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. 

29th May 2021 - Haddenham (and not Aldreth)

 Introduction

A fine day with little wind. We set off up the B1049 through Histon, Cottenham to Wilburton where we turned left on to the  A1123 for about 2km to Haddenham for the 102nd sign. We cycled south to Aldreth which is a hamlet but has a photograph of a village sign on the internet here. We did not spot it and I cycled back through the village and discovered the concrete base by the village hall.

We cycled down the Aldreth Causeway, which was fine in spite of recent rain, to Willingham and on through Over to The Nook at Swavesey for lunch. Home via the busway - 53km (33 miles)

Haddenham

Double sided with different image on each side. Farmer ploughing with horse plough, farmer with wheatsheaf, church and water tower.

East side faded badly. Fruit picking, cows and windmill.

Plaque on base "Made by local crafts people and donated by the village to the Parish Council April 1983"

102 signs in 33 rides. Our Eddington number for 2021 is now 24 and our Eddington number since 2018 has finally reached 30. The nearest village to visit next is Streatham which is 15.9km from our home.

23rd May 2021 - Chrishall (Essex) and Great Chishill - passed 100 signs

 Introduction

A climb to the highest point in Cambridgeshire at Great Chishill. A S/SW wind and the downhill helped us home. We went up Coploe Hill and then across to Elmdon in Essex which did not have a village sign. A short run to Chrishall in Essex which did have a sign the 100th - we had sandwiches there. Along the ridge and up to Great Chishill for number 101. Downhill with the wind behind us on the journey home. Heydon did not have a village sign. We continued down to Newton where the Queens Head was open for a couple of pints of Adnams Ghostship and the village sign is still just a post. 

Elmdon, Essex

No village sign but a fine signpost and closed pub sign in the centre of the village.

Chrishall, Essex

Double sided with same on both sides. Church with medieval religious couple with money and bible. Cottage with man sitting on barrel with tankard. Traction engine, pump, stream with bird, mallard and great crested newt. Farm labourer with wheatsheaf.

Plaque on post: "Given by people of Chrishall as a memorial to Roy William Loveday 1926-1996 in gratitude for devoted service to the village" 

Great Chishill

Highest point in Cambridgeshire

Single sided - windmill

Heydon

No village sign

101 signs in 32 cycle rides. 

19th May 2021 - Houghton and Wyton, Hartford, Godmanchester, Hemingford Abbot and Hemingford Grey

 Introduction

66km (41 miles) north west. Out on the busway to St Ives and on to Houghton and Wyton villages which have a combined sign. We passed the unexpected sign for Hartford on the side of the road into Huntingdon. I had decided that it was a part of Huntingdon although it is on my list of villages. Huntingdon is a town but there are images of a village style sign on the internet here - this sign is no longer there as the road junction has been modified. It might be elsewhere but none of the locals we asked could help. Godmanchester also a town has a sign. Back through the two Hemingfords. A bacon roll and coffee at our favourite cafe at Swavesey before being blown home along the cycle path along the A1307.

Houghton and Wyton

Double sided with the same image on both sides. WWII aeroplane (Bristol Belnheim?) for RAF Wyton, Houghton Mill, church and bus shelter (?) building in Houghton. Fish, flower and insect.

Plaque on post: 'This sign has been erected from the proceeds of "Houghton and Wyton" by Philip G.M.Dickinson and unveiled by his grandson Duncan J.D. Smith on 9th July 1989. The revised book was a result of the work of a group of villagers assisted by a donation from the Parish Council. Carved by Harry Lee with carpentry by Derek Steer'.

Hartford

Single sided. Church, house, tree and cows. 12 petal flower below.

Huntingdon

No town sign in the style of village signs found (see above) but new signs like this which I am not counting as a village sign.

Godmanchester

Strictly a town but the sign is in the village sign style.

Double sided with same image on both sides. Footbridge over the river, church, Roman soldier, ploughing with a horse drawn plough, Viking longboat.  

DUROVIGUTUM GUMECESTRE

SIGILLAM GUMECESTRE COMMUNE

Plaque on post: "To mark the 800th anniversary of the granting of the Town Charter by King John, this sign was unveiled by His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester KG, GCVO on 13th September 2012"

There are two other plaques with details about the sign - the headings are:

St Mary's Church, Rural Godmanchester, Chinese Bridges, Town Seal, The Town Sign (text of charter) Roman Godmanchester, Danish Godmanchester.

Hemingford Abbots

Double sided with different sides. Bishops mitre, sheaf of wheat, horn, fish in water.

Shield qith three rams heads (?)

Hemingford Grey

Double sided with the same image on each side. River image with punt, swans, boat

 house, swans, cows, church and flowers.

99 village signs so far in 31 rides. Our Eddington number for 2021 is now up to 23 miles. (23 rides of 23 miles or more)

16th May 2021 - Earith, Colne, Bluntisham, (Needingworth cum Holywell)

 Introduction

An early start with rain forecast. New territory for cycling if not for walking. We cycled up the busway, turning off for Rampton then on to Willingham before venturing up the long straight B1050 to Earith. Not too busy on a Sunday. From Earith we went north to Colne and visited the old church. South to Bluntisham for the third sign. Fortunately there is a cycle path from here into St Ives along the A1123. We went to Needlingworth and detoured to Holywell although I knew that they shared a sign. Back to Needingworth to discover that the sign was "REMOVED FOR REFURBISHMENT". We went into St Ives for refreshment and back to Cambridge via the busway.

Earith

Single sided. River, boat, ice skaters, fish and eels. 

Plaque on post: "Donated to the Parish of Earith by Mr & Mrs F.W.Carrington in appreciation of their many years of happy association with the village"

Colne

Single sided. Church, Roman centurian, apple tree with fruit picker and baskets of fruit.

Bluntisham

Single sided painting under glass. Difficult to photograph because of the reflection. Church, war memorial, ice skaters and monument with road sign. The painting is very poor condition and has cracked badly. 

Holywell

A separate village on my list - but has a combined sign as Needingworth cum Holywell. Just to prove we went there:

Needingworth cum Holywell

Disappointingly "VILLAGE SIGN REMOVED FOR REFURBISHMENT"

94 village signs in 30 rides. We have now visited all villages within 15.5km of our home. The next village is Haddenham at 15.6km followed by Stretham at 15.9km which is difficult to cycle to without using the A10. Little Thetford at 18.3km is the next nearest after these.