Chatteris facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chatteris
Market Hill, Chatteris
Chatteris
Population	11,011 (2021)
OS grid reference	TL396862
• London	65 mi (105 km) S
Civil parish	Chatteris
District	Fenland
Shire county	Cambridgeshire
Region	East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	CHATTERIS
Postcode district	PE16
Dialling code	01354
Police	Cambridgeshire
Fire	Cambridgeshire
Ambulance	East of England
EU Parliament	East of England
UK Parliament	North East Cambridgeshire
List of places UK England Cambridgeshire 52°27′22″N 0°03′18″E / 52.456°N 0.055°E / 52.456; 0.055

Chatteris (ⁱ/ˈtʃætərɪs/) is a market town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located in a flat, low-lying area called the Fens. The town sits between other towns like Huntingdon, March, and Ely.

For a long time, Chatteris was like an island in the middle of the Fens. It is mentioned in the Domesday Book from 1086. People have lived here since the Neolithic period (the New Stone Age). Many of the town's buildings today are from the late Victorian era. This is because big fires in the 1700s and 1800s destroyed older homes. The only medieval building left is the tower of the local church.

After the Fens were drained, starting in the 1600s, Chatteris became a farming town. Today, its economy is still based on farming and related businesses. Many people also live in Chatteris and travel to work in nearby cities like Cambridge, Huntingdon, and Peterborough. In 2021, about 11,011 people lived in Chatteris.

What Does the Name Chatteris Mean?

The exact meaning of the name Chatteris is not fully known. It first appeared in old documents around 974 as Cæateric. Later, in the Domesday Book of 1086, it was called Catriz and other similar names.

One idea is that the name comes from an Old English personal name, Ceatta, combined with a word meaning "ridge." So, it could mean "Ceatta's ridge." Another idea suggests it comes from an old Celtic word for "wood" combined with a word for "groove." Some also think it might come from "cader," meaning "hill fort," like the nearby Stonea Camp.

Exploring Chatteris's Past

People have lived in the Chatteris area for a very long time. Archaeologists have found signs of settlements from the Neolithic (New Stone Age), Bronze Age, and Iron Age. Chatteris even has what might be the only ancient boundaries from the Neolithic period left in the Fens.

Medieval Times in Chatteris

A painting from 1847 showing Park House before it was taken down. You can see parts of the old Chatteris Abbey in its walls.

Parts of Denny Abbey that are still standing today.

A famous story from Chatteris's past is about a man named Bricstan. He was a free tenant (someone who rented land) from the town. In 1115, he joined the monastery at Ely Cathedral to become a monk. However, he was accused of stealing and put in prison in London.

The story says that one night, Bricstan had a dream. In his dream, Saint Etheldreda appeared to him, and his heavy chains fell off. When he woke up, he found that his chains were indeed gone! Matilda of Scotland, the wife of King Henry I, heard about this miracle. She made sure he wasn't a criminal and then set him free.

During the Middle Ages, Chatteris Abbey was very important to the town. This was a small Benedictine nunnery (a place where nuns lived) built in 980. It was one of only eight nunneries mentioned in the Domesday Book. The abbey was not as rich as other monasteries.

When King Henry VIII closed down monasteries in the 1500s, Chatteris Abbey was eventually closed in 1538. At that time, eleven nuns lived there. Even though many local families used the abbey church, it was still torn down. People then went to the nearby St Peter and St Paul's Church. Some parts of the abbey buildings survived for a while as a mansion called Park House. This house was demolished in 1847. Today, the abbey site is covered by streets and houses, but some buildings in town still contain stones from the old abbey.

A big fire in 1310 destroyed much of Chatteris. It burned down the nunnery and a large part of the church, leaving only the base of the church tower.

Modern Chatteris History

Later fires in 1706 and 1864 destroyed most of the older buildings in Chatteris. Because of this, many of the town's historic buildings today are from the Victorian era (late 1800s) or later. However, you can still see signs of old farming methods, called "ridge and furrow," in the fields around the town.

