Editing St Ives, Cambridgeshire (section)

==History==
===Origin: Slepe and Ivo===
St Ives was founded on the north bank of the wide [[River Great Ouse]] between [[Huntingdon]] and [[Ely, Cambridgeshire|Ely]], probably in the fifth or sixth century CE. There had been some Roman activity in the area, but the settlement that became St Ives originated in Anglo-Saxon times.<ref name = hudson1>Noel Hudson, ''St Ives: Slepe by the Ouse'', St Ives Town Council 1989, ISBN 0 9515298 0 3, page 1</ref> It developed because it was possible to [[Ford (crossing)|ford]] the river there; any more easterly crossing point would not have been practicable. The settlement was originally known as "Slepe", implying a muddy area. At that time and later, the area was virtually one large forest.<ref name = hudson1/>

Little and Werba, writing in 1974, stated that "The site of the ford, of which a trace remains at the bottom of Church Street, was well upstream of the present bridge". This point if view is supported by the foundation of a Saxon church at the location of the present All Saints Church, suggesting that this was then the centre of the settlement. Burn-Murdoch, writing in 2009 argues that the straight track that became London Road "leads straight to the river bank and so must have been going to a river crossing of some kind... so the Saxon river crossing was probably either a ford or a ferry" at the location of the present-day bridge... Upstream at Slepe itself the river is deep and narrow with a muddy bottom, making it very difficult to ford..." He continues, "Crossing the river at Slepe [would  have been] only half the battle: you also need to get across the wide expanse of the flood plain. The meadows on the south side of the river still flood regularly and are then impassable for days or weeks afterwards because of the mud left on them..." and there is no evidence of a Saxon causeway there.<ref name = werba1>Bryan Little and Herbert Werba, ''St Ives in Huntingdonshire'', published for the St Ives Borough Council by Adams and Dart, 1974, ISBN 0039001435, page 1</ref><ref name = shaping17>Bob Burn-Murdoch, ''The Shaping of St Ives'', published by the Friends of the Norris Museum, 2009, ISBN 978 0 9525900 9 5, pages 17 to 21</ref>

Whatever the exact location of the ford, Slepe became important as it was the lowest convenient crossing of the River Great Ouse; it was an important waypoint for traffic between the Eastern Counties and London. River traffic too developed, although navigation on the river was difficult until major improvements were made much later, in the 17th century.<ref name = summers45>Dorothy Summers, ''The River Great Ouse: the History of a River Navigation'', David & Charles, Newton Abbot, 1973, ISBN 0 7153 5971 1, pages 45 to 49, 88 and 117</ref>

The legend of [[Ivo of Ramsey|St Ivo]] relates that Slepe received a surprising visitation about a century after it had been established. One morning a tall, dignified man carrying a bishop's crozier and accompanied by two companions, forded the river Great Ouse and announced to the villagers that his name was Ivo, and that he was a missionary. He added that he had been ordered by God to travel to Slepe where he was to make his home and preach the gospel in the surrounding area.<ref name = hudson1/> The eleventh-century chronicler [[Goscelin|Goscelin of St Bertin]] wrote that Ivo was a Persian archbishop, and this claim has been repeated in later reports. Ivo remained at Slepe and eventually died there in the seventh century.<ref name = goscelin>Goscelin's Life of Ivo is printed in Jean Bolland, ''Acta Sanctorum'' (in Latin)</ref><ref name = biog324>William Smith and Henry Weiss (editors), ''Dictionary of Christian Biography, Literature Sects and Doctrines During the First Eight Centuries'', volume 3, John Murray, London, 1888, pages 324 and 325</ref> 

