View source for Cambridgeshire

{{Short description|County of England}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}}
{{About|the county}}
{{Redirect|Cambs|the municipality of Germany|Cambs, Germany}}
<!--This article covers four defined areas: the smaller historic, ceremonial, "Peterborough and Cambridge" city region and non-metropolitan definitions.-->
{{Infobox English county
| official_name = Cambridgeshire
| other_name = 
| image_main = {{multiple images |border=infobox |perrow=1 2 |total_width=250px
 | image1 = Ely Cathedral from Quanea Drove A.jpg
 | image2 = Kings College Cambridge Chapel from the river.jpg
 | image3 = Guildhall, Cathedral Square, Peterborough (cropped).jpg
 }}
| image_caption = '''Clockwise from top''': [[Ely Cathedral]] from [[the Fens]]; the [[Peterborough Guildhall|Guildhall]] in [[Peterborough]]; and the [[King's College Chapel|
chapel]] of [[King's College, Cambridge|King's College]], part of the [[University of Cambridge]]
| locator_map = {{Switcher
 | [[File: Cambridgeshire UK locator map 2010.svg|250px]]
 | Ceremonial Cambridgeshire
 | [[File:Cambridgeshire - British Isles.svg|250px]]
 | Historic Cambridgeshire
 }}
| coordinates = {{coord|52|21|N|0|0|W|region:GB-CAM_type:adm1st|display=inline,title}}
| region = [[East of England]]
| established_date = 1 April 1974
| established_by = [[Local Government Act 1972]]
| preceded_by = {{ubl |[[Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely]] |[[Huntingdon and Peterborough]]}}
| origin = [[Historic counties of England|Ancient]]
| MPs = [[Parliamentary constituencies in Cambridgeshire|8 MPs]]
| police = [[Cambridgeshire Constabulary]]
| county_town = [[Cambridge]]
| largest_city = [[Peterborough]]
| lord_lieutenant_office = Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire
| lord_lieutenant_name = [[Julie Spence]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/council/council-structure/lord-lieutenant/ |title=Lord Lieutenant |work=Cambridgeshire County Council |access-date=22 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170917213816/https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/council/council-structure/lord-lieutenant/ |archive-date=17 September 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| high_sheriff_office = High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire
| high_sheriff_name = Frances Stanley (2025–26)
| ethnicity = 
| ethnicity_year = 
| ethnicity_footnotes = 
| county_council = [[Cambridgeshire County Council]]
| unitary_council1 = [[Peterborough City Council]]
| admin_hq = [[New Shire Hall, Alconbury Weald]]
| iso_code = GB-CAM
| gss_code = E10000003
| nuts_code = UKH12
| website = {{URL|cambridgeshire.gov.uk}}
| districts_map = [[File:Cambridgeshire numbered districts.svg|200px]]
| districts_key = {{Colorsample|#FEFE77}} Unitary {{Colorsample|#FEC1E9}} County council area
| districts_list = # [[City of Peterborough]]
# [[Fenland District|Fenland]]
# [[Huntingdonshire]]
# [[East Cambridgeshire]]
# [[South Cambridgeshire]]
# [[Cambridge|City of Cambridge]]
}}

'''Cambridgeshire''' (abbreviated '''Cambs.''') is a [[Ceremonial counties of England|ceremonial county]] in the [[East of England]] and [[East Anglia]]. It is bordered by [[Lincolnshire]] to the north, [[Norfolk]] to the north-east, [[Suffolk]] to the east, [[Essex]] and [[Hertfordshire]] to the south, [[Northamptonshire]] to the west, and [[Bedfordshire]] to the south-west. The largest settlement is the city of [[Peterborough]].

The county has an area of {{cvt|3389|km2|sqmi}} and had an estimated population of 906,814 in 2022. Peterborough, in the north-west, and Cambridge, in the south, are the largest settlements. The remainder of the county is rural, and contains the city of [[Ely, Cambridgeshire|Ely]] in the east, [[Wisbech]] in the north-east, and [[St Neots]] and [[Huntingdon]] in the west. For [[Local government in England|local government]] purposes Cambridgeshire comprises a [[non-metropolitan county]], with five [[Districts of England|districts]], and the [[Unitary authorities of England|unitary authority]] area of [[City of Peterborough|Peterborough]]; their local authorities collaborate through [[Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority]]. The county did not [[Historic counties of England|historically]] include [[Huntingdonshire]] or the [[Soke of Peterborough]], which was part of Northamptonshire.

