Knapwell
Encyclopedia
Knapwell is a small village in Cambridgeshire situated about 10 miles (16 km) west of Cambridge
. It is within the diocese of Ely
. Its population was estimated at 110 in 2001.
Nearby villages include Boxworth
, Conington
, Elsworth
and the fast expanding new settlement of Cambourne
.
at the start of the 11th century and is listed as Chenewelle in the Domesday Book
, when it was held by the Abbot of Ramsey
.
The name Knapwell is of unclear origin though it seems clear that it is named after the chalybeate Red Well in the wood just to the east of the village. The well is probably ancient and was the only source of water to both the village and neighbouring Boxworth
. Its waters were known for their medicinal properties.
The village's manor house was established in Norman times, and traces of a building and moat remain in the wood to the east of the church.
It is adjacent to the wood known as Overhall Grove
(not to be confused with Knapwell Wood), which has a notably large number of surviving elm trees.
The local primary school is Elsworth CE(A) Primary School in Elsworth
.
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
. It is within the diocese of Ely
Diocese of Ely
The Diocese of Ely is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury. It is headed by the Bishop of Ely, who sits at Ely Cathedral in Ely. There is one suffragan bishop, the Bishop of Huntingdon. The diocese now covers Cambridgeshire and western Norfolk...
. Its population was estimated at 110 in 2001.
Nearby villages include Boxworth
Boxworth
Boxworth is a village in Cambridgeshire not far from the rapidly-expanding developments of Cambourne and Bar Hill. It is situated about 8 miles to the north-west of Cambridge. It is within the diocese of Ely. The village covers an area of 1,053 ha...
, Conington
Conington, South Cambridgeshire
Conington is a small village in the South Cambridgeshire district of Cambridgeshire with about 50 houses and 150 residents. It lies about southeast of Huntingdon and south of the A14 road. The church is dedicated to St. Mary. It has a wonky steeple and one of the bells is one of the oldest bells...
, Elsworth
Elsworth
Elsworth is a village and civil parish in South Cambridgeshire, England, 9 miles west of Cambridge. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population was 657.-History:...
and the fast expanding new settlement of Cambourne
Cambourne
Cambourne is a new settlement and civil parish in Cambridgeshire, England, in the district of South Cambridgeshire. It lies on the A428 road between Cambridge, 9 miles to the east, and St Neots and Bedford to the west. It comprises the three villages of Great Cambourne, Lower Cambourne and Upper...
.
History
The settlement was mentioned as a villVill
Vill is a term used in English history to describe a land unit which might otherwise be described as a parish, manor or tithing.The term is used in the period immediately after the Norman conquest and into the late medieval. Land units in Domesday are frequently referred to as vills, although the...
at the start of the 11th century and is listed as Chenewelle in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
, when it was held by the Abbot of Ramsey
Ramsey, Cambridgeshire
Ramsey is a small Cambridgeshire market town and parish, north of Huntingdon and St Ives. For local government purposes it lies in the district of Huntingdonshire within the local government county of Cambridgeshire....
.
The name Knapwell is of unclear origin though it seems clear that it is named after the chalybeate Red Well in the wood just to the east of the village. The well is probably ancient and was the only source of water to both the village and neighbouring Boxworth
Boxworth
Boxworth is a village in Cambridgeshire not far from the rapidly-expanding developments of Cambourne and Bar Hill. It is situated about 8 miles to the north-west of Cambridge. It is within the diocese of Ely. The village covers an area of 1,053 ha...
. Its waters were known for their medicinal properties.
The village's manor house was established in Norman times, and traces of a building and moat remain in the wood to the east of the church.
Church
The village has had a church since at least 1180. The present church, dedicated to All Saints, was probably built in the early 14th century. The medieval church had a long, low chancel and a three-bay aisled nave all under a single roof, and a west tower. In 1864 the medieval church was demolished, except for the tower, and rebuilt in a plain Gothic style. The original 14th century tower is built of field stones dressed with limestone and is unbuttressed.Village life
The village has no shops or pubs, though was home to the Three Horseshoes pub until its closure in 1880.It is adjacent to the wood known as Overhall Grove
Overhall Grove
Overhall Grove is the largest area of elm woodland in Cambridgeshire. It is managed as a nature reserve by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Peterborough...
(not to be confused with Knapwell Wood), which has a notably large number of surviving elm trees.
The local primary school is Elsworth CE(A) Primary School in Elsworth
Elsworth
Elsworth is a village and civil parish in South Cambridgeshire, England, 9 miles west of Cambridge. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population was 657.-History:...
.