Milton, Cambridgeshire facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Milton |
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 Milton
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| Population | 4,400 |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | CAMBRIDGE |
| Postcode district | CB24 |
| Dialling code | 01223 |
| Police | Cambridgeshire |
| Fire | Cambridgeshire |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament |
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Milton is a village located just north of Cambridge, England. In 2021, about 4,400 people lived here.
Contents
Milton's History: How It Grew
Milton started very small. In 1086, only 31 people lived here. By 1728, there were about 170 people, making up 40 families.
Maps from the late 1800s show that most buildings were along High Street and Fen Road. Milton Hall took up a large area. By 1901, the village had grown a bit more. It already had two churches, a school, a smithy (where metal was worked), a brewery, and five pubs.
The number of people living in Milton stayed around 740 from the 1910s to the 1950s. Then, it grew much faster. By 1971, over 1,700 people lived in the village.
Big Changes and New Homes
Milton expanded a lot in the late 1980s. Two large groups of new homes, called housing estates, were built. These were located between the bypass road and the village. This building boom caused the population to double between 1981 and 1991.
More recently, new homes started being built in 2012. This new area is called North Lodge Park. It has 88 homes, two football fields, a building for sports, and a car park. The first families moved in during April 2014.
Roads and Railways
The A10 bypass road was built around the west side of Milton between 1976 and 1978. This road actually split a street called Butt Lane into two parts.
The Cambridge-Ely railway line opened in 1845. It passed by the east side of the village, but there was no station in Milton. Later, Cambridge North railway station opened in May 2017. This station is within Milton's area, but it's about 1.6 miles from the village center.
Things to Do and Places to Go in Milton
Milton has four pubs, which are like local gathering places. Three of these pubs are very old and important buildings, known as Grade II listed buildings.
A company called Milton Brewery started making beer in Milton in 1999. They moved to a nearby village in 2012. However, Milton had a brewery on Fen Road as early as 1901.
There are two churches in the village:
- All Saints' Church, which is for the Church of England.
- A New Apostolic Church.
Schools and Learning
Milton has a primary school for younger children. However, there isn't a secondary school in the village. Most students go to schools in nearby areas. These include Impington Village College, Cottenham Village College, or St. Bede's School, Cambridge.
There is also an Agricultural College in Milton. This college is part of the College of West Anglia. The first village school was on Fen Road, but that building is no longer there. The current school is on Butt Lane.
Science and Innovation
The Cambridge Science Park is located within Milton's area. This park is home to many companies that work on new ideas and technologies. One interesting building there is the Napp Research Centre. The Science Park is separated from the main part of the village by a big road called the A14. But you can still get there by walking or cycling over the Jane Coston cycle bridge.
Sports and Recreation
Plans are being made to build a rowing lake between Milton and Waterbeach. This lake would be a place for rowing teams to practice and compete. The idea for an international-standard rowing lake has been around for many years. Permission to build it was first given in 1995, and then again in 2007.
In 2015, the UK Footgolf Association opened its main office for the East of England in Milton. This was at the old Milton Park Golf Course. FootGolf is a sport that mixes football and golf. They host many tournaments here, including the UK FootGolf International Open.
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Church of All Saints'
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Jane Coston cycle bridge between Milton and Cambridge over the A14
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Village map located at the southern end of the High Street
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The Waggon and Horses
Dealing with Smells: The "Milton Pong"
Milton has sometimes been known for an unpleasant smell. People call it the "Milton Pong." This smell comes from the Cambridge Sewage Works and two recycling centers nearby.
In 2003, the local council, South Cambridgeshire District Council, took legal action against the company that runs the sewage works, Anglian Water. In 2014, people living in Milton were asked to use an online "pong log" to report smells. This was to encourage the authorities to make things better.
A big upgrade to the sewage works, costing £21 million, was finished in 2015. This was meant to reduce the smells. After the upgrades, the Milton Parish Council said the smells had gotten better. However, a special group was set up to keep monitoring the air quality.
In 2023, a company did tests for Anglian Water to measure how bad the smells from the sewage works were. This survey was reportedly part of Anglian Water thinking about moving the sewage site to a different place.
Milton Country Park: A Place for Nature
Milton Country Park is located at the edge of the village. This park was built on the site of old gravel pits. These were places where gravel was dug out of the ground.
Work to turn the site into a country park started in 1990. The park officially opened in May 1993. It has become a wonderful home for many kinds of wildlife.
Lakes and Paths
Two of the old gravel pits are now lakes filled with freshwater. They are called Todd's Pit and Dickerson's Pit. Both are used for fishing. Todd's Pit is good for carp, while Dickerson's Pit is for other types of fish and pike.
A smaller pool called Hall's Pool is between the two main pits. It has a platform for dipping. Deep Pool is the deepest pit in the park and is located north of Dickerson's Pit.
The park has over two miles of paths. These paths are great for walking, cycling, and are also good for wheelchairs.
Saving the Park
The park's future became uncertain in 2005. The local council said they might not be able to pay for the park anymore. They were looking for a new group to fund it, or they might have to close the park.
A campaign to save the park gathered over 10,000 signatures from people who wanted to keep it open. In July 2007, the council agreed to let the Cambridge Sport Lakes Trust manage the park. This officially happened on March 31, 2008, ensuring the park stayed open for everyone to enjoy.
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Entrance to Milton Country Park
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Milton Country Park Visitor Centre with a cafeteria selling snacks
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Hall's Pool in Milton Country Park
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Milton Country Park South end of Dickerson's Pit
A Detached Part of Milton
Milton is one of the few places in England that has a detached part. This means a piece of land that belongs to Milton but isn't connected to the main village area. This detached part is called Chesterton Fen.