The north and east of the county are dominated by [[the Fens]], an extremely flat, drained marsh maintained by drainage ditches and dykes; [[Holme Fen]] is the UK's lowest physical point, at 2.75&nbsp;m (9&nbsp;ft) below sea level. The flatness of the landscape makes the few areas of higher ground, such as that Ely is built on, very conspicuous. The landscape in the south and west is gently undulating. Cambridgeshire's principal rivers are the [[River Nene|Nene]], which flows through the north of the county and is [[canalised]] east of Peterborough; the [[River Great Ouse|Great Ouse]], which flows from west to east past Huntingdon and Ely; and the [[River Cam|Cam]], a tributary of the Great Ouse which flows through Cambridge.<ref>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Cambridgeshire|volume=5|pages=97–99|short=x }}</ref>

==History==
{{Main|History of Cambridgeshire}}

Cambridgeshire is noted as the site of [[Flag Fen]] in [[Fengate]], one of the earliest-known [[Neolithic]] permanent settlements in the [[United Kingdom]], compared in importance to [[Balbridie]] in Aberdeen, Scotland. [[Must Farm]] quarry, at [[Whittlesey]], has been described as "Britain's [[Pompeii]] due to its relatively good condition, including the 'best-preserved [[Bronze Age]] dwellings ever found in the UK'". A great quantity of [[archaeology|archaeological]] finds from the [[Stone Age]], the [[Bronze Age]], and the [[Iron Age]] were made in [[East Cambridgeshire]]. Most items were found in [[Isleham]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Malim |first1=Tim |title=The environmental and social context of the isleham hoard |journal=The Antiquaries Journal |date=September 2010 |volume=90 |page=74 |doi=10.1017/S0003581509990485 |s2cid=161572936 }}</ref>

The area was settled by the [[Anglo-Saxons]] starting in the fifth century. [[Genetic testing]] on seven skeletons found in Anglo-Saxon era graves in [[Hinxton]] and [[Oakington]] found that five were either migrants or descended from migrants from the continent, one was a native Briton, and one had both continental and native ancestry, suggesting intermarriage.<ref>Stephan Schiffels and Duncan Sayer, ''Investigating Anglo-Saxon migration history with ancient and modern DNA'' (2017)</ref>

[[File:Historical Administrative Boundaries in Cambridgeshire.svg|thumb|left|Map showing the historical administrative boundaries in the modern ceremonial county of Cambridgeshire. Historical administrative counties showed in the background, short-lived combined counties of 1965–1974 in red outlines, and modern county council areas, unitary authorities, and districts in black outlines.]]
Cambridgeshire was recorded in the ''[[Domesday Book]]'' as "Grantbridgeshire" (or rather {{lang|ang|Grentebriġesċīre}}) (related to the [[river Granta]]). Covering a large part of [[East Anglia]], Cambridgeshire today is the result of several local government unifications. In 1888 when [[county council]]s were introduced, separate councils were set up, following the traditional division of Cambridgeshire, for
* the area in the south around Cambridge, and
* the liberty of the [[Isle of Ely]].
In 1965, these two administrative counties were merged to form [[Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely]].<ref>The Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely Order 1964 (SI 1964/366), see [[Local Government Commission for England (1958 - 1967)]], ''Report and Proposals for the East Midlands General Review Area'' (Report No.3), 31 July 1961 and ''Report and Proposals for the Lincolnshire and East Anglia General Review Area'' (Report No.9), 7 May 1965.</ref>
Under the [[Local Government Act 1972]] this merged with the county to the west, [[Huntingdon and Peterborough]], which had been formed in 1965, by the merger of Huntingdonshire with the Soke of Peterborough (the latter previously a part of [[Northamptonshire]] with its own county council). The resulting county was called simply Cambridgeshire.<ref>[[wikisource:The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972|The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972]] (SI 1972/2039) Part 5: County of Cambridgeshire</ref>

Since 1998, the [[City of Peterborough]] has been separately administered as a [[Unitary authorities of England|unitary authority]] area. It is associated with Cambridgeshire for ceremonial purposes such as [[Lord-Lieutenant|Lieutenancy]] and joint functions such as policing and the fire service.<ref>[http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1996/1878/made The Cambridgeshire (City of Peterborough) (Structural, Boundary and Electoral Changes) Order 1996] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140710043436/http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1996/1878/made |date=10 July 2014 }} (SI 1996/1878), see [[Local Government Commission for England (1992)]], ''Final Recommendations for the Future Local Government of Cambridgeshire'', October 1994 and ''Final Recommendations on the Future Local Government of Basildon & Thurrock, Blackburn & Blackpool, Broxtowe, Gedling & Rushcliffe, Dartford & Gravesham, Gillingham & Rochester upon Medway, Exeter, Gloucester, Halton & Warrington, Huntingdonshire & Peterborough, Northampton, Norwich, Spelthorne and the Wrekin'', December 1995.</ref>

