A Guide To The Small Market Town of Chatteris

Chatteris is a small market town that lies in the fens of central East Anglia. It is one of four market towns the others being Huntington, March and Ely. Due to its proximity to Cambridge and other large centres the town has had a growth spurt since the 2001 census and there are many new houses around the town. The town is mentioned in the Domesday Book as "Cateriz" with the origins of the name probably coming from the Anglo-Saxon "Ceto" meaning wood and "ric" meaning a river. In fact the town was originally built on a slight mound in the low lying marshes that once filled the fens and it was only once the drainage of the fens was completed in the 19th century that the town really came into its own as a major centre for agriculture. There are several stories regarding the town one referring to Boudicca, the rebel against the Roman Empire, who was finally defeated after laying waste to Londinium and Verulamium (St Albans), the then capital of Roman Britain, who fled and found her last refuge in the town of Chatteris before she killed herself. Another story refers to a parishioner of the town, Bricstan, who was freed from prison in London by Matilda of Scotland, wife of Henry I, after she heard that his shackles had been removed by divine intervention. Unfortunately much of the town was destroyed by fires in the 18th and 19th centuries so the majority of the listed buildings only go as far back as the Victorian period. There is a church in the town, parts of which date from 1162. The current church tower dates from 1352 and due to the many fires it was quite heavily restored in 1910. Over the years the town has become a major agricultural centre as the land around the town is very fertile. Even today it is claimed that 1 in 6 of the onions grown in Britain pass through the town and at least 1 in 3 of the parsnips. The town also has other manufacturing industries with a notable one being involved in the production of mining equipment since the 19th century. While the town centre is small there are several specialist shops and some convenience stores, banks and a post office. What is typical of these towns is the community spirit. This is reflected in the fact that the local museum is run almost entirely by volunteers and that the Christmas lights display, funded entirely by the donations from the local community, has featured on the BBC. There is also a scout club, youth football team, brass band and a thriving Women's Institutes. The Anglia in Bloom awarded the town a gold medal in 2009. There are many sporting activities on offer including cricket and football and for the more adventurous there is the local airfield that offers skydiving. Chatteris is a small town by today's standards but owing to its character, history and community spirit it is a thriving community that harkens back to a time when everybody knew their neighbour and the local pub was more of a family get together than a place to drink.

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