An Introduction to Cambridgeshire

Cambridgeshire(shortened as Cambs) is in East central England. Most of the area is fenland, rising to the low, chalky East Anglian Hills in the South, with the Gogmagog Hills near Cambridge the most noticeable feature. The main rivers are the Ouse, with its tributaries and the Nene. Agriculture and light industry are the main economic activities as well as industry and of course tourism.
For the visitor, Cambridgeshire’s past includes such highlights as the Roman occupation followed by invasions by Danes, Saxons, and Normans. These historic events have all left their mark and much for the present day visitor to explore. There were many attempts in this county to drain the fens, but the invasions and occupations prevented the completion of the task until 1653 when they were finally drained thanks largely to the Dutchman Cornelius Vermuyden. 

Within this county you will also find Cambridge University. This famous educational establishment has been educating the elite since the early 13th century and remains a powerhouse of learning today. The university is a popular tourist destination in itself with incredible, imposing architecture and a rich history.

Principal towns are:

Cambridge: one of Britain’s smaller cities, but also one of the fastest growing. Only a hundred years ago the population was just 36,000, and the main sources of employment were agriculture and the world-famous University

Ely: A Cathedral City founded in 673 by  Northumbrian Queen Ethelreda. With one of the country's most beautiful cathedrals. The town s a fascinating market town secluded in the Fens; it was the site of the last serious resistance to William I in 1071. Ely Cathedral, one of the largest in England, is on the site of an abbey founded by St. Ethelred in 673 and destroyed by Danes in 870. Ely has been an ecclesiastical centre for centuries.

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