In 2002, the conservation charity [[Plantlife]] unofficially designated Cambridgeshire's [[county flower]] as the [[Pulsatilla vulgaris|Pasqueflower]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1461011/The-floral-emblem-of-your-county.html |title=County Flowers |newspaper=Daily Telegraph |date=5 May 2004 |archive-date=27 February 2020 |access-date=27 February 2020 |url-access=subscription|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200227171729/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1461011/The-floral-emblem-of-your-county.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[Cambridgeshire Regiment]] (nicknamed the Fen Tigers), the county-based army unit, fought in the [[Boer War]] in South Africa, the First World War and Second World War.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cambridgeshireregiment1914-18.co.uk/the-cambridgeshire-regiment-1914-18.html |title=Cambridgeshire Regiment |website=www.cambridgeshireregiment1914-18.co.uk |access-date=27 February 2020 |archive-date=27 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200227170908/http://www.cambridgeshireregiment1914-18.co.uk/the-cambridgeshire-regiment-1914-18.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Due to the county's flat terrain and proximity to the continent, during the Second World War the military built many airfields here for [[RAF Bomber Command]], [[RAF Fighter Command]], and the allies [[USAAF]]. In recognition of this collaboration, the [[Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial]] is located in [[Madingley]]. It is the only WWII burial ground in England for American servicemen who died during that event.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cambridge American Cemetery {{!}} American Battle Monuments Commission |url=https://www.abmc.gov/Cambridge |access-date=20 February 2022 |website=www.abmc.gov |date=January 1956 |language=en |archive-date=31 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221031112813/https://www.abmc.gov/Cambridge |url-status=live }}</ref>

Most English counties have nicknames for their people, such as a "[[Tyke (dialect)|Tyke]]" from [[Yorkshire]] and a "[[Yellowbelly (Lincolnshire)|Yellowbelly]]" from [[Lincolnshire]]. The historical [[nickname]]s for people from Cambridgeshire are "Cambridgeshire Camel"<ref>{{cite book |title=Provincial Glossary |url=https://archive.org/details/provincialglossa00gros |author=Grose |year=1790 }}</ref> or "Cambridgeshire Crane", the latter referring to the wildfowl that were once abundant in the Fens. The term "Fen Tigers" is sometimes used to describe the people who live and work in the Fens.<ref name="Pryor1991">{{cite book |author=Francis Pryor |title=Book of Flag Fen: prehistoric Fenland centre |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CIlnAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Fen+Tigers%22 |date=October 1991 |publisher=Batsford |isbn=978-0-7134-6752-9 |page=18 }}</ref>

==Flag==
{{Main|Flag of Cambridgeshire}}
[[File:Cambridgeshire Flag.svg|left|thumb|The flag of the county of Cambridgeshire]]
Cambridgeshire's county flag was selected as an entry from a design competition that ran during 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cambstimes.co.uk/news/22868213.gallery-battle-lines-drawn-public-invited-vote-new-flag-cambridgeshire/ |title=Battle lines drawn as public invited to vote for a new flag for Cambridgeshire |first1=John |last1 =Elworthy |date=24 November 2014 |work=Cambs Times |access-date=10 August 2025}}</ref> The design features three golden crowns, two on the top, one on the bottom that are separated by two wavy lines in the middle. The crowns are meant to represent East Anglia, and the two lines represent the [[River Cam]] and are in the Cambridge University's colours.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cambrdgeshire flag information |url=https://britishcountyflags.com/2015/02/02/cambridgeshire-flag/ |website=British County Flags |date=2 February 2015 |access-date=13 August 2021 |archive-date=2 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210802194743/https://britishcountyflags.com/2015/02/02/cambridgeshire-flag/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Geography==
: ''See also [[Geology of Cambridgeshire]]''

[[File:Northamptonia Bedfordia Cantabrigia Huntingdonia Rutlandia Atlas.jpg|thumb|250px|Hand-drawn map of Northampshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire and Rutland by Christopher Saxton from 1576]]
Large areas of the county are extremely low-lying and [[Holme Fen]] is notable for being the UK's lowest physical point at 2.75&nbsp;m (9&nbsp;ft) below sea level. The highest point of the modern administrative county is in the village of [[Great Chishill]] at 146&nbsp;m (480&nbsp;ft) above sea level. However, this parish was historically a part of [[Essex]], having been moved to Cambridgeshire in boundary changes in 1895. The historic county top is close to the village of [[Castle Camps (village)|Castle Camps]] where a point on the disused RAF airfield reaches a height of {{convert|128|metre}} above sea level (grid reference TL 63282 41881).

