Comberton

Comberton is a village and civil parish in South Cambridgeshire, England, just east of the Prime Meridian. It was voted the most depressing Cambridgeshire village of 2020.[2]

For other places with the same name, see Comberton (disambiguation).

Comberton

Comberton village green and pond
Comberton
Location within Cambridgeshire
Population2,346 (2011 Census)[1]
OS grid referenceTL383563
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townCAMBRIDGE
Postcode districtCB23
Dialling code01223
PoliceCambridgeshire
FireCambridgeshire
AmbulanceEast of England
UK Parliament

History

Archaeological finds, including a Neolithic polished stone axe (found to the south of the current village) and a Bronze Age barrow (to the north), suggest there has been a settlement here for thousands of years. A Roman villa was discovered in 1842.[3]

The village was mentioned in the Domesday Book as Cumbertone, and therefore dates to at least the 11th century.[4]

Some houses in the village date from the 14th century.

The hamlet of Green End was named for the landowner Sir Henry Green (d.1370), Chief Justice of the King's Bench 1361–5. The current Manor House at Green End dates back to the late 16th century.

Geography

Comberton is about 6 miles (10 km) south-west of the city of Cambridge, and just half a mile (800 m) east of the Prime Meridian, lying at a modest elevation of around 25 feet (8 m) above sea level. The civil parish covers 1,954 acres (790.8 ha), and is part of the local government district of South Cambridgeshire. Nearby villages include Barton to the east and Toft to the west. Comberton is twinned with Le Vaudreuil, a village near Rouen, France.[5]

The Prime Meridian is marked by a Meridian Line stone plaque on the north side of the main road (B1046) between Comberton and the neighbouring village of Toft. The line runs up the 14th fairway of the Cambridge Meridian Golf Club according to the club, but a check of the co-ordinates reveals that it is actually on the white tee of the 15th hole.

Community

Comberton has a population of about 2,400.[6] It contains two churches: the Church of England St Mary's, a Grade I listed[7] Early English-style building dating from the 13th century,[8] and a Baptist church dating from 1868.[9] It also a pub, The Three Horseshoes, shops, a primary school (Meridian Community Primary School) a post office, a recreation ground, a doctor's surgery, a dental surgery, and at the centre of the village, a village pond with resident ducks.

The village has an infant playgroup, the Meridian Primary School,[10] Comberton Village College[11] and the Comberton Sixth Form.[12] The latter two are part of the Comberton Educational Trust,[13] which has other villages in its catchment area: Barton, Bourn, Caldecote, Coton, Cambourne, Hardwick, Haslingfield, and Toft.[14] Comberton Village College has been at or near the top of the league tables for state comprehensive schools in England[15] and is a National College 'National Support School', offering support to other secondary schools through being part of the Cambridge Consortium.[16] It was the last Cambridgeshire Village College opened by Henry Morris, Chief Education Officer for Cambridgeshire.

See also

References
  1. "2011 Census". Archived from the original on 11 October 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
  2. "Cambs Times most depressing Cambridgeshire village poll 2020". Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  3. "Comberton history". Retrieved 19 December 2009.
  4. "Comberton". Open Domesday Book. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  5. "British towns twinned with French towns". Archant Community Media Ltd. Archived from the original on 5 July 2013. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  6. "South Cambridgeshire District Council population forecasts". Archived from the original on 9 June 2011. Retrieved 19 December 2009.
  7. "CHURCH OF ST MARY". Historic England. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  8. "St. Mary's website: History". Retrieved 19 December 2009.
  9. "CBC website". Retrieved 19 December 2009.
  10. "Comberton Primary School". Retrieved 7 November 2011.
  11. "Comberton Village College". Retrieved 7 November 2011.
  12. "Comberton Sixth Form". Retrieved 7 November 2011.
  13. "Comberton Educational Trust". Archived from the original on 19 September 2011. Retrieved 7 November 2011.
  14. "Comberton Village College: Admissions Policy 2010-2011". Archived from the original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2011.
  15. "Comberton Village College at gov.uk". Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  16. "Cambridge Consortium". Archived from the original on 11 January 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2011.
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