Soham

Soham
East Fen Common, Soham
Soham Location within Cambridgeshire
Area	8.2 sq mi (21 km2) [1]
Population	10,860 [2]
• Density	1,324/sq mi (511/km2)
OS grid reference	TL591732
Civil parish	Soham
District	East Cambridgeshire
Shire county	Cambridgeshire
Region	East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	ELY
Postcode district	CB7
Dialling code	01353
Police	Cambridgeshire
Fire	Cambridgeshire
Ambulance	East of England
UK Parliament	South East Cambridgeshire
List of places UK England Cambridgeshire 52°20′02″N 0°20′10″E / 52.333831°N 0.336063°E / 52.333831; 0.336063Coordinates: 52°20′02″N 0°20′10″E / 52.333831°N 0.336063°E / 52.333831; 0.336063

St Andrew's Church, Soham

Soham (/ˈsoʊəm/ SOH-əm) is a town and civil parish in east Cambridgeshire, England, just off the A142 between Ely and Newmarket. Its population was 10,860 at the 2011 census.^[2]

History[]

Archaeology[]

The region between Devil's Dyke and the line between Littleport and Shippea Hill shows a remarkable amount of archaeological findings of the Stone Age, the Bronze Age and the Iron Age. A couple of hoards of bronze objects are found in the area of Soham, including one with swords and spearheads of the later Bronze Age as well as a gold torc, retrieved in 1938.^[3] An extensive ditch system, not visible on aerial photographs, has been identified, as well as a wooden trackway 800 m (870 yd) in length between Fordey Farm (Barway) and Little Thetford, with associated shards of later Bronze Age pottery (1935).^[4]

Felix of Burgundy 'Apostle of the East Angles'[]

St Felix of Burgundy founded Soham Abbey in Soham around 630 AD but it was destroyed by the Danes in 870 AD. Luttingus, an Anglo-Saxon nobleman, built a cathedral and palace at Soham around 900 AD,^[5] on the site of the present-day Church of St Andrew's and adjacent land.

St Andrew's Church dates from the 12th century. Traces of the Saxon cathedral are said to still exist within the church. In 1102 Hubert de Burgh, Chief Justice of England, granted 'Ranulph' certain lands in trust for the Church of St Andrew's. Ranulph is recorded as the first Vicar of Soham and had a hand in designing the 'new' Norman church. The current church is mainly later, the tower being the latest addition in the 15th century. This tower was built to replace a fallen crossing tower and now contains ten bells. The back six were cast in 1788, with two new trebles and two bells being recast in 1808. There are some pictures and a description of the church at the Cambridgeshire Churches website.^[6]

Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa 'The African'[]

Village sign in Soham, showing the Soham rail disaster between the church and a windmill.

The first black British author and anti-slave activist, Olaudah Equiano, also known as Gustavus Vassa, married a local girl, Susannah Cullen, at St Andrew's Church, on 7 April 1792 and the couple lived in the town for several years.

They had two daughters. Anna Maria was born on 16 October 1793 and baptised in St Andrew's on 30 January 1794. Their second child, Joanna Vassa, was born on 11 April 1795 and was baptised in the parish church on 29 April 1795.

William Case Morris[]

William C. Morris

William Case Morris (1864 – 1932) was born in Soham on 16 February 1864. He and his father left the town in search of a new life in 1872 after the death of his mother in 1868, finally settling in Argentina in 1874. Morris was horrified by the poverty of the street children, which led him to found several children's homes in Buenos Aires. They are credited^{[by whom?]} with saving thousands of youngsters from abject poverty and a life on the streets. Morris returned to Soham shortly before his death on 15 September 1932, and was buried in the Fordham Road cemetery. He is commemorated with a statue in Palermo, Buenos Aires as well as railway stations, football stadia and a town, William C. Morris, Buenos Aires, named after him. His legacy lives on with the Biblioteca Popular William C. Morris and 'Hogar el Alba' children's homes located in Buenos Aires which help impoverished children.^[7]

Soham rail disaster[]

Memorial to the victims of the 1944 rail disaster

The town narrowly escaped destruction on 2 June 1944, during the Second World War, when a fire developed on the leading wagon of a heavy ammunition train travelling slowly through the town. The town was saved by the bravery of four railway staff, Benjamin Gimbert GC (driver), James Nightall GC (fireman), Frank Bridges (signalman) and Herbert Clarke (guard), who uncoupled the rest of the train and drove the engine and lead wagon clear of the town, where it exploded, killing Jim Nightall and Frank Bridges but causing no further deaths. Ben Gimbert survived and spent seven weeks in hospital. Although small in comparison to what would have happened if the entire train had blown up, the explosion caused substantial property damage. Gimbert and Nightall were both awarded the George Cross (Nightall posthumously). A permanent memorial was unveiled on 2 June 2007 by Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester followed by a service in St Andrew's Church. The memorial is constructed of Portland stone with a bronze inlay depicting interpretive artwork of the damaged train and text detailing the incident.

Soham murders[]

In August 2002, Soham became the centre of national media attention following the disappearance and murder of two 10-year-old girls, Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, who both lived in Soham. They disappeared from the family home of Holly Wells in Redhouse Gardens on the evening of 4 August. Both were found dead some 10 miles away, near RAF Lakenheath, on 17 August.^[8]

In December 2003, Ian Huntley, who had been employed as the caretaker at the local secondary school, Soham Village College, was convicted of their murders and sentenced to life in prison. He had given a number of police and television interviews while the girls were missing, claiming to have seen them on the evening of their disappearance, and was finally arrested several hours before their bodies were found, following the recovery of clothing belonging to the girls on the school site.^[9]

The caretaker's house in College Close where Huntley lived, and as admitted at his trial where the girls died, was demolished in 2004.^[10]

Schools in Soham[]

• Soham Village College
• St Andrew's Primary School
• The Weatheralls Primary School^[11]
• The Shade Primary School, opened summer term 2014.

Transport[]

The A142 road from Ely to Newmarket runs past Soham, and formerly ran through the town.^[12] Soham is served by an hourly bus service Monday to Friday (on a route linking Cambridge, Newmarket and Ely) and a reduced service on Saturday. Soham railway station was closed to passengers in 1965,^[13] although the line remains open for goods and diversions. After local campaigns for its reopening, it was announced in June 2020 that a new station would be built on old site.^[14] Initial works are on the station are due to start in autumn 2020, followed by main construction in 2021 with completion due in spring 2022.

Sport and leisure[]

Soham has a non-league football club, Soham Town Rangers F.C., who play at Julius Martin Lane. Soham is home to the rink hockey team, Soham RHC.

There are currently five public houses: The Carpenters Arms, Cherry Tree, The Ship, Red Lion, The Fountain Inn. In addition, there is a local brewery.^{[citation needed]}

See also[]

• List of places in Cambridgeshire

References[]

External links[]

• Soham.co.uk
• Soham Heritage and Tourism
• 2001 Census