A Brief History of Willingham 1200 to 1900
In this series Alan Fawcitt tells the story of Willingham from medieval settlement through to thriving village in the reign of Queen Victoria. Its location midway between the important cities of Ely and Cambridge gave it significance throughout this period as Alan explains.
Introduction
In medieval times the clergy were the only fully literate people in the village and we have a remarkable record of the Rectors of Willingham covering this period in a paper presented to the Cambridge Antiquarian Society in 1956.
Their track record was quite staggering. In addition to their religious role here, 20 Willingham Rectors over the first 500-year period held posts that included Baron of the Exchequer of Ireland, the King’s Ambassador to France (twice), King’s Messenger to Rome Closer to home their appointments included:
| Treasurer of the Exchequer of Ireland | Provost of Kings College |
| Kings Ambassador to France (twice) | Master of Clare College |
| Kings Messenger to Rome | Master of Jesus College |
| Chaplain of Queen Elizabeth | Master of Pembroke College |
| Chaplain to King James | Master of Christ College |
| Vice Chancellor Cambridge University (5 times) | Assistant Commissioner to Oliver Cromwell |
I have attempted to weave a brief history of the village around the known backgrounds of these people and of the national events taking place during their ‘reigns’ in Willingham.
Reign of King Henry III 1216 – 1272
In 1200 ‘Wivelingham’ was a small fen village with a population of around 150 living in 30 to 40 small, dark, single-storey cottages, wooden framed, with mud, wattle and straw walls, damp floors and thatched roofs. The fens to the north were undrained swamp with just one causeway track linking Cambridge to Ely. Apart from the old Roman road from Cambridge to Huntingdon, the few other rutted roads alternated between dust baths and mud baths.
A house fit for a King
In the early 1200’s two great building projects commenced in the centre of the village which, by their sheer scale, were to change both its appearance and importance totally. The first was the construction of the Bishop of Ely’s Manor House behind the Church towards what is now Fen End where the Sports and Social Club stands. For 500 years, from 1109 to 1601, the Lord of the Manor of Willingham was the Bishop of Ely who was both powerful and wealthy. The Manor House was built by 1238, using 50 oaks given by King Henry lll, and it contained accommodation for the visiting Bishop and his guests. We know that in 1244 one of his guests was King Henry III himself. The Manor House consisted of a hall with two chambers at its upper and lower ends, a ’knyght’ chamber, a ‘clerk’ chamber, a chapel and a treasury (to store the rents due to the Bishop as Lord of the Manor in kind and in money). It was possibly fortified. No trace remains of the building now.
Next: Building a new Church
