Elizabeth Way, Cambridge

Last updated

Cambridge Midsummer Fair on Midsummer Common west of Elizabeth Way, 2005. Cambridge Midsummer Fair.jpg
Cambridge Midsummer Fair on Midsummer Common west of Elizabeth Way, 2005.
Looking north from the northern end of Elizabeth Way Bridge. Elizabeth Way - geograph.org.uk - 3159991.jpg
Looking north from the northern end of Elizabeth Way Bridge.

Elizabeth Way is a road in northeast Cambridge, England. [1] [2] It is designated the A1134 and forms part of Cambridge's inner ring road. At the northern end is a roundabout forming a junction with Milton Road (continuing the A1134 to the left and as the A1309 northeast out of Cambridge to the right). Near the north end is another roundabout linking with Chesterton Road (the A1303) to the west. At the southern end there is a roundabout that links with East Road (part of the A603, continuing the inner ring road southeast) and Newmarket Road (also part of the A1134, leading east out of the city).

Contents

Just north of the Newmarket Road roundabout to the west is a former site of Cambridge Regional College, a further education college now located on Kings Hedges Road; before the Regional College was there, the site was a school. As of 2011, the site is under development for residential use. The houses on Elizabeth Way are mainly terraced and semi-detached. [3]

Midsummer Fair was granted in 1211 and held in June each year on Midsummer Common in the area around the modern Elizabeth Way. [4] It is now a modern travelling funfair.

The northern part of the road in Chesterton was known as Haig Road and Cam Road, before it was linked across the River Cam by Elizabeth Way Bridge. [5] Elizabeth Way is named after Queen Elizabeth II.

Bridge

Elizabeth Way Bridge. Elizabeth Way Bridge, Cambridge.jpg
Elizabeth Way Bridge.

Elizabeth Way Bridge on Elizabeth Way crosses the River Cam just to the north of the Newmarket Road roundabout, with Midsummer Common to the west. [6] In the 19th century, Chesterton to the north was not formally part of Cambridge. [5] Links to the city were not good because of the River Cam, which blocked the way. Until 1890, the only bridge access into Cambridge from Chesterton was via Magdalene Bridge (the "Great Bridge") to the west. In 1889, the Cam Bridges Act enabled two new bridges to be constructed between Chesterton and Cambridge. In 1890 the first of these was built, Victoria Bridge on Victoria Avenue, between Jesus Green and Midsummer Common.

In 1911, Chesterton was incorporated into Cambridge and a new bridge was promised by 1917. However, with the outbreak of World War I, this never happened. In 1950, a report state that the construction of a second Chesterton bridge should be undertaken a matter of urgency. [5] Eventually, in 1971, the Elizabeth Way Bridge was opened, on the proposed 1950 route.

The bridge is a plain four-carriageway concrete bridge. It was formally opened by Rab Butler in his capacity as High Steward of Cambridge on 13 July 1971. It is still the most recent road bridge to be built in Cambridge and is now one of the main vehicular bridges across the Cam in the city.

To the west on the northern bank of the Cam is The Eights, a private marina and apartment blocks. [6]


See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Cam</span> Tributary of the River Great Ouse

The River Cam is the main river flowing through Cambridge in eastern England. After leaving Cambridge, it flows north and east before joining the River Great Ouse to the south of Ely, at Pope's Corner. The total distance from Cambridge to the sea is about 40 mi (64 km) and is navigable for punts, small boats, and rowing craft. The Great Ouse also connects to England's canal system via the Middle Level Navigations and the River Nene. In total, the Cam runs for around 69 kilometres (43 mi) from its furthest source to its confluence with the Great Ouse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A41 road</span> Road in England

The A41 is a trunk road between London and Birkenhead, England. Now in parts replaced by motorways, it passes through or near Watford, Kings Langley, Hemel Hempstead, Aylesbury, Bicester, Solihull, Birmingham, West Bromwich, Wolverhampton, Newport, Whitchurch, Chester and Ellesmere Port.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chesterton, Cambridge</span> Human settlement in England

Chesterton is a suburb in the northeast corner of Cambridge, in the Cambridge district, in the county of Cambridgeshire, England, 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Cambridge station, on the north bank of the River Cam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A10 road (England)</span> Road in England

The A10 is a major road in England which runs between The City of London and King's Lynn in Norfolk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A1309 road</span> Road in Cambridgeshire, England

The A1309 is a short road which links the two ends of the A10 to north and south of Cambridge city centre in Cambridgeshire, England. It was numbered as part of the A10 prior to the construction of the Cambridge Western Bypass and the Northern Bypass.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midsummer Common</span>

Midsummer Common is an area of common land in Cambridge, England. It lies northeast of the city centre on the south bank of the River Cam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jesus Lock</span>

Jesus Lock is a lock on the River Cam in the north of central Cambridge, England. This is Lock No. 1 on the navigable portion of the River Cam. It was built in 1836 and is the only lock in the city. Jesus Green Lock Cottage, the former lock-keeper's cottage, is by the lock on Jesus Green. It is owned by the Conservators of the River Cam and is rented out to students.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jesus Green</span> Park in Cambridge, England

