Fen Drayton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fen Drayton |
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 Fen Drayton Village Hall |
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 Fen Drayton
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| Population | 856 (2011 Census) |
| OS grid reference | TL335683 |
| District |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | CAMBRIDGE |
| Postcode district | CB24 |
| Dialling code | 01954 |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
Fen Drayton is a small village located in Cambridgeshire, England. It sits between the larger towns of Cambridge and St. Ives. You can also find it between the villages of Fenstanton and Swavesey.
In 2011, about 856 people lived in Fen Drayton. Many people who live here travel to nearby towns or cities for work. However, some farms are still active in the village. In the 1930s, Fen Drayton was one of 20 places where small farms were set up to grow salad crops.
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Village Life in Fen Drayton
Fen Drayton has several useful places for its residents. There is a primary school where younger kids learn. The village also has a village hall, which is a community center, and a nursery for very young children.
For sports, you'll find tennis courts and football fields. The local football team, Drayton Lions Football Club, plays their home games here. If you're looking for a place to eat or relax, there's a pub called The Three Tuns. The village church is a Church of England church and is named after St Mary the Virgin.
Getting Around Fen Drayton
The village is easy to reach because it's close to the A14 main road. It's also near the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway, which is a special bus route. For those who enjoy cycling, Fen Drayton is part of National Cycle Route 51.
Fen Drayton Nature Reserve
Just north of Fen Drayton, you'll find the amazing Fen Drayton Nature Reserve. This reserve covers about 108-hectare (267-acre) (which is like 267 acres!). It's made up of four lakes that were once gravel pits, where sand and gravel were dug out starting in the 1950s.
Today, this reserve is a wonderful home for many different animals, especially birds. Around 190 types of birds have been seen here! Some of the special birds you might spot include gadwall, wigeon, pintail, goldeneye, smew, coot, and bittern. It's a very important place for birds, as it's home to a large part of the UK's bittern and smew populations. The RSPB (a bird conservation charity) bought most of the land in 2007 to protect it.
You can get to the reserve from Fen Drayton and the nearby villages of Swavesey and Fenstanton. It's open every day and there's no charge to enter. There are two car parks, walking paths (footpaths and bridleways), and special hides where you can watch the birds without disturbing them. Sometimes, when there's a lot of rain and the river floods, the whole reserve can go underwater.
The Cambridgeshire Guided Busway actually goes through the reserve. This busway uses part of an old railway line. Some people were worried about the busway disturbing the reserve when it was being planned.
There are plans for the Fen Drayton Nature Reserve to become part of an even bigger wetland area along the River Great Ouse. This larger area will connect to other reserves, creating a huge natural space for wildlife. In January 2013, after a lot of local flooding, a seal was even seen in a ditch connected to the Great Ouse, about 50 miles from the sea!
Notable People from Fen Drayton
Some families with interesting histories have lived in Fen Drayton. For example, the Butler family, who were originally from Huntingdon, lived here in 1575. One of George Butler's sons, Stephen Butler, moved to Ireland. His descendants later became important figures in Ireland, with titles like Baron of Newtownbutler, Viscount Lanesborough, and eventually Earl of Lanesborough. The title of Earl of Lanesborough ended in 1998.
Images for kids
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St Mary's church in a Grade II* listed building.
See also
In Spanish: Fen Drayton para niños
