** Please note that this is an archive of the CANTAB publication and contains out-of-date information **
CANTAB RAMBLER
Editorial
As the Winter days close in, activities closer to Cambridge predominate. This issue will, for once, concentrate largely on Cambridge RA Group, and Cambridge matters.
Janet Moreton
RA Cambridge Group AGM
The AGM was held on the evening of 30 November, with the formal business followed by an interesting speaker, and a buffet supper with wine for £5 a head. The enjoyable evening was attended by less than 10% of the 450 membership. From this, and other such evenings it is clear that our members at large are generally not attracted by evening or indoor engagements, but would rather be out and about! Here is an opportunity for members to learn what they missed!
Formal business – From reports presented, members learnt of the Committee’s involvement in matters affecting public paths, be it: planning; development; Network Rail’s attempts to close dozens of level crossings affecting paths in Cambs; “Greenways” (proposed new cycling/walking routes); and proposed new busways into Cambridge.
On the path network, there had been very few problems of overgrowth throughout the dry Summer. However, general path problems reported received very poor attention from the County Council for an unexplained gap of 4 months during the Summer. Issues of overgrown hedges adjacent to paths, damaged stiles and kissing gates, and missing/damaged signposts have been reported, and some of the problems have been addressed.
Our Chairman, Lisa Woodburn thanked walks leaders for another year’s very successful walks programme. The printed version is much appreciated, although the programme is also available on the Group’s website. The Treasurer’s report showed the Group is solvent, having an end-of-year balance of £1343. Income derives from a grant from subscriptions via National Office, and Group book sales, and major items of expenditure are the walks programmes and the cost of posting them.
The election of officers resulted in no change in the Committee, and no-one came forward to be a “member without portfolio”. This is sad, as the Committee members would freely admit themselves to be ageing, and would welcome new input.
The Talk – An illustrated lecture, “Horseheath Hall – a vanished country house” was given by Mrs Janet Morris, Secretary and founder member of West Wickham and District Local History Club and Council Member of Cambridge Antiquarian Society.
We were shown the attractive countryside around Horseheath, and the footpaths many of us know and love, and, super-imposed on this landscape, the impressive hall as it was in the C18th, before it was, sadly, demolished.
An original hall was created in the C15th, and a deer park added later, and by the C18th parkland covered a wide swathe of countryside between Horseheath and West Wickham. A new hall had been built on the site in 1663, designed by Sir Roger Pratt whose design was the first to put the servants quarters in the basement (thus the originator of the concept Upstairs / Downstairs). The hall was later altered and extended. At its peak, the site included gardens, orangery, summer house, ice house, ponds, and specimen trees – two of the original cedar trees can still be seen from the Roman Road. Finally, the last owners, The Bromley family, over-extended themselves, and the house was sold, and demolished, many of the fragments of splendour re-appearing elsewhere in the County. The magnificent wrought iron park gates may be seen along The Backs behind Trinity and St John’s colleges.
Cambridge’s Trees
The City Council reckons there are over 240,000 trees in Cambridge. The canopy covers 17% of the City’s surface area. Some 94% of the trees are under 50 years old, with only 1% aged over 100! The majority are planted in private gardens, but many line streets, or are in parks. The trees around Parker’s Piece, and on Christ’s Pieces and Jesus Green for example, give character to the location, as well as helping to counter climate change effects.
The Council’s Tree Strategy aims to protect and manage existing trees, including veteran and heritage trees, and to increase new tree planting. During 2018, there has been a survey of old willow trees on Sheep’s Green; an investigation into the health of ash trees (the City’s most common species); and setting up a Tree Trail at Cherry Hinton Hall.
To encourage the planting of trees in gardens, residents with a new baby can apply to the Council for a free tree under the “Free Trees for babies” scheme. See e-mail trees@cambridge.gov.uk
Meanwhile, enjoy a tree-spotting walk about the City – easier when the leaves return in Spring!
