St Ives, Cambridgeshire - Historical Market Town

Cambridgeshire is a pretty and historic riversidehas been much altered but is now being
town with plenty to please the visitor. It is apreserved. If you wish to enter it the key can be
lovely place to stroll around with picturesqueobtained from the Town Hall or the Norris
thatched cottages, listed buildings and the gentlyMuseum.
flowing River Great Ouse. The town has hostedOther attractions in St. Ives include the market
some of the largest markets in the country forsquare which has preserved its character and is
over a thousand years and continues to holdan open and spacious center for the town. The
them now.Norris Museum features displays of local history
The prosperity of St. Ives was built on its positionwhich include stories from the civil war as
on the trade routes. It is situated on the firstCromwell blew up the town bridge in order to
passable point of the Ouse from the coast. Itstop the armies of the King. The town hosts a
stayed an important trading place for hundreds ofcarnival every summer with floats, stands, games
years until the railways and roads took overand all the usual frivolities.
transportation. Markets are now held everyAccommodation in St. Ives includes some
Monday, Friday and there is a farmers market ontraditional pub style bed and breakfasts. There is
the third Saturday of each month.also a converted hall with excellent facilities and
The best known landmark in St. Ives is therooms with four poster beds. There is plenty of
Chapel on the Bridge. It is one of only five bridgesaccommodation within the town but if you want
in England which have a chapel built into theto stay just outside there are options there too.
structure. Originally built in the fifteenth century it