Huntingdon
250589
225036838
2008-07-11T16:07:47Z
Epbr123
1395162
Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/92.10.11.167|92.10.11.167]] to last version by 92.11.197.195 (using [[WP:HG|Huggle]])
{{otheruses|Huntingdon (disambiguation)}}
{{infobox UK place|
|country = England
|latitude= 52.3364
|longitude= -0.1717
|official_name= Huntingdon
|population= 19,830
|shire_district= [[Huntingdonshire]]
| shire_county = [[Cambridgeshire]]
|region= East of England
|constituency_westminster= [[Huntingdon (UK Parliament constituency)|Huntingdon]]
|post_town= HUNTINGDON
|postcode_district = PE29
|postcode_area= PE
|dial_code= 01480
|os_grid_reference= TL245725
}}
'''Huntingdon''' is a town in the county of [[Cambridgeshire]] in [[East Anglia]], [[England]]. The town was [[town charter|chartered]] in 1205, and celebrated its [http://www.huntingdon800.org.uk 800th anniversary in 2005]. It was formerly the [[county town]] of [[Huntingdonshire]], and is currently the seat of the Huntingdonshire [[non-metropolitan district|district council]]. It is known as the birthplace of [[Oliver Cromwell]].
==History==
Very early man may have roamed the area, but does not appear to have settled for long nor in great numbers. Signs of early hunter-gatherers have been found nearby.
Huntingdon was founded by the [[Anglo-Saxons]] and [[Danes]]. It prospered successively as a bridging point of the [[River Great Ouse]], as a market town, and in the 18th and 19th centuries as a [[Stagecoach|coaching]] centre. The town has [[Old Bridge, Huntingdon|a well-preserved medieval bridge]] that used to serve as the main route of [[Ermine Street]] over the river. The bridge only ceased to be the sole crossing point to [[Godmanchester]] in 1975, with the advent of what is now the [[A14 road|A14]] [[Bypass route|bypass]].
Its valuable trading position was secured by the now-vanished [[Huntingdon Castle]]. The site is now a [[Scheduled Ancient Monument]], and is home to a [[beacon]] used to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the [[Spanish Armada]].
The [[Huntingdon (UK Parliament constituency)|Huntingdon constituency]] has been represented by two exceptionally famous members of parliament: [[Oliver Cromwell]] in the 17th century and [[John Major]] in the 20th. It is currently represented by [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] [[Member of Parliament|MP]] [[Jonathan Djanogly]].
Original historical documents relating to Huntingdon, including the original borough [[charter]] of 1205, are held by [[Cambridgeshire Archives and Local Studies]] at the County Record Office Huntingdon.
==Area==
The town lies on the north bank of the [[River Great Ouse]], opposite [[Godmanchester]] and adjacent to the market town of [[St Ives, Cambridgeshire|St Ives]] in the east and the village of [[Brampton, Cambridgeshire|Brampton]] in the west. Huntingdon now incorporates the [[village]] of [[Hartford, Cambridgeshire|Hartford]] to the east, and the developing areas of Oxmoor, Stukeley Meadows and Hinchingbrooke to the north and west.
Between Godmanchester, Huntingdon and [[Brampton, Cambridgeshire|Brampton]] lies England's largest [[meadow]], Portholme Meadow[http://www.huntingdon-town.info/portholme.htm]. Around 257 acres (1 km²) in size and contains many rare species of grass, flowers and [[dragonfly]]. It is the only known habitat of the Marsh Dandelion in Britain. It also acts as a huge natural reservoir for holding excess water in times of flood enabling the river to be run off more slowly, thereby helping to prevent flooding of nearby towns. It has also served as a horse race course and centre for early aviation.
There is a local Horseracing Course, [[Huntingdon Racecourse]].
[[Image:Huntingdon Old Bridge.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The [[Old Bridge, Huntingdon|Old Bridge]] across the [[River Great Ouse|Great Ouse]], to [[Godmanchester]].]]