In the tenth century, [[Ramsey Abbey]] was founded and in 986, the Manor of Slepe, which by that time was an extensive property, was bequeathed to the Abbey. In the year 1001 CE, a peasant ploughing a field discovered a stone coffin containing a complete human skeleton. It was taken back to the church at Slepe, and declared by the Abbot [[Eadnoth the Younger|Eadnoth]], to be the remains of Ivo. At the time it was a lucrative matter for an Abbey to possess the bones of a saint, as wealthy pilgrims were attracted to the location. The relics were claimed to have healing properties. The editors of the Dictionary of Christian Biography describe the legend of Ivo as utterly improbable, "and the monks of Ramsey must be held responsible for the legend. Their abbey had been newly built and needed relics; a consecrated spot was wanted for a daughter-house [at Slepe]".<ref name = biog324/>

Ivo was a Cornish saint. Suggestions of a Persian link came about when Withman, Abbot of Ramsey, heard in the [[Holy Land]] of a Persian bishop named Ivo; subsequently the link to the Fenland Ivo was written down by Goscelin of St Bertin. The tradition is completely spurious.<ref name = eadnoth>Cyil Hart (editor), ''Eadnoth I of Ramsey and Dorchester'', in ''The Danelaw'', Hambledon Press, London, 1992, ISBN 1-85285-044-2, pages 613–23, originally published in ''Proceedings of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society'', page 56, 1964</ref> There is a seaside town in Cornwall named [[St Ives, Cornwall|St Ives]]. That name derives from a holy woman named [[Ia of Cornwall]] and has no connection with the Cambridgeshire town's name.<ref name = cornwall>Gilbert Hunter Doble, ''The Saints of Cornwall'', published by the Dean and Chapter of Truro, 1960, pages 89–94</ref> 

Nevertheless, Slepe became an important destination for pilgrims, and in time the name used for the settlement became "Saint Ives". The presence of the remains gave Slepe considerable prestige. Ramsey Abbey had been established in AD974 with a charter from [[Edgar, King of England|King Edgar]], and the community at Slepe was made subordinate to Ramsey Abbey. The significance of Ivo's remains meant that the community at Slepe became referred to as St Ives. About 1001 CE Abbot Eadnoth had Ivo's remains moved to Ramsey, but by that time the name St Ives had become the usual name for the town that had originated as Slepe.<ref name = werba2>Little and Werba, page 2</ref><ref name = page>"Parishes: St Ives", in ''A History of the County of Huntingdon: Volume 2'', ed. William Page, Granville Proby, S Inskip Ladds (London, 1932), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/hunts/vol2/pp210-223 [accessed 9 May 2025]</ref>

===After the Norman Conquest===
Slepe was listed in the [[hundred (county division)|Hundred]] of [[Hurstingstone (hundred)|Hurstingstone]] in Huntingdonshire in the [[Domesday Book]]. It states that

<blockquote>In St Ives, the Abbot of Ramsey had 20 [[Hide (unit)|hides]] to the geld [taxable]. [There is] land for 24 ploughs, and he had land for 2 ploughs in [[demesne]], apart from the aforementioned hides. There are now 3 ploughs in demesne and 39 [[Villein|villains]] and 12 smallholders who have 20 [or 6?] ploughs. There is a church and a priest, and 60 acres of meadow [and] woodland pasture 1 [[League (unit)|league]] and a half broad. Value before 1066 was £20 and now £16. Three of the Abbot's men, Everard, Ingelrann and Pleines, have 4 hides of this land, and 3½ ploughs. 5 villagers and 6 smallholders with 3 ploughs. [They have] the church and the priest. Value 45s. Eustace claims 2½ ploughs. ''Note: merged from differing translations of the original text in Latin''.<ref name = domesday1>John Morris (editor), ''Domesday, Book: 19: Huntingdonshire'', Phillimore, Chichester, 1975, ISBN 0 85033 130 7, section 204c</ref><ref name = domesday2>Ann Williams and G H Martin, editors, ''Domesday Book: a complete Translation'', Penguin Books, 2002, ISBN 0 140 51535 6, page 554</ref></blockquote>

Burn-Murdoch explains that "A hide was an area of land, probably about 120 acres. Land "in lordship" was cultivated by the lord of the manor as his own Home Farm.
Villeins and borderers were different kinds of peasant. A league was probably about one and a half miles. The Eustace who claims some of the land was the sheriff of Huntingdonshire).<ref name = shaping31>Burn-Murdoch, ''Shaping'', page 31</ref>

