Barnwell was once considered a village in its own right but has since ceased to exist as an individual entity. Nowadays, Barnwell has been absorbed into the city of Cambridge and only lives on within the name of streets, organisations and geographic features. The name ‘Barnwell’ is believed to derive from ‘Bairn Well’ – and refers to a well where children would gather for amusements at the midsummer festival. This legend was recorded in the 17th century by a gentleman called Sir William Dugdale, an English scholar who studied medieval history. We will take his word for it. 

We love a bit of history here at Radcliffe & Rust, and with our regular ‘area blogs’ comes the opportunity to embrace that passion in all its glory. We spend hours every week visiting towns and villages in the Cambridgeshire area – and often beyond – so what a shame it would be not to know the fantastic culture and quirky stories that make them so unique from one another. We also believe that if you live somewhere or are looking to live somewhere, you should know a little about its history. Fortunately for you guys, you have us here to do the research for you. You just need to sit back and take it all in. Anyway, enough waffle; let’s get back to Barnwell. 

Although Barnwell may have all but disappeared as the city of Cambridge expanded around it, this does not remove the fact that the area still has a large amount of history. Did you know that Barnwell is home to the oldest chapel in Cambridge? Built in 1125, it still stands alongside Newmarket Road to this very day. But what else does Barnwell have in terms of history? Let’s find out…

 

Barnwell Priory

A priory is a monastery of men or women under religious vows headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be home to friars, monks or nuns, and Barnwell Priory was founded in 1092 for priests who live in community under a rule – also known as a ‘house of canons regular’. Quite a mouthful but the shortest explanation we had, sorry! Interesting stuff, though. The only surviving part of this building is the 13th-century claustral building, which today is Grade II listed. 

Picot of Cambridge was a Norman landowner and Sheriff of Cambridgeshire. Picot’s wife, Hugolina, became gravely ill and vowed that if she recovered, she would run a religious house. Fortunately, she did recover, and Picot endowed the priory, following (or so the story goes) his wife’s request. Maybe this was the key to marital bliss…the info neither confirms nor denies this part of the story. The priory originated at St Giles’ Church, but after changing hands a few times, it ended up (around 1119) as what we now know as Barnwell Priory – or what is left of it! The priory was later dissolved, and over time the building became ruinous. 

 

Theatre Royal

The Theatre Royal was built in (what was once) the Barnwell ward of Cambridge in 1816. It closed later that century only to reopen in 1926 as the Cambridge Festival Theatre. 

William Wilkins, a building contractor, was the proprietor of a chain of theatres in East Anglia known as the Norwich Theatre Circuit. Wilkins and his son built a theatre in 1807 in Barnwell. The younger Wilkins, responsible for Downing College and London’s National Gallery during his career (yep, he was a pretty talented guy), later designed a new theatre nearby to replace the original building. Completed in 1816 and known as the Theatre Royal, this building sits on the south side of Newmarket Road in the north-eastern Cambridge area…still known as Barnwell to the locals today.  

In 1926, Theatre producer Terence Gray reopened it as the Cambridge Festival Theatre. The theatre was the country’s ‘first permanent indoor performing space based on the design of a Greek open-air theatre’. Over the years, the theatre had many directors, actors and producers, but eventually – June 1935, to be exact – the theatre was obliged to close due to financial difficulties. Today the building is used as a Buddhist centre. It was sad to see the theatre close, but the history will always remain deeply rooted in the community. 

 

But what is Barnwell like today…

As we have already mentioned, Barnwell itself is no longer marked on any Ordnance Survey map. It doesn’t exist as a stand-alone ward; instead, it has been absorbed into the city of Cambridge and is now part of the CB5 area, also home to the popular village of Fen Ditton. Fen Ditton is a desirable location given its proximity to Cambridge City Centre but with a more relaxed village feel. It also has great transport links to the A14, Cambridge Airport and sits midway between both Cambridge train stations. Fen Ditton also has two public houses that we felt were worth a mention. The Plough sits on the river and is a popular location for watching The Bumps: an annual rowing race held on the river Cam. The other pub is The King’s Head, which has been open since as far back as 1760. Families in the village usually send their children to Fen Ditton Primary school before they move up to Bottisham Village Collage, rated ‘outstanding’ in its most recent Ofsted inspection. 

In a nutshell, Barnwell is a popular place to live because it is part of Cambridge. As we all know, everyone wants to live in Cambridge – well, not everyone; that would be statistically incorrect but let’s just say it is highly desirable. Most people who move there don’t regret their decision. Of course, we are biased but remember that award we constantly harp on about? Need we say more? The CB5 area of Cambridge is a fantastic location for families, couples and singletons all looking to live in a bustling part of the city…but with quieter areas such as Fen Ditton easily accessible. If you want a location close to Cambridge with excellent transport links, reputable schools and a few good pubs (which is always important), then the Barnwell area could be just what you are looking for.Â