The historic Cambridgeshire town which swapped its railway for a nature reserve

The town was also once famous for being a ‘small spa’

Cambridgeshire towns all have their own unique history. Some were once home to Romans, while others have been the sights of heroic battles of time before.

One town with a varied history behind it is Somersham in Huntingdonshire. Like many towns, Somersham once had its own railway station and train line. However over time, also like many other towns, these railway lines disappeared. Somersham’s former railway line is now occupied by a nature reserve.

The Somersham Local Nature Reserve was once part of a railway line between Cambridge and March. Built in 1848, this railway line was used to transport coal and agricultural produce before it eventually closed in 1967.

At the Station Approach entrance of the nature reserve, there are white gates that are a reminder of the former level crossing. The old station buildings that used to stand in the area were moved brick by brick to the William McAlpine estate in Oxfordshire.

Today, the nature reserve is set out over 12 acres and is home to a wide variety of wildlife. This includes areas of woodland, grassland and wildflower meadows.

There is also a lake and wet woodland. The former railway line is marked as a County Wildlife site to recognise the importance of it. There is also a path that runs around the nature reserve lake and a section of this features a part of the former Somersham to Chatteris railway line. As well as its former railway line, the town was once known as a “small spa”.

While it didn’t have the notoriety of Bath spa, Somersham was once known in the county for its spa. The town boasted a local known mineral water and this allowed the town to become a small spa.

According to ‘In search of holy wells and healing springs’, there was a local myth that suggested Romans exploited the water and Medieval bishops used it to brew beer. The mineral water was prescribed to patients by doctors at the time.

As well as it’s interesting history, Somersham has much more on offer in the modern day. Around 3,800 people call the village home. For anyone wanting to live there, the average property prices start at £221,667 for a two-bedroom home. For bigger homes, the price creeps up to around £679,000 for a five-bedroom home.

The village features the Somersham Convenience Store and Post Office for daily essentials. There are also some independent shops including The Vintage Peacock, offering gifts and upcycled furniture. Visitors and locals can grab a coffee at the Olives Coffee Shop, or if they fancy an alcoholic beverage, they can head to the Wine in the Willows Bar.

For anyone who wants to enjoy nature in a place steeped in history, Somersham is a good place to visit.