£4.6m approved for Greenways
During the Summer, the Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) endorsed a £4.6m package to accelerate delivery of short-term improvements across the network of proposed “Greenways” – a series of routes for walkers, cyclists and horseriders, linking nearby villages and towns to Cambridge. There are a total of twelve Greenways planned: Barton; Bottisham; Comberton; Fulbourn; Haslingfield; Horningsea; Linton; Melbourn; Sawston; St Ives; Swaffham; and Waterbeach. A series of public consultations have been held.
Short term improvements in the system include the widening and resurfacing of a number of existing cycleways across greater Cambridge, such as those between Sawston and Stapleford. One suggestion was a new shared use path linking Cottenham to the Guided Busway.
While there was broad support for the Greenways scheme, the representative of the Federation of Cambridge Residents Associations felt that some proposed routes touched on sensitive parts of the historic City centre, and sought re-assurance that no cobbles or paving stones would be removed. Some residents of Newnham were worried about the impact of a Greenway on Barton Road on the leafy character of the area. Ramblers too, while welcoming more access and car-free routes, might mourn the quieter footpaths they may in some cases replace.
A14 Archaeology
The A14 works rumble on, resulting in many motorists seeking new routes for work and recreation. Walks approached from Cambridge by the A14 have been unpopular this year, with two such led walks on the Cambridge Group programme being very poorly attended.
Meanwhile, nearly 250 archaeologists have been working to uncover sites of interest, before they are sealed beneath the asphalt of the new road. About 1.35 square miles (350 ha) have been investigated, comprising over 40 separate excavations. Some 15 tonnes of finds (pottery, animal bones, metalwork) have been uncovered. A further 140 tonnes of environmental soil samples were also collected (filling 5 shipping containers). About 25 settlements, burial and industrial sites were uncovered. These include: 7 prehistoric burial grounds, barrows, and cremation cemeteries; 3 prehistoric henges; 8 Iron Age to Roman supply farms; 40 Roman pottery kilns; 3 Saxon settlements; 1 deserted medieval village with remains of 12 buildings from C8 – C12th; and 2 C19th brick kilns.
Individual treasures include a Neolithic flint axe head; an Iron Age timber ladder, dated to 525-475bc; A Roman pendant of Medusa; and an Anglo-Saxon bone flute. The archaeologists, led by MOLA Headland Infrastructure, say they “have evidence to rewrite the prehistoric & historic records for the area for the last 6000 years.”
Prehistoric trackways came this way, later as a Roman Road, the “Via Devana” or Worsted Street. We will never be allowed to walk the A14 on a line once tramped by the Romans, but hopefully by 2020, the A14 will once more give easier access from Cambridge to attractive walks in Huntingdon, Brampton and beyond.
Open Spaces Society defends Therfield Heath
The Open Spaces Society has recently assisted in the defeat of a proposed exchange of common land on part of Therfield Heath, Royston.
The conservators of Therfield Heath and Greens wanted to swap 1.65 acres of common land at Sun Hill (where it wished to build 8 houses) for the same area of woodland over a mile away. The objectors included Natural England, and Herts. CC and a public Inquiry was held. The Inspector, Mark Yates, rejected the application, concluding that, since the land to be lost at Sun Hill has been used for recreation, the exchange would have an adverse impact on those living close by. Also, there was evidence that the replacement land was already being used by the public and therefore there would be an overall loss.
Info from “Open Space” Autumn 2018, vol 32, No 3.pp 10, 11. Acknowledged with thanks.
Chisholm Trail – progress report
Readers will be aware of the long term scheme to create a new cycleway/walkway across Cambridge, avoiding vehicular traffic. We are delighted to have a progress report direct from Jim Chisholm, for which many thanks.
“Progress on the Chisholm Trail has been slow recently despite both the new river bridge and ‘phase one’ as far as Coldham’s Lane having full planning permission for a while. There is also consent from the Planning Inspectorate, under the Commons Act 2004, to widen the existing tarmac path over Coldham’s Common. A number of leases have been agreed including those over parts of the Old Barnwell oil sidings and adjacent to Coldham’s Brook over Cambridge Past Present and Future land around the Leper Chapel.
