Population 1,339 (2011) Region East Sovereign state United Kingdom Local time Thursday 7:22 PM Post town Wisbech | OS grid reference TF370085 Country England Postcode district PE13 Shire county Cambridgeshire | |
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Weather 7°C, Wind NE at 27 km/h, 82% Humidity | ||
Parson Drove is a village in the Fens, in Cambridgeshire, England. Located approximately 7 miles (11 km) west of Wisbech, the nearest town, the village is named after the central road around which the village developed, formerly a green drove wider than it is now. The population (including Murrow and Tholomas Drove) at the 2011 Census was 1,339.
Contents
Map of Parson Drove, Wisbech, UK
Other nearby towns include Peterborough, 19 miles to the west, and King's Lynn, 21 miles to the east.
History
The area was originally farmed by the Romans, who left evidence of their presence in several places throughout Parson Drove and the surrounding parish.
Parson Drove was mentioned in the Domesday Book.[1]
Samuel Pepys wrote about Parson Drove in his diaries in 1663, describing it as a "heathen place" where he stayed on 17 and 18 September, and apparently had his horse stolen.
Historical buildings
The Drove has many buildings dating from the 16th century, 10 of which are Grade II Listed Buildings. The village has three pubs, including The Swan Inn, in which Pepys stayed in the 17th century. The village has three churches, two of which are historically interesting:
The Cage was built in 1829 as a village lock-up for local criminals and stray livestock and housed the village fire pump for nearly 100 years.
The last working woad mill in Britain was in Parson Drove, and didn't close until 1910. It stood opposite St John the Baptist church.
Sport
The local football club, Parson Drove F.C., played in the Peterborough & District League.