Whaddon, Cambridgeshire
| Whaddon | |
|---|---|
 Whaddon
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| Whaddon shown within Cambridgeshire | |
| Population | 481 (2001) 489 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | TL3546 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Royston |
| Postcode district | SG8 |
| Dialling code | 01223 |
| Police | Cambridgeshire |
| Fire | Cambridgeshire |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
Whaddon is a village and civil parish in South Cambridgeshire, England, 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) north of Royston.
The parish of Whaddon covers an area of 1,538 acres (622 ha). Its entire western boundary follows the Roman Ermine Street (now the A1198), separating it from Bassingbourn and Wendy, and its northern border follows the River Cam (or Rhee), dividing it from Wimpole and Orwell. A stream separates it from Kneesworth to the south, and field boundaries from Melbourn to the east.
Much of Whaddon was formerly part of the estate of Wimpole Hall, and the hall's South Avenue, originally two double rows of elms planted in 1720 (now oak and lime), stretches 2 kilometres across the parish to Ermine Street. The Basin, an octagonal pool of around 150 metres in diameter, was added in 1721 just south of the river but was cleared a few decades later and filled with soil in 1968.
In 1812, an Act authorised the creation of a canal running from Whaddon to Sawston as part of the Stort Navigation, but the canal was never dug.
Listed as Wadone in the Domesday Book of 1086, the name "Waddon" means "hill where wheat is grown".
The parish church of St Mary consists of a chancel, five-bay aisled and clerestoried nave, south porch, and west tower. The chancel is the oldest part of the present building, dating from the end of the 13th century. The nave and tower were added in the late 14th century.
In 1875 the Earl of Hardwicke built a school in the village. Numbers fell until in 1924 secondary pupils were sent to Meldreth and Bassingbourn. Finally in 1962 primary pupils were transferred to Orwell Petersfield school and the Whaddon school was closed. The building now serves as the village hall.
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