Fulbourn
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Coordinates: 52°11′02″N 0°13′38″E / 52.183951°N 0.227244°E
| Fulbourn | |
 The windmill |
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 Fulbourn
Fulbourn shown within Cambridgeshire |
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| Population | 4,704 (2001) |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | TL522563 |
| Civil parish | Fulbourn |
| District | South Cambridgeshire |
| Shire county | Cambridgeshire |
| Region | East |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | CAMBRIDGE |
| Postcode district | CB21 |
| Dialling code | 01223 |
| Police | Cambridgeshire |
| Fire | Cambridgeshire |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament | South East Cambridgeshire |
| List of places: UK • England • Cambridgeshire | |
Fulbourn is a village in Cambridgeshire, England. The term for a resident of the village is "Fulbourner".
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[edit] Geography
Fulbourn lies about five miles (8 km) south-east of the centre of Cambridge, separated from the outer city boundary by farmland and the grounds of Fulbourn Hospital. The village itself is fairly compact and roughly in the centre of the administrative parish. North and East of the village the land is flat, drained fen; to the south and south-West the Gog Magog Hills rise to over 200 feet (61 m). Outside the residential area the land is open farmland, with relatively few trees. There is a wooded area including a Nature Reserve (Fulbourn Fen) to the east in the Manor grounds. The village is set within the Cambridge Green Belt. The traditional parish boundaries follow the line of a Roman road and the Icknield Way to the south-west and south-east, Fleam Dyke— an ancient defensive earthwork— to the East and the tributaries of Quy Water that drain to the River Cam. The parish extends some 5 miles (8 km) north to south and 4 miles (6 km) east to west.
[edit] Population
Most of the population live within a half-mile square in the main village. The main settlement around the Parish Church of Saint Vigor has extended in post-war years west towards Cambridge and north in a narrow ribbon of development towards the former station on the Ipswich to Ely Line (Cambridge branch). There has been substantial housing estate development, both local authority and private, particularly south-west and south of the centre. The civil parish contains additional housing located on the edge of Cherry Hinton, which itself falls within the Cambridge City boundary.
The population of the ecclesiastical parish in 2001 has been estimated at about 4,000, being some 78% of the civil parish estimated in 1998 at 5,100. This has grown from a base of 1,440 in 1951 to 2,060 in 1961 and 4,220 in 1971. The 1979 boundary changes moved some (then) un-built-on land from Fulbourn and some partly developed land from Teversham both into the ecclesiastical parish of Cherry Hinton, as it was considered the people living there would look towards the churches in those parishes. Most of the subsequent growth in the administrative parish of Fulbourn has been in this area, which is not part of the ecclesiastical parish. In 1998 the population of the civil parish was made up of 1,000 people under 16, 3,100 aged 16–59, and 1,000 over 60. The economically active population was estimated at 2,600.
[edit] Local government
Fulbourn falls within the jurisdiction of Cambridgeshire County Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council for local government.
[edit] Employment and commerce
Since World War II most residents in employment have worked outside the village, in Cambridge or elsewhere. Many find work at the close-by Addenbrookes Hospital. Within the village itself there is employment in small industrial areas close to the former railway station and elsewhere to the north of the village. There are also professional offices in the former rectory and pumping station and a developing business park in redundant hospital buildings and in new buildings close by. Others are employed in service industries such as retail, and in education. Agriculture, though still important in terms of land use, only employs a small number of people.
The village's business park is joined by the Capital Park on the site of the old hospital, which has many tens of thousands of square feet of office space. These parks enhance the area's business environment beyond what was started by the creation of the Science Parks which date from the 1980s and 1990s.
In the High Street there are a number of shops including a Co-op supermarket, a butcher selling own-flock and local produce, a greengrocer selling produce from New Covent Garden Market, a chemist, a flower shop, a post office, an art gallery, a used-car dealer, a cappuccino bar, a beauty salon, a Chinese take-away and a kebab shop, as well as "Twelve", the church office/meeting-room. There is also a Tesco superstore within the parish close to the hospital site. Along with the Fulbourn Community Centre on Haggis Gap, perhaps the most important social centre in the village is The Six Bells pub, now owned by the White family and housed in a building that dates from the 15th century. Being historically "the last coaching stop on the way to Newmarket", Fulbourn at one time had over twenty public houses, including The Harrow Inn (now no longer a pub) and The White Hart, which is still functioning.
Banks Grain own and operate a large grain and rice silo adjacent to the railway line.
[edit] Healthcare
Fulbourn Hospital was built as an asylum in the mid-19th century between the village and Cherry Hinton. Until recently the main Victorian building was used as a psychiatric hospital, while the 1960s Kent House to the west was built for acute mental health patients and the Ida Darwin Hospital to the east was developed for the mentally handicapped. The main buildings have now been transformed into a Business Park although some acute facilities remain. From 540 patients at the hospitals in 1981 the number has been considerably reduced, with many ex-patients being moved into the community. The East of England Strategic Health Authority's offices are on the Business Park.
For everyday healthcare there is a health centre in the village with a single practice, though this is based at premises on the edge of Cambridge; there is also a chiropodist in the village.
[edit] Recreation
The village has a well-appointed recreation ground adjacent to which is the newly refurbished Townley Memorial village hall, which now includes meeting rooms, a small indoor sports hall, a venue for sports and social clubs.
There are a community centre and a village hall on separate sites, the hall being adjacent to the extensive recreation ground. There is a retirement home, Home Close, in the village: the Rector currently sits on the Residents' Committee, visits the home regularly and conducts services there.
[edit] Education
Fulbourn Primary School, close to the village centre, has about 270 pupils and has recently had a very successful Ofsted inspection. The Rector attends assemblies at the school throughout the term, alternating with the Minister of the United Reformed Church. Secondary schooling for most children is at the Village College in Bottisham 5 miles (8 km) to the north, though many parents choose to send their children to schools in Cambridge. There is also a special school within the parish which caters for those with learning disabilities, though this school's future is under discussion at present.
In the Old School Building, next to the current Primary School, there is a library [1] which was re-opened by volunteers in November 2003, having been closed by the County Council in October 2003. It is still supported by Cambridgeshire County Council Library Service which provides 1,000 books and 3 computers, plus IT support. Anyone with a Cambridgeshire Library card can use the library and request books from any other Cambridgeshire library. The Library relies on donated books to supplement the County stock and the generous community keeps up a steady supply.
[edit] Future developments
Proposals for significant additional housing to the north of the village after 2016 included in the current Structure Plan review have been vigorously fought by the Parish and District Councils. The Panel which conducted an examination into the review have recommended that these proposals be dropped. It is expected, however, whatever the outcome, some additional housing will occur within or on the edge of the village in the next 10 years or so. Apart from the developing Business Park already mentioned there are no current proposals for major additional employment opportunities in Fulbourn.
