Castle Camps (village)
Encyclopedia
Castle Camps is a village in Cambridgeshire
, England
, 15 miles (24.1 km) south-east of Cambridge
and near to the borders of Suffolk
and Essex
and to the town of Haverhill
.
Previously named Great Camps and Camps Green, the village is named after Castle Camps
, the castle
within the parish
's boundaries.
. Roughly triangular in shape, it covers an area of 3198 acres (1,294.2 ha). Its south-western and south-eastern borders separate it from Essex
with the former following the line of the ancient woodland that separated the counties, and the latter probably representing the extent of the fence around the Castle. It also borders Shudy Camps
to the north and has a short border with Bartlow
to the north-west.
The hamlet of Olmstead in the south-eastern corner of the parish was sometimes listed as being part of Helions Bumpstead
in Essex
, and was part of its ecclesiastical parish, though part of Castle Camps for feudal purposes. It was included as part of Essex in the Risbridge poor-law union in the 19th century, and also sometimes listed as the Cambridgeshire part of Helions Bumpstead parish. The situation was only resolved in 1885 when it was transferred to Castle Camps for all civil purposes.
During the Second World War, Castle Camps, like may other parts of East Anglia
, was home to a RAF station on the plateau to the south-east of the castle. Established in September 1939, RAF Castle Camps operated as a satellite for RAF Debden
and RAF North Weald and numerous squadrons flew from the airfield until its closure in January 1946. The land was sold between 1963 and 1966.
The medieval tower collapsed in 1850, with a replacement completed in 1851. Extensive refurbishment continued through the 19th century. John Ernest Bode
was rector of the parish in the mid-19th century, and is known for writing the hymn "O Jesus I have Promised". He is buried in the church yard.
, The Cock, situated on the High Street. There were two alehouses licensed in Castle Camps in 1682, and in 1800 there were 2 pubs – The George, which closed around 1910, and The Cock. The New Inn opened prior to 1871 and close in the late 20th century.
Castle Camps also has its own primary school. The schoolroom was first built in 1866, when there were 96 pupils, and the building was extended in 1876 and again in 1886. Numbers rose to a peak of 160 in the 1880s, falling to 107 in 1914 and 75 by the 1930s. Pupils of secondary age were transferred to the newly-built Linton Village College
in 1937.
A building was bought to become the village hall in 1952.
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 15 miles (24.1 km) south-east of Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
and near to the borders of Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
and Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
and to the town of Haverhill
Haverhill, Suffolk
Haverhill is an industrial market town and civil parish in the county of Suffolk, England, next to the borders of Essex and Cambridgeshire. It lies southeast of Cambridge and north of central London...
.
Previously named Great Camps and Camps Green, the village is named after Castle Camps
Castle Camps
Castle Camps was a Norman Castle located in what is now the civil parish of Castle Camps, Cambridgeshire.-Owners:Castle Camps was originally a Saxon manor, belonging to Wulfwin, a Thane of King Edward the Confessor. After the Norman invasion, William the Conqueror gave the manor to Aubrey de Vere...
, the castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
within the parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
's boundaries.
History
The parish of Castle Camps lies in the very south-eastern corner of CambridgeshireCambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
. Roughly triangular in shape, it covers an area of 3198 acres (1,294.2 ha). Its south-western and south-eastern borders separate it from Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
with the former following the line of the ancient woodland that separated the counties, and the latter probably representing the extent of the fence around the Castle. It also borders Shudy Camps
Shudy Camps
Shudy Camps is a village in Cambridgeshire, England. As of the 2001 census the population is 310. The area of the village is .-External links:*...
to the north and has a short border with Bartlow
Bartlow
Bartlow is a small village and civil parish in the South Cambridgeshire district of Cambridgeshire, England, about south-east of Cambridge and west of Haverhill in Suffolk. The River Granta runs through the village.-History:...
to the north-west.
The hamlet of Olmstead in the south-eastern corner of the parish was sometimes listed as being part of Helions Bumpstead
Helions Bumpstead
Helions Bumpstead is a small village in Essex located near Haverhill and the Essex/Suffolk/Cambridgeshire borders. It is 2 miles from Steeple Bumpstead. Helions Bumpstead has "the greens"; Pale Green , Wiggens Green , and Drapers Green . There are four roads into and out of the village they are;...
in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, and was part of its ecclesiastical parish, though part of Castle Camps for feudal purposes. It was included as part of Essex in the Risbridge poor-law union in the 19th century, and also sometimes listed as the Cambridgeshire part of Helions Bumpstead parish. The situation was only resolved in 1885 when it was transferred to Castle Camps for all civil purposes.
During the Second World War, Castle Camps, like may other parts of East Anglia
East Anglia
East Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...
, was home to a RAF station on the plateau to the south-east of the castle. Established in September 1939, RAF Castle Camps operated as a satellite for RAF Debden
RAF Debden
RAF Debden is a former RAF airfield in England. The field is located 3 miles SE of Saffron Walden and approximately 1 mile north of the village of Debden in North Essex.-RAF Fighter Command:...
and RAF North Weald and numerous squadrons flew from the airfield until its closure in January 1946. The land was sold between 1963 and 1966.
Church
There has been a church in Castle Camps since at least the start of the 12th century. The present parish church, dedicated to All Saints since the 15th century, comprises a chancel, nave with south porch, and west tower. Situated to the north-west of the castle, the building largely dates from the 15th and 16th century, though elements of the chancel walls may have been built in the 14th century.The medieval tower collapsed in 1850, with a replacement completed in 1851. Extensive refurbishment continued through the 19th century. John Ernest Bode
John Ernest Bode
John Ernest Bode was an Anglican priest, educator, poet, and hymnist.-Life:Born in London, he was the son of William Bode. Married with three children. Educated at Eton, the Charter House, and then at Christ Church, Oxford where he received his B.A. in 1837 and a M.A. He won the Hertford Scholarship...
was rector of the parish in the mid-19th century, and is known for writing the hymn "O Jesus I have Promised". He is buried in the church yard.
Amenities
The village has one public housePublic house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
, The Cock, situated on the High Street. There were two alehouses licensed in Castle Camps in 1682, and in 1800 there were 2 pubs – The George, which closed around 1910, and The Cock. The New Inn opened prior to 1871 and close in the late 20th century.
Castle Camps also has its own primary school. The schoolroom was first built in 1866, when there were 96 pupils, and the building was extended in 1876 and again in 1886. Numbers rose to a peak of 160 in the 1880s, falling to 107 in 1914 and 75 by the 1930s. Pupils of secondary age were transferred to the newly-built Linton Village College
Linton Village College
Linton Village College is a comprehensive Community College with foundation and Business and Enterprise College status in Linton, South Cambridgeshire. - Feeder schools :From the ages of 4 to 11, pupils are educated at their local village primary schools...
in 1937.
A building was bought to become the village hall in 1952.