Other [[topographic prominence|prominent]] hills are [[Little Trees Hill]] and [[Wandlebury Hill]] (both at {{cvt|74|m}}) in the [[Gog Magog Hills]], [[Rivey Hill]] above [[Linton, Cambridgeshire|Linton]], [[Rowley's Hill]] and the Madingley Hills.

[[Wicken Fen]] is a {{convert|254.5|hectare|acre|adj=on}} biological [[Site of Special Scientific Interest]] west of [[Wicken, Cambridgeshire|Wicken]]. A large part of it is owned and managed by the [[National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty|National Trust]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wicken-fen-nature-reserve |title=Wicken Fen Nature Reserve |publisher=National Trust |access-date=13 April 2021 |archive-date=25 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025012714/https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wicken-fen-nature-reserve |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[Cambridge Green Belt]] around the city of [[Cambridge]] extends to places such as [[Waterbeach]], [[Lode, Cambridgeshire|Lode]], [[Duxford]], [[The Abingtons, Cambridgeshire|Little & Great Abington]] and other communities a few miles away in nearby districts, to afford a protection from the conurbation. It was first drawn up in the 1950s.

==Politics==
[[File:Arms of Cambridgeshire County Council.svg|thumb|The coat of arms of Cambridgeshire County Council]]
[[Cambridgeshire County Council]] is controlled by the [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2025/england/councils/E10000003 |title=Cambridgeshire election results |website=www.bbc.co.uk |access-date=6 May 2025 |archive-date=3 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250503140616/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2025/england/councils/E10000003 |url-status=live }}</ref> while [[Peterborough City Council]] is currently controlled by a [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] minority administration.

The county contains eight [[List of United Kingdom Parliament constituencies|Parliamentary constituencies]]:

{| class="wikitable"
|+[[List of Parliamentary constituencies in Cambridgeshire|Parliamentary constituencies in Cambridgeshire]]
|-
! Constituency !! [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) !!colspan="2"| Party
|-
| [[Cambridge (UK Parliament constituency)|Cambridge]] || [[Daniel Zeichner]]
| {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}}
|-
| [[Huntingdon (UK Parliament constituency)|Huntingdon]] || [[Ben Obese-Jecty]]
| {{Party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| [[North East Cambridgeshire (UK Parliament constituency)|North East Cambridgeshire]] || [[Steve Barclay]]
| {{Party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}}
|-
| [[North West Cambridgeshire (UK Parliament constituency)|North West Cambridgeshire]] || [[Sam Carling]]
| {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}}
|-
| [[Peterborough (UK Parliament constituency)|Peterborough]] || [[Andrew Pakes]]
| {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}}
|-
| [[South Cambridgeshire (UK Parliament constituency)|South Cambridgeshire]] || [(politician)|[[Pippa Heylings]]
| style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" |
|[[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]]
|-
| [[St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire (UK Parliament constituency)|St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire]] || [[Ian Sollom]]
| style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" |
|[[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]]
|-
| [[Ely and East Cambridgeshire (UK Parliament constituency)|East Cambridgeshire]] || [[Charlotte Cane]]
| style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" |
|[[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]]
|}

== Economy ==
{{Update section|date=December 2024|reason=Figures are nearly 20 years out of date}}
This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of Cambridgeshire at current basic prices.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/RegionalGVA.pdf | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060525140007/http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/RegionalGVA.pdf | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2006-05-25 |title = Regional GVA | pages=240–253 | format=pdf | publisher= Office for National Statistics}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
! Year || Regional Gross<br>Value Added{{NoteTag|Components may not sum to totals due to rounding}} || Agriculture{{NoteTag|includes hunting and forestry}} || Industry{{NoteTag|includes energy and construction}} || Services{{NoteTag|includes financial intermediation services indirectly measured}}
|-
| 1995 || £5,896M || £228M || £1,646M || £4,022M
|-
| 2000 || £7,996M || £166M || £2,029M || £5,801M
|-
| 2003 || £10,154M || £207M || £2,195M || £7,752M
|}

[[AWG plc]] is based in Huntingdon. The [[Royal Air Force|RAF]] has several stations in the Huntingdon and [[St Ives, Cambridgeshire|St Ives]] area. RAF [[Alconbury]], three miles north of Huntingdon, is being reorganised after a period of obsolescence following the departure of the USAF, to be the focus of RAF/USAFE intelligence operations, with activities at [[Upwood]] and [[Molesworth (town)|Molesworth]] being transferred there. Most of Cambridgeshire is agricultural. Close to Cambridge is the so-called [[Silicon Fen]] area of high-technology (electronics, computing and biotechnology) companies. [[ARM Limited]] is based in [[Cherry Hinton]]. The inland [[Port of Wisbech]] on the [[River Nene]] is the county's only remaining port.

