_____________________________________________________________________
General
At its height Barkway was more of a town than a village and certainly much larger than it is today. A former coaching town, its main street is an impressive kilometre long and lined with brick and flint, plaster and thatch, half-timber and Georgian red brick houses.
The village name derives from the Old English words berc and weg and translates as ‘Birch-tree road’. At the time of the Domesday Book it was known as Bercheuuei(g) .
The church has been classed as disappointing, large and spreading and mainly rebuilt in Victorian times.
Along the main street there is the last stone in a set of sixteen milestones from Cambridge to Barkway. The milestone was installed by William Warren, using money from a charitable fund set up in 1586. They are said to be the oldest set of milestones surviving today.
_____________________________________________________________________
Chaise and Pair
The Chaise and Pair (now possibly the Tally Ho) public house in Barkway has a very helpful ghost. For some years now the ghost, who locals have named Henry, changes barrels in the cellar. He has also been seen occasionally during the night.
To view a map of the area click on the button below
_____________________________________________________________________
The Wheatsheaf
The Wheatsheaf public house and one corner of St Mary’s graveyard are haunted by the ghost of William Phelps also known as ‘Brighton Bill’. In 1838 Bill was almost beaten to death in a boxing match at Norris Folly and was taken to the Wheatsheaf where he died. It is said that you can still hear him moaning and crying out in pain.
To view a map of the area click on the button below
|