As St Ives continued to be a focus for travel in the area, it developed in importance as a trading point and a staging point for travellers. In 1107 the ford crossing of the river was replaced by a wooden bridge, at the site of the present-day stone bridge. The wooden bridge further encouraged the importance of St Ives, but it incurred heavy maintenance costs and in the early 15th century it was decided to replace the wooden bridge with [[St Ives Bridge|a stone bridge]]; this was completed in 1426.<ref name = labrum>E A Labrum (editor), ''Civil Engineering Heritage: Eastern and Central England'', published by Thomas Telford Limited for the Institution of Civil Engineers, London, 1994, ISBN 771970X, pages 94 and 95</ref><ref name = burn-bridge>Bob Burn-Murdoch, ''St Ives Bridge and Chapel: A History and Guide'', published by the Friends of the Norris Museum, 2001, ISBN 0 952590034, pages 5 to 10</ref><ref name = dickinson2>Philip G M Dickinson, ''St Ives Bridge and Chapel, Huntingdonshire'', published by the Norris Museum St Ives, 1962, page 2</ref>

===Post-medieval St Ives===
The key position of St Ives on a trunk route from [[Huntingdon]] to [[Ipswich]] may be seen in [[John Ogilby]]'s ''[[Britannia (atlas)|Britannia]]'' (1675), a series of strip maps of roads.<ref name = ogilby>John Ogilby, ''Britannia Volume the First or, An Illustration of the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales'', self published by Ogilby, London, 1675, map 88 https://www.fulltable.com/VTS/m/map/ogilby/e/SH023.jpg retrieved 15 May 2025</ref>

In 1689 there was a disastrous fire in the town which destroyed much of the built up infrastructure; Pettis was an eye-witness:

<blockquote>Tuesday april 30 hear happened a sudden and dreadfull fire in a malt house at the end of Whithart lane next padlemore. The wind being very high it ran up to the Street flew cross the Sheep market, consuming all to the reverside with part of the Bridg Street and to the other side the bridg consum’d part of them two houses.<ref name = pettis3>Edmund Pettis, quoted in Mary Carter, ''Edmund Pettis's Survey of St Ives, 1728'', Cambridge Records Society, 2002, ISBN 0 904323 16 1, page 3</ref></blockquote>

The economy of the town was principally agricultural, more arable than livestock. Carter says that

<blockquote>The major crops of the hinterland were wheat and barley, but the corn market of St Neots was more important than that of St Ives... However, there are references to fifteen granaries attached to inns in the eighteenth century which suggests that the crop was traded from them before transport to St Neots or elsewhere. There were large numbers of maltsters, some of whom became wealthy men.<ref name = carter39>Carter, ''Pettis's Survey'', page 39</ref></blockquote>

Carter continues:
<blockquote>For all the benefits that the market and increased traffic on the river brought to the town it did not lead to the establishment of major new industries. Such information as we have shows that the cargoes earned by river were not produced in St Ives.<ref name = carter42>Carter, ''Pettis's Survey'', page 42</ref></blockquote>

From the 17th to the mid-19th century, St Ives remained a hub for trade and navigation in this part of East Anglia. There were inns to cater for the merchants, mariners and drovers who did business in the town. Goods were brought into the town on barges and livestock rested on the last fattening grounds before being sent to London's [[Smithfield Market]]. However, with the of the [[Cambridge and St Ives branch line|Cambridge and St Ives railway line]] in 1847,<ref name = ecr>D I Gordon, ''A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain'', Volume V, The Eastern Counties, David & Charles, Newton Abbot, 1977, ISBN 0 7153 7431 1, page 149</ref> and improvements to the local road networks, commercial traffic on the River Great Ouse entered a steady decline.<ref name = ballard9>Ken Ballard, ''Old Industries of St Ives Revisited'', published by Friends of the Norris Museum, St Ives, 2002, ISBN 0 9525900 5 0, pages 9 to 28</ref>

