St Ives

St Ives is a market town 12 miles north-west of Cambridge; I have worked here, on the Industrial Estate on the edge of town, for the last 10 years (on and off) and have finally got round to a proper explore and town walk (now that I am retired!)  Originally called Slepe, St Ives is situated on the banks of the River Great Ouse; it was a strategic location in Anglo-Saxon times and in the 18th and 19th centuries was an active river port and trade hub on the way to London.  The use of the River Great Ouse declined as the railway and road networks improved, but it is still an active market town.

I start at the Riverside; the St Ives Bridge dates to the 15th century and is one of only four bridges in the England to incorporate a chapel (it is Grade 1 listed as a result); there are good views from the bridge, including the old corn mill which has been converted to flats (and is where Clive Sinclair invented the world's first pocket calculator.  I walk back into town along the riverside to the car park and bus station - the site of the original cattle market and only the gatehouses remain at the entrance - and then double back to the wide Market Hill (where the modern market is now held).  Here, there is an imposing statue of Oliver Cromwell, who was born close by (in Huntingdon) and moved to St Ives for a while, during which time the non-conformist Free Church was built, as well as many old buildings along the street and nearby.  

A short walk along Merryfield brings me to The Broadway, another wide street where the Victoria Memorial is situated, as well as many other fine old buildings.  The Broadway meets a riverside area known as The Waits; this is a lovely area, and the Norris Museum is here, featuring a collection of Huntingdoshire's history.  Along the road is the Old Butcher's Shop, the Old Grammar School, and it finishes at the Parish Church of All Saints (Grade 1 listed).

St Ives is a lovely place, and there are some great walks nearby.Read more