Pictures of Godmanchester

About Godmanchester

Delightful town which grew up on the banks of the River Great Ouse. It was mentioned in the Doomsday Book of 1086 and was granted its Town Charter in 1212.

It is a pleasant place with an interesting blend of old and new properties. Some of the most noted buildings belong to the 16th and 17th-century, several of these are half-timber frame houses, with thatched roof. One of the most eye catching sights in the town is the intricate Chinese Bridge spanning the Great Ouse, whilst the other, apart from the lovely properties lining the river banks, has to be the historic Saxon Church of St.Mary the Virgin which stands in the heart of the town. It is a beautiful church of mainly perpendicular style with an ornate spire that can be seen for miles around. Amongst the church treasures there is a font from the 13th-century with a decorative lid bearing the inscription 'Suffer little children to come unto Me' it has carved fleur-de-lys and lilies. Interestingly, the font now rises on a base dating 1921. Magnificent stained glass windows are attributed to the great 19th-century glass artist, Charles Eamer Kempe and to Edward Burn-Jones of the William Morris glass studio. The church contains tablets commemorating local families, and is noted for its 15th-century choir stalls, with carving and a series of misericords. In the quiet, shaded churchyard there are centuries old gravestones. The town has one of the most graceful War Memorials ever seen, it is dedicated to those who died during World War One and Two.

Godmanchester came to attention in 1964 when a hoard of over 1,000 English and foreign coins was discovered during excavations for the laying down of Longstaff Way.

Full of interest, with excellent shopping facilities, good hotels, inns and restaurants, Godmanchester makes a pleasant tourist destination for those wishing to explore the Western approaches to the Fens - it is a landscape of rolling farmland, patched with woodland, broken only by the meandering waters of the Nene, Welland and Great Ouse upon which Godmanchester rests.

Nearby attractions include: Island Hall, 18th-century house by the Great Ouse, Houghton Mill (NT), Huntingdon Museum, Grantham Water and visitors centre, and Wildlife Centre near Coppingford.