90-500: The River Cam ( / ˈ k æ m / ) is the main river flowing through Cambridge in eastern England . After leaving Cambridge, it flows north and east before joining the River Great Ouse to the south of Ely , at Pope's Corner. The total distance from Cambridge to the sea is about 40 mi (64 km) and is navigable for punts, small boats, and rowing craft. The Great Ouse also connects to England's canal system via
180-422: A Gini coefficient of 0.460 in 2018. Local census 1749 Census: Regional District 1801–1901 Civil Parish 1911–1961 District 1971–2011 The town's river link to the surrounding agricultural land, and good road connections to London in the south meant Cambridge has historically served as an important regional trading post. King Henry I granted Cambridge a monopoly on river trade, privileging this area of
270-562: A cathedral, traditionally a prerequisite for city status, instead falling within the Church of England Diocese of Ely . In 1962, Cambridge's first shopping arcade, Bradwell's Court, opened on Drummer Street, though this was demolished in 2006. Other shopping arcades followed at Lion Yard, which housed a relocated Central Library for the city, and the Grafton Centre which replaced Victorian housing stock which had fallen into disrepair in
360-466: A higher-level qualification (e.g. degree, Higher National Diploma , Master's or PhD), much higher than the national average proportion (19.7%). Centre for Cities identified Cambridge as the UK's most unequal city in 2017 and 2018. Residents' income was the least evenly distributed of 57 British cities measured, with its top 6% earners accounting for 19% of its total income and the bottom 20% for only 2%, and
450-413: A maximum of eleven, had powers to mortgage the tolls, in order to raise capital for improvements to the river immediately. This they did, and built sluices at Jesus Green, Chesterton, Baits Bite and Clayhithe. Most of the tolls were collected at Clayhithe. Prior to 1722, Denver sluice had been destroyed, and although Cambridge Corporation opposed its reconstruction, it was rebuilt by 1750. The river entered
540-437: A mayor, although the first recorded mayor, Harvey FitzEustace, served in 1213. City councillors now elect a mayor annually. For electoral purposes the city is divided into 14 wards: Abbey, Arbury , Castle, Cherry Hinton , Coleridge, East Chesterton , King's Hedges , Market, Newnham , Petersfield , Queen Edith's, Romsey , Trumpington , and West Chesterton . At the 2019 election , Labour retained its majority. Each of
630-407: A national average of 92.12%. Within the university, 84% of undergraduates and 80% of post-graduates identified as white (including overseas students). Cambridge has a much higher than average proportion of people in the highest paid professional, managerial or administrative jobs (32.6% vs. 23.5%) and a much lower than average proportion of manual workers (27.6% vs. 40.2%). In addition, 41.2% have
720-489: A period of steady profitability, with toll receipts rising from £432 in 1752 to over £1,000 by 1803. In 1835 they peaked at £1,995, and then declined slightly until 1846. The Convervators also raised some revenue from rents on the public houses which they owned adjacent to each of the sluices. Another Act of Parliament was obtained on 21 July 1813 which allowed the Conservators to alter the tolls and charge penalties, while
810-621: A person to operate them. The colleges and at least one private operator also own punts which are available for members of the public to travel on. Canoeing and kayaking , both recreational and competitive, are popular at all times of year, especially on the section above the Mill Pond towards Grantchester. Both Cambridge Canoe Club (on Sheep's Green ) and Cambridge University Canoe Club (just upstream from Newnham ) are based here. Powered boats may navigate as far upstream as La Mimosa restaurant (next to Jesus Green) all year round, and as far as
900-639: A regional East Anglian army, which became the mainstay of the Parliamentarian military effort before the formation of the New Model Army . In 1643 control of the town was given by Parliament to Oliver Cromwell , who had been educated at Sidney Sussex College in Cambridge. The town's castle was fortified and garrisoned with troops and some bridges were destroyed to aid its defence. Although Royalist forces came within 2 miles (3 km) of
990-540: A secret meeting of military leaders held in Trinity College laid the foundation for the allied invasion of Europe. During the war Cambridge served as an evacuation centre for over 7,000 people from London, as well as for parts of the University of London . Cambridge was granted its city charter in 1951 in recognition of its history, administrative importance and economic success. Cambridge does not have
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#17327657632891080-468: A settlement on Castle Hill from the 1st century BC , perhaps relating to wider cultural changes occurring in southeastern Britain linked to the arrival of the Belgae . The principal Roman site is a small fort ( castrum ) Duroliponte on Castle Hill , just northwest of the city centre around the location of the earlier British village. The fort was bounded on two sides by the lines formed by
