29th September 2021 - Wentworth, Coveney, Witcham, Mepal (just post) and Sutton in the Isle

 Introduction

 A windy day with a west/south west breeze ranging from 10 to 20 knots. We cycled north through Histon, Cottenham and Wilburton to Wentworth (123rd) for the first sign. On to Coveney (124th) and then Witcham (125th). Mepal just had a post and then cycle on the old road to Sutton in the Isle (126th). We slogged down the busy B1381 road along the Hundref Foot Drain (which gave us some shelter from the wind) to Earith Bridge and then to Willingham. We cycled down the B1050 road to the busway cycle path and home with the wind finally behind us. About 68 km (42 miles).

Wentworth

Single sided wooden sign showing just the name. EIIR 1952 1977 in cross keys.

Coveney

Single sided wooden sign. WI on post. Nearby information board: "Coveney was first recorded in 1060AD, when Ely Priory allowed Aethelswyth, a Saxon noblewoman, to retire here in return for her property in Stetchworth. She settled at Coveney with her maidens to work on embroidery and weaving, Aethelswyth is shown on the village sign hodeing her needlework, together with one of the watchkeepers of Wardy Hill".

Witcham

Double sided wooden sign. WI on post.  Trees with man leading hay wagon.

Old fire pump with two men. Building behind.  

Stone plaque on base. "Presented to WITCHAM PARISH COUNCIL to Commemorate The Diamond Jubilee of the WITCHAM W.I. 4th June 1980.

Mepal (post only)

The original sign was photographed 15 years ago - see https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/226871

Sutton in the Isle

Double sided wooden sign. Farmer with hay wagon in front of church. 1924 - 1984 on post.

 Church with water and geese.

126 signs in 40 rides. 

8th September 2021 - Kennett, Chippenham, Freckenham (Suffolk), Isleham, Fordham, Soham, Stuntney

 Introduction

For the first time we used the train to increase our range. We took the Bromptons for their first train journey from Cambridge to Kennett. We cycled from the station to Kennett village (116th) and then to  , Chippenham (117th), Freckenham (Suffolk) (118th), Isleham (119th) with an fine church with excellent brasses (we had to ask to find that the sign was on the road leading to Fordham), Fordham (120th), Soham (121st) and Stuntney (122nd)  and then on to Ely where we had lunch and caught the train back to Cambridge. About 34.5km (21 miles) from Kennett to Ely.

Kennett

Double sided carved wood sign. Both sides the same. The central image is a tree with a jousting lance piercing the trunk. Church on the left and a house (?) on the right.  Date 2000.

 Chippenham

A brand new sign by J.S.Brunton - dated 2021. A single sided carved wood sign. The main image is of a Knight of St John of Malta on horseback. Walnut trees, church and village meeting place or shelter.

Freckenham (Suffolk)

Single sided carved wood sign. Viking long boat and insignia. Farmer with tractor ploughing. Church. Norman Castle ( from wikipedia ... is believed to have destroyed the village's castle, of which only the motte mound remains. )

Isleham

Double sided metal sign with the same on both sides. Church with wheatsheaves. Modern tractor, barcge with load (of coal?) and horse drawn plough.

Plaque on post "Presented to the village by Mr. & Mrs. Patterson. Made by Mr W J Patterson & Mr R Woodroffe. Unveiled by Mrs A.C.M. Wells 29th June 1988"

Fordham

Carved wooden single sided sign. A bit the worse for wear. Man on horse chasing a hare. Wheatsheaf and blue flower. 

Soham

Classified as a town.

Double sided sign - painted wood?

Barn, wagon wheel, cat, hens, cockerel. Horse drawn plough. Oak leaves and acorns. Mill (?). Blacbird and holly

Poplars, Windmill, Church, War memorial with poppies.

Stuntney

Single sided carved wooden sign. Shire horse. 

Ely

Not counted as a village sign.

122 signs in 39 cycle rides so far. 

2nd August 2021 - Burrough Green

Introduction

52k (32 miles) to Burrough Green (115th) via Dullingham and back via Brinkley and Six Mile Bottom .

Burrough Green

Double sided. Shield and Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.

115 village signs in 28 rides this year. Eddington number for 2021 is now 26.

8th July 2021 - Ashdon (Essex) and Bartlow

 Introduction

We rode our usual route to Saffron Walden and we had lunch at the Old English Gentleman. We cycled to Ashdon (113th) and then to Bartlow (114th) returning via Linton, Little Abington and Babraham. A total of about 65km (41 miles).

Ashdon (Essex)

Single sided - "Ascenduna 1086" at the bottom refers to the name of the village in the Domesday Book. The medieval scene shows a tree, shepherd with sheep, lambs and dog, man with pitchfork and a woman with basket. Flowers in circles next to the name.

Plaque on past: "Rural Community Council of Essex. Best Kept Village Award. Andrew Lewis Trophy. Ashdon 2006"

Bartlow

Single sided. The three tumuli. A plough. 2000.

114 signs in 37 rides this year. Our Eddington number this year is now 25.

