shop,

1352. 1352. Chatteris, which destroyed more than 70 homes in this part of the Lane is owned by the council to connect the Abbey Abbey the connect to

used for a time as a tractor showroom with flats above, a grocery grocery a above, flats with showroom tractor a as time a for used

fire shortly after this award and was rebuilt in in rebuilt was and award this after shortly fire town in September 1864. A boy playing with touch paper near a and houses their Chambers and

door, occupied it. The Sewards sold the house in 1954. It was was It 1954. in house the sold Sewards The it. occupied door, parish priest. The church was destroyed by by destroyed was church The priest. parish wheat cob caused the fire, which started in West Street at 11

and streets evolved evolved streets and offices as well as the Museum.

Seward family, who ran the auctions in the Auction Yard next next Yard Auction the in auctions the ran who family, Seward 1162. In the 14 the In 1162.

century a stipend paid for a a for paid stipend a century o’clock in the morning. Miraculously, though a number of animals

th The museum’s collection is held formed in front of it it of front in formed

3 storeys and a basement. At the end of the nineteenth century the the century nineteenth the of end the At basement. a and storeys 3

Peter and St Paul, to the Chatteris nuns in in nuns Chatteris the to Paul, St and Peter perished, no people were killed. by the Museum Trust and is managed by local trustees. Galleries are

Chatteris House was built in 1828 as a private residence with with residence private a as 1828 in built was House Chatteris Bishop Nigel of Ely gave the church of St St of church the gave Ely of Nigel Bishop market place was was place market arranged to portray the history of the town, its immediate

Continue to the Jetty, which is a narrow lane on the left hand surroundings and its people, from the Stone Age right through to the century. A A century. 10

catacombs.

present use as a guesthouse. guesthouse. a as use present th side next to no 21. At the top of this is a row of labourer’s recent past.

to the right near the wall for more evidence of of evidence more for wall the near right the to

was founded in the the in founded was then became a dress shop before its its before shop dress a became then cottages. Turn to your right and walk

Walk through to the churchyard and look look and churchyard the to through Walk

slaughterhouse in the grounds, it it grounds, the in slaughterhouse down the alleyway that emerges on

of St Mary, which which Mary, St of

a butcher’s shop, with a a with shop, butcher’s a Huntingdon Road. Turn left and

around The Abbey Abbey The around house. It was later part converted to to converted part later was It house. was closed to burials in 1855. 1855. in burials to closed was continue walking back to the town.

on the corner, was once a private private a once was corner, the on built on the instructions of Rev Gathercole when the churchyard churchyard the when Gathercole Rev of instructions the on built On the right on the corner of Linden

he town grew grew town he

Bramley House, across the road road the across House, Bramley Social Club. The wall shows evidence of catacombs that were were that catacombs of evidence shows wall The Club. Social Drive is the Masonic Hall, which is built on the site of a small private school called Linden School.

The seating area at the corner of Huntingdon Road gives the Back into the High Street a short way along is Grove House Places to visit opportunity to have a short rest before turning left into West Park which was built in 1818. This was an elegant private house For more information www.visitcambridgeshirefens.org Street and then right into Park Street. The little garden area was once the site of ‘The White Hart’ Public House which was occupied for a time by the Childs’ family. In 1885 an extra Chatteris Leisure storey with five extra rooms was added demolished to improve the junction. Fantastic new 50 station gym and exercise studio. by jacking up the roof. The house was Eastwood, Chatteris, PE16 6FN converted from a private house to A short distance along on the south side of Park Street is the Tel: 01354 622 399 council offices and for a time housed the Hollies Dental Practice, which is in the building formerly occupied Chatteris Museum before coming an by the post office until it moved to the premises over the road in adult education centre. 1924. The newer building was constructed in the late 18th Chatteris Museum century building, of yellow local brick. It has a modern tiled A little way along from Grove A small local museum with displays reflecting the mansard roof, and is now just a sorting office. House, in Railway Lane is Burnsfield area’s agricultural heritage. House, a late 18th century cottage, which Tel: 01354 696 319 Looking across the road, behind the modern exterior, it is was converted to 2 storeys in the 19th possible to see the old facade of the Empress Cinema. This was century. Evidence of this work can clearly built on the site of a house called the Priory, which was be seen on the front and sidewalls of the building. Church of St Peter and St Paul demolished by Henry Bancroft in 1935. The house had no is well sited in the centre of town. It’s core is 14th connection with any religious establishment. It was called the Further along Railway Lane, just past Hereward Court is century, but it has been much restored and most priory by a Mr Fryer who felt that it was a fitting name for his Coach House Court. This and Horsegate Gardens across the furnishings are modern. home and also its proximity to the Abbey grounds. The cinema road are reminders of the Horse and Gate public house which was converted to its present use as a swimming pool in 1964. was originally in the High Street but moved to the back of its plot in Railway Lane. It was the departure point of ‘The Day’ coach Ouse Washes Reserve Adjacent to the Empress is the office of Cartwright’s solicitors. which departed for London at 9am on Mondays, Wednesdays RSPB reserve attracting thousands of wintering This building was once the site of Westwood House that was used and Fridays, and returned to Wisbech via March at 6pm on swans and ducks. www.rspb.org.uk for a time as a private school run by the Warth sisters. The Tuesday, Thursdays and Saturdays. Tel: 01354 680 212 present building was a private home before becoming an office and within it is a magnificent staircase from the former house. The Located back from the bend in the market is held along the stretch of road in front of these two road is the King Edward School buildings every Friday. which was opened in 1902. It is now the venue for many of the On the corner of Park towns clubs and societies - now Street and East Park Street known as The King Edward Centre is Barclays Bank, which was opened by 1800 as A short distance along on the right of Railway Lane is Old a sub branch of Gurneys, Forge Close, so named because a blacksmith’s forge once stood Birkbeck and Peckovers of to the rear of the site. Wisbech. The main Chatteris building was originally the No 12 Railway Lane is called Back Lane Cottage, a simple home of the bank reminder that the road was once known as Back Lane. On the manager, whilst the counting house was in the wing running along corner of Railway Lane and Station Street is a thatched cottage. Park Street. One of many Public pumps was positioned on this th This 18 century building, which is believed to be timber-framed corner. was once the Boars Head Public house. Mini Guide Across the road is the Gables nursing home, Turn right and walk along Station Street. This was once the site & a late 18th century L plan house of gault brick of a large house (Ivy House), which was demolished but stood where Town Trail with red brick details. Next to it is a public the wall now is opposite the end of Station road. For the shorter trail Cambridgeshire Fens garden and bandstand, which was built on turn into Station Street which has a variety of styles of house built in the site of Dr Nix’s house, demolished to the 18th century. No 14 on the corner is build from local brick and Fenland District Council, Fenland Hall, County Road, March, Cambridgeshire, PE15 8NQ make the junction safer. has an elegant doorway with fluted pilasters. No 10, again built of Tel: 01354 654321 Email: [email protected] local brick is a grand house with a mansard roof, while Nos 4 and Web: www.visitcambridgeshirefens.org Facebook: Fenland District Council Twitter: #Fenland Council Cambridgeshire Fens