The commercial activity of St Ives was dominated by agriculture: its weekly cattle market was said to be second only to [[Smithfield, London|Smithfield Market]], in London.<ref name = kelly>Smith and Werba, pages 27 and 28, quoting ''Kelly's Huntingdonshire Directory of 1847''</ref> Situated on [[Drovers' road|the drove road]] from the north of England and southern Scotland, it was a convenient market to sell beasts to meat wholesalers of southern and eastern counties.<ref name = ballard9/>

[[File:Broad Street Market, St Ives.jpg|thumb|The cattle market in progress in Broad Street, before the move]]The cattle market had, for decades, been held in Broad Street, but in 1886 it was moved to a dedicated site adjacent to the railway station.<ref name = shaping52>Burn-Murdoch, ''Shaping'', page 52</ref>

Nevertheless the town did have some industries as well. The company [[Tom M. Scotney|Tom M Scotney Limited]] established itself in St Ives in 1916, having operated on a small scale in [[Sawtry]]. The business manufactured timber products for agricultural use: sheep and cattle troughs, and fencing. After [[World War II]] the range was extended to include poultry houses, piggeries, farm carts and trailers, and motor lorry motor bodies. The original ownership was sold on in the 1960s and manufacturing ceased in the mid 1990s.<ref name = ballard9/>

Joseph Fowell had established himself as a designer of steam engines for agricultural use, employed at the engineering company of [[Charles Burrell & Sons]]. In 1876 he set up independently in St Ives, chosen because of its agricultural commerce. He became associated with William Box who was patentee of a transmission system allowing sprung suspension of traction engines, at the time a novel concept. The company was mainly involved in the manufacture and repair of agricultural machinery. In 1923 the business was sold on, the new owner continuing to at least 1965.<ref name = ballard37>Ballard, pages 37, 40, 41, 47 and 48</ref>

After 1846 [[Potto Brown]] established a flour mill, that became known as Brown and Goodman's Steam Corn Mill. In 1902 the mill was sold to the [[Chivers and Sons|Chivers Company]] of [[Histon]]. They converted the mill to a printing works for their jam jar labels. A subsidiary company named Enderby and Co. Ltd. was set up. Later the company supplied any business requiring its services. The works closed down in 1965. In 1968 the mill building was taken over by Advanced Instrumentation Modules, an electronics manufacturer. [[Clive Sinclair]] was the next occupier of the mill, in 1971, manufacturing pioneering microprocessor devices.<ref name = ballard55>Ballard, pages 55, 58, 61, 63 and 66</ref>

The factors that held the town back from further urban growth were that it lacked an industrial base, and had no monopoly to exploit except the sale of livestock, a trade whose major profits went to outsiders, like the Duke of Manchester. River traffic, largely controlled by outsiders, had to compete with traffic by road, and the more important centre for transport and many other aspects of life was the nearby county town of Huntingdon.<ref name = carter43>Carter, ''Pettis's Survey'', page 43</ref>

The River Great Ouse at St Ives flooded in 1947, and some parts suffered seriously again at Easter 1998<ref>{{cite web|url=http://saint-ives.info/history/Floods/ |title=1998 Floods in St Ives |access-date=6 September 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721232441/http://saint-ives.info/history/Floods/ |archive-date=21 July 2011 }}</ref> and in January 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.st-ives.info/history/floods2003/ |title=2003 Floods in St Ives|access-date=6 September 2009}}</ref> Extensive [[flood protection]] works were carried out on both sides of the river in 2006-07 at a cost of nearly £9&nbsp;million. {{convert|500|m|ft}} of brick-clad steel-piling was installed to protect the town, most noticeably at the Waits, where a plaza has also been created. A further {{convert|750|m|ft}} on the other side of the river protects [[Hemingford Grey]], reducing the yearly risk of flooding from 10% to 1%.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cambridgeshire/6231974.stm|title=£8. 8m flood defence scheme opened|date=22 June 2007|work=BBC News|access-date=6 September 2009}}</ref> Building on the flood plain at St Ives is now discouraged.