“Exploration will show ‘preliminary’ work at a number of locations, but final signing of some long leases, and ‘signing off’ of some pre-commencement planning conditions is needed before work starts in earnest. There has always been the hope that this section could be completed before the end of 2019. This would mean that there would finally be a pleasant walking route from Cambridge North station, over the new river bridge to Ditton Meadows, and then via the Leper Chapel, through the new underpass beneath Newmarket Road, and onto Coldham’s Common. The section south from Coldham’s Lane will go through the old Ridgeon’s site which is being redeveloped for housing, and then parallel with the railway, under Mill Road and link to the ‘Carter’ bridge and to Clifton Road. Work on agreeing the detail here proceeds. The outline plans for the housing include a route, and that over the Network Rail land needs no formal planning permission and may be built as part of the planned major work on the sidings both N & S of Mill Road bridge.
“Much of this route will be 3.5m of tarmac. Some wanted full segregation, but others objected to a ‘highway’ over green space. The 3.5m is as wide as the widest paths in the Sheep’s Green area, so it is hoped that conflicts between those on foot and on bikes will be minimised. Recently, and controversialy, planning permission has been granted for a Cafe adjacent to Barnwell Lake. This will be at the opposite end of the underpass beneath Newmarket Road from the Leper Chapel. It will offer welcome sustenance and relief to those exploring these wonderful green spaces, or those just passing through as part of a longer trip…. Won’t it be great to walk or cycle all the way fro Milton Country Park to the new Hobson’s, and Trumpington Meadows Country Parks south of Cambridge yet avoiding busy main roads.”
The Leper Chapel
The Autumn Issue of The Ring, the magazine of Cambridge Past, Present and Future (CPPF) describes current plans to upgrade the facilities of The Leper Chapel and associated land.
Built ca 1125 as an outlying leprosy hospital, the chapel is one of Cambridge’s oldest buildings. The Leper Chapel nowadays needs £200K spending in the next 5 years on essential repairs, retiling the roof, and a small extension at the rear to house toilet, storage and kitchenette. The article continues “Plans for the Chisholm Trail adjacent to the chapel continue to move slowly forwards, but that project will give CPPF the opportunity to extend the chapel lawn, connecting with the Chisholm Trail and making the chapel accessible for wheelchair users”.
CPPF has submitted a Lottery Funding bid, and expects to hear the result of their bid sometime this month, so we wish them the best of luck.
Mill Road Bridge works.
A new issue clouds the Mill Road Bridge in 2019. Govia Thameslink plan to create an extra railway line under the bridge, to allow 12-carriage trains for the new direct service to Brighton to be cleaned without interruption of the main railway lines. It is proposed to close the bridge for much of the time for 2 or 3 months next Summer, with a 1km pedestrian detour. This may be negligible for the fit walkers in our membership, but devastating to the elderly, infirm and disabled amongst us. No buses will pass down Mill Road, cutting people off from the City Centre, and hospital and trade would be affected.
John Fuller
Ramblers Cambridge Group record with sadness the death of our member, John Fuller, aged 94. He is survived by his widow Beryl and family, to whom we send our sympathy. The funeral was held on 15 October, at the Arbory Trust Woodland Cemetery at Barton, and was attended by representatives of the Cambridge Group.
John was an enthusiastic rambler for many decades. He led walks locally and on holidays with The Cambridge Rambling Club. In the period 1980 – 1990, when the Cambridge RA Group did much way-marking and clearance work in South Cambs, John was an active volunteer. His long familiarity with local paths made him a much valued and authoritative witness at public inquiries, as well as a wonderful companion.
JM
Cantab Rambler by E-Mail & Post
Cantab now appears some four times a year. A large number of you now receive Cantab by e-mail.
This is a privately produced magazine, and the views expressed are solely those of the editor, or of the author of an individual item.
Janet Moreton 01223 356889
e-mail roger.janet@outlook.com
Cantab93 © Janet Moreton, 2018.