Jesus Green is a park in the north of central Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, north of Jesus College. Jesus Ditch runs along the southern edge Jesus Green. On the northern edge of Jesus Green is the River Cam, with Chesterton Road on the opposite side. To the east is Victoria Avenue and beyond that Midsummer Common, common land that is still used for grazing. Victoria Avenue crosses the Cam at Victoria Bridge, connecting to Chesterton Road, at the northeastern corner of Jesus Green.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jesus Lane</span> Street in central Cambridge, England

Jesus Lane is a street in central Cambridge, England. The street links with the junction of Bridge Street and Sidney Street to the west. To the east is a roundabout. To the south is King Street, running parallel with Jesus Lane and linking at the roundabout. The road continues east as Maid's Causeway and then Newmarket Road east out of Cambridge. To the north is Victoria Avenue between Jesus Green to the west and Midsummer Common to the east. Also to the north near the western end is Park Street, location of the ADC Theatre. To the south is Short Street, quickly leading into Emmanuel Road past Christ's Pieces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magdalene Street</span> Street in Cambridge, England

Magdalene Street is a street in the north of central Cambridge, England. It runs between Castle Street, by Castle Hill, at the junction with Northampton Street and Chesterton Lane, then Chesterton Road, to the northwest and Bridge Street at the junction with Thompson's Lane to the southeast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queen's Road, Cambridge</span> Road in Cambridge

Queen's Road is a major road to the west of central Cambridge, England. It links with Madingley Road and Northampton Street to the north and with Sidgwick Avenue, Newnham Road and Silver Street to the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northampton Street, Cambridge</span> Street in Cambridge, England

Northampton Street is a street in the north of central Cambridge, England. It runs between Madingley Road and Queen's Road to the west and Castle Street, by Castle Hill, Chesterton Lane, and Magdalene Street to the east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Huntingdon Road</span> Road in Cambridge, UK

Huntingdon Road is a major arterial road linking central Cambridge, England with Junction 14 of the M11 motorway and the A14 northwest from the city centre. The road, designated the A1307, follows the route of the Roman Via Devana, and is named after the town of Huntingdon, northwest of Cambridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Road, Cambridge</span> Road in Cambridge, England

East Road is a dual-carriageway road in the east of Cambridge, England. It is designated the A603 and forms part of Cambridge's inner ring road. The southwest end of East Road is next to Parker's Piece, at the junction with Parkside, Mill Road, and Gonville Place. At the northeast end there is a roundabout that links with Elizabeth Way and Newmarket Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newmarket Road, Cambridge</span> Road in the east of Cambridge, England

Newmarket Road is an arterial road in the east of Cambridge, England. It is designated the A1134 at the western end, linked by a roundabout forming a junction with Barnwell Road (A1134) to the south. The eastern end links with the city's inner ring road at another roundabout, with Elizabeth Way (A1134) to the north and East Road (A603) to the southeast. Newmarket Road continues a short way towards the city centre, becoming Maid's Causeway and then Jesus Lane. To the east, the road becomes the A1303 and crosses the A14 at a major roundabout, continuing further east and parallel to the A14 out of the city. The road is named after the market town of Newmarket in Suffolk, east of Cambridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victoria Road, Cambridge</span> Road in Cambridge, England

Victoria Road is a residential road in the north of Cambridge, England. The road is designated the A1134. At the western end, the road links with Histon Road, Huntingdon Road, Mount Pleasant, and Castle Street.In 1950, there were plans to improve this junction, but they never came to fruition. At the eastern end it links with Chesterton Road (A1303) and also links to Milton Road, the A1134, then A1309, northeast out of the city, also linking with the A14.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victoria Bridge, Cambridge, England</span>

Victoria Bridge is a single-arch road bridge across the River Cam in Cambridge, England. It carries Victoria Avenue. Immediately to the north is Chesterton Road and a major junction with Victoria Road and Milton Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fen Causeway, Cambridge</span> Link road in United Kingdom

Fen Causeway is a link road in the city of Cambridge, United Kingdom, constructed in the mid-1920s to ease the pressure on Silver Street. It forms part of the A1134 ring road. It links Newnham Road and Trumpington Road and spans the River Cam with Sheep's Green to the south and Coe Fen to the north. There is little residential development on this road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">20th century road schemes in Bristol</span>

Road building was central to planning policy for much of the 20th century in Bristol, England. The planned road network evolved over time but at its core was a network of concentric ring roads and high-capacity radial roads.

References

  1. Elizabeth Way, Cambridge Online.
  2. Locale Elizabeth Way, The Open Guide to Cambridge.
  3. Elizabeth Way Cambridge CB4, House Prices.
  4. "Midsummer Fair". stirbitch.com.
  5. 1 2 3 Cambridge 1950: Elizabeth Way bridge, Cambridge 2000.
  6. 1 2 Elizabeth Way Bridge (Cambridge), Wikimapia.

52°12′40″N0°08′12″E / 52.21109°N 0.13673°E / 52.21109; 0.13673