Origin of the name Warboys
A settlement grew up at a fork in the road that skirted the fen between Ramsey and St Ives. It was on a 100 foot high clay ridge above the marsh and because of the clear view across it became known as WARDENBUSC (Saxon) or ‘Lookout woods’ or ‘Warden of the Woods’. By 1150 BUSC had been changed to BOIS – Norman influence, although French, it meant the same. Through time Wardenbois evolved into Warboys.
Warboys
Warboys was given to Ramsey Abbey by the grant of Archbishop Dunstan. In 974, King Edgar’s charter confirms this and it remained in the hands of the Abbey until the dissolution of the monasteries in 1540. First mention of a Church is in the Doomsday Book. The Parish of Warboys covers some 8½ thousand acres in all.
Also 350 million years ago, Warboys was the site of an active volcano which existed just south of the old Warboys airfield. Lava from the volcano has been found near Warboys brickyard.
Photo © Evan Tringham 2014
Warboys Plaque was unveiled on 10 September 2014 by Mrs Mary Bucknell, chairman of Warboys Parish Council. The Plaque was designed and compiled by Joan Cole and Evan Tringham for Warboys Parish Council.
When Queen Victoria celebrated her Golden and Diamond Jubilee in the nineteenth century, Warboys marked the occasion with the erection of the Clock Tower and the lighting column at The Weir respectively. With Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee approaching, the Parish Council decided to erect a plaque that mirrored the design of the earlier lighting column and which contained information about the history of Warboys that would be of interest to both local people and visitors.
Photo © 2014 Joan Cole
Plaque installation in the week before unveiling 2014.
Photo © 2012 Evan Tringham
Sign seen as you enter the Village of Warboys.
Photo from the collection of Joan Cole
The original Church was built in 1086 with a medieval village around it. The oldest part of the current Parish Church is 12th century. It was originally dedicated to the Virgin Mary but later changed to St Mary Magdalene. Photo early 1900s.
Photo © 2012 Evan Tringham
The Pathfinder 156 Squadron moved from Wyton to Warboys on 5 Aug 1942 with Wellington Bombers. On 1 Jan 1943 Lancasters arrived. 156 Squadron remained at Warboys until Mar 1944 when it moved to Upwood. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visited Warboys airfield in Feb 1944.
By May 1945, the Pathfinder force had made 50,490 sorties with the appalling loss of 3727 men – about 1/6 of total Bomber Command casualities from the whole war.
The commemorative window, which cost £2000, was dedicated at the annual Pathfinder reunion weekend in May 1991 by Group Captain Hamish Mahadie.
Photo from the collection of Joan Cole
The Baptist Church came into being in 1644 when Henry Denne baptised the first 5 Warboys men. The present chapel was completed in 1831 using hand pressed bricks given by Mr John Longland.
Photo from the collection of Joan Cole
On 8 April 1905 some 3000 people gathered at the Weir to see Pastor Marsh baptise 12 candidates. On 23 March 1933 the new Baptistry was opened in the Baptist Chapel.
Photo from the collection of Joan Cole
Methodist Chapel: First board of Methodist Trustees formed in 1898 and this wooden Chapel built in 1900. The current brick chapel came from Great Raveley brick by brick and was opened in June 1938 by Dr Luke Wiseman.
Photo from the collection of Joan Cole
Mill Green, Warboys: In the background is Brands Mill which was a 19th century, 3 storey tower mill. It stood on Blackberry Green at the rear of the Weir. In the foreground stands the Diamond Jubilee Lamp, which was handed over by the Subscribers to the Parish Council for care on 9th August 1897. Photo early 1900s.
Photo from the collection of Joan Cole
The Jubilee memorial clock, built in 1887, commemorates Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee and cost £230. At the foundation ceremony anyone could lay a brick for 6d. In 1897 an ornamental fence was erected and ornamental bracket lamps were fitted to the clock tower. The metal fence was taken down for the war effort in 1939 for armaments. Photo early 1900s.
Photo © 2012 Joan Cole
The Crown was designed, constructed and installed on the Clock Tower by the Christmas Lighting Group using about 3000 LEDs. It celebrated Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee in June 2012.
Photo from the collection of Joan Cole
Warboys enclosure map c. 1795, part of original map held at Huntingdon Archive.
Photo from the collection of Joan Cole
Warboys Brickworks: Alfred Fuller employed his first 50 men in 1894 making bricks by hand, paying £1 per week. By 1930 over 300,000 of the famous Warboys Whites bricks were made each week. They were sold world-wide until August 1984 when the works finally closed. In 1914/18 the works were used for munitions and in 1942 torpedoes were stored in the kilns.
Photo from the collection of Victor and Diana Lucas
The original Manor House was thought to have been built in 1250. In 1589 it was the scene of the witchcraft accusations by the Throckmorton family, culminating in Alice, Agnes and John Samuels being hanged in 1593. Sir John Leman modified the Manor House in 1620 to what we see today: a Manor House with Dutch Gables. Photo early 1900s.
Photo from the collection of Joan Cole
The Moat House was built around 1820. During his time as Rector (1828 to about 1871), the Rev. William Finch had the 40 room Georgian Mansion modernised. He also employed Joseph Paxton to design the garden as a replica of Crystal Palace London, which he had created. Photo early 1900s.
Photo from the collection of Joan Cole
Warboys Board School’s first public meeting was held on 16 June 1869. The school, for 250 pupils, opened on 26 January 1870. It was built by messrs Brown & King for £319, all paid for by public subscription. The school closed in 1972 and proceeds from the sale formed the Old Board School Charity on 28 Oct 1975. Note village pump, 1 of 3 in the village. Photo early 1900s.
Photo from the collection of Joan Cole
The Endowed School was conveyed to trustees on 15 March 1860 by Rev. William Finch, Rector of Warboys. The Rev. William Finch also conveyed to trustees the Fen School in 1865. Located in Puddock Road, it supplied education for fen children from Warboys, Ramsey and Wistow.
Photo from the collection of Joan Cole
The Ramsey to Somersham railway line cost £56000 to build and opened in 1889. Warboys Station closed to passengers in 1930 but excursions continued, with the last one to Great Yarmouth races in 1950. The station closed for goods in 1964. Note the close proximity to the brick yard.
Photo from the collection of Joan Cole
Binding sheaves of corn at Fenton Road early 1900’s. The Bowd family with Rosa in centre with ‘docky’ basket.
Photo from the collection of Joan Cole
V.C Cockerel of Warboys: The cockerel was sold and resold at auction by Mr Frank Fison, some 2,500 times both locally and countrywide travelling over 2,400 miles. This was one of the many schemes to raise money for the British Red Cross during World War 1. The total amount raised by the cockerel to February 1919 was £14,517; £600 came from Warboys. Each person who bought it received a token showing they had donated.
Photo from the collection of Joan Cole
The VC Cockerel of Warboys was sold and resold at auction by Mr Frank Fison, some 2,500 times both locally and countrywide travelling over 2,400 miles. This is another photo from selling the cockerel.
Photo from the collection of Joan Cole
The ‘Duke of Wellington’ public house shown in 1910, now a private house at 10 Ramsey Road. Mr Hyde was the landlord (Horace is shown in mother’s arms). This public house was one of over 30 pubs and beer houses in the Parish at this time.