Shepreth

Shepreth is a village and civil parish in South Cambridgeshire, lying halfway between Cambridge and Royston.

Shepreth

Shepreth Village Hall and Shepreth Book Exchange, converted from a red telephone box
Shepreth
Location within Cambridgeshire
Population819 (2001) [1]
768 (2011[2]
OS grid referenceTL3947
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townROYSTON
Postcode districtSG8
Dialling code01763
PoliceCambridgeshire
FireCambridgeshire
AmbulanceEast of England

History

The parish of Shepreth is roughly-rectangular and covers 1318 acres. It is bounded by the River Rhee to the north, which separates it from Barrington, Foxton brook to the east, across which lies Foxton, and Guilden Brook brook to the west, separating it from Meldreth and Melbourn. The field boundaries to the south border the parish of Fowlmere.[3]

Stone Age weapons and tools have been found in the parish, and the land, formerly marshy, could thus have housed a lakeside settlement. Evidence of Roman habitation has been found on the drier ground in the northeast corner of the parish.[3] [4] Two medieval moated sites in the village are scheduled as ancient monuments.[5][6]

Listed as Esceprid in the Domesday Book the name "Shepreth" means "sheep stream", and was used as a resting place where sheep could be washed on their route to Cambridge. The Sheep Bridge was still in use in 1626.[3][7]

Church

The parish church of All Saints is an ancient edifice of brick and flint in the Early English style, consisting of nave and a low western tower containing two bells. The chancel arch dates from the early 12th century.[8] There are some monuments to the Layer family (who formerly possessed property here) dated 1730, 1743 and 1760. There is also a 13th-century octagonal font[8] of Barnack stone, and an old oak treasure chest which was unearthed about 1895. The grade II* listed church was restored in 1870, and affords 120 sittings. The register dates from the year 1569.[3]

There is a Congregational chapel, erected in 1901 and seating 120 persons. A stone cross was erected on Pretty Corner in 1920, in memory of the men from the parish who fell in the Great War.

Village life

The village has had its own station since 1851. Shepreth railway station is on the Great Northern Line, the main line between Cambridge and London.

The parish contains a wildlife park, a nature reserve, Shepreth L-Moor, and the UK's only insect research laboratories.

Shepreth now has two public houses, The Green Man at Frog End on the Cambridge to Royston road, and the Plough on the High Street. In the 18th century The Green Man was known as the Bottle and Anchor. The pub which is now known as The Plough burnt down and was rebuilt in 1896. The Railway Tavern by the station opened in 1873 and closed in around 1960.[3]

  • Church of All Saints
  • Keeper with barn owl (Shepreth Wildlife Park)
  • Capybara in Shepreth Wildlife Park
  • Mandarin duck in Shepreth Wildlife Park
  • Bengal eagle owl in Shepreth Wildlife Park
  • Dartmoor pony in Shepreth Wildlife Park
  • alpacas in Shepreth Wildlife Park
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References
  1. 2001 census Archived 2012-03-18 at the Wayback Machine
  2. "Civil Parish population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  3. A History of the County of Cambridge and the Isle of Ely. 5. 1973. pp. 251–263.
  4. Historic England. "Roman site N of Brown Spinney (1006873)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  5. Historic England. "The National Heritage List for England (1019549)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  6. Historic England. "The National Heritage List for England (1019182)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  7. A. D. Mills (2003). "A Dictionary of British Place-Names".
  8. Historic England. "The National Heritage List for England (1330821)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
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