Boxworth
Coordinates: 52°15′34″N 0°01′35″W / 52.25946°N 0.02637°W
Boxworth is a village in South Cambridgeshire not far from the rapidly expanding developments of Cambourne and Northstowe. It is situated about 8 miles to the north-west of Cambridge.[2] It falls under the Bar Hill Ward. It is within the diocese of Ely. The village covers an area of 1,053 ha. (2,602 a.)[3] Boxworth is a relatively small village, with around 100 houses.
History
In the 1664 Hearth Tax a large house belonging to a gentleman, Mr. Killingworth, accounted for eight hearths at Boxworth.[4] It has today one public house from the 1760s or earlier, named the Golden Ball from 1820.
Boxworth's population, once considerable, shrank severely after the Middle Ages and reached a peak of c. 350 in the mid 19th century.
In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Boxworth like this: "BOXWORTH, a parish in the district of St. Ives and county of Cambridge; 3 miles WSW of Long-Stanton r. station, and 5 SSE of St. Ives. Post Town, Long-Stanton, under Cambridge. Acres, 2,521. Real property, £2,946 Pop., 347. Houses, 64. The property is divided among a few. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Ely. Value, £459.* Patron, G. Thornhill, Esq. The church has a monument of Sanderson, the blind professor of mathematics; and is good."
Church
Recorded from the mid 12th century, when relics of St. 'Inicius' were said to be deposited there, the church of St Peter is an ancient edifice of flint and stone in the Decorated style, consisting of chancel, nave of four bays, south aisle, north and south porches and a lofty embattled tower containing a clock and one bell: in the church is a monument to Nicholas Saunderson LL.D., F.R.S. the celebrated blind professor of mathematics in the University of Cambridge, who died 19 April 1739: the church was thoroughly restored in 1868-9, and affords 150 sittings. There are some pictures and a description of the church at the Cambridgeshire Churches website.[5] There is a more comprehensive history at www.british-history.ac.uk. [6]
Road
The Road is designed to be a small access road to the rural outlying villages of Cambridge surrounding it, including Elsworth, Conington and Knapwell and is usually quiet. However, as the village lies between two major roads - the A428 and the notorious A14 (previously A604) - it is occasionally used more heavily, especially when one of the major roads is blocked. In 2004-2005, traffic calming measures were introduced at either end of the village - a chicane. This is considerably less traffic-calming than surrounding villages, which make heavy use of road humps and speed-reducing signs. The traffic-calming measures are often a controversial issue.
Development
In 2003-2005, plans were made to build a wind farm across the arable land in the North of Boxworth. Sixteen turbines were planned, and a number of residents of the village started a campaign[7] called "Stop Cambridge Wind Farm", introduced to stop the building of it. In early 2005 the application was rejected by Cambridgeshire County Council, and the ensuing appeal was also rejected.
During the August 1995 heat wave in Europe, which recorded the hottest temperature since records began in 1659, Boxworth recorded the highest temperature in the United Kingdom, at 35C (95F).[8]
References
- ↑ http://www.cambridgeshireinsight.org.uk/census2011/census_maps
- ↑ "Genuki information on Boxworth". Genuki. 2003-03-20. Retrieved 2007-12-11.
- ↑ "British History Online guide to Boxworth". British History Online. 1989. Retrieved 2007-12-14.
- ↑ Evans, N. and Rose, S., editors, Cambridgeshire Hearth Tax Returns, Michaelmas 1664, British Record Society, London, 2000, p.73.
- ↑ The church's page at the Cambridgeshire Churches website
- ↑ The church's page at the British History Online website
- ↑ "Wind Farm stirs local opposition". BBC News. 2004-05-12. Retrieved 2007-12-11.
- ↑ "Hot weather health warning". BBC News. 1998-08-06. Retrieved 2007-12-11.
External links
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