News from the authors and team behind Balsham, a village story 1617-2017, published on 2nd November 2017.
A lot has been going on both before and since ‘lockdown.’ It has been said many times how lucky we are to live in the countryside and be able to enjoy the benefits especially during the strange times we are presently experiencing. As well as the changing seasons, there are continuous changes within the village and the map of 2017 has changed as well.
Previous generations relied on other means for communication. Letters carried by horse and man were used for many centuries. The introduction of the Penny Post in the 1840s established a country-wide method of safe communication available to all. Balsham had a post office to allow mail to be sent and collected but history is uncertain where this was located at that time. Do you know?
‘The development will comprise 28 detached houses of 3 different designs in Georgian style. Each house will have 4 bedrooms, 2 reception rooms, a kitchen with probably the finest units available, a bathroom, 2 toilets and a garage. The larger type of house ... will have a double garage and a screened hard-standing area for a caravan or a boat,’ declares Drivers estate agents in 1969.
Before we welcome in 2020 , a very long overdue up-date! Sales of our book continue and it is nice to hear the stories that have emerged since the launch of the book just over two years ago.
Stories have come from past residents with their memories of our village. Names have been put to faces on the photographs, and distant cousins have been reunited.
Even in the two years since publication the site of Balsham Buildings has made way for a mix of housing known as Farrier’s Yard; the Butcher’s Shop has re-emerged as a very popular and welcoming coffee shop.. New homes are under construction on land which lies between the New Market to Walden Road and Peare tree waye as shown on the original 1617 map, better known today as Linton Road and Hlldersham Road,.
The original idea to celebrate 400 years of the first known map of Balsham has come a long way and those connected with it have created new ventures of their own.. Modern technology has meant that Thomas Langdon’s early map can be reproduced in different ways to show how the village has expanded using statistics and visual images; the possibilities are endless.
If time allows, we have plans are afoot for the new year.
DON’T FORGET PLOUGH MONDAY WHEN THE LOCAL PLOUGH BOYS WILL BE TOURING THE VILLAGE WITH THE CAMBRIDGE MORRIS MEN COLLECTING FOR LOCAL CHARITIES
MONDAY 13TH JANUARY 2020 STARTING 5pm AT DUNGATE LANE
WISHING YOU ALL A HAPPY NEW YEAR
The response from people who have purchased our book contines and we’ve been delighted to hear from people with pictures and stories of families who lived in Balsham in times past. We’ve had many requests to see if we can put flesh on the bones for people seeking information on their connection with Balsham. We help if it is possible.
It appears from a recent communication that during the early 1900’s whilst William and Ann Prince were living in London, Kenneth Grahame, author of Wind in the Willows was a close neighbour to them. The Prince family were residents of our village so maybe a few tales from the riverbank were shared!
You can read more about the Prince family in the book which is still available to buy in the village shops and online here. If you are a Cambridgeshire based business and you’d like to stock the book, please let us know.
In our book Balsham, a village story 1617-2017, we described some of the place names of Balsham and where our research showed an origin. We’d love to know if you have stories to tell us about the name of a place you know in the village, perhaps a house or landmark? Get in touch by email by clicking here.
As you cross the busy A11 and head to Balsham, the first building you will see in the parish is Dotterel Farm and the cottages balanced on the hill before the road sweeps onwards but is it one '‘l’ or two (as the new development seems to be called)? We’ve got the answer!
If you’re on Facebook, do follow us and send a photo of you with your book, we’d love to know your favourite parts and about your connection to the village.