There are 3 [[Royal Air Force|RAF]] bases within 4 miles of the town: [[RAF Brampton]], once home to Headquarters [[RAF Support Command]] and now part of the [[Defence Logistics Organisation]] (DLO); [[RAF Wyton]], once a major flying station but now also part of the DLO; and [[RAF Alconbury]] currently occupied by the [[United States Air Force]].
There are four [[Church of England]] churches in Huntingdon, which together with the churches in the adjacent villages Great and Little Stukeley are members of the [http://www.huntingdonanglicanchurches.org.uk Huntingdon Team Ministry] in the [[Diocese of Ely]]. The four churches are All Saints' (next to the Market Square), St Mary, St Barnabas (on the Oxmoor estate) and All Saints', [[Hartford, Cambridgeshire|Hartford]].
Local Primary schools include [[Thongsley Fields Primary School]], [[St John's Primary School, Huntingdon|St John's Primary School]], [[Stukeley Meadows Primary School]] and [[Hartford Junior School]]. Special needs schools include [[Spring Common School]]. Secondary schools include [[St. Peter's Secondary School, Huntingdon|St Peters]] and [[Hinchingbrooke School]].
==Notoriety==
* Regular [[animal rights]] protests take place outside the local [[Huntingdon Life Sciences]] laboratory. Huntingdon Life Sciences is one of the world's largest Contract Research Organisations. Founded in 1952 in the UK, the company is now an international business with resources on three continents. Originally the company concentrated upon nutrition, veterinary and biochemical research.
* A photograph of the [[Cash Converters]] store in Huntingdon features on the front cover of the book ''Crap Towns 2''.
* The town is known as Cuntingdon to most of its residents, due to its general reputation for looking and smelling like a vagina.
[[Image:Huntingdon train station.JPG|thumb|right|200px|Huntingdon railway station, which has a direct link to [[King's Cross railway station|Kings Cross]] in [[London]].]]
==Transport==
===Rail===
[[Huntingdon railway station|Huntingdon]] and [[St. Neots railway station|St Neots]] stations are connected with [[King's Cross railway station|London Kings Cross station]] by a frequent service operated by [[First Capital Connect]].
Huntingdon is connected to [[Peterborough railway station|Peterborough station]] by First Capital Connect, and then on to the North and [[Scotland]] by [[National Express East Coast]].
===Air===
[[London Luton Airport|Luton]] and [[London Stansted Airport|Stansted]] airports are both within an hour's drive.
[[Image:Huntingdon town centre.JPG|thumb|right|200px|Huntingdon town centre, looking North along the High Street towards All Saints' Church.]]
==Leisure==
The District of Huntingdonshire has 5 leisure centres, all of which boast impressive facilities. Huntingdon has two [[List of King George V Playing Fields (Cambridgeshire)|King George's Field]]s in memorial to [[George V of the United Kingdom|King George V]].
==Legends==
Once a convent, [[Hinchingbrooke House]] is said to be haunted. The bridge over the Alconbury Brook named Nun's bridge is said to be haunted also by one of the nuns which once lived at the old convent that is now Hinchingbrooke House. It's said she is often accompanied by another ghost which resembles the appearance of a nurse. The myth goes that the nun had a lover, a monk that caused them to be murdered. In 1965 a married couple reported seeing the ghosts on the bridge, and again when they returned home the same night.
==See also==
* [[Earl of Huntingdon]]
==References==
* [http://www.huntsdc.gov.uk/Community+and+People/Facts+and+figures/Area+population+statistics.htm Population figures]
* http://www.huntingdon-racecourse.co.uk/
* http://www.huntingdon-town.info/
{{River Great Ouse}}
[[Category:Towns on the River Great Ouse]]
[[Category:Towns in Cambridgeshire]]
[[Category:Huntingdonshire]]
[[Category:County towns in England]]
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