==Education==

=== Primary and secondary ===
{{Main list|List of schools in Cambridgeshire}}

Cambridgeshire has a comprehensive education system with over 240 state schools, not including [[sixth form college]]s. The independent sector includes [[King's Ely]] and [[Wisbech Grammar School]], founded in 970 and 1379 respectively, they are two of the oldest schools in the country.<ref>{{cite web |title=Wisbech Grammar School |url=https://www.wisbechgrammar.com/ |website=www.wisbechgrammar.com |access-date=23 April 2021 |archive-date=23 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423213456/https://www.wisbechgrammar.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Some of the secondary schools act as [[Village College]]s, institutions unique to Cambridgeshire. For example, [[Comberton Village College]].

===Tertiary===
Cambridgeshire is home to a number of institutes of [[higher education]]:

* The [[University of Cambridge]] – [[List of oldest universities in continuous operation|second-oldest]] university in the English-speaking world, and regarded as one of the most prestigious academic institutions in the world
* [[Anglia Ruskin University]] – has [[campus]]es located in Cambridge and Peterborough and a base at [[Fulbourn]]
* The [[Open University]] – has a regional centre located in Cambridge
* The [[University Centre Peterborough]] – operated by Anglia Ruskin University and [[Peterborough Regional College]], located in Peterborough
* The [[College of West Anglia]] has a campus at Milton, on the northern outskirts of Cambridge and a campus at [[Wisbech]].

In addition, [[Cambridge Regional College]] and [[Huntingdonshire Regional College]] both offer a limited range of higher education courses in conjunction with partner universities.

== Settlements ==
[[File:Cambridge-260x345.jpg|thumb|Map of the Cambridgeshire area (1904).]]
{{Main list|Civil parishes in Cambridgeshire|List of Cambridgeshire settlements by population}}

These are the settlements in Cambridgeshire with a town charter, city status or a population over 5,000; for a complete list of settlements see [[list of places in Cambridgeshire]].
{{columns-list|colwidth=25em|
* [[Burwell, Cambridgeshire|Burwell]]
* [[Cambourne]]
* [[Cambridge]]
* [[Chatteris]]
* [[Cottenham]]
* [[Ely, Cambridgeshire|Ely]]
* [[Godmanchester]]
* [[Huntingdon]]
* [[Littleport, Cambridgeshire|Littleport]]
* [[March, Cambridgeshire|March]]
* [[Peterborough]]
* [[Ramsey, Cambridgeshire|Ramsey]]
* [[Sawston]]
* [[Sawtry]]
* [[Soham]]
* [[St Ives, Cambridgeshire|St Ives]]
* [[St Neots]]
* [[Wisbech]]
* [[Whittlesey]]
* [[Yaxley, Cambridgeshire|Yaxley]]
}}
See the [[List of Cambridgeshire settlements by population]] page for more detail.

The town of [[Newmarket, Suffolk|Newmarket]] is surrounded on three sides by Cambridgeshire, being connected by a narrow strip of land to the rest of [[Suffolk]].

Cambridgeshire has seen 32,869 dwellings created from 2002 to 2013<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/0572165A-F1B4-4B00-8C84-60EAEB967CF1/0/SummaryReportHousingDevelopmentinCambridgeshire2013.pdf |title=Housing Development in Cambridgeshire 2013 |access-date=5 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224104821/http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/0572165A-F1B4-4B00-8C84-60EAEB967CF1/0/SummaryReportHousingDevelopmentinCambridgeshire2013.pdf |archive-date=24 December 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and there are a further 35,360 planned new dwellings between 2016 and 2023.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/5F648A82-2C02-4645-A5B0-A8777045F499/0/TableH21DwellingCommitmentsbyDistrict.pdf |title=Dwelling Commitments in Cambridgeshire |access-date=5 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224094518/http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/5F648A82-2C02-4645-A5B0-A8777045F499/0/TableH21DwellingCommitmentsbyDistrict.pdf |archive-date=24 December 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Climate==
{{more citations needed section|date=March 2013}}
Cambridgeshire has a maritime temperate climate which is broadly similar to the rest of the United Kingdom, though it is drier than the UK average due to its low altitude and easterly location, the prevailing southwesterly winds having already deposited moisture on higher ground further west. Average winter temperatures are cooler than the English average, due to Cambridgeshire's inland location and relative nearness to continental Europe, which results in the moderating maritime influence being less strong. Snowfall is slightly more common than in western areas, due to the relative winter coolness and easterly winds bringing occasional snow from the North Sea. In summer temperatures are average or slightly above, due to less cloud cover. It reaches {{convert|25|°C|0}} on around ten days each year, and is comparable to parts of Kent and East Anglia.
{{Cambridge weatherbox}}
{{notelist}}

