Haddenham is a village and

civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authorit ...

Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire (abbreviated Cambs.) is a county in the East of England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the north-east, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to t ...

, England. In the 2001 census the parish had a population of 3,228. The 2011 census reported a population of 3,344, a figure which includes the hamlet of Aldreth.

History

The Archaeology Data Service reports

Iron Age The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age ( Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age ( Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly ...

features such as ditches and possible roundhouses. Historical records of a

Saxon The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic * * * * peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...

ecclesiastical manor suggest ''Haddeenham'' was a settlement in Saxon times. Nine Anglo-Saxon graves were discovered next to the Three Kings pub. During the Second World War, Haddenham was a

Starfish Starfish or sea stars are star-shaped echinoderms belonging to the class Asteroidea (). Common usage frequently finds these names being also applied to ophiuroids, which are correctly referred to as brittle stars or basket stars. Starfish a ...

bombing decoy site, both K-type (day) and Q-type (night), which were used to divert

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

bombing away from

RAF Bomber Command RAF Bomber Command controlled the Royal Air Force's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. Along with the United States Army Air Forces, it played the central role in the strategic bombing of Germany in World War II. From 1942 onward, the British bo ...

's nearby airfields.

Amenities

Haddenham has shops in the High Street, and two public houses (The Three Kings and The Cherry Tree), a beauty salon, GP's surgery, art gallery, a village hall known as the Arkenstall Centre, and a library that has been volunteer-run since 2003. Holy Trinity Church dates from the 13th century and was extensively remodelled in the 19th century. Haddenham Baptist chapel dates from the late 18th century and the present building from 1905. In September 2012, the village's new playpark was unveiled by

Baroness Scott of Needham Market Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knigh ...

. Bus services run to the cathedral city of Ely, approximately north-east of the village.

Community

For over 40 years the village has hosted a Steam Rally, which attracts more than 20,000 visitors. The rally, with over 700 exhibits, is held in early September and raises money for local charities and causes. In 2013 it celebrated its 40th anniversary. The annual village open day was 'Blossoms & Bygones', a Haddenham local and visitor attraction held until 2013. The event also covered the neighbouring hamlet of Aldreth and included tractor rides around the village, tours of the windmill and orchards, vintage car and tractor displays and open private gardens. In 2011 it held its 40th anniversary event, with a

VE Day Victory in Europe Day is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945, marking the official end of World War II in Europe in the Easter ...

theme and villagers in 1940s costume. Blossoms and Bygones has now been replaced by the Aldreth Vintage Fair.

References

External links

Village web site
{{authority control Villages in Cambridgeshire Civil parishes in Cambridgeshire East Cambridgeshire District