Eaton Socon
Encyclopedia
Eaton Socon is a district of St Neots
in Cambridgeshire
, England
. It was originally a village in Bedfordshire
, along with the neighbouring village of Eaton Ford
, but officially became part of the town in 1965. Eaton Socon changed relatively little until this time, but on its inclusion into Cambridgeshire a significant amount of development took place to the west of the village into the 1980s, with areas covering Monarch Road and the upper end of Nelson Road being developed in a particularly short space of time. The population of Eaton Socon is around 5000 people.
The village is mentioned as "Eaton" in the Domesday Book
, when the manor belonged to Eudo Dapfier. In the 13th century the village became a "Soke", which meant it was independent of the local Hundred Court at Barford. In time, "Soke" became "Socon". The village was also previously known as "Sudbury".
Eaton Socon lies close to the west bank of the River Great Ouse
. There is a weir
(constructed in 1967) and associated lock gates to allow river navigation. The riverbank is home to a popular local inn, The River Mill Tavern. Nearby are the remains of Eaton Socon Castle
. The parish church
, St Mary's, stands on the picturesque green in the centre of the village. It burned down in the 1930s after a fire started in the organ, but was completely rebuilt in the original style soon after.
The centre of Eaton Socon is characterised by small thatched cottages along the Great North Road and side roads such as Peppercorns Lane and School Lane. Great North Road is lined with a number of local business premises. The White Horse pub dates back to the 13th Century, was a Royal Mail staging post and is mentioned by Charles Dickens
in Nicholas Nickleby
. The village retains a great deal of atmosphere and traditional May Day celebrations are still held every year on the green.
The A1 passed through the village along the Great North Road until the Eaton Socon bypass opened in 1971. A second bypass
was opened in 1985 to enable traffic travelling between the A1 and Cambridge
to avoid Eaton Socon, Eaton Ford and St Neots.
For details of Eaton Socon's history, see the article History of St Neots
.
St Neots
St Neots is a town and civil parish with a population of 26,356 people. It lies on the River Great Ouse in Huntingdonshire District, approximately north of central London, and is the largest town in Cambridgeshire . The town is named after the Cornish monk St...
in Cambridgeshire
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...
. It was originally a village in Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
, along with the neighbouring village of Eaton Ford
Eaton Ford
Eaton Ford is a district of St Neots and is in Cambridgeshire, England. Until 1965 it was a separate village in the county of Bedfordshire, when it was absorbed through boundary changes. Eaton Ford lies on the west bank of the River Great Ouse, on the western side of St Neots...
, but officially became part of the town in 1965. Eaton Socon changed relatively little until this time, but on its inclusion into Cambridgeshire a significant amount of development took place to the west of the village into the 1980s, with areas covering Monarch Road and the upper end of Nelson Road being developed in a particularly short space of time. The population of Eaton Socon is around 5000 people.
The village is mentioned as "Eaton" in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
, when the manor belonged to Eudo Dapfier. In the 13th century the village became a "Soke", which meant it was independent of the local Hundred Court at Barford. In time, "Soke" became "Socon". The village was also previously known as "Sudbury".
Eaton Socon lies close to the west bank of the River Great Ouse
River Great Ouse
The Great Ouse is a river in the east of England. At long, it is the fourth-longest river in the United Kingdom. The river has been important for navigation, and for draining the low-lying region through which it flows. Its course has been modified several times, with the first recorded being in...
. There is a weir
Weir
A weir is a small overflow dam used to alter the flow characteristics of a river or stream. In most cases weirs take the form of a barrier across the river that causes water to pool behind the structure , but allows water to flow over the top...
(constructed in 1967) and associated lock gates to allow river navigation. The riverbank is home to a popular local inn, The River Mill Tavern. Nearby are the remains of Eaton Socon Castle
Eaton Socon Castle
Eaton Socon Castle stood beside the River Ouse in the village of Eaton Socon, which was originally a village in Bedfordshire but is now a district of St Neots in Cambridgeshire ....
. The parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
, St Mary's, stands on the picturesque green in the centre of the village. It burned down in the 1930s after a fire started in the organ, but was completely rebuilt in the original style soon after.
The centre of Eaton Socon is characterised by small thatched cottages along the Great North Road and side roads such as Peppercorns Lane and School Lane. Great North Road is lined with a number of local business premises. The White Horse pub dates back to the 13th Century, was a Royal Mail staging post and is mentioned by Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
in Nicholas Nickleby
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby
Nicholas Nickleby; or, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby is a novel by Charles Dickens. Originally published as a serial from 1838 to 1839, it was Dickens' third novel....
. The village retains a great deal of atmosphere and traditional May Day celebrations are still held every year on the green.
The A1 passed through the village along the Great North Road until the Eaton Socon bypass opened in 1971. A second bypass
A428 road
The A428 road is a major road in central and eastern England. It connects the cities of Coventry and Cambridge by way of the county towns of Northampton and Bedford.-Coventry - Northampton:...
was opened in 1985 to enable traffic travelling between the A1 and 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...
to avoid Eaton Socon, Eaton Ford and St Neots.
For details of Eaton Socon's history, see the article History of St Neots
History of St Neots
St Neots is a town in the Huntingdonshire district of Cambridgeshire, England. The town originally developed next to a medieval priory in the form of market stalls. These were replaced over the years by permanent structures, which eventually defined the boundaries of today's Market Square...
.
External links
- Eatons Community Association
- Eaton Socon on the Great North Road
- www.stneots-tc.gov.uk – Contains information on Eaton Socon
- Genealogy of Eaton Socon (and Hamlets)