The hamlet is believed to have been where a battle took place involving William the Conqueror.
Hidden within the Fenlands is a small hamlet where only over 200 people live. Fenland is a large marshy region in the East of England.
Cambridgeshire has many Fenland towns including March, Whittlesey, Chatteris, and Wisbech, which is known as the ‘capital of the Fens’. However, alongside these bigger towns is the tiny hamlet of Aldreth.
Located near Haddenham, Aldreth is home to only 260 people. The fens surround it, and it is also close to the River Great Ouse.
Its name derives from a combination of the Old English words ‘alder’ and ‘hythe’, meaning landing-place by the alders. It is thought Aldreth was the site of a battle between Hereward the Wake with the Anglo-Saxons and William the Conqueror with the Normans.
Through Aldreth runs the Aldreth Causeway. This is an ancient pathway that begins at the foot of Enchanted Hill and descends onto Aldreth High Street.
In 1071, William the Conqueror led a campaign against the Isle of Ely. It’s believed Aldreth Causeway was the route William may have taken in his assault against the Isle of Ely. Today, the causeway is a path used by walkers and dog walkers.
For anyone who thinks of buying a home in Aldreth, they range in price from as little as £200,000, to some houses costing over £1 million.
Those who already live in Aldreth will enjoy local events such as the annual village open day. Known as Blossoms and Bygones, Aldreth hosts this day alongside neighbouring Haddenham.
The event includes tractor rides, vintage cars, and open gardens. On the event’s 40th anniversary in 2011, people dressed up in 1940s costumes as it had a VE Day theme.