A RIDE THROUGH THE PARISH

The Parish of Wisbech St Mary is situated to the southwest of Wisbech. It covers thousands of acres of rich agricultural land that is mainly at, or slightly below, sea level. There is a diminishing acreage of orchards, but they present a colourful scene in the spring when the apple, plum and pear trees are in blossom. The civil Parish consists of three villages and two hamlets, all within an area measuring approximately seven miles from east to west and five miles from north to south at its widest point.

From the Tourist Information Centre in Wisbech cross over the Town bridge and turn left along North Brink, described as “one of the most beautiful Georgian streets in England”. Turn right into Barton road which will take you to Wisbech St Mary village.

As you enter the village look to the right and you will see the former vicarage that was built by the first vicar of Wisbech St Mary in the middle of the 19^th Century. Cox’s Car Sales is on the left and the ancient Wheel Inn stands on the right. Further along the High Road you will pass J S Holmes’ garage on the left and the Post Office General Store together with the Fish and Chip Shop on the right.

Turn right into Church Road and you will see the recently refurbished Church of England Primary School.   Further along you come to the beautiful Parish Church standing in its own churchyard that has many fine examples of 18^th and 19^th Century gravestones .It is a very interesting building and is worth visiting.  At the end of Church Road turn left into Station Road and pass Beechings Close, the site of the Midland & Great Northern Railway station, after which you will come to the Manor House that was built at the end of the 18^th Century.

Retrace your steps past the school to the High Road and turn right.  You will pass the former Victorian chapel and its successor, built in 1926 on the opposite side of the road. On the left stands Inham Hall, an 18^th Century gentleman’s residence, standing in its own grounds.  The Bridge Inn stands on the right as you leave Wisbech St Mary and travel towards Bunkers Hill.

The area now known as Bunkers Hill (thought to be named after the American Civil War battle) was previously called Willock. The large farmhouse, which still stands among its trees, was built in 1849 and a host of labourers’ cottages, a smithy, and an alehouse were soon built to serve the farm. Just on the outskirts of Bunkers Hill stands the parish Poor House, a Georgian building that was erected in 1818.  In recent years it was allowed to deteriorate, but it is good to see that it has been carefully restored.

Approximately a mile beyond Bunkers Hill you enter Tholomas Drove where a Free School once stood. It was built by a Quaker farmer, Francis Hardy around 1700.  Ripes Hall stands on the right, and on the left, partially hidden, is French Cottage. On the right as you pass through the hamlet you will see another ancient hostelry, the Chequers Inn.  Because Tholomas Drove is geographically situated in the centre of the parish, the school and the Inn were hosts to many activities associated with      19^th Century life in the villages. When the Parish Council was formed it originally used the old schoolroom for its meetings before transferring to the Inn. The Parish Council still occasionally meets in the Chequers Inn.

Travelling on from Tholomas Drove you will pass, on the left, a small settlement known as Mouth Lane.  Very shortly you will enter Guyhirn and come to the bank of the tidal River Nene. The road runs alongside the bank for over a mile. Just after meeting the bank, you will see on the right the jewel in the parish’s crown, Guyhirn Chapel of Ease. It is a 17^th Century Puritan building that still retains most of its original wooden pews. It is worth stopping for a few minutes to experience its unique atmosphere. The key is available from the greengrocer in the village.

Past the Village Hall, the Church of England Primary School, and the site of the former Chequers Inn, you will see the huge bulk of Guyhirn Parish Church. Opened in 1878 the building was always going to be too large for the newly formed ecclesiastical parish. The church is now closed and waiting to be converted into homes.

As you leave the village you will pass the Oliver Twist. Formerly known as the Marquis of Granby Public House, this is now a popular restaurant. Just over the river bank from the Oliver Twist is the recently erected mooring for passing river-borne tourists.

Turning away from the river, you have a choice of two routes before entering Murrow village.

Route 1:  Turn left at the slip-road and immediate right on to the A47 trunk road. You will be travelling across a vast agricultural area known as Adventurers’ Land or Wisbech High Fen. This long straight section of the A47 is built along the site of the old Peakirk Drain. It is a very busy road and great care should be taken, particularly if you are cycling. 

When leaving Guyhirn a Pit Stop filling station is on the left. After approximately two miles a restaurant and takeaway is on the right, next door to the giant warehousing complex of Ken Thomas Ltd. Another mile will bring you to Thorney Toll the most westerly point of the parish. Formerly called Boarden House Toll, it was the traditional home of the wildfowlers and graziers who worked on the Nene Washes. The Black Horse public house was their place of rest and refreshment! There was a large settlement of Irish agricultural workers in Thorney Toll in the mid-1800s.

Retracing your steps towards Guyhirn, turn left at the first opportunity and you will be in Bishop Lands, a vast acreage once owned by the Bishop of Ely.  Hundreds of acres of arable land stretch out on either side of the road. At the junction with Gull Drove, you will be crossing the Greenwich Meridian Line.  Turn right at the next junction and you will be entering Cant’s Drove and an area known as Rogues’ Alley. Keep on this track until you cross the trackbed of the former GE & GN Railway. Pass the Gatehouse and turn left towards Murrow.

Route 2:  Leave Guyhirn by Gull Road which was originally a track along the top of the old South Eau riverbank.  As you travel northwards towards Murrow, you will notice two semi-circular diversions of the road. These were the sites of breaches of the riverbank in the 15^th Century. They are known as “gulls”, hence the name of the road.  Follow this road to Murrow.

As you enter Murrow, you will pass the County Primary School on the left and will pass the site of the M & GN Railway station.  When you reach the village War Memorial turn right into the village past the Methodist Chapel and keep going straight ahead. The former Corpus Christi church is on the left just before you turn left and immediately right to travel alongside the White Engine Drain towards Wisbech St Mary.

On reaching Wisbech St Mary, you have the choice of retracing your steps to Wisbech or to carry on alongside the drain to the village of Leverington and then on to Wisbech.

This tour is approximately 20 miles.

We hope that you will have enjoyed your journey!

© Brian Payne 2000. Revised 2010.