==Culture==

===Sports===

Various [[football|forms of football]] have been popular in Cambridgeshire since medieval times at least. In 1579 one match played at [[Chesterton, Cambridge|Chesterton]] between townspeople and [[University of Cambridge]] students ended in a violent brawl that led the Vice-Chancellor to issue a decree forbidding them to play "footeball" outside of college grounds.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cambridgeshirefa.com/AboutUs/History/ |title=Sorry. Something's wrong with the pitch. - Cambridgeshire FA |first=The Football |last=Association |website=www.cambridgeshirefa.com |access-date=2 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708112713/http://www.cambridgeshirefa.com/AboutUs/History/ |archive-date=8 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> During the nineteenth century, several formulations of the laws of football, known as the [[Cambridge rules]], were created by students at the university.  One of these codes, dating from 1863, had a significant influence on the creation of the original [[Laws of the Game (association football)|laws]] of the [[Football Association]].<ref>{{cite book |first=Adrian |last=Harvey |title=Football: the First Hundred Years |year=2005 |publisher=Routledge |location=London |isbn=0-415-35019-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TxoZ0S-GC7MC |pages=144–5 |access-date=3 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170501183145/https://books.google.com/books?id=TxoZ0S-GC7MC |archive-date=1 May 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Cambridgeshire is also the birthplace of [[bandy]],<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cambridgeshire/content/articles/2006/02/15/bandy_sport_feature.shtml |title=A handy Bandy guide... |last=BBC |language=en-gb |access-date=9 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015213205/http://www.bbc.co.uk/cambridgeshire/content/articles/2006/02/15/bandy_sport_feature.shtml |archive-date=15 October 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> now an IOC accepted sport.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldbandy.com/template1.asp?pageID=18 |title=Federation of International Bandy-Olympic |publisher=Internationalbandy.com |date=12 August 2004 |access-date=25 September 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119112911/http://www.worldbandy.com/template1.asp?pageID=18 |archive-date=19 January 2012 }}</ref> According to documents from 1813, [[Bury Fen Bandy Club]] was undefeated for 100 years. A member of the club, [[Charles Goodman Tebbutt]], wrote down the first official rules in 1882.<ref name=":0" /> Tebbutt was instrumental in spreading the sport to many countries.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cambridgeshire/content/articles/2006/02/15/bandy_sport_feature.shtml |title=Cambridgeshire – History – A handy Bandy guide |publisher=BBC |date=21 February 2006 |access-date=25 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090427075445/http://www.bbc.co.uk/cambridgeshire/content/articles/2006/02/15/bandy_sport_feature.shtml |archive-date=27 April 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Great Britain Bandy Association]] is based in Cambridgeshire.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldbandy.com/members.html |title=Members - Federation of International Bandy |website=www.worldbandy.com |access-date=25 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170127123051/http://www.worldbandy.com/members.html |archive-date=27 January 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[Fen skating]] is a traditional form of skating in the [[The Fens|Fenland]]. The [[National Ice Skating Association]] was set up in [[Cambridge]] in 1879, they took the top Fen skaters to the world speedskating championships where [[James Smart (skater)]] became world champion.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ousewashes.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Fen-Skating-Scrapbook.doc |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241206105309/http://ousewashes.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Fen-Skating-Scrapbook.doc |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 December 2024 |title=Fen Skating Scrapbook |website=www.ousewashes.org.uk |access-date=9 December 2020 }}</ref>

On 6–7 June 2015, the inaugural Tour of Cambridgeshire cycle race took place on closed roads across the county. The event was an official [[Union Cycliste Internationale|UCI]] qualification event, and consisted of a Time Trial on the 6th, and a [[Gran Fondo]] event on the 7th.  The Gran Fondo event was open to the public, and over 6000 riders took part in the {{cvt|128|km|0}} race.<ref>{{Cite news |date=7 June 2015 |title=Tour of Cambridgeshire marks UK's first Gran Fondo cycle ride |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-33039632 |access-date=16 November 2021 |archive-date=16 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211116153709/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-33039632 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[River Cam]] is the main river flowing through Cambridge, parts of the [[River Nene]] and [[River Great Ouse]] lie within the county. In 2021 the latter was used as the course for [[The Boat Race]]. The [[River Cam]] serves as the course for the university [[Lent Bumps]] and [[May Bumps]] and the non-college [[rowing]] organised by [[Cambridgeshire Rowing Association]].

