Winwick Village

Winwick is a small village on the Cambridgeshire–Northamptonshire border. It is a very old village, situated at approximately the crossing point of two significant trading routes from Anglo-Saxon times.  One was the main droving route from agricultural routes to London (The Bullock Road) and the other was a salt distribution route from Sawtry (Salt Trey) to the Midlands.  Sawtry was on the edge of the Fen Marshes, accessible by small boats from the North Sea who landed their cargoes there.  The Great North Road ran from London along the Fenland edge carrying goods, vehicles and people, so the Drovers route ran parallel to it with shepherds and drovers moving cattle, hens, sheep etc.

Winwick sits on a hill but has a plentiful supply of natural spring water, essential for watering cattle, and there are still many natural ponds which never dry up.  Because of the watering holes a community grew up which supported local farms, but also met the needs of travellers by providing beer, food, shelter, beds and anything else necessary for a night.

Winwick translates to either the place of Win’s people or Win’s specialist farm.  It is recorded in the Domesday Book a comprising 4 manors, part of the Hundred of Polebrook., with 23 households and a population of about 100.

The population grew over the years, peaking at 431 in 1851 before falling to the present day total of under 100.  During the Black Death, 40 villagers died, including the vicar.

Until 1895 Winwick sat on the border of Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire, with a part in each county.  It then became part of Huntingdonshire until 1965 when it became part of Huntingdon and Peterborough.  Then in 1974 Winwick became part of Cambridgeshire.

Winwick is a small parish, and has a parish meeting rather than a parish council.  The current Parish Chairman is Graham Evans, and the Parish Clerk is John Clarke.  The current District Councillor is Ian Gardener.  It has All Saints Church which dates to at least the 12^th Century, and an active Village Hall, but sadly the numerous pubs which served travellers have all closed, along with Post Office and shops.