to King Edward School in Railway Lane, then became St Peter’s Peter’s St became then Lane, Railway in School Edward King to

view of the other side of the Crown Theatre roof. roof. Theatre Crown the of side other the of view

hotel and trained there for a big championship championship big a for there trained and hotel Entertainment

was used as a place for feeding the first of of first the feeding for place a as used was For more information www.visitcambridgeshirefens.org

In the 1950s the boxer Freddie Mills stayed at the the at stayed Mills Freddie boxer the 1950s the In on the site of the present road. The building building The road. present the of site the on

5.30pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Friday. and Wednesday Monday, every 5.30pm Chatteris Historic Festival graveyard was sited beyond the brick wall wall brick the beyond sited was graveyard

The town trail starts at the car park in Church Lane. This car park park car This Lane. Church in park car the at starts trail town The between 1900 and 1904.

and Saturday and for Wisbech and March at at March and Wisbech for and Saturday and A three day re-inactment spectacular, living

building is now privately owned. A small small A owned. privately now is building For the longer trail, continue down Station Street, past

left for London at 9am every Tuesday, Thursday Thursday Tuesday, every 9am at London for left history encampments, static falconry, Have-a-Go

in Chatteris from 1703 until the 1920s. The The 1920s. the until 1703 from Chatteris in Windmill Mews until you reach no 23 - a large house called The Town Trail Town The To the right is Victoria Street, a road constructed across what ’ which which ’ Defiance The

point of the six-horse coach ‘ coach six-horse the of point archery, competitions and games, stalls selling

(Quakers) Meeting House. Friends had met met had Friends House. Meeting (Quakers) Homeland, set behind a wall and trees. It has an elaborate stone was once the site of the Abbey of St Mary. The Abbey, founded The George Hotel was once the departure departure the once was Hotel George The wares, food and beer tent.

way along on the left is a white building building white a is left the on along way which you will find out more later. side of Victoria Street with the grounds surrounded by walls of which

Cross the road into Ash Grove. A short short A Grove. Ash into road the Cross Great Fire of Chatteris. of Fire Great

for offices. offices. for none remain. All the stonework in existing walls has been reused.

Market Hill passing what was once the Crown Pub. It is now used used now is It Pub. Crown the once was what passing Hill Market Chatteris Community Cinema

the Babbling Brook” fame started his career. Walk back round to to round back Walk career. his started fame Brook” Babbling the at the King Edward Centre.

the older and more interesting buildings, and and buildings, interesting more and older the

Continue down the High Street to Pecks Yard on the right right the on Yard Pecks to Street High the down Continue

mortician’s slab. mortician’s years ago. pulled down and much of the stone was used in the building of fixed on the wall. It was once a a once was It wall. the on fixed

walk around Chatteris highlighting some of of some highlighting Chatteris around walk Seymour Place, a terrace of 5 cottages on London Road.

Street there is a shallow bath like slab slab like bath shallow a is there Street Chatteris Christmas Lights

machine in the country. country. the in machine Near the end of Station Street on the right was the Railway The town trail leaflet provides the basis for a a for basis the provides leaflet trail town The

bible. Around the corner in Station Station in corner the Around bible. Chatteris Christmas lights are recognised as some

church, kept the keys and a copy of the the of copy a and keys the kept church, of the best for miles. During the festive season

the country, which being close to the the to close being which country, the you wander through the town to enjoy the lights.

was one of many of that name around around name that of many of one was www.chatterischristmaslights.co.uk