There is only one racecourse in Cambridgeshire, located at [[Huntingdon Racecourse|Huntingdon]].

===Contemporary art===
Cambridge is home to the [[Kettle's Yard]] gallery and the artist-run Aid and Abet project space. Nine miles west of Cambridge next to the village of [[Bourn]] is [[Wysing Arts Centre]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cultunet.com/es/recursos-culturales/convocatorias/wysing-arts-centre-programme-of-artists-residencies-cambridge |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429192943/http://www.cultunet.com/es/recursos-culturales/convocatorias/wysing-arts-centre-programme-of-artists-residencies-cambridge |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 April 2014 |title=cultunet |publisher=cultunet.com |date=3 December 2012 |access-date=3 February 2013 }}</ref>
Wisbech has been home to the Wisbech Gallery, South Brink since 2023.
Cambridge Open Studios is the region's large arts organisation with over 500 members. Every year, more than 370 artists open their doors to visitors during four weekends in July.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.camopenstudios.co.uk/ |title=Cambridge Open Studios &#124; |access-date=17 June 2019 |archive-date=28 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028121255/https://www.camopenstudios.co.uk/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Literature===
The annual Fenland Poet Laureate awards were instigated for poets in the North of the county in 2012 at [[Wisbech & Fenland Museum]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Fenland Poet Laureate 2012 |publisher=Atelier East |page=1 |author=David Wright |year=2012 }}</ref>

===Theatre===
The county was visited by travelling companies of comedians in the Georgian period. These came from different companies. The Lincoln Circuit included, at various times, Wisbech and Whittlesey. The Wisbech Georgian theatre still survives as an operating theatre now known as The [[Angles Theatre]].
In Cambridge the [[ADC Theatre]] is the venue for the [[Footlights]].

==Media==
{{More citations needed|section|date=September 2024}}
The county is covered by [[BBC East]] and [[ITV Anglia]]. Local radio includes [[BBC Radio Cambridgeshire]], [[Greatest Hits Radio East]], [[Heart East]], [[Smooth East Midlands]] (only covering [[Peterborough]]), and [[Star Radio (Cambridge and Ely)|Star Radio]]. The community radio stations are Black Cat Radio in St Neots; [[Cam FM]] and [[Cambridge 105]] in Cambridge; [[Huntingdon Community Radio]]; and Peterborough Community Radio and Salaam Radio in Peterborough.

==Places of interest==
{{EngPlacesKey|align=center}}
{{columns-list|colwidth=20em|
* [[Angles Theatre]]
* [[Anglesey Abbey]] [[File:NTE icon.svg|National Trust]] [[File:AP Icon.svg|16px]]
* [[Brampton Wood]]
* [[Buckden Towers]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]]
* [[Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial]]
* [[Cambridge University Museum of Zoology]]
* [[Castor Hanglands NNR]]
* [[Cherry Hinton Chalk Pits]]
* [[Denny Abbey]] [[File:AP Icon.svg|16px]]
* [[Devil's Dyke, Cambridgeshire|Devil's Dyke]]
* [[Down Field Windmill]]
* [[Duxford Chapel]] [[File:EH icon.svg|English Heritage]]
* [[Duxford|Duxford Airfield]]
* [[Elton Hall]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]]
* [[Ely Cathedral]] [[File:AP Icon.svg|16px]]
* [[Fitzwilliam Museum|Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge]]
* [[Flag Fen]]
* [[Fowlmere RSPB reserve]]
* [[Gamsey Wood]] Nature Reserve
* [[Grafham Water Nature Reserve]]
* [[Great Gransden Post Mill]]
* [[Hereward Way]]
* [[Hinchingbrooke House]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]]
* [[Houghton Mill]] [[File:NTE icon.svg|National Trust]]
* [[Icknield Way]]
* [[Imperial War Museum Duxford]] [[File:Museum icon (red).svg|Museum paid admission]]
* [[Kettle's Yard]]
* [[Kimbolton Castle]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]]
* [[King's College Chapel|King's College, Cambridge]]
* [[Lattersey|Lattersey Nature Reserve]]
* [[Lode Watermill]] [[File:NTE icon.svg|National Trust]]
* [[Longthorpe Tower]]
* [[Gog Magog Hills#Magog Down|Magog Down]]
* [[March & District Museum]]
* [[Milton Country Park]] [[File:CP icon.svg|Country Park]]
* [[Nene Park]] [[File:CP icon.svg|Country Park]]
* [[Nene Valley Railway]] [[File:HR icon.svg|Heritage railway]]
* [[Nene Way]]
* [[New Bedford River]]
* [[Octavia Hill Birthplace House]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]]
* [[Old Bedford River]]
* [[Oliver Cromwell's House]]
* [[Ouse Valley Way]]
* [[Ouse Washes]]
* [[Parkers Piece|Parker's Piece, Cambridge, birthplace of modern football]]
* [[Paxton Pits Nature Reserve]]
* [[Peckover House & Garden]] [[File:NTE icon.svg|National Trust]]
* [[Peterborough Cathedral]] [[File:AP Icon.svg|16px]]
* [[Port of Wisbech]]
* [[Prickwillow Drainage Engine Museum]] [[File:Museum icon (red).svg|Museum paid admission]]
* [[Ramsey Abbey]] [[File:NTE icon.svg|National Trust]]
* [[River Cam]]
* [[River Great Ouse]]
* [[River Nene]]
* [[Holy Sepulchre, Cambridge|Round Church, Cambridge]]
* [[RSPB Nene Washes]]
* [[RSPB Ouse Washes]]
* [[Stretham Old Engine]] [[File:Museum icon (red).svg|Museum paid admission]]
* [[Three Shires Bridleway]]
* [[University of Cambridge Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology]]
* [[Wandlebury Hill|Wandlebury Country Park]] [[File:CP icon.svg|Country Park]]
* [[Wicken Fen]] [[File:NTE icon.svg|National Trust]]
* [[Wimpole Hall]] [[File:NTE icon.svg|National Trust]]
* [[Wisbech Castle]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]]
* [[Wisbech & Fenland Museum]]
* [[Wisbech and March Bramley Line]] [[File:HR icon.svg|Heritage railway]]
* [[WWT Welney]]
* [[Wysing Arts Centre]]
}}

