Category: Cambridgeshire

This wall played an important part in the Second World War (or at least a wall like it). I believe that my grandad, Albert Barham, was churchwarden of St Andrew’s church in Chesterton. He was a manager at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, so remained at home. Family tradition says that one of the jobs he did was as Fire Warden, based at the church. My uncle Derrick was a teenager, my dad Jeffrey a bit younger. They would offer to test the stirrup pumps. The churchyard wall was a favourite spot for American troops to say “good night” to their girlfriends....

We crossed the A10 and entered Melbourn. In our day the A10 was Melbourn’s high street – the bypass has made it a much nicer village. All Saints’ church is at TL382448. I can’t find a website and the Melbourn village site has a virus warning. When we lived here (in 1984) we worshipped at the Baptist Church – website – Ron, who was our minister, went on to be an Anglican cleric (do you see a pattern here?). For many years in the 1970s my dad (Jeffrey Barham) taught at Melbourn Primary School – website. We parked by...

Clare College, Cambridge – website – another gorgeous college, though with slightly less visitors. It also has a longer history – Trinity is a baby in comparison. Clare is the second oldest of the colleges, founded in 1326, and generously endowed a few years later by Lady Elizabeth de Clare (Lady de Burgh – was she the original “Lady in Red”? (Peter making a joke about popular music)), a granddaughter of King Edward I. It became known as Clare Hall as early as 1339 (the present simplified title, ‘Clare’, dates from 1856).  Hugh Lambert and Nicholas Ferrar were members...