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Godmanchester, Huntingdonshire, England. Geographical and Historical information from 1750.

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GODMANCHESTER:
Geographical and Historical information from the year 1750.

[Transcribed information from Stephen Whatley's Gazetteer of England - 1750]
(unless otherwise stated)

"GODMANCHESTER, (Huntingdonshire) has a bridge on the Ouse, opposite to Huntingdon, was formerly a Roman city, by the name of Durosiponte, where many Roman coins have been often dug up; and, 'tis said by old writers, that in the time of the Saxons it was the See of a Bp. and had a castle built by one Gorman, a Danish K. from which the T. was called Gormanchester. It is reckoned the biggest village in England, and is seated in a fertile soil, abounding with corn. 'Tis said no T. in England keeps more ploughs at work than this does, or hath done; and Mr. Camden says, no people in the nation had advanced husbandry more, either by purse or genius. The inh. boast they formerly received our Ks. as they made a progress this way, with 9 score ploughs at a time, finely adorned with their trappings, &c. and when James I. passed through from Scotland, they met him with 70 teams of horse, all traced to new ploughs, and told him, they held their lands of the Ks. of England by that tenure. His Majesty said, " he was glad he had so many " good husbandmen for his tenants " in one town," and made it a corp. by the name of 2 bailiff's, 12 assistants, and the commonalty of the Bor. of Godmanchester. Here is a sc. called the Free Grammar-School of Q. Elizabeth. The family of the Goldsboroughs had a seat here not very many years ago. On the W. side of the T. is a noble, though ancient seat of the Earl of Sandwich. Near this place, in the London road bet. Huntingdon and Caxton, is a tree well known to travellers by the name of Beggars-Bush, of which Dr. Fuller tells this story: " That K. James I. travelling this way " with Sir Francis Bacon his Ld. " Chan, and hearing that he had " rewarded a man very lavishly for a " mean present, said to him, " You will soon come to Beggars- Bushb; " and so may I too, if we are both " so bountifual." And 'tis now a common saying in this Co. when they see a prodigal, That he is in the way to Beggars-Bush."

[Description(s) transcribed by Mel Lockie ©2011]