Welcome to Warboys

The Clock Tower on a sunny day

Wardebusc (11th century), Wardebusche (12th century), Wardeboys (13th - 17th century) and Warboys (Modern).

Warboys, one of the largest villages in the District of Huntingdonshire, is conveniently situated between the Old Hurst - Ramsey road, B1040 and the Huntingdon - Chatteris road, A141, with a third road linking the two to form the main village street and also running south-east to Pidley. Yet another road runs dead straight from the disused railway station across reclaimed fenland to the north-east where the altitude varies between -1 and +3 feet above sea level to form the most level area in the district. The village of Warboys itself is mostly between 75 and 100 feet above sea level.

About the year 974, Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury, gave the manor of Warboys to Ramsey Abbey, which house continued to hold it until the Dissolution, when it passed with other Abbey property to Sir Richard Cromwell. From this family it passed to the Lemans about the time of the Commonwealth; later it came into the possession of the Pelly family, and at the death of Sir Henry Pelly, it passed to his two daughters. Near the church is the Manor House, an old brick building, the property of Lady Balcarres, daughter of Sir Henry Pelly, and the residence, in 1910, of George Ekins.

The Warboys parish church of St Mary Magdalene, on the road to Old Hurst, has a graceful Early English broach tower and spire. The chancel arch is older, being Norman. Other noteworthy features include a late 12th century knocker, a restored 13th century font, a 14tth century grave slab and a 17th century parish chest.

From the 17th century, too, are several interesting houses and an old inn in the village of Warboys. There is also an old barn, former Manor House and former Rectory. The old rectory garden is particularly lovely being designed by Sir Joseph Paxton. A tall clock tower in the centre of Warboys was erected by public subscription to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897.

In monastic times there stood on a island in the fen, between Chatteris and Warboys, a small chapel dedicated to St James, it is now a farmhouse and a farm on the road leading to St Ives, called “The Wilderness,” is famous as the birthplace of Sergeant Ballantyne.

Warboys is one of the parishes of the District of Huntingdonshire, whose administrative centre is Huntingdon, the other principle towns being St Ives home of the Chapel on the Bridge, St Neots the largest town in the County of Cambridgeshire, the Roman town of Godmanchester and Ramsey site of the former Abbey.

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