== Notable people from Cambridgeshire ==
{{Main category|People from Cambridgeshire}}
 
* [[Oliver Cromwell]] (1599–1658), [[Roundhead]] commander in the [[English Civil War]] from 1642 to 1651, and [[Lord Protector]] of the [[The Protectorate|Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland]] from 1653 to 1658

==See also==
* [[Cambridgeshire (UK Parliament constituency)]] – Historical list of MPs for Cambridgeshire constituency
* [[Cambridgeshire Archives and Local Studies]]
* [[Cambridgeshire Constabulary]]
* [[Cambridgeshire local elections]]
* [[Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner]]
* [[Custos Rotulorum of Cambridgeshire]] – Keepers of the Rolls for Cambridgeshire
* [[Healthcare in Cambridgeshire]]
* [[List of English and Welsh endowed schools (19th century)#Cambridgeshire]]
* [[High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire|List of High sheriffs of Cambridgeshire]]
* [[Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire|List of Lord Lieutenants of Cambridgeshire]]
* [[The Hundred Parishes]]

== Explanatory notes ==
{{NoteFoot}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
{{refbegin}}
* {{Cite EB9 |mode=cs2 |last=Arnold |first = F.  |wstitle = County of Cambridge |volume = 4 |ref = {{harvid|''EB''|1878}} |pages = 726–728 }}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Cambridgeshire}}
* {{cite EB1911 |mode=cs2 |wstitle=Cambridgeshire |volume=5 |ref={{harvid|''EB''|1911}} |pages=97–99 |short=x}}
* [http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/ Cambridgeshire County Council]
* [http://www.ccan.co.uk/ Cambridgeshire Community Archive Network].
* [https://archive.today/20121224001155/http://viewfinder.english-heritage.org.uk/search/results.aspx?index=0&mainQuery=&searchType=all&form=basic&theme=&county=CAMBRIDGESHIRE&district=&placeName= Images of Cambridgeshire] at the [[English Heritage Archive]]

{{Adjacent communities
|title = '''Neighbouring counties'''
|Centre    = Cambridgeshire
|North     = [[Lincolnshire]]
|Northeast = [[Norfolk]]
|East      = [[Suffolk]]
|Southeast = [[Essex]]
|South     = [[Hertfordshire]]
|Southwest = [[Bedfordshire]]
|West      = [[Northamptonshire]]
|Northwest = [[Rutland]]
}}
{{Cambridgeshire}}
{{England counties}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cambridgeshire| ]]
[[Category:Counties of England established in antiquity]]
[[Category:Counties of England disestablished in 1965]]
[[Category:Counties of England established in 1974]]
[[Category:Non-metropolitan counties]]