1170-799: A slipway from lower to upper level. From the Mill Pool and its weir, the river can be followed upstream through Grantchester meadows to the village of Grantchester and Byron's Pool, where it is fed by many streams. The two principal tributaries of the Cam are the Granta and the Rhee , though both are also known as the Cam. The Rhee begins just off the High Street ( Ashwell Springs ), at Ashwell in Hertfordshire . Running north out of Ashwell, it forms
1260-628: A third of English clergy dying in the Black Death, four new colleges were established at the university over the following years to train new clergymen, namely Gonville Hall , Trinity Hall , Corpus Christi , and Clare . In 1382, a revised town charter effected a "diminution of the liberties that the community had enjoyed", due to Cambridge's participation in the Peasants' Revolt . This charter transferred supervision of baking and brewing, weights and measures, and forestalling and regrating , from
1350-613: A village in the Cambridge district of Newnham . Following the Roman withdrawal from Britain around 410, the location may have been abandoned by the Britons , although the site is usually identified as Cair Grauth , as listed among the 28 cities of Britain in the History of the Britons attributed to Nennius . Evidence exists that the invading Anglo-Saxons had begun occupying
1440-455: Is Pippa Heylings ( Lib Dems ), first elected in 2024. The University of Cambridge formerly had two seats in the House of Commons; Sir Isaac Newton was one of the most notable MPs. The Cambridge University constituency was abolished under 1948 legislation, and ceased at the dissolution of Parliament for the 1950 general election , along with the other university constituencies . Cambridge
1530-560: Is a city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire , England . It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam , 55 miles (89 km) north of London . As of the 2021 United Kingdom census , the population of the City of Cambridge was 145,700; the population of the wider built-up area (which extends outside the city council area) was 181,137. Cambridge became an important trading centre during
1620-433: Is completely enclosed by green belt as a part of a wider environmental and planning policy first defined in 1965 and formalised in 1992. While some small tracts of green belt exist on the fringes of the city's boundary, much of the protection is in the surrounding South Cambridgeshire and nearby East Cambridgeshire districts, helping to maintain local green space, prevent further urban sprawl and unplanned expansion of
1710-654: Is extant and the foundations of the mill can be seen when the water is low. Byron's Pool is named after the poet, Lord Byron , who is reputed to have swum there. It was certainly a bathing place for Rupert Brooke and the Cambridge neo-Pagans . Brooke used to canoe from Cambridge to lodgings in Grantchester, which included the Old Vicarage . His homesick poem of 1912 evokes the river: —" The Old Vicarage, Grantchester ", Collected Poems (1916) One of Brooke's contemporaries, Gwen Darwin , later Raverat, grew up in
1800-649: Is not murky and is clean enough from its source to its confluence with the Great Ouse to support fish. The fishing rights on the west bank are leased annually to the Cambridge Fish Preservation and Angling Society. The Cam below Bottisham Sluice may still hold burbot , a fish thought to be extinct in English waters since the early 1970s. The last known burbot caught in Britain was in 1969, on
1890-665: Is situated about 55 miles (89 km) north-by-east of London and 95 miles (153 kilometres) east of Birmingham. The city is located in an area of level and relatively low-lying terrain just south of the Fens , which varies between 6 and 24 metres (20 and 79 ft) above sea level . The town was thus historically surrounded by low-lying wetlands that have been drained as the town has expanded. The underlying geology of Cambridge consists of gault clay and Chalk Marl , known locally as Cambridge Greensand, partly overlaid by terrace gravel . A layer of phosphatic nodules ( coprolites ) under
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#17327657632891980-535: Is sometimes called the lower river. The stretch between Jesus Lock and Baits Bite Lock is much used for rowing . There are also many residential boats on this stretch, their occupants forming a community who call themselves the Camboaters. Navigation on the lowest section of the Cam, below and including Bottisham Lock, is the responsibility of the Environment Agency . The stretch above Jesus Lock
2070-466: Is sometimes known as the middle river (with the section above the Mill Pond being referred to as the upper river). Between Jesus Lock and the Mill Pond, it passes through the Backs below the walls of many of the colleges . This is the section of river most popular with tourists, with its picture-postcard views of elegant bridges, green lawns and graceful willows. This stretch also has the unusual feature of
