Benwick is a village and civil parish in the Fenland district of Cambridgeshire, England. It is approximately 15 miles (24 km) from Peterborough and 30 miles (48 km) from Cambridge. Benwick comprises around 330 houses, and in the United Kingdom Census 2001 showed the population to be 860.
| Benwick | |
|---|---|
| File:Benwick Signwhole2.JPG The Village Sign | |
| Population | 860 (2001 Census) |
| OS grid reference | TL341909 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | March |
| Dialling code | 01354 |
| Police | Cambridgeshire |
| Fire | Cambridgeshire |
| Ambulance | East of England |
History
The settlement's name is derived from the Old English bean or beam, and wic, meaning "farm where beans are grown" or "farm by a tree-trunk."[1] Benwick was an ancient fenland village, but is unique among them by not being built on an actual "island." In 1221, Benwick had 15 tenants and by 1251, 32.[2] It used to be in the parish of Doddington.[2]
From 1898 to 1966 Benwick was the terminus of the Benwick goods railway which ran from Three Horseshoes junction at Turves, on the Ely to Peterborough line. The station was on the road to Whittlesey. There was never a passenger service on the line, except a group of railway enthusiasts who visited the line in 1956.[citation needed]
Benwick Bygones, a book on the History of Benwick was published in 2008 by Adam Keppel-Garner and Janet Fountain.
Governance
The Parish Council consists of seven members; elections are held every four years, the last were in 2007.[3] Benwick is represented on Fenland District Council. Benwick is part of the parliamentary constituency of North East Cambridgeshire; the current Member of Parliament is Steven Barclay.[4]
Geography
Benwick village is approximately 15 miles (24 km) from Peterborough and 30 miles (48 km) from Cambridge, and stands on the old course of the River Nene,[2] on a rodham.[5]
Demography
At the time of the 2001 census, Benwick parish had 860 inhabitants – 445 males and 415 females, living in 333 households.[6]
Education
Benwick Primary School, which caters for pupils aged 4–11, was built in 1873 and is located on the High Street.[7]
Religion
In 1637–68 an unconsecrated chapel was erected at Benwick, and in 1850–51 St Mary's church was built on its site.[2] St Mary's was demolished in the mid-1980s, and the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel fell into disuse in 2006, leaving Benwick without a church as of 2011. A Baptist chapel was built in 1818 on the site of the current Baptist graveyard. There are plans by the Friends of Benwick Church to build a new church next to the Village Hall. Although some people would rather it not be built.[8]
References
- ^ Mills, A.D. (1998). A Dictionary of English Place-names. Second Edition. Oxford University Press, Oxford. p34. ISBN 0-19-280074-4
- ^ a b c d 'North Witchford Hundred: Doddington', A History of the County of Cambridge and the Isle of Ely: Volume 4: City of Ely; Ely, N. and S. Witchford and Wisbech Hundreds (2002), pp. 110–116.
- ^ Lilyholt Road: Benwick Parish Council. Retrieved 18 December 2009
- ^ Find Your MP. Retrieved 18 December 2009
- ^ Astbury 1987, p. 112 and plate 34–38.
- ^ Office for National Statistics: Benwick CP: Parish headcounts. Retrieved 18 December 2009
- ^ Lilyholt Road: Benwick Primary School. Retrieved 18 December 2009
- ^ Lilyholt Road: Church. Retrieved 18 December 2009
Bibliography
- Astbury, A K (1987). The Black Fens (3 ed.). Wardy Hill, Ely, Cambridgeshire: Providence Press. ISBN 0903803186.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help)
External links
