St Neots Museum presents the history of the surrounding area, from prehistory to the present day. This broad time span offers a different way to explore local history than the individual historic buildings, where specific architectural features, dates and heritage designations take centre stage. When planning, you can choose between an overview of the area and a closer look at individual buildings.
History and buildings
The bell-shaped Oast House was built around 1735 for bell founder Joseph Eayre. Its 75-foot chimney has been a town landmark for almost three centuries. It is also a Grade II listed building. Its design, approximate date of construction and patron give the building a specific historical context.
St Neots Parish Church also has clear architectural details: its tower is 130 feet high, and its peal comprises ten bells. The site of St Neots Priory is designated a Scheduled Monument. A plaque in the garden wall of The Priory marks the site of the priory gatehouse. The designation and plaque convey the history of the priory in different ways.
Parks and countryside
Riverside Park St Neots covers 29 hectares (72 acres), and its riverside stretch is one mile long. The area and river frontage describe two different features of the park. By contrast, Priory Park is known for its extensive areas of mature woodland, with native oaks, chestnuts, plane trees and lime trees. These features offer concrete points of comparison: the riverside and size of Riverside Park, and the mature trees of Priory Park.
Priory Park also has two large, enclosed children’s play areas: one traditional and one natural play area. As the play areas may be subject to local maintenance, it is advisable to check their condition before visiting. The park is also used for Civil War re-enactments and camp fairs.
The Ouse Valley Way
The Ouse Valley Way is a 150-mile route that follows the River Great Ouse from its source at Syresham, Northamptonshire, to the Wash near King’s Lynn. A 26-mile section runs through Huntingdonshire, from St Neots to Earith. The two figures answer different planning questions: 150 miles describes the route as a whole, while 26 miles refers to the regional section.
The path surface is also important when deciding whether to go for a walk: most paths along the Ouse Valley Way are unpaved and may not be suitable for people with limited mobility. As path conditions can change seasonally, it is advisable to check them before setting out. This lets you assess the route section not only by its length, but also in light of the path conditions described.
Discover more destinations: Girton, Cambourne, Water Newton, Eaton Socon, Gamlingay, Stapleford, Pidley, Elton
For the broader travel overview: Cambridgeshire.