2160-646: The Danelaw , by 878. Their vigorous trading habits resulted in rapid growth of the town. During this period, the town's centre shifted from Castle Hill on the left bank of the river to the area now known as the Quayside on the right bank. After the Viking period, the Saxons enjoyed a return to power, building churches, such as St Bene't's Church , as well as wharves, merchant houses, and a mint which produced coins with
2250-751: The Middle Level Navigations and the River Nene . In total, the Cam runs for around 69 kilometres (43 mi) from its furthest source (near Debden in Essex ) to its confluence with the Great Ouse. The original name of the river was the Granta and (unusually) its present name derives from the city of Cambridge ( Old English : Grantebrycge ) rather than the other way around: After the city's present name developed in Middle English ,
2340-461: The Roman and Viking ages, and there is archaeological evidence of settlement in the area as early as the Bronze Age . The first town charters were granted in the 12th century, although modern city status was not officially conferred until 1951. The city is well known as the home of the University of Cambridge , which was founded in 1209 and consistently ranks among the best universities in
2430-518: The borough court. The distinctive Round Church dates from this period. In 1209, Cambridge University was founded by Oxford students fleeing from hostility. The oldest existing college, Peterhouse , was founded in 1284. Cambridge had a significant Jewish community in the middle ages , centred on what is now known as All Saints Passage, then known as the Jewry. A synagogue stood nearby. In January 1275, Eleanor of Provence expelled Jews from all of
2520-539: The "most beautiful cities in the world" by Forbes in 2010, with the view from The Backs being selected as one of the 10 greatest in England by National Trust chair Simon Jenkins . Tourism generates over £750 million for the city's economy. Cambridge and its surrounds are sometimes referred to as Silicon Fen , an allusion to Silicon Valley , because of the density of high-tech businesses and technology incubators that have developed on science parks around
2610-586: The 14 wards also elects councillors to Cambridgeshire County Council , which is responsible for services including school education, social care and highways. Since 2017, Cambridge has also been within the area of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority , which is led by a directly elected Mayor . The city is represented on the authority by the leader of the City Council. The parliamentary constituency of Cambridge covers most of
2700-658: The 16th century, sanitation and fresh water were brought to Cambridge by the construction of Hobson's Conduit in the early 1600s. Water was brought from Nine Wells, at the foot of the Gog Magog Hills to the southeast of Cambridge, into the centre of the town. Cambridge played a significant role in the early part of the English Civil War as it was the headquarters of the Eastern Counties Association , an organisation administering
2790-404: The 1930s to the 1980s, the size of the city was increased by several large council estates . The biggest impact has been on the area north of the river, which are now the estates of East Chesterton , King's Hedges , and Arbury where Archbishop Rowan Williams lived and worked as an assistant priest in the early 1980s. During World War II , Cambridge was an important centre for defence of
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2880-754: The 21st century, with estates such as the CB1 and Accordia schemes near the station, and developments such as Great Kneighton , formally known as Clay Farm, and Trumpington Meadows currently under construction in the south of the city. Other major developments currently being constructed in the city are Darwin Green (formerly NIAB ), and University-led developments at West Cambridge and North West Cambridge , ( Eddington ). The entire city centre, as well as parts of Chesterton, Petersfield, West Cambridge, Newnham, and Abbey, are covered by an Air Quality Management Area, implemented to counter high levels of nitrogen dioxide in
2970-655: The Association in 1643 regulated use of the river for trade, but the biggest change was the construction of Denver Sluice on the River Great Ouse, which reduced river levels on the lower river as tidal waters were excluded from the Ouse. Both the university and the Corporation of Cambridge complained to Parliament in 1697 that the trade route to the town from King's Lynn had been severely impaired. In 1699,
3060-410: The Cam at Byron's Pool. " The Reeve's Tale " from Geoffrey Chaucer 's Canterbury Tales begins: At Trumpyngtoun, nat fer fro Cantebrigge, Ther gooth a brook, and over that a brigge, Upon the whiche brook ther stant a melle; And this is verray sooth that I yow telle: A millere was ther dwellynge many a day. The mill formerly stood by Brasley Bridge on Grantchester Road. The mill pond
