Worried about Flooding at St Neots?

By Peter Ibbett

The Environment Agency folk have been busy at the Eaton Socon and Godmanchester locks on the Great Ouse. A mobile display trundled into the area to encourage home owners to draw up a flood plan in case of flash flooding or Biblical torrents bursting through expensive local upgrades to river defences. We are fortunate that our area has large expanses of river meadows, such as that at Regatta Meadow in St. Neots in 2009, that can keep flood waters from inundating our local towns as they used to do in the days of our 19th century ancestors as mentioned in ‘Legends and Traditions of Huntingdonshire.’ W. H. Bernard Saunders :"Although St. Neots is very liable to inundation from any unusual fall of rain, so rapid and destructive a flood is not remembered by the oldest inhabitant. At eight o'clock in the evening of Oct. 30th 1823, when the flood was at its highest, not a house in the town but was inundated to a considerable depth; in many the water ran over the shop counters, and in some it was more than five feet deep; indeed, in one or two instances, it was up to the ceiling. Mr. Inkersole sustained damage to the extent of £1,200, and Mr. Burdell, grocer, to the extent of £500. One poor woman, who had been compelled to take refuge from the flood in the garret, remained from Saturday night to Monday morning without any food, it being impossible from the low situation of her dwelling to afford her any assistance; persons were rowing about the Market-place in boats and brewing tubs, endeavouring to render aid; and amongst other things swept away by the destructive element, a pig-stye was seen floating down the streets. The walls of the town bridge were burst down by the impetuosity of the flood and the force of the tempest, and the arch was injured. At Eaton Socon a poor man was rescued from his dwelling in a boat only a minute before the house was overwhelmed. The Regent coach, from London to Stamford, was stopped in the flood, the horses swimming, and the passengers, 14 in number, had to be conveyed into St. Neots in boats for a distance of half a mile. The bridge next the mill was completely torn to pieces, and Mr. Towgood suffered to the extent of many hundreds of pounds." If you have flood material or memories do drop a copy into the museum which is now open for 2022 and is free for residents. Its shop has a wide range of family items.