To the north of Chatteris, there is a large river called the Forty Foot Drain. It is also known as Vermuyden's Drain, named after the Dutch engineer who helped drain the Fens in the 1600s. Some of the older buildings in Chatteris even show Dutch architectural styles.

Chatteris has been a market town since 1834, though it had an earlier market that stopped in 1808. A small market is still held every Friday.

Chatteris railway station before it closed in 1967.

The Chatteris railway station closed in March 1967. The station buildings are no longer there.

Where is Chatteris Located?

Chatteris is in the middle of the Fens, which is the lowest-lying area in the United Kingdom. Most of the land around the town is actually below sea level. However, the highest point in the Fens (about 36 feet above sea level) is within Chatteris's boundaries!

The land around Chatteris is very fertile and mostly used for farming. It is drained by many ditches and dykes. There are two big drainage rivers nearby: the Forty Foot Drain and the Sixteen Foot Drain.

Chatteris is an important spot on the A141 road and the start of the A142 road to Ely. The town also has good connections to Cambridge and the A14 highway. In 1986, a bypass was built around the town centre, using the old railway line.

Chatteris Weather

There are no weather stations right in the Fens. But, looking at data from nearby Cambridge, the area gets less rain than the national average. Temperatures in this part of England are similar to those in London, which is one of the warmest parts of the UK.

How Chatteris is Governed

Chatteris has three levels of local government:

• Chatteris Town Council: This is the local council for the town itself.
• Fenland District Council: This council covers the wider Fenland area.
• Cambridgeshire County Council: This council covers the whole county of Cambridgeshire.

These councils work together to manage local services. The town council is located at 14 Church Lane.

Chatteris is part of the North East Cambridgeshire area for national elections. The Member of Parliament (MP) for this area is currently Steve Barclay.

Local Government History

Chatteris used to be an "ancient parish." In 1873, it got its own local board to manage the town. This board became an "urban district" in 1894.

The area was historically part of the Isle of Ely, which had its own special rules under the Bishop of Ely. This changed in 1837. From 1889 to 1965, the Isle of Ely was its own administrative county.

In 1974, the Chatteris Urban District was abolished. Its functions were taken over by the new Fenland District Council. A new parish council, called Chatteris Town Council, was then created for the town.

Policing in Chatteris

The local police force is the Cambridgeshire Constabulary. There is a small police station in East Park Street, but it is no longer open to the public.

Chatteris's Economy

What Jobs are in Chatteris?

Chatteris is in a very fertile farming area. So, much of the town's economy is based on agriculture. Companies like Alan Bartlett and Sons Ltd, which grows and packs root vegetables, have large facilities here. Rustler Produce Ltd is another big company in this industry. Many smaller vegetable farms and processors also operate in the Chatteris area.

Another major employer is Metalcraft (Stainless Metalcraft (Chatteris) Ltd). This company started in Chatteris in the late 1800s. They used to make things like diamond mining equipment. Today, they create special engineered products for the oil, gas, nuclear, and medical industries.

There are several supermarkets in Chatteris. An Aldi supermarket opened in 2016. A large Tesco store opened in 2022. Next to Tesco, there is also a B&M store and a Screwfix store.

The traditional town centre has more unique, smaller shops. The town centre has a post office, but all the banks have closed. The Petrou Brothers fish and chip shop in West Park Street won a national award in 2006!

You can also find several small restaurants, pubs, and tea shops in Chatteris.

Getting Around Chatteris

Chatteris used to have many local bus routes to nearby towns and Cambridge. However, due to less people using buses, these services might stop.

The closest train stations are in March and Manea.

Who Lives in Chatteris?

In 2011, the population of Chatteris was 10,453 people. This was an increase from 8,820 people in 2001. Most people live in a smaller area of the town, as the outskirts are mostly farmland.