3150-637: The Cam, and in 2010 a fisherman reported spotting two in the Great Ouse. Above Hinxton and Great Chesterford the river holds a stock of wild brown trout, though it is also stocked by the Audley Fly Fishers club and other angling societies who own the rights. All boats require a navigation licence from either the Conservators of the River Cam or the Environment Agency. There are public moorings just below Jesus Lock on both sides of
3240-558: The Cambridge School of Art and the Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology, also has its main campus in the city. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology Silicon Fen or Cambridge Cluster , which contains industries such as software and bioscience and many start-up companies born out of the university. Over 40 per cent of the workforce have a higher education qualification, more than twice
3330-609: The City Council for holders of its long-term mooring permits. There are also some privately owned moorings. There is a public slipway next to the garden of the Green Dragon pub in Water Street, Chesterton . This is occasionally used for launching small boats. Punting is the most popular form of boating on the stretch of the river between Jesus Lock and Grantchester. Several of the colleges own punts, and they can also be hired from various companies, either with or without
3420-437: The Corporation sought to obtain an Act of Parliament which would allow them to improve the river from Clayhithe to Queens Mill at Cambridge. This was obtained on 27 February 1702 and created the Conservators of the River Cam, a legal body with authority to charge tolls for use of the river, which ranged from four shillings (20p) a ton for wine to one penny (0.4p) per person for passengers. The Conservators, of which there were
3510-692: The Granta. On Ordnance Survey maps, the two main tributaries' alternative names are recognised: "River Cam or Granta" and "River Cam or Rhee". The Cam has no connection with the much smaller River Cam in Gloucestershire . An organisation called the Conservators of the River Cam was formed in 1702, charged with keeping the river navigable. The Conservators are responsible for the two locks in and north east of Cambridge: Jesus Lock and Baits Bite Lock. The stretch north (downstream) of Jesus Lock
3600-514: The Kite area of the city. This latter project was controversial at the time. The city gained its second university in 1992 when Anglia Polytechnic became Anglia Polytechnic University. Renamed Anglia Ruskin University in 2005, the institution has its origins in the Cambridge School of Art opened in 1858 by John Ruskin . Cambridge is a non-metropolitan district – one of six districts within
3690-701: The London area. Cambridge also often records the annual highest national temperature in any given year – 30.2 °C (86.4 °F) in July 2008 at NIAB and 30.1 °C (86.2 °F) in August 2007 at the Botanic Garden are two recent examples. Other years include 1876, 1887, 1888, 1892, 1897, 1899 and 1900. The absolute maximum stands at 39.9 °C (103.8 °F) recorded on 19 July 2022 at Cambridge University Botanic Garden. Before this date, Cambridge held
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3780-617: The Mill Pool between 1 October and 31 March. The lower river between Jesus Lock and Baits Bite Lock is the training and racing home of the Cambridge University Combined Boat Clubs ' university and college, and the Cambridgeshire Rowing Association 's town, rowing teams. The Cambridge Lent , May and Town Bumps rowing races, where boats set off at regular intervals, and the object is to catch and touch (that is, 'bump')
3870-861: The NIAB site, to 48.3 days at the Botanic Garden per year over the 1981–2010 period. Typically the coldest night of the year at the Botanic Garden will fall to −8.0 °C (17.6 °F). Such minimum temperatures and frost averages are typical for inland areas across much of southern and central England. Sunshine averages around 1,500 hours a year or around 35% of possible, a level typical of most locations in inland central England. The city contains three Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), at Cherry Hinton East Pit, Cherry Hinton West Pit, and Travellers Pit, and ten Local Nature Reserves (LNRs): Sheep's Green and Coe Fen, Coldham's Common, Stourbridge Common, Nine Wells, Byron's Pool, West Pit, Paradise, Barnwell West, Barnwell East, and Logan's Meadow. Cambridge
3960-553: The Rhee a mile south of Grantchester at Hauxton Junction. From source to its confluence with the Rhee it is 41.7 kilometres (25.9 mi) in length. A further tributary, also known as the Granta, runs 10 mi (16 km) from south of Haverhill to join the larger Granta south of Great Shelford . Another minor tributary is Bourn Brook which has its source near the village of Eltisley , 10 mi (16 km) west of Cambridge, running east through Caxton , Bourn and Toft to join