26th June 2021 - Ashley, Cheveley, Saxon Street and Woodditton

 Introduction

A fine Saturday, we set off on one our favourite rides up to Dullingham and added a loop to Ashley (109th) taking in Cheveley (110th), Saxon Street (111th, actually a hamlet not a village) and Woodditton (112th) before coming back to Six Mile Bottom down one of our favourite downhills.  

We ate sandwiches in Ashley and had beer at the first pub we found open on Saturday lunchtime - The Three Blackbirds at Woodditton. We have cycled through Woodditton before. 68 km (42 miles).

Ashley

Metal sign. Tree, bell in tower, ruined church. Knights Hospitaller crest and two white stars.

Cheveley

Single sided. King Canute (?) and bell above. Church, war memorial, cricket and horses.

Saxon Street

A hamlet not on my original list of villages in Cambridgeshire.

 Single sided. A pheasant with a small building on top.

Woodditton

Seems to include Little Ditton and Ditton Green. Not a typical village sign - no name of village.

Information from the designer at https://www.woodditton.org.uk/general-information.html is as follows: 

"It was to commemorate the millennium and has a number of elements meant to show the history of Wood Ditton, and placing it in time and space.

The wheels come from an old horse drawn seed drill, demonstrating the farming heritage, and how the horse was relied on for everyday work in the past, and not just for racing.

The metal rings were facsimiles of the iron ‘tyres’ from the rims of the wheels which would have been made at the local forge.

The weather vane shows two men and a crosscut saw, evoking the old foresters who would have worked in the woods that surrounded the village and marked the end of the Devils Ditch.

At the top is an Armillary, each day marking the passage of time, reminding people of the millennium year the sculpture was commissioned.

And in the centre is a golden globe signifying the sun, surrounded by the orbiting planets, and which again tries to elicit thoughts of our never ending movement through time and space.

Well, that was the idea anyway!"

112 signs so far in 36 rides. Our Eddington number since 2018 has gone up to 31. 

23rd June 2021 - Litlington, Steeple Morden, Ashwell (Hertfordshire) and Guilden Morden

 Introduction

A fine day with no wind and a full day's ride. We cycled SE over Chapel Hill to Bassingbourn. We went to Abington Pigotts which does not have a sign then on to Litlington (105th) and Stepple Morden (106th). We went into Hertfordshire for Ashwell (107th and at 27km from home the furthest away) for lunch but the pubs on the main street were shut. We cycled back into Cambridgeshire to Guilden Morden (108th) before checking that hamlets Shinghay and Wendy did not have signs. We returned via Croyden, Arrington, Wimpole Hall, Orwell and Foxton - a figure of eight. 83km (52 miles) our longest ride for some time and probably our longest ride from Cambridge.

Abington Pigotts

No village sign  - just a road sign to show we came this way

Litlington

SIngle sided Church with oak leaves, acorn and wheat above. Roman soldier, old fashioned football, 19th century prison building, Horse ploughing, Mustangs from the USAAF in WWII stationed nearby at Steeple Morden. 

Plaque on post "Unveiled on 5/7/01 to commemorate the millenium with funds donated by the 255th Fighter Group USAAF and Litlington millenium trust fund committee"

Steeple Morden

Double sided - same on both sides. Mustang from USAAF in WWII. RAF Wellington (?) flying over church. Horse ploughin, pheasant, pig, wheat, old car, pick and shovel.

Ashwell (Hertfordshire)

Single sided - on Swan Street near the church not on the main street. "Erected in celebration of the Diamond Jubilee of H M Queen Elizabeth II"

Guilden Morden

Double sided - flowers and leaves at the top. Farmer with horse plough in front of church. Woman with bucket and village pump. Man with wheelbarrow and pick and shovel. 3 barrels, crown and ER.VII (Edward VII ?)

Double sided - flowers and leaves at the top. Farmer sything wheat in front of a large building. Blacksmith shoeing horse, windmill, 3 barrels, crown and ER.VII (Edward VII ?)

Shingay and Wendy (Shingay cum Wendy).

Hamlets with no village sign - road signs to show we went here:

108 village signs in 35 rides so far. 

 

5th June 2021 - Little Thetford and Stretham

 Introduction

A fine warm sunny day with no wind - our first ride in shorts. We cycled via Horningsea to Waterbeach for a visit and then via Cottenham and Wilburton to Little Thetford for sign number 103. We back tracked and met the A10 about 0.75km north of Stretham. Apart from the difficulty of crossing the road - there was a continuous stream of vehicles going south - where are they all going? riding a tight line on a wide straightish  A road was fine. The 104th sign in Stretham was on the T junction with the A1123 to Wicken which we used to head east crossing the Great Ouse, the Cambridge-Ely railway and the Cam before turning down to Upware for lunch and then home a total of 69km (43 miles).  

Little Thetford

Single sided. Church, modern tractor ploughing, school and children, round house and river ferry scene with medieval traveller.

Stretham

Metal sign - church, steam engine, steam engine building and windmill. 

104 signs in 34 rides. Stretham was the last sign within 16km from my home. The furthest village on my list that we have not yet visited is  Papworth St Agnes which is 18.8km away.