Grantchester

Settlement in Cambridgeshire South Cambridgeshire

England

Grantchester

Grantchester is a picturesque village located in Cambridgeshire, England, just two miles south of the famous university city of Cambridge. Nestled along the banks of the River Cam, it is known for its idyllic setting and rich history. The village covers an area of approximately 1.5 square miles and has a population of around 600 residents.

Grantchester is renowned for its connection to literature and intellectualism. It was a popular meeting place for famous poets and writers of the early 20th century, such as Rupert Brooke and Virginia Woolf. This literary heritage can still be felt today, with the village hosting an annual poetry festival and attracting visitors interested in its literary past.

The village is characterized by its charming thatched cottages, leafy lanes, and well-maintained gardens. It offers a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere, making it a popular destination for those seeking a break from the bustling city life of Cambridge. The Grantchester Meadows, a vast expanse of grassland along the river, is a favorite spot for picnics, walks, and punting.

Grantchester also boasts several historic landmarks, including the Grade II listed St. Mary and St. Andrew's Church, dating back to the 12th century. The Orchard Tea Garden, established in the late 19th century, is another notable attraction, known for its beautiful orchard and traditional English afternoon teas.

Overall, Grantchester is a quintessentially English village, offering a perfect blend of natural beauty, cultural heritage, and literary significance. It continues to charm visitors from around the world with its timeless appeal.

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Grantchester Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 52.181245/0.090487 or Grid Reference TL4355. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Grantchester church

mym

Trumpington church

mym

Eltisley Avenue

A typical street in the residential area of Newnham Croft in south-west Cambridge. The poets Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath lived on this street when they were first married, and it inspired a poem by Hughes, "55 Eltisley Avenue".

Tom Pullman

The River Cam southwest of Cambridge

A bend of the Cam just south of Newnham, among meadows.

Tom Pullman

Swan on the Cam

Lera Miles

Cambridge Lakes Golf Course

A public golf course with the motto 'Golf for All'. This is the club house.

David Gruar

Is There Honey Still For Tea?

I am not sure if the Red Lion or the Green Man in Grantchester serve Honey sandwiches to fulfil the last line of Rupert Brooke’s poem The Old Vicarage Grantchester” see Link

Glyn Baker

Stands Still The Clock at Ten to Three?

The pub here has changed its name to celebrate Rupert Brooke and his poem “The old Vicarage Grantchester” see Link

It was written in the Café des Westens Berlin in 1912 whilst Brooke was recovering from illness. Brooke, renowned as a “war poet” only wrote six sonnets about the war after a limited engagement near Antwerp. The penultimate line of the poem “stands still the church clock at ten to three” has a bit of poetic licence as Mym's photo of the church TL4355 : Grantchester church attests there is no sign of it ever having had a clock! I wonder if a memory of a finger post like this one was the inspiration for the fourth verse?

Glyn Baker

âThereâs Peace & Holy Quiet Thereâ

This is a view across the churchyard in Grantchester, the memorial seat to a villager is an idyllic spot to sit and contemplate. The full quote from the picture’s title can be seen at Link

Glyn Baker

âAnd Worse Than Oaths at Trumpingtonâ

This is a picture of the Driveway to Trumpington hall, Contrary to Rupert Brooke’s experience the locals seemed very friendly these days! For an explanation of the title see Link

Glyn Baker

âThe Lovely Hamlet Grantchesterâ

Immortalised in his poem “The Old Vicarage Grantchester”, Grantchester is located to the west of Cambridge; it was home to Rupert Brooke. This is shot of just a few of the ancient cottages that abound in the village. To read the poem, go to Link

Glyn Baker

âMen With Splendid Heartsâ

This is the war memorial in Grantchester churchyard. The quote above is inscribed upon it together with “To the glory of God in loving thanks 1914-1918” as well as the name of Rupert Brooke among the fallen. Yeats described the young Brooke as “the handsomest young man in all England”. Brooke was a promising young poet before WW1. His reputation as a War poet stems from six sonnets (five of them numbered in a cycle) published after he saw limited action in an engagement near Antwerp. The patriotic nature of them was popular at the time. Brooke was due to take part in the Dardanelles Campaign; however before he saw action a mosquito bite became infected, blood poisoning set in and he died on Easter Sunday 1915. “The Old Vicarage Grantchester” is one of his most popular works. To read the poem, go to Link

Glyn Baker

The M11 west of Grantchester

This is only five miles or so from the northern end of the M11, and it's only dual carriageway at this point. The photo was taken looking south from the footbridge in the north-west of the square.

Tom Pullman