4050-420: The River Cam prior to the draining of the Fens . As the university colleges rose in importance, the course of the river through the town, known as the Backs, was moved further to the east to accommodate their new buildings. A report conducted in 1618 by Richard Atkyns highlighted the problems caused by sandbanks above Clayhithe and watermills obstructing navigation. An order made by the parliamentary Committee of
4140-511: The River Cam. The Cam is normally a placid river but flooding does occasionally happen. The most recent serious floods were in 2001, first in February and again on 22–23 October, and then in February 2009. The Environment Agency is responsible for managing water levels and issuing flood warnings for the entire river. Download coordinates as: Cambridge Cambridge ( / ˈ k eɪ m b r ɪ dʒ / KAYM -brij )
4230-489: The Roman Ermine Street , it crosses the avenue of Wimpole Hall and a few kilometres later it receives the waters of the minor River Mel that runs through Meldreth . It runs along the southern edge of the village of Barrington, where it still powers a water mill known as Bulbeck Mill. At Harston it passes Harston Mill, the site of a water mill from at least the 11th century until the need for mill died out in
4320-472: The South Level Act of 1827 created Commissioners who had responsibility for the river below Bottisham . This act also appointed the vice-chancellor of the university and the mayor as navigation commissioners. The Conservators built locks at Baits Bite and Bottisham, and removed the sluice at Chesterton. The river was sufficiently profitable that the Conservators were able to contribute £400 towards
4410-501: The UK, has a maritime climate highly influenced by the Gulf Stream . Located in the driest region of Britain, Cambridge's rainfall averages around 570 mm (22.44 in) per year, around half the national average. The driest recent year was in 2011 with 380.4 mm (14.98 in) of rain at the Botanic Garden and 347.2 mm (13.67 in) at the NIAB site. This is just below the semi-arid precipitation threshold for
4500-503: The annual Cambridge Beer Festival takes place on Jesus Green . The city is adjacent to the M11 and A14 roads. Settlements have existed around the Cambridge area since prehistoric times . The earliest clear evidence of occupation is the remains of a 3,500- year-old farmstead discovered at the site of Fitzwilliam College . Archaeological evidence of occupation through the Iron Age is
4590-435: The area by the end of the century. Their settlement – also on and around Castle Hill – became known as Grantebrycge (" Granta -bridge". By Middle English , the settlement's name had changed to "Cambridg koe", deriving from the word 'Camboricum', meaning 'passage' or 'ford' of stream in a town or settlement, and the lower stretches of the Granta changed their name to match.) ) Anglo-Saxon grave goods have been found in
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#17327657632894680-569: The area, which is 350 mm of annual precipitation. Conversely, 2012 was the wettest year on record, with 812.7 mm (32.00 in) reported. Snowfall accumulations are usually small, in part because of Cambridge's low elevation, and low precipitation tendency during transitional snow events. Owing to its low-lying, inland, and easterly position within the British Isles, summer temperatures tend to be somewhat higher than areas further west, and often rival or even exceed those recorded in
4770-555: The area. During this period, Cambridge benefited from good trade links across the hard-to-travel fenlands. By the 7th century, the town was less significant and described by Bede as a "little ruined city" containing the burial site of Æthelthryth (Etheldreda). Cambridge sat on the border between the East and Middle Anglian kingdoms, and the settlement slowly expanded on both sides of the river. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle reports that Vikings arrived in 875; they imposed Viking rule,
4860-768: The atmosphere. The city has an oceanic climate ( Köppen : Cfb ). Cambridge has an official weather observing station, at the Cambridge University Botanic Garden , about one mile (1.6 km) south of the city centre. In addition, the Digital Technology Group of the university's Department of Computer Science and Technology maintains a weather station on the West Cambridge site, displaying current weather conditions online via web browsers or an app , and also an archive dating back to 1995. The city, like most of
4950-472: The boat in front, are held here. The Cam Sailing Club was founded in 1899. It is based at Clayhithe near Waterbeach and organises sailing races most weekends between March and November. Swimming on the upper river is popular in the summer, and people bathe at Grantchester Meadows all year round. Hardy bathers take part in the New Year's Day swim. Cambridge had been an inland port due to its location on
5040-424: The city such as Sheep's Green as well as residential development. Like most cities, modern-day Cambridge has many suburbs and areas of high-density housing. The city centre of Cambridge is mostly commercial, historic buildings, and large green areas such as Jesus Green, Parker's Piece and Midsummer Common . Some of the roads in the centre are pedestrianised. Population growth has seen new housing developments in
5130-404: The city, as well as protecting smaller outlying villages from further convergence with each other as well as the city. At the 2011 census, the population of the Cambridge contiguous built-up area (urban area) was 158,434, while that of the City Council area was 123,867. In the 2001 Census held during University term, 89.44% of Cambridge residents identified themselves as white, compared with
5220-574: The city. Many of these parks and buildings are owned or leased by university colleges, and the companies often have been spun out of the university. Cambridge Science Park , which is the largest commercial R&D centre in Europe, is owned by Trinity College ; St John's is the landlord of St John's Innovation Centre . Technology companies include Abcam , CSR , ARM Limited , CamSemi , Jagex and Sinclair . Microsoft has located its Microsoft Research UK offices in West Cambridge , separate from
5310-613: The city; Daniel Zeichner ( Labour ) has represented the seat since the 2015 general election . The seat was generally held by the Conservatives until it was won by Labour in 1992, then taken by the Liberal Democrats in 2005 and 2010, before returning to Labour in 2015. A southern area of the city, Queen Edith's ward and Cherry Hinton ward, falls within the South Cambridgeshire constituency, whose MP
5400-783: The cost of rebuilding the Great Bridge, now called the Magdalene Bridge , in 1823, and a further £300 for the rebuilding of the Small Bridge, now Silver Street Bridge, in 1841. A year later they constructed a house at Clayhithe, which cost £880, and included a large room for meetings and banquets. Just three years later the Eastern Counties Railway reached Cambridge, and the navigation declined rapidly. Receipts dropped from £1,393 in 1846 to £367 in 1850, and were just £99 in 1898. Most commercial carrying on
5490-461: The county boundary between Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire for around two kilometres, then the boundary between Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire for a further kilometre. At this point its course turns east and from here until it merges with the Granta it forms the parish boundary between a succession of villages, though until it reaches Barrington it remains at a distance of around a kilometre from any settlement of any size. Just after flowing under
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#17327657632895580-403: The county of Cambridgeshire – and is administered by Cambridge City Council . The district covers most of the city's urban area, although some suburbs extend into the surrounding South Cambridgeshire district. The city council's headquarters are in the Guildhall , a large building in the market square. Cambridge was granted a Royal Charter by King John in 1207, which permitted the appointment of
5670-419: The downstream end. Jesus lock is manually operated, and has mitre gates at both ends. Boat sizes are restricted to 96.8 ft (29.5 m) by the length of Bottisham lock, and to 14 ft (4.3 m) by the width of Baits Bite lock. Jesus lock is only 9.7 ft (3.0 m) wide. The navigable lodes of Reach , Swaffham Bulbeck and Bottisham, the last of which is no longer navigable, can be reached from
5760-439: The east coast. The town became a military centre, with an R.A.F. training centre and the regional headquarters for Norfolk , Suffolk , Essex , Cambridgeshire , Huntingdonshire , Hertfordshire , and Bedfordshire established during the conflict. The town itself escaped relatively lightly from German bombing raids, which were mainly targeted at the railway. 29 people were killed and no historic buildings were damaged. In 1944,
5850-414: The economy of Cambridge. The town market provided for trade in a wide variety of goods and annual trading fairs such as Stourbridge Fair and Midsummer Fair were visited by merchants from across the country. The river was described in an account of 1748 as being "often so full of [merchant boats] that the navigation thereof is stopped for some time". For example, 2000 firkins of butter were brought up
5940-408: The flat-bottomed punts . Between 1 October and 31 March powered boats are allowed as far as Mill Pool, but few people take advantage of this, as there are very few public mooring places along the Backs, and the river is too narrow and the bridges too low to afford easy passing or turning for many boats. Punts and canoes can be manhandled around the weir above the Mill Pool by means of the rollers,
6030-461: The front of Audley End House , and is also joined by the stream known as Fulfen Slade. It then skirts the edges of a number of villages as it moves into Cambridgeshire, successively Littlebury , Little Chesterford , Great Chesterford , Ickleton , Hinxton , Duxford and Whittlesford , powering a number of water mills along the way. Forming the boundary between Great Shelford and Little Shelford , it turns west to flow past Hauxton to merge with
6120-413: The hills of Uttlesford , it turns north just west of the village of Henham . From there until Great Shelford it largely follows the course of the West Anglia Main Line railway. Its northward journey passes first through Newport , where it is joined by the streams known as Wicken Water and Debden Water. A couple of miles later it forms a picturesque addition to views of the stately home as it flows past
6210-435: The house at Clayhithe is now the residence of the foreman of the Conservators. The Conservators are still responsible for the river above Bottisham lock, while the lower river has been managed by the Environment Agency since its creation in 1995. The three locks are all of different sizes. Bottisham and Baits Bite locks are both fully automated, with a vertical guillotine gate at the upstream end and traditional mitre gates at
6300-400: The main Microsoft UK campus in Reading , and also has an office on Station Road. Ashwell Springs Ashwell Springs is a 0.3-hectare (0.74-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Ashwell in Hertfordshire , England. The local planning authority is North Hertfordshire District Council . The site consists of a series of freshwater springs, which form a source for
6390-418: The marl was mined in the 19th century for fertiliser; this became a major industry in the county, and its profits yielded buildings such as the Corn Exchange , Fulbourn Hospital , and St. John's Chapel until the Quarries Act 1894 and competition from America ended production. The River Cam flows through the city from the village of Grantchester , to the southwest. It is bordered by water meadows within
6480-438: The mid-20th century, and the parish church of All Saints. It then touches the eastern edge of the village of Haslingfield before joining the Granta at Hauxton Junction. From source to its confluence with the Granta it is 33.2 kilometres (20.6 mi) in length. The longer tributary, the Granta, starts in the parish of Debden to the east of the village of Widdington in Essex . After initially running south west to descend from
6570-507: The national average. The Cambridge Biomedical Campus , one of the largest biomedical research clusters in the world, includes the headquarters of AstraZeneca and the relocated Royal Papworth Hospital . Cambridge produced the first 'Laws of the Game' for association football and was the site of the first game, which was held at Parker's Piece . The Strawberry Fair music and art festival and Midsummer Fair are held on Midsummer Common , and
6660-772: The old mill by the Mill Pond. Her book, Period Piece , is a memoir of a childhood messing about on the river. The mill house is now part of Darwin College . Children's author Philippa Pearce , who lived in Great Shelford until her death in December 2006, featured the Cam in her books, most notably Minnow on the Say . The river is renamed the River Say, with Great and Little Shelford becoming Great and Little Barley, and Cambridge becoming "Castleford" (not to be confused with
6750-501: The opening of the Great Eastern Railway 's London to Norwich line. The station was outside the town centre following pressure from the university to restrict travel by undergraduates. With the arrival of the railway and associated employment came development of areas around the station, such as Romsey Town . The rail link to London stimulated heavier industries, such as the production of brick, cement and malt . From
6840-435: The present Mount Pleasant , continuing across Huntingdon Road into Clare Street. The eastern side followed Magrath Avenue, with the southern side running near to Chesterton Lane and Kettle's Yard before turning northwest at Honey Hill. It was constructed around AD 70 and converted to civilian use around 50 years later. Evidence of more widespread Roman settlement has been discovered, including numerous farmsteads and
6930-486: The real town of the same name in West Yorkshire). River Cam is referred to as "Camus, reverend Sire" in line 103 of John Milton 's pastoral elegy Lycidas . Edward King , in whose memory the elegy was composed, was a fellow student at Cambridge. Like many rivers, the Cam is extensively used for several forms of recreational activity. These include angling, swimming and various kinds of boating. The water
7020-413: The record for the all-time maximum temperature in the UK , after recording 38.7 °C (101.7 °F) on 25 July 2019. Typically the temperature will reach 25.1 °C (77.2 °F) or higher on over 25 days of the year over the 1981–2010 period, with the annual warmest day averaging 31.5 °C (88.7 °F) over the same period. The absolute minimum temperature recorded at the Botanic Garden site
7110-433: The remains of a submerged towpath : the riverside colleges did not permit barge horses on the Backs, so the beasts waded up the Cam to the mill pulling their loads behind them. Access for mechanically powered boats is prohibited above 'La Mimosa' Pub (at the upstream end of Jesus Green ) between 1 April and 30 September, when the middle and upper river are open only to manually propelled craft. The most common of these are
7200-492: The river and on the western bank just north of the bridge at Clayhithe (both with a maximum stay of 48 hours), and unofficial moorings on the railings adjoining Riverside in Cambridge (unlimited stay, but usually fully occupied) which are under review by Cambridge City Council and likely to be reduced to eight or nine formalised residential moorings, or removed altogether. The moorings on the commons in Cambridge (Jesus Green, Midsummer Common and Stourbridge Common) are reserved by
7290-505: The river every Monday from the agricultural lands to the northeast, particularly Norfolk , to be unloaded in the town for road transportation to London. Changing patterns of retail distribution and the advent of the railways led to a decline in Cambridge's importance as a market town. Cambridge today has a diverse economy with strength in sectors such as research and development, software consultancy, high value engineering, creative industries, pharmaceuticals and tourism. Described as one of
7380-408: The river had stopped by World War I , although Banhams operated two steam tugs and three barges until the late 1930s, carrying gas water from Cambridge Gasworks to King's Lynn, where it was used in the manufacture of fertiliser. The last recorded passenger services had ceased nearly 100 years earlier, in 1839 and were started again in 2008 with the passenger vessel moored on Jesus Green. Traffic using
7470-401: The river today consists of private cruisers making the journey to Jesus Lock, with the section above Baits Bite lock regularly in use by the University rowing clubs, both for practice and for races. Motorised craft can navigate along the Backs in winter, but headroom is severely restricted. The Conservators of the River Cam now have an office in the former lock-keepers cottage at Baits Bite, while
7560-539: The river's name was backformed to match. This was not universally applied, however, and the upper stretch of the river continues to be informally known as the Granta . It has been said that the river is the "Granta" above the Silver Street Bridge (in Cambridge) and the "Cam" below it. The Rhee tributary is also formally known as the Cam, and the Granta has a tributary on its upper stretch also known as
7650-595: The town in 1644, the defences were never used, and the garrison was stood down the following year. In the 19th century, in common with many other English towns, Cambridge expanded rapidly, due in part to increased life expectancy and improved agricultural production leading to increased trade in town markets. The Inclosure Acts of 1801 and 1807 enabled the town to expand over surrounding open fields and in 1912 and again in 1935 its boundaries were extended to include Chesterton, Cherry Hinton, and Trumpington. The railway came to Cambridge in 1845 after initial resistance, with
7740-639: The town to the university. King's College Chapel was begun in 1446 by King Henry VI . Built in phases by a succession of kings of England from 1446 to 1515 — its history intertwined with the Wars of the Roses — the chapel was completed during the reign of King Henry VIII . The building would become synonymous with Cambridge, and currently is used in the logo for the Cambridge City Council . Following repeated outbreaks of pestilence throughout
7830-636: The town's name abbreviated to "Grant". In 1068, two years after the Norman Conquest of England, William the Conqueror erected a castle on Castle Hill, the motte of which survives. Like the rest of the newly conquered kingdom, Cambridge fell under the control of the King and his deputies. Cambridge's first town charter was granted by Henry I between 1120 and 1131. It granted the town monopoly of waterborne traffic and hithe tolls and recognised
7920-689: The towns within her dower lands, and the Jews of Cambridge were ordered to relocate to Norwich . In 1349, Cambridge was affected by the Black Death . Few records survive but 16 of 40 scholars at King's Hall died. The town north of the river was severely impacted, being almost wiped out. Following further depopulation after a second national epidemic in 1361, a letter from the Bishop of Ely suggested that two parishes in Cambridge be merged as there were not enough people to fill even one church. With more than
8010-637: The world. The buildings of the university include King's College Chapel , Cavendish Laboratory , and the Cambridge University Library , one of the largest legal deposit libraries in the world. The city's skyline is dominated by several college buildings , along with the spire of the Our Lady and the English Martyrs Church , and the chimney of Addenbrooke's Hospital . Anglia Ruskin University , which evolved from
8100-431: Was −17.2 °C (1.0 °F), recorded in February 1947, although a minimum of −17.8 °C (0.0 °F) was recorded at the now defunct observatory site in December 1879. More recently the temperature fell to −15.3 °C (4.5 °F) on 11 February 2012, −12.2 °C (10.0 °F) on 22 January 2013 and −10.9 °C (12.4 °F) on 20 December 2010. The average frequency of air frosts ranges from 42.8 days at
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