Different Backgrounds

Most people in Chatteris are from the "White" ethnic group (97.2%). This is higher than the average for England and Wales (94.1%). Since 2011, Chatteris has become a bit more diverse.

Languages Spoken

In 2011, about 2.3% of homes in Chatteris said that no one in their household had English as their main language.

Religious Beliefs

The Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul.

A plaque in the church showing a special bell-ringing event from 1910.

Christianity is the main religion in Chatteris. From 2001 to 2011, the number of Christians went down from 74.8% to 62.6%. This was partly because more people said they had no religion. Still, the number of Christians in Chatteris is higher than the average for England and Wales (59.3%).

The Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul is in the town centre. A church has been on this spot since at least 1162, but the current tower is from 1352. The church was fixed up a lot in 1910. It is a Grade I listed building, which means it's a very important historic building. The church also hosts Catholic Church services.

The Emmanuel Church in East Park Street was formed in 1990 when the Methodist, United Reformed, and Baptist Union churches in Chatteris joined together. The town also has a Salvation Army building and a Grace Baptist church.

Where People Were Born

Most people living in Chatteris were born in the UK (91.1%). About 6.4% of residents were born outside the UK, which is lower than the national average of 13%.

Learning in Chatteris

Chatteris from the church tower, looking towards Market Hill. You can see the Emmanuel Church, Salvation Army, and Cromwell School.

Chatteris has three primary schools: Kingsfield Primary School, Glebelands School, and Cromwell Primary. Cromwell Community College is a school for all ages, from primary to secondary school pupils. It was founded in 1939. The town also has a public library run by Cambridgeshire County Council.

Chatteris Culture and Activities

Music and Arts

In 2005, the British indie band Half Man Half Biscuit included a song called "For What Is Chatteris..." on their album Achtung Bono. The song talks about how great Chatteris is, but how it can feel empty if someone you love isn't there. News of the song was in local newspapers before the album came out.

Sports and Recreation

Fen skating (skating on frozen fens) used to be very popular in the past.

The town's football club, Chatteris Town, started in 1920. They play in the Kershaw Premier Division. Chatteris also has a cricket club, founded in 1879, with several teams for different ages. The club won the St Ivo Midweek League in 2008 and 2009.

There is also a bowls club and a tennis club (St Peters). Chatteris Airfield, just north of town, is mainly used for skydiving. It is home to the North London Skydiving Centre.

The town has one swimming pool, called the Empress. It is privately owned and run by a charity. It is open to members and can be booked for private groups. The Chatteris Kingfishers swimming club trains there. A new gym opened at Cromwell Community College in 2013.

Local Media

Local news and TV shows for Chatteris come from BBC East and ITV Anglia. You can also listen to local radio stations like BBC Radio Cambridgeshire and Heart East. The town has local newspapers called Fenland Citizen and Cambs Times.

Community Events

Chatteris is known for its yearly Christmas lights display. These lights are paid for entirely by donations from the community. In 2008, a medieval-themed Historical Festival took the place of the town's usual festival week.

The town has a museum run by volunteers. It has exhibits about local history, the Fens, and the railways. Chatteris also has a Scout club, an Army Cadet Force, and a youth football team.

There are also Women's Institutes and a Rotary Club in Chatteris. Since 2012, Chatteris has a branch of the University of the Third Age (U3A). This group is for people who are no longer working full-time.

Chatteris in Bloom is a charity that helps the town enter the "Anglia in Bloom" competition. Chatteris won the highest gold award several times, including in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, and was a joint winner in 2023.

The town has a brass band, started in 1882, which competes in local competitions.

Famous People from Chatteris

• Eric Boon: A boxer who was the British Lightweight Champion from 1938 to 1944.
• George William Burdett Clare: A soldier who received the Victoria Cross. The local doctors' surgery is named after him.
• Dave Boy Green: A boxer.
• Joe Perry: A professional snooker player.
• Lindsay Shilling: The main Trombonist at the Royal Opera House.

Images for kids

• 

  Town sign in Chatteris