Somersham

infobox UK place
country = England
static_

static_image_caption =
latitude=52.382255
longitude=0.00061
official_name = Somersham
population = 3,802 [cite web | publisher = Office for National Statistics | url = http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=792287&c=Somersham&d=16&e=15&g=426815&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1202938528812&enc=1&dsFamilyId=779 | title = Neighbourhood Statistics - Somersham CP (Parish) | accessdate = 2008-02-13]
shire_district = Huntingdonshire
shire_county = Cambridgeshire
region = East of England
constituency_westminster = North West Cambridgeshire
post_town = HUNTINGDON
postcode_district = PE28
postcode_area= PE
dial_code=01487
os_grid_reference= TL361779

Somersham, in Huntingdonshire (now part of Cambridgeshire), England, is a village and civil parish near Earith north of St Ives.

There has been a settlement in this corner of the country for at least 2,500 years and probably much longer than that. The village may not be full of ancient buildings, but it possesses a rich heritage of recorded history.

Somersham lies on the Greenwich meridian line. There is a marker on the pavement in the High Street denoting the location of the October 1884 Greenwich Prime Zero meridian line.

It once had a Somersham railway station connecting it to the towns of March and St Ives, as well as a short branch to Ramsey.

Somersham is an important calling point on the [http://www.bath.ac.uk/~masgks/march.html March March march] and on many ordnance survey walks. Containing 4 pubs, 2 schools, and a vast collection of other shops, it is a well catered village, despite the recent closing of many small shops.

The local football club, Somersham Town, play in the Cambridgeshire League, having previously been members of the Eastern Counties League.

History

The manor of Somersham was long held by the Crown until the English Civil War, when it was disposed of by Parliament. According to The Victoria County History of Huntingdon, the manor was sold to Robert Blackborne of Westminster for £19,884 in 1653, who in turn sold to Oliver Cromwell's brother-in-law Valentine Walton, which ultimately resulted in a suit between the two parties. Following the Restoration, the manor was returned to the Crown.

Says the Victoria County history: "New trustees were appointed in 1631, and in 1634 the residue of the term was settled for life as jointure on Henrietta Maria, Queen of Charles I, and power was given to her trustees to grant leases for terms not exceeding 21 years. On the seizure of the crown lands by the Parliament, the manor and soke of Somersham were sold in 1653 for £19,884 to Robert Blackborne of the city of Westminster. In Michaelmas term following, Robert Blackborne and Anne his wife conveyed them to Valentine Walton or Wauton, the regicide, brother-in-law of Oliver Cromwell. The conveyance led to a suit in Chancery between the parties, as the manor and soke seem to have been charged for the payment of certain troops of the Commonwealth army." [ [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=42487, A History of the County of Huntingdon, Vol. II, William Page, Granville Proby, 1932, British History Online, british-history.ac.uk] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.somersham.info/ Somersham.info] - Historical